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Swedish Foreign Minister: Corruption an Obstacle to Economic Support for Palestinian Authority
(Media Line) Mohammad Al-Kassim - One of the Palestinian Authority's biggest European backers is calling out the PA for widespread corruption. A Swedish radio station quoted Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde on Tuesday as saying: "The corruption that pervades Palestine is an obstacle to providing economic support." There have been numerous accusations that PA President Mahmoud Abbas rewards officials who are close to him; for example, close advisors and top officials, or their children, have been appointed to top positions in Palestinian embassies, diplomatic missions and in the prosecutor's office in Ramallah. A high-ranking PA official and one of Abbas' closest confidants reportedly benefits financially by taking a cash cut from every work permit issued for Palestinians to work in Israel. Attorney Moien Odeh told Media Line that "corruption stories of senior PA officials, their families and relatives were well known by the Palestinians, but recently these stories started going out to the international community." A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that 83% of Palestinians believe there is corruption in PA institutions. The survey found a record-high 78% who called on Abbas to resign.