MER - The quoted paragraph below is from a recent report from Gaza that all but indicts Yasser Arafat and his cronies for the worst excesses of corruption, nepotism, and mafia-style extortion and intimidation. The report is by David Hirst in the GUARDIAN WEEKLY of 27 April:

"AMONG THE FANCY NEW VILLAS, FANCIEST IS THAT OF ABU MAZEN, KEY NEGOTIATOR OF THE ILL-FATED OSLO ACCORD. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHO PAID FOR THIS $2 MILLION-PLUS AFFAIR, ALL BALCONIES AND BALUSTRADES IN GOTHIC PROFUSION, BUT THE GRAFFITI WHICH SOME IRREVERENT SCOUNDREL SCRAWLED ON ITS WALL PROCLAIMED THAT "THIS IS YOUR REWARD FOR SELLING PALESTINE."

Two photos accompany Hirst's full-page report with the following captions:      1) Suha Arafat: in chare of private slush fund
     2) Building on sand... While ordinary Palestinians continue to fight on the streetws against Jewish settlements, their rules are busy lining their own pockets.
No wonder, Hirst concludes, the Israelis agreed at Arafat's request to the $250 million secret bank account kept in Tel Aviv should Arafat and wife, along with his gang of crooks and thugs, have to depart quickly!