The initiative to allow the Palestinian Authority to re-open its casino in Jericho seems to have had the ground removed from under its feet. Arutz-7\'s Haggai Huberman reports that although Prime Minister Sharon was initially in favor of allowing the re-opening, GSS head Avi Dichter and Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer prevailed upon him to backtrack. Thus, Sharon announced last night that although he would not prevent the PA from opening its casino in the territory it controls, he would not allow Israeli citizens - the casino\'s main source of income - to visit Jericho until the Arab violence is stopped.
\"It is now known that a large part of the casino\'s profits were used to finance the warfare against Israel,\" Huberman reported today. \"The money was funneled via Muhammad Rashid - the PA treasurer, who is involved (and receives royalties from) every financial transaction that goes on there - to Force 17, Jibril Rajoub, and Muhammad Dahlan. The same arrangement is expected to continue if the casino is re-opened. In fact, the Palestinians have been feeling a bit desperate for money to replenish their dwindling supply of weapons and ammunition, and this is why they are so anxious to re-start the casino...\"
Huberman also noted the suspicious nature of the negotiations regarding the casino: \"I will say this very carefully, but the people involved in the talks leave little room for doubt: The casino\'s attorney is Dov Weisglass, who represented Sharon himself in his suit against Time Magazine. Weisglass went with Omri Sharon, before the elections, to meet with Rashid in Austria, and with Martin Schlaff, representing the Austrian owners of the casino... And, of course, Yossi Ginosar, who also went with Omri Sharon and who is also financially involved in the casino...\"
\"It is now known that a large part of the casino\'s profits were used to finance the warfare against Israel,\" Huberman reported today. \"The money was funneled via Muhammad Rashid - the PA treasurer, who is involved (and receives royalties from) every financial transaction that goes on there - to Force 17, Jibril Rajoub, and Muhammad Dahlan. The same arrangement is expected to continue if the casino is re-opened. In fact, the Palestinians have been feeling a bit desperate for money to replenish their dwindling supply of weapons and ammunition, and this is why they are so anxious to re-start the casino...\"
Huberman also noted the suspicious nature of the negotiations regarding the casino: \"I will say this very carefully, but the people involved in the talks leave little room for doubt: The casino\'s attorney is Dov Weisglass, who represented Sharon himself in his suit against Time Magazine. Weisglass went with Omri Sharon, before the elections, to meet with Rashid in Austria, and with Martin Schlaff, representing the Austrian owners of the casino... And, of course, Yossi Ginosar, who also went with Omri Sharon and who is also financially involved in the casino...\"