via Daily Alert PA Tries to Stop Officials from Fleeing

Harbi Sarsour, head of the PA's Petroleum Authority, was arrested recently by the PA.
A close associate of Arafat, Sarsour established, together with senior PA officials, a monopoly over gasoline in the West Bank and Gaza.

From the Man who swallowed Gaza by Ronen Bergman and David Ratner, April 4, 1997

This is how Yasser Arafat's Fund B works: The Al-Bahr Company, for example, belongs to his chef de bureau and economic advisor. The cement monopoly is run by mystery man Muhammad Rashid, who signed the multi- million dollar contract with Dor Energy on behalf of the Authority.

From How important is the PLO? by Daniel Pipes from April 1983

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), an organizational member of the PLO, achieved a near-monopoly over steel products in South Lebanon during the late 1970s by importing steel from the Soviet bloc at concessionary prices and paying no import duties (the PLO controlled the ports of Sidon and Tyre). Its factory, the Modern Mechanized Establishment near Sidon, undercut competitors and drove them out of business; then it raised prices and reaped huge profits.

The PLO never gave up its terror ways. Nor did it give up its ways of corruption. It was always acceptable for members of the PLO to strangle the economy for their own gain.

Technorati Tags: PLO, corruption.

Crossposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.