Former director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, Shimon Sheves, and Yossi Ginossar, former head of a General Security Service wing, are involved in the establishment of the Jericho casino. This was said to "Globes" by sources in the security establishment based on information it received from several sources. They said that the information has not been officially verified, since Israel has no legal right to examine investments in Palestinian Authority territories.
The sources added that Ginossar and Sheves cooperated with Mohammed Rashid, economic advisor to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, who was himself involved in setting up the casino. In recent years, Ginossar has cooperated with Rashid in monopoly deals on which the Palestinian Authority signed with Dor Energy and Nesher. Officially, the casino was established by an Austrian company.
"Globes" learned that Austrian-Jewish businessman Martin Schlaft was one of the entrepreneurs who expedited discussions between Arafat and the Chancellor of Austria. Schlaft was close to the late Yitzhak Rabin, and close in his business affairs in Israel with Sheves, who was the Prime Minister’s Office director-general in Rabin’s time. Managing company Casino Austria invested $50 million in establishing the casino. 31% of investors in the company are private ones, whose names have not been published.
In a press conference held prior to the casino’s opening, the owners’ representative Norbert Steiger said that Rashid was not a shareholder in the project, but was involved in negotiations to establish the casino. Ginossar was unavailable for comment.
Published by Israel's Business Arena October 22, 1998