Hamas
Closes Casino
As reported by the Arutz Sheva:
"The Oasis Casino, which sometimes had
a daily turnover of close to a million dollars,
was built in Jericho after the signing of the
Oslo Accords, over ten years ago. In 1999, it
made a profit of $54 million from the close
to 2,900 people who visited the casino daily
- 99% of them Israelis.
"The
casino shut down in late 2000, a month after
the PA started the Oslo War, after its roof
was used for terrorist gunfire attacks at Israeli
targets. The building was heavily damaged by
Israeli retaliatory fire, and though it was
later refurbished, it has never re-opened.
"In
September 2005, the German weekly 'Focus' reported
that Austrian businessman Martin Schlaff, a
co-owner of the casino, tried to bribe PM Sharon
into re-opening the casino earlier than planned.
The reports stated that Schlaff allegedly funneled
some $4.5 million into Sharon family bank accounts,
possibly via Sharon's friend Cyril Kern, in
exchange for a decision to re-open the casino.
This took place, the reports state, in February
2002, 16 months after the casino was closed.
"Another
Sharon controversy regarding the casino involved
the Prime Minister's top aide Dov Weisglass…"
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