Palestinian Leaders: A Policy of Piracy, Blackmail and Plunder

by Khaled Abu Toameh • May 11, 2020 at 5:00 am

The Palestinian leader's critics and political rivals say that Abbas is the one engaged in piracy, political extortion and theft of Palestinian money.
Palestinian human rights organizations have strongly condemned Abbas for using the salaries and pensions as a means of extortion against his political rivals and critics.
Cutting salaries and pensions to political opponents for daring to speak out against corruption and the epic policy failures of the Palestinian leadership is doomed to drive these people into the open arms of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The next time Abbas accuses Israel of "piracy" and "theft" of Palestinian money, the international community might inquire into the Palestinian leader's own practice of depriving his people of their livelihoods because of their political affiliations and resistance to his policy of plunder.

Critics and political rivals of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) say that he is engaged in piracy, political extortion and theft of Palestinian money. (Photo by Abbas Momani/AFP via Getty Images)

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has spent the past few years accusing Israel of "piracy," "theft" and "blackmail." What is all the name-calling about?

Abbas, it seems, is furious about Israel's decision to deduct millions of dollars from the Palestinian Authority's tax revenue dues as a punishment for paying part of the money to families of Palestinian terrorists.

Under the terms of the Oslo Accords, signed between Israel and the PLO in 1993, Israel collects duties on imports that reach the West Bank and the Gaza Strip via Israeli ports, in addition to other taxes, and forwards a large sum of it to the Palestinian Authority, after deducting payments for water and electricity.

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Coronavirus: The Mullahs Strengthen Ties with Venezuela

by Majid Rafizadeh • May 11, 2020 at 4:00 am

Reports recently revealed that in the last week of April alone, the sanctioned Iranian airline, Mahan Air, with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), made several flights to Venezuela. Reportedly, the Iranian regime delivered "parts, technicians, and gasoline additives to fix a major refinery in Venezuela," and received nine tons of gold bars in return.
The United Nations, as usual in regards to every country other than Israel, remained silent as Mahan Air reportedly violated the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology."
In addition, Venezuela has granted more than 173 passports to radical Islamists... The passports are able to be used for travel to North America and Europe.

Iran has been bypassing US sanctions amid the coronavirus crisis, and strengthening its ties with Venezuela. Pictured: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) reviews the honor guard at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 10, 2015. (Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran has been bypassing US sanctions amid the coronavirus crisis, and strengthening its ties with Venezuela.

Reports recently revealed that in the last week of April alone, the sanctioned Iranian airline, Mahan Air, with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), made several flights to the South American nation. Reportedly, the Iranian regime delivered "parts, technicians, and gasoline additives to fix a major refinery in Venezuela," and received nine tons of gold bars in return.

Iran is apparently desperate for revenue, after US sanctions, the coronavirus outbreak and plunging oil prices crippled its economy. According to Kpler, a data intelligence company that tracks commodity markets and shipments, in February alone, Iran's crude oil exports dropped to 250,000 barrels per day. Before the US re-introduced sanctions on Iran's energy sector, the Islamic Republic was exporting roughly 2.5 million barrels of oil per day.

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