Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat is planing to nominate Munib al Masri of Nablus, one of the wealthiest Palestinians in the world, as prime minister when the PA bodies meet this weekend, Palestinian sources said Monday.
But Palestinian sources said officials of Fatah movement would insist that the PA chairman instead nominate as prime minister a member of the Fatah Central Committee, with PLO secretary general Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) the favored candidate among Fatah figures, Israel Radio reported Tuesday.
The Nablus-based Masri is leader of the Masri family, one of the most influential families in the West Bank. He has business interests throughout the territories and the Gulf region and is believed to be a billionaire. In the past, Arafat offered him ministry positions, but he turned them down.
Palestinian sources note that Masri is well-connected with the United States, after building part of his fortune on tenders he won for building the American military bases in Saudi Arabia. He is chairman of the Palestinian Development and Investment Co. (Padico), which has invested tens of millions of dollars in commercial interests throughout the territories, including in the local cellular phone network.
Padico has become the biggest and most influential company in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Munib Masri's second cousin, Sabih Nasri runs Paltel. Almost every other Padico subsidiary has a Masri or two on its board. The Palestinian Authority's trade and industry chief is another cousin, Maher Masri. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
