{"id":84539,"date":"2013-10-19T07:55:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-19T06:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?guid=96b92a8e6fc7479ef9a7e0c86b347660"},"modified":"2013-10-19T07:55:00","modified_gmt":"2013-10-19T06:55:00","slug":"study-shows-palestinian-authority-corruption","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/study-shows-palestinian-authority-corruption\/","title":{"rendered":"Study Shows Palestinian Authority Corruption"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Study Shows Palestinian Authority Corruption<\/b><\/div>\n
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by Stephen Lendman<\/div>\n
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Palestinians under PA governance are ill-served, abused, lied to, exploited and otherwise mistreated.<\/div>\n
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Illegitimate president Mahmoud Abbas is a longtime Israeli collaborator. Betrayal pays well. He amassed a personal fortune.<\/div>\n
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It’s stashed in overseas bank accounts and other investments. Reportedly he’s worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s stolen money.<\/div>\n
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He enriched himself throughout his tenure. He has secret land deals. He helped his sons become millionaires.<\/div>\n
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A July 2012 House Foreign Relations Committee<\/span><\/a> investigated chronic PA corruption.<\/div>\n
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Testimony given said fraud and other venal practices “within the Palestinian political establishment have been endemic for decades.” <\/div>\n
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“Reports suggest that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, like his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, has used his position of power to line his own pockets as well as those of his cohorts and cronies, including his sons, Yasser and Tarek.”<\/div>\n
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The Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) was established to serve all Palestinians. Abbas “asserts complete control.” He appoints cronies as board members. He rejects requested audits.<\/div>\n
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US taxpayer funds were stolen. Accountability is absent. Operations are opaque. Transparency doesn’t exist. Rampant corruption is endemic. <\/div>\n
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PA officials enrich themselves at the expense of their own people. Abbas and his sons profited most of all. <\/div>\n
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Legitimate governance is impossible with him in charge. Embezzlement and other corruption forms are standard practice. <\/div>\n
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On October 16, Maan News<\/span><\/a> headlined “PA misspent over $3 billion of EU aid.” It cited a European Court of Auditors (ECA) study. More on that below.<\/div>\n
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ECA audits EU finances. It aims to improve European financial management. It’s to insure taxpayers get maximum value for their money.<\/div>\n
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It does so by auditing individuals, organizations, and entities handling EU funds. It does it by examining and investigating other nations receiving EU aid. It conducts spot checks. <\/div>\n
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It submits reports to the European Commission and member state governments.<\/div>\n
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It has no legal powers of its own. If fraud or other irregularities are found, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is notified.<\/div>\n
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ECA works closely with PA officials. It does so based on Interim Association Agreement on Trade and Cooperation (AATC) authority. It’s the largest Palestinian donor.<\/div>\n
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AATC dates from July 1997. Its objectives are to:<\/span><\/div>\n
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