International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Dec. 23, 2002

Only weeks after the US State Department signaled that the PLO mission in Washington should be downgraded as a result of the failure of the Palestinian Authority to reform, an influential Palestinian columnist has spoken out about the rampant corruption in the PA diplomatic corps.

According to Ali Sadek, writing in the Ramallah-based Al-Hayat al-Jadeeda newspaper, the lack of accountability and abuse of power among PA missions abroad has reached proportions that are "scandalous and disgraceful".

Citing instances of corruption ranging from personal financial gain, nepotism, appropriation of property and gross misuse of funds, Sadek called for the PA to institute major reform across its diplomatic staffs in some 86 embassies worldwide.

Earlier this year, the PA ambassador to Bosnia was recalled to Gaza after failing to give the Bosnian Foreign Ministry any explanation for two stolen cars found in his possession. Palestinian sources familiar with the individual – previously just a regular member of the Gaza security forces - were baffled as to the circumstances surrounding his sudden appointment to Sarajevo in the first place.

Meanwhile a Palestinian academic, who intends to challenge Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat in the next PA election, called Saturday for an inquiry into allegations that top officials siphoned millions of dollars in PA funds into a secret Swiss bank account.

The scandal, which has engulfed the Israeli media in recent weeks, revolves around a top advisor to Arafat who is said to have paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to a senior Israeli intelligence agent close to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak in return for managing the secret account.

Dr. Abdel Sattar Kassem, an outspoken critic of corruption in the PA has condemned the silence of PA leaders since the Israeli Hebrew daily, Ma’ariv reported that Arafat pocketed more than $300 million earmarked for the Palestinian people's welfare.

"We still haven't heard any comment from the PA on this affair," Kassem said. "The Palestinian people have the right to know the details." The PA-controlled Palestinian media, meanwhile, has almost completely ignored the story. The advisor concerned is still working for Arafat and is shortly scheduled to join a PLO delegation to Cario for talks with the Gaza based terror group Hamas.