Corruption Running Rampant Within Hamas
By Andrew Potts, Marketing –
Foreign leaders used smuggled funds to purchase real estate in Qatari.
Palestinian Islamic organization Hamas has garnered an infamous reputation not only for its terrorist activities abroad, but for its corrupt leadership as well. Two of its leaders, Khaled Mashaal and Ismail Haniyeh have received negative press for their corrupt activities outside of their governmental roles.
Politics, Real Estate and Corruption
Khaled Mashaal, head of the Hamas’ political bureau, smuggled $12 million from Syria to Turkey during Syria’s civil war. Reports indicated the money belonged to Hamas, but Mashaal claimed it disappeared during the civil war.
These funds were later allegedly used by Mashaal to invest in Qatari real estate; he built a seven-acre project that included four towers and a 2.5-acre commercial center. This project will comprise 250 luxury apartments, a private club, a kindergarten, a library and tourist attractions.
Former Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh owns 2,500 square meters of land on Amar Almatar Street in the Al-Ramal area of Palestine worth about $4 million. Earlier in his career, Almatar could barely support his family. Now, in addition to his own property, he purchased multiple homes in the names of his sons with a combined worth of millions of dollars.
The Tragedy of Palestine’s Corruption
The most tragic part of this blatant misuse of government funds is that Palestine suffers under the cloud of a per capita GDP of less than $3,000.
Unfortunately, this is not a unique story. Economies around the world remain crippled when those in charge act with self-interest and put their needs above the needs of the people they are supposed to serve. On a positive note, there are governments around the globe with current anti-corruption initiatives, including Peru, Ukraine, the U.K. and China. EyeDetect™ is an effective method to screen employees in positions of trust for bribery, fraud, and other crimes. By starting at the top of the political food chain and working down, anti-corruption officials may be able to make a dent in this worldwide corruption epidemic.
