Double Digits: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: With unemployment in double digits and the cost of living rising, couples unable to afford a traditional wedding jumped at the chance of the all-expenses-paid party. Abbas office funded the event with more than $1 million, including $4,000 in startup money for each couple, according to 660 News. Some of the brides grumbled about missing out on their own special day in a white dress and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday presided over a mass wedding of 218 couples in the parking lot of a five-star hotel, for the first time copying a social outreach tactic perfected by his Islamic militant rivals as he courted popular support. The brides wore colorful embroidered Palestinian robes and carried bouquets of white roses, while the grooms wore black suits, white shirts and red ties. The couples sat in rows of chairs flanking a central stage where Abbas delivered a speech, followed by wedding singers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.