| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Sex tape source cancels scheduled public appearance |
| 2010-02-20 |
| [Ma'an] Former Palestinian Authority intelligence officer and source of February's sex scandal tapes Fahmi Shabanah canceled a scheduled public address, "in the high interests of Palestinian unity," he told reporters. Addressing a closed group of press members, Shabaneh said he would not go ahead with a public speech where he had promised to disclose the reasons behind his choice to hand over hundreds of documents and a video tape showing presidential aide Rafiq Husseini apparently exchanging sex for jobs in the government. "I am Fahmi Shabana At-Tamimi did what I have done out of my belief that it would help fight corruption in all its forms, colors and levels....I wanted to push the reform wagon onto the right track in order to achieve justice." The release of the material two weeks ago prompted President Mahmoud Abbas to suspend Husseini and call an inquiry into the incident. According to Shabanah, however, he had previously brought the information to the president, who chose not to act until there was a public outcry. Shabanah said he had wanted to give details on the whole incident "from beside Al-Aqsa," to Palestinians and "Jerusalemites in particular," but that he now saw the public appearance as something that could harm Palestinian politics. Following the release of the information, accusations flew from Hamas officials in Gaza who said they had information comparable to the Husseini tapes "and worse" that was found when the party took control of the intelligence offices in Gaza in 2006. Fatah officials accused Shabanah of being in Israel's pocket, and leaking the information to destroy Abbas' reputation. As he addressed reporters Friday, Shabanah, who has been relatively silent since the release of the materials except for an open letter published here, warned the small group of journalists not to take "advantage of any of my statements in a negative way," saying it would harm Palestinian society, and particularly efforts at national conciliation. Shabanneh said he would "deliver all of the important documents I possess to president Abbas," noting he was "sure that President Abbas will not go easy [and will] handle these issues from the roots." In doing so, Shabanah said he believed he had "delivered my message which I vowed in front of you all to fight for,' adding that he still considered himself "one who defends our Palestinian cause in general and Jerusalem in particular." In closing, Shabanah addressed the "Arab nation," saying nations must take note that Palestine soves their problems with "their own hand." He them apologized to "whom I hurt unintentionally hoping that the national conciliation will be achieved to establish our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I want to see him strokin' it on camera wearing his Ya Allah kaffiyeh and only his socks. Hey, Mohammed had sixteen wives ( and one of them was a little girl) and I am sure he did some serious prancing in the privacy of his own tent. How DO you keep UP with sixteen wives in a seven day week? Ask yourself. This PA clown was just being "islamic." Humma- hummah? Of course, Islamic taste runs to big noses and bag ladies ( forget the mustaches). |
| Posted by: BlackBart 2010-02-20 08:34 |