Suha Arafat accuses of campaigning financial scandals against her
Suha Arafat, wife of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, denied accusations over money laundering, saying that she and her husband are ready to answer all questions concerning her bank accounts in France where the authorities there are making investigations over them.
In press statements, Suha Arafat stressed that the amounts of money, which is under controversy, estimated at 9 million EURO came and are coming legally and it is also spent legally.
Suha questioned why it is regrettable that the Palestinian President sends money to his family and wife who supervises the Palestinian interests abroad, accusing the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon of creating similar scandals to Arafat's family to hide his own scandals.
The office of the Palestinian Authority in France denied the accusations against Suha Arafat's involvement in money laundering issues and the office considered these news as mere groundless provocations.
The Attorney General in France is making investigations to specify the source of some nine million EUROS ( USD 11.5 million) transferred from a Swiss establishment to two separate bank accounts for Suha in Paris during July 2002 and July 2003.
On the other hand, a Palestinian parliamentary committee is investigating the possibility that Palestinian companies in Egypt are selling materials to Israel that help to building the separation wall. According to Palestinian officials sources, the investigation will basically concentrate on a company for the family of the prime minister Ahmad Qurei' of selling cement for the Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The Israeli TV said that Jerusalem company for cement which is owned by Qurei' family provides necessary materials to help in building barriers in the West Bank. A matter which was denied by Palestinian officials.
However, a Palestinian official who asked to be anonymous said that there is "evidence that Qurei' was selling cement for the Israeli Male Adomim," noting that he had transferred his ownership of the company for one member of his family since several months.
