Did Arafat embezzle?
The week's news at a glance.
Paris
French prosecutors are investigating the wife of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat over allegations of money laundering. Suha Arafat, who lives in Paris with her daughter, has come under scrutiny because of her lavish lifestyle. During a wide-ranging investigation into the possible misuse of Palestinian Authority funds, police discovered that $11 million had been transferred to her bank account from a Swiss bank. Mrs. Arafat said the money was legitimate. “What’s strange in the fact that a husband should send money to his wife abroad?” she asked. The Palestinian Authority has received some $5.5 billion in foreign aid, mostly from the European Union, since Yasser Arafat returned to Gaza 10 years ago. An International Monetary Fund audit found that close to $1 billion could not be accounted for.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
July 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a Medicaid time bomb, and Donald Trump's fixation with the Fed's Jerome Powell
-
5 hilariously cutting cartoons about the Department of Education
Cartoons Artists take on being rotten to the core, budget cuts, and more
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal