One question.
What members of the U.S. Congress were over there?
Posted on 06/14/2006 6:36:48 AM PDT by areafiftyone
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, who has been seeking to raise money for the financially strapped government, returned to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday with a suitcase full of cash, Palestinians officials said.
An official said Zahar was believed to be carrying up to $20 million. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. An official statement was expected later Wednesday.
The official said Zahar had declared the money at the border, which is controlled by President Mahmoud Abbas' presidential guard and monitored by European observers. It was not immediately clear whether Zahar would be permitted to keep the money.
Last month, a Hamas official was caught as he tried to smuggle about $800,000 into Gaza. The money was seized, but later returned to the government. Normal travelers must declare all sums over $2,000 and explain their origin.
Abbas has been in a power dispute with the Hamas-led government, and his presidential guard must make the final decision about what to do with the money.
A cutoff in Western aid has left the Hamas-led Palestinian government broke and unable to pay salaries to tens of thousands of civil servants for three months. The money carried by Zahar would cover only a small portion of the government's mounting debts.
Israel and Western donors have demanded that Hamas renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist as a condition for restoring the aid. Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, has rejected the calls and instead turned to Arab and Muslim countries for help.
The source of Zahar's money wasn't immediately known. During his recent trip, Zahar traveled to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, China, Pakistan, Iran and Egypt.
Hamas has said it has raised more than $60 million, but previously has been unable to transfer the money to the Palestinian areas because banks are afraid of running afoul of U.S. anti-terrorism laws.
Wow. How does he do that?
I have tried to get $20 million in a suitcase and have only been able to stuff $13 million inside without buckling the hinges.
Not unlike the US...
He stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.
Actually, the $13 million is from my spare change can on my nightstand.
Do you have any idea how heavy that much money is in dimes, quarters and pennies?
Why not use wire transfer unless you are trying to hide the source.
One question.
What members of the U.S. Congress were over there?
BINGO!
the Palis' should use some of the money
to buy a copy machine, so they could make their own money.
perhaps these people are too lazy
the article says dollars,
but if really Euros,
the 500 Euro banknote is nice
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And I also can't see him going into the lobby of the PA City Hall and announcing: "Line up to get paid, everybody. Everybody,line up. No pushing. Stay in line. You'll all get paid..."
So I mean just what was/is he going to do with all that cash?
From ancient mememory while working as a cashier for a large vending company ...
A $1,000 bag of quarters weighed in at 48 lbs.
A $1,000 bag of dimes weighed in a 50.5 lbs.
A $200 bag of nickles wighed in at 42 lbs.
A $50 bag of pennies weighed 44 lbs.
Please multiply to your hearts content.
Somewhere I still have leftover canvas coin bags from the old days. I have no idea how companies manage large amounts of coin anymore.
This money will be used to:
A. Feed the poor
B. Contribute to the Salvation Army
C. Build Casinos
D. Buy armaments
Euro notes come in 500 denominations and are worth about $630. So you need less than 32,000 of them. Except they are bigger than our $100 bill.
There are roughly 490 notes in a pound. Therefore, $1M in $1 bills would weigh 2,040 pounds (1,000,000/490).
$20 million in $100 bills would weigh 408 pounds (20,000,000/490/100). Must be quite a suitcase or it is in a higher denomination. We have $500, $1,000 and $10,000 denominations, but they are collector's items and not working currency. Maybe, it is in a different currency that has higher denominations.
My favorite Yogi Berra quote:
"The towels were so thick there, I could hardly close my suitcase !!"...
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