'Aid' used for Palestinian arms

2006-05-17 20:06

Jerusalem - The Palestinian Authority used money from Israel and the international community to buy arms, said the Israeli government on Wednesday.

Israel said the information was from a Palestinian detainee's confession under Israeli detention.

The arms were apparently bought under the late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.

Arafat's former top financier, Fuad Shubaki, who was captured in an Israeli raid on a West Bank prison earlier this year.

The Israeli prime minister's office said Shubaki admitted, under questioning, to acquiring vast quantities of weapons.

The office said: "Shubaki estimated that between $7m and $10m in PA funds were spent every two years on war materiel for the Gaza Strip and $2m on war material for (the West Bank)."

He also admitted that, when the Palestinian uprising broke out in 2000, Arafat ordered him to purchase weapons.

Israel accuses Shubaki of arms trafficking

The money apparently came from international aid, tax revenues from the Gaza Strip, funds from Arab countries and customs revenues from Israel on goods destined for the Palestinian territories.

The office said Shubaki had also admitted that Iran and Lebanese-based Shi'ite movement Hezbollah, were among those who backed a foiled bid to smuggle 50 ton of arms and explosives to Gaza on a Palestinian-captained ship in the Red Sea in 2002.

Israeli troops captured Shubaki, along with the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmed Saadat, in a raid on a prison in Jericho, last March.

Shubaki had been jailed in Jericho under the supervision of Britian and United States.

Israel accuses Shubaki of arms trafficking. He, Saadat and four others are also wanted by Israel for the killing of Israeli cabinet minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2002.

Israel recently decided to stop handing over customs duties that it used to collect for the Palestinian Authority.

It has defended its decision, saying that the country is now governed by Hamas and claiming the money may be used to fund armed activities.

- AFP