(Boston Globe) Charles A. Radin - Pervasive corruption in the Palestinian Authority and in Arafat's Fatah movement are influencing European nations to reduce financial assistance, local and foreign observers say. The PA's problems are creating greater receptiveness in Washington to Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's preparations for unilateral separation from the Palestinians, they say. "Frankly, there is chaos among the [Palestinian] security forces," said Mustafa Issa, governor of Ramallah and a longtime Arafat loyalist, "and there is much corruption." Palestinians tried to administer their own affairs from the mid-1990s to the present, he said, "and we did not succeed." "The problem is not just the occupation, it is much bigger. Nablus is ruled by thugs. The people are killing each other." said Bassem Eid, director of the East Jerusalem-based Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group.
2004-02-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive