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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
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.
-
Road trip: New England’s maple syrup season
Feature New England is serving up maple syrup in delicious and unexpected ways
By The Week US Published
-
Music Reviews: Mdou Moctar, Panda Bear, and Tate McRae
Feature “Tears of Injustice,” “Sinister Grift,” and “So Close to What”
By The Week US Published
-
What's at stake in the Mahmoud Khalil deportation fight?
Talking Points Vague accusations and First Amendment concerns
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published