FALCON POWERS – Egyptian businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani, the head of the “Hala” tourism company he manages, admitted that the company collects financial compensation from Palestinians who want to leave the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with the American newspaper The New York Times, Al-Arjani said that the “Hala” company is a tourism company, “just like any other company at the airport”, noting that it was established in 2017 to provide services to Palestinian travelers who want to cross through the Rafah land crossing to Egypt.
Al-Arjani continued: “I only help them when they want to enter the VIP [lounge], they have a meal, and then they go to Cairo in a beautiful BMW car, our role is to provide the best possible service, that’s all.”
He noted that many Palestinians who used the “Hala” service during the war did not receive the VIP service, and that they were transported to Cairo in a small bus and were given basic food.
Al-Arjani justified the fees imposed on Palestinians by saying that the increasing demand forced the company to raise its prices.
Al-Arjani spoke in an office where a large photo of him with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was displayed on one of the walls.
When asked about Hala’s relations with the Egyptian government and the accusations that Hala is benefiting from lucrative contracts, he insisted that he is being defamed by media outlets affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood group, explaining that he did not overlook Hala’s collection of a $5,000 fee, and said that Egypt will take measures to cancel the fees.
Businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani, chairman of the Organi Group, oversees a wide network of companies operating in the fields of construction, real estate, and security. He maintains close relations with senior Egyptian officials.
The New York Times newspaper described Al-Arjani, the chairman of the Al-Arjani Group, as a “tycoon” as his group owns a “wide network of companies operating in the fields of construction, real estate, and security.”
The newspaper confirms that people have paid for the services of the Hala company since the beginning of the war, paying sums ranging from $2,500 for those under 16 years old, and $5,000 for those over that age, to the company in order to arrange their travel through the crossing, confirming that the “distinguished services” are non-existent. Meanwhile, Al-Arjani confirms that the fees for each person are $2,500 for adults and no fees are paid for children.
