Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniya claims Avi Shaked offered $1 billion for a peace agreement.
Channel 2 Television reported yesterday that 888 Holding plc (LSE:888) controlling shareholder Avi Shaked offered the Palestinian Authority $100 million if its Prime Minister Ismail Haniya would agree to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Haniya made the claim in interview with an Arab television station. He added that Shaked had offered as much as $1 billion, which he would raise from Israeli businessmen, following the signing of a sustainable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Responding to the reports, Shaked told Channel 1 that an international fund, jointly set up by Israeli and foreign investors, was willing to invest in the Palestinian Authority provided that it was willing to enter negotiations with Israel and sign a peace treaty with it. “The goal is to make it clear to the Palestinians that the international community considers them a target for immediate investment, and that it will welcome any willingness on their part to work with Israel towards an agreement. Should this happen, the fund will invest 10% of its equity in Palestinian industry, and this will rise to $1 billion once an agreement has been signed,” he said.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on December 5, 2006
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