I remember in past years reading where Nostradamus predicted the anti-christ's name as Mabbas. Immediately I saw this as a mirror image of Saddam, so I watched him for some time, always wondering. Well, he's now out of the way, but how about M.Abbas?

In light of modern headlines, I see it also as BarAbbas, meaning "son of the father or master." Son of Abbas??? Mahmoud Abbas??? I just never thought of Bush's favorite "moderate" Terrorist as a father, I guess. But, he has two sons Tariq and Yassar. Makes one wonder after whom Yassar was named. I found these articles on the sons, and dug them out of my dusty drafts folder to share for anyone interested. There are pictures on the links.

Kay

The Geneva Accord Moves to Center Stage

Television stations in the territories have been broadcasting an Israeli-Palestinian campaign since last week that is promoting the accord. The marketer: an advertising company owned by Abu Mazen's two sons.

Beyond the various anxieties, a positive atmosphere on the whole prevails among the owners of television channels in the territories with respect to the Geneva campaign spots. Most of them explained that the reason for this is the identity of the marketer of the campaign: Sky, the largest media company in the territories, which is owned by Abu Mazen's sons, Tariq and Yasser Abbas.

Sky is much more than a large advertising agency, which sells most of the advertising space and minutes of air time in the media in the territories. It is directly connected, in the eyes of the station owners, to Abu Mazen, who looks likely to be elected the leader, and to the new spirit among the Palestinian leadership with respect to the Geneva Accord. Just as Arafat's non-intervention in the accord was interpreted at the time as opposition to it, Sky's involvement in marketing the campaign on the Palestinian side is interpreted as Abu Mazen's official blessing. http://www.btvshalom.org/geneva/20041222.shtml

Yasser Abbas is the president and CEO of First Option, a construction materials and construction services company operating in the Middle East. An engineer by trade, Mr. Abbas spent 10 years working for Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) in the Middle East. He then set up his own operations in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. After Oslo, he moved his business back to Ramallah and the West Bank. Mr. Abbas is also chairman of Falcon Holding Group consisting of a number of individual companies based in the Middle East.

Aspen Institute Holds Middle East Strategy Event

The Washington, DC-based Aspen Institute’s new Middle East Strategy Group supports civil society and policy initiatives designed to create economic stakeholders for peace. Aspen President Walter Isaacson describes it as “an innovative approach to ancient problems.” Chairs include former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Israeli businessman Idan Ofer and Palestinian businessman Samer Khoury.

On April 6 under The Institute’s auspices, Israeli and Palestinian delegates participated in a day-long dialogue in preparation for Israel’s planned redeployment from Gaza. Delegates met privately, with some facilitation by Isaacson. A public panel later that evening featured dialogue members Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland of the Knesset National Security Council, Ephraim Sneh, member of Israel’s Labor Party, Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister of State Hind Khoury, and Yasser Abbas, head of the Falcon Holding Group.

Isaacson was upbeat, and clearly proud of the day’s achievements. The delegations’ governments had endorsed formal coordinating committees to support the Gaza redeployment and formed working groups on such issues as terminals, trade and transport. Isaacson announced three categories of accomplishment: 1) agreement on projects: a power plant, a call center, a hospital, new uniforms and a housing complex; 2) an official agreement between Israel and the PA to establish five coordinating committees addressing such issues as assets, trade and transport; and 3) Overseas Private Investment Corp (OPIC) support of a fund for business development projects in Gaza and the West Bank.

Panelists shared a sense of urgency along with fear of missing a window of opportunity for peace. The looming PA legislative elections and Israeli settlement expansions, coupled with the need to demonstrate tangible improvements in the day-to-day lives of Palestinians, were recurring themes.

The Palestinians were unanimous that the United States must be involved. The Israelis were reticent, however, reiterating that if the two parties were working together properly, involvement by a third party was not required and that, if Washington were to be involved, it should facilitate but not seek to influence. Former American Middle East envoy Dennis Ross interjected from the audience that “the role of the third party is critical; to make sure each party meets its goals.”

Minister Khoury reiterated that “the status quo is today being extremely jeopardized.”

The Palestinians repeatedly emphasized contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza, expressing fear that the “disengagement” is lulling observers into complacency, and urging that people not lose sight over the next steps: Israel vacating the West Bank, and Palestinian statehood.

In the face of Isaacson’s repeated urgings to be positive, Khoury remained resolute. “The West Bank is being cantonized and more settlements are going in,” she pointed out. “People are extremely cautious, more than optimistic.”

What Do Palestinians Do with Humanitarian-Aid Money? - Ike Seamans (Miami Herald)
The Bush administration has waived the 10-year ban prohibiting direct aid to the Palestinian Authority and is sending $20 million for humanitarian and infrastructure programs.
The PA, a cesspool of corruption to most Palestinians, receives abundant cash from many sources:
* $375 million in U.S. funds contributed in the past two years to the UN and relief agencies.
* $1 billion from the Arab League since 2000.
* $1.3 billion in private donations last year, the largest per-capita contribution to any group since World War II, according to the World Bank.
* $1.5 billion from the European Union since 1993.
In January, Israel seized records revealing that since 1996, PA officials have sold food and medicine donated by the UN, yet its aid continues unabated.
EU auditors found that $20 million meant for low-income housing in Gaza was diverted to build a luxury apartment complex for government officials.
Last year, the Los Angeles Times reported that millions, if not billions, given for ''peaceful purposes'' have been spent to arm militias and security forces.
Yasser Abbas, the prime minister's son, has joined the gravy train and gained control of the electronics industry, even though he's a Canadian citizen who lives in Ramallah only a few months a year.
The PA is not broke. Abdel Salaam Abu Eissa, the director of the International Bank of Palestine, said three years ago that there was $2 billion in local banks and $30 billion in foreign accounts.
Last year, the EU asked the IMF to audit the books. Nothing was amiss. Then it was discovered that Salaam Fayyad, a close Arafat associate and currently PA minister of finance, conducted the audit.
An embarrassed EU immediately sent its own inspectors, who have already determined that $250 million may have been funneled to terrorist organizations since 2000.