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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
More than half of Gaza factories non-operational
2007-06-28
Some 60 percent of Gaza factories are non-operational due to Hamas' takeover of the territory and the closure of crossings to Israel, according to a report published Wednesday by the Gisha Center for the Legal Protection of Freedom of Movement for Palestinians. The report stated that recent events have resulted in a total economic embargo of Gaza.
Most of the factories are non-operational, largely because of a shortage of raw materials. Prices of these materials have already gone up 15 to 50 percent.
The report claimed that, despite the recent transfer of food and other supplies by the IDF, "Israeli policy is destroying the business sector, creating a new need for food rations, increasing the dependence of the Gazan economy on Iranian funds and raising the Gazan population's need for Hamas welfare."
No mention of the Hamas takeover, I note.
Was there ever a time Gaza wasn't dependent on funds from elsewhere?
The Gaza Strip contains 3,900 plants for manufacturing food, building supplies, paper, wood products, steel, plastic, rubber and small artistic products. According to Gisha, most of the factories are non-operational, largely because of a shortage of raw materials. Prices of these materials have already gone up 15 to 50 percent, said financial sources in Gaza. They estimated that all production would be halted within a week. Gisha reported that ten percent of Gazan factory workers – 30,000 out of 300,000 - have already been laid off or dismissed.

Amar Hamad, deputy director-general of the Palestinian manufacturer's association, told Ynet, "Israeli decisions are ruining the Palestinian economy. Border closuresÂ… and inability to import raw materials are paralyzing Palestinian industry." Hamad also blamed the prohibition on collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli banks. "We can't cash Israeli checks in Palestinian banks. All these issues are interdependent. Israel is punishing the people, not the Hamas government," he said. "We, the private sector, are paying the price. We hope Israel won't punish all of us. It needs to understand that we have basic needs. Many people have lost their livelihood due to these closures," he added.
To quote Billy Joel:
Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line...
And we're living here in Allen's town
Posted by:lotp

#18  tw, I believe there are a few holes in that sealed-tight Egyptian border - courtesy of some paleo explosives.

I know there are plenty of tunnels under it....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-06-28 20:37  

#17  I could swear that Gaza has a border with Egypt, which last I knew, is a MUSLIM country that's all sympathetic to the poor suffering Paleos.

Where have I gone wrong?

If I recall correctly, AlanC, Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip has been shut tight since 1948, lest the locals get any bright ideas about giving up seething and planning the murder of all the Jooos.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-06-28 20:08  

#16  Where's the nano-violin?
Posted by: Mac   2007-06-28 19:15  

#15  Too much into jihad and not enough interest in actually making a country work--providing jobs, having sewers, water, roads, and electricity, etc. Screw em. They could make something out of their part of the world if they quit blaming the Jews for everything and weren't so hell bent on seeing the destruction of israel. And then there is personal greed such as with the likes of the late Arafat.
Posted by: JohnQC   2007-06-28 17:04  

#14  increasing the dependence of the Gazan economy on Iranian funds

That is good news to me... the tighter it gets the madder they will be when the mullas in tehran have to end the party.
Posted by: Abu do you love   2007-06-28 16:23  

#13  They have factories? Who knew?

Oh, right, rocket factories. Glad to hear there's a material shortage.
Posted by: KBK   2007-06-28 13:11  

#12  Gisha reported that ten percent of Gazan factory workers – 30,000 out of 300,000

The very purest of BS. Maybe 3000 out of 30,000 but I doubt even that.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-06-28 10:23  

#11  But it's good to see that the "blame the joooos" sector of the economy is humming right along...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-06-28 10:19  

#10  I would have thought that close to 100% of Gaza factories are non-operational.

As I said, they won Gaza with the government they elected, now they can try to eat it.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-06-28 09:24  

#9  Heck. AlanC, it's on the sea. Granted, there's no deepwater port, but any productive people could make a breakwater or something.

Oh, "productive." Never mind.
Posted by: Gary and the Samoyeds   2007-06-28 08:40  

#8  "...the closure of crossings to Israel,..."

I keep seeing this and it keeps driving me crazy.

Is my globe that far off?? I could swear that Gaza has a border with Egypt, which last I knew, is a MUSLIM country that's all sympathetic to the poor suffering Paleos.

Where have I gone wrong?
Posted by: AlanC   2007-06-28 08:33  

#7  The Gaza Strip contains 3,900 plants for manufacturing food, building supplies, paper, wood products, steel, plastic, rubber and small artistic products

Kassam making is an art?
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-06-28 07:43  

#6  No problems wit' yer 'splainin', Bobby.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-28 06:23  

#5  Aw, c'mon, Zen ... I thought I 'splained that a while back. Ya want a real curse?

Eat sh*t, three meals a day, seven days a week

and live forever.
Posted by: Bobby   2007-06-28 05:46  

#4  Let them eat anti-jihad shit and die.

There, fixed that for you.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-28 03:18  

#3  The economy is shot and they are still launching missiles at Israel. Let them eat anti-jihad.
Posted by: McZoid   2007-06-28 02:40  

#2  There was that little red-wire green-wire snafu a couple weeks ago, but the inspector will be returning for the final walk-thru next week. Add another week for paperwork and sporadic gunfire, and we'll be right back to converting sewage pipes into rockets for all our valued clients!
Posted by: Seafarious   2007-06-28 00:48  

#1  Are these factories ISO certified? My company is always on the lookout for high quality suppliers.
Posted by: Super Hose   2007-06-28 00:36  

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