The Residents say they would prefer shoppers to gamblers. Before the Oslo peace accords, Israelis traveling from Jerusalem to the north via the Jordan Valley had no choice but to pass through Jericho, then one of the safest places in the West Bank. They would stop at its outdoor restaurants and its colorful fruit and vegetable stands. Now, as part of new security arrangements, a bypass road has been built, allowing Israelis to travel through the Jordan Valley without going through Jericho. "We believe that whoever visits the casino will not make it to Jericho prop- er," said Kzeam Modget, chairman of the local chamber of commerce. Indeed, because the casino is located just inside the Palestinian side of the border with Israel, visitors will still be able to avoid the center of Jericho. Residents prefer shoppers to gamblers /—' Downtown Jericho has one main square, with several gray and empty streets leading onto it. There are shabby buildings, and local residents walk around with sour countenances. Only the palm trees and the green orchards in this Jordan Valley oasis add a touch of brightness. One of the ancient buildings near the main square is the Hisham Palace Hotel, which reopened in 1995. Sheik Rajai Abdu, a Muslim cleric and co- owner of this family business, returned to Jericho after a lengthy stay in the United States, hoping that the hotel could serve as headquarters of the Palestinian Authority and enjoy the potential tourism boom. But neither the government nor the tourists materialized — and the hotel's 30 rooms are still empty. Although the casino possibly could help his business, Abdu still opposes the plan. "Casinos in the Holy Land go against our religion. But even in busi- ness terms, it is not the kind of tourist attractions we would like to see here," says the liberal Muslim cleric. The fact that the Palestinian Authority approved the project and gave it the necessary licenses, proves, in Abdu's eyes, "how corrupt our leaders are." Lender for Commercial Real Estate Retail Senior Housing Hotels Multifamily Manufactured Home Communities Self-Storage Light Industrial Office Buildings Fixed and floating rate commercial mortgage loans $1 million and up BLOOMFIELD ACCEPTANCE COMPANY 260 East Brown Street Suite 350 Birmingham, Michigan 48009 (248) 644-8838 Fax (248) 644-5760 Email cmlreloans@bloomfld.com ! Bloomfield Acceptance Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bingham Financial Services f • Fel15,57" %. 1 %.,__ BANK 111 9 on all NEW Passbook Plus, Slafemeni Plus and Classic Checking accounts fOR THE MST MONTHS! 248-338.7700 or 148-351-7700 2600 Telegraph Road .Bloomfield Hills • Al 48302 'Annual Percentage Yield is effective as of July 17, 1998. Restrictions apply. Otter is effective for a limited time only and is subject to change without notice. Valid on retail accounts only up to a maximum 5100,000. Interest is earned on any balance and is paid monthly. APY's revert back to the regular posted rate after the initial three month period expires. Call or visit any Flagstar Banking Center for full disclosure of account parameters. Classic Checking. There is a S50 minimum balance requirement to open and a $5 monthly service charge if a minimum balance of 5500 is not maintained. Passbook and Statement Plus Accounts. No minimum opening balance requirement. There is a S2 monthly service charge if minimum balance of $1,000 is not maintained. MEMBER FDIC. 7 /1 199$ 121