Paris
Yasser Arafat’s widow has struck a deal with Palestinian officials that will leave her wealthy for life, Italian and Israeli newspapers reported this week. Suha Arafat, a convert to Islam who makes her home in Paris, used to receive an allowance of $100,000 a month from Arafat’s office fund, but earlier this year Palestinian officials insisted that that amount be halved. The tables were turned this month, when Suha Arafat refused to tell them where her husband’s fortune was stashed until they promised her a huge payoff: $20 million upfront and $35,000 a month for the rest of her life. Arafat died a vastly wealthy man. The Palestinian Authority collected more than $1 billion in international aid every year, much of which he siphoned straight into his private accounts, claiming he needed it to buy off Palestinian opponents to the peace process.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
