- Title: GAZA: PALESTINIANS HOPE TO REVIVE GAZA ECONOMY AFTER ISRAEL WITHDRAWAL
- Date: 11th August 2005
- Summary: (W3) GAZA CITY, GAZA (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN FLAG AND T-SHIRT FACTORY PREPARING PALESTINIAN FLAGS T-SHIRTS AND CAPS FOR DISENGAGEMENT CELEBRATION 0.04 2. WIDE OF MEN MAKING FLAGS AT SEWING MACHINES 0.10 3. WIDE OF YOUNG BOY SITTING AT SEWING MACHINE 0.17 4. CLOSE OF PILE OF PALESTINIAN FLAGS ON FLOOR 0.19
- Embargoed: 26th August 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GAZA CITY & RAFAH, GAZA STRIP/ RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Reuters ID: LVAMX8W6G5HP55M4CW19EIEF3IQ
- Story Text: Palestinians look to revive Gaza economy after
Israeli withdrawal but say success is dependent on access
to the West Bank and the outside world.
As the countdown to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza
begins, Palestinians prepare for national ceremonies and
celebrations.
Across the Gaza strip, 15,000 Palestinian workers were
hired to sew flags, caps and t-shirts. Posters and
billboard banners were printed - all bearing the
Palestinian national flag.
But once the celebrations are over, Gaza's future and
its economic viability are uncertain.
This strip is an arid, sliver-like wedge of territory at
the southeast end of the Mediterranean Sea, about 45 km (25
miles) long and 10 km (six miles) wide. It borders Israel
to the north and east, and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to the
south.
About 1.4 million Palestinians live in Gaza, more than
half of them families of refugees from past wars with
Israel. Gaza has one of the world's highest population
densities and demographic growth rates.
Poverty is apparent on every street corner, with
barefoot children playing in the sand next to open sewage
pipes. Most Gazans live under the poverty line of $2 a day.
Unemployment exceeds 60 percent - as a result of Israeli
security closures curbing cross-border trade and access to
jobs.
According to experts, this situation can change once
Gaza gains access to the outside world through an airport,
a seaport and border crossings.
"Gaza as I said, it needs a lot of, it is a big market
relatively big market for the West Bank industries, and
also the West Bank can market a lot of Gaza agricultural
produce and some of its industries. whenever we have the
port, the airport and the seaport, Gaza will give free
access for the West Bank to the rest of the world," says
economist Sameer Abdullah.
With the help of international donors, Palestinians
built the Palestine International Airport in the southern
part of Gaza in the late 1990's. The airport in Rafah -
the only Palestinian-controlled air link - was inaugurated
in 1998. U.S President Bill Clinton, along with other
international dignitaries, landed at the airport as a
gesture of support to the Palestinian sovereignty.
But the airport, operating under strict Israeli
security control, was only open for a few years.
Israel shut it soon after the outbreak of the
Palestinian uprising in 2000. Israeli forces bombed the
radar station and army bulldozers destroyed the runway in
2002.
Now, with Israel's withdrawal from Gaza next week,
Palestinians hope to be linked once again to West Bank.
"Israel is until now negative vis--vis rehabilitating
and activating the Palestinian airport," Palestinian
Minister of Planning Ghassan Al Khatib says.
"If Israel is going to keep the current restrictions on
movement of persons and cargo from West Bank to Gaza and
vice versa from Gaza to the outside world and vice versa,
then there is a very very limited economic opportunities," Al-Khatib adds.
In addition to the re-opening of the airport, the
Palestinians are demanding a safe passage between the West
Bank and Gaza, an independent seaport and a level of
control over Gaza's border with Egypt.
Rafah Terminal, connecting Gaza with Egypt, has been
frequently closed off by the Israeli forces in the
aftermath of an attack carried out by militants against
Israeli targets.
The terminal is effectively the only access point for
Gaza Strip residents to the outside world. Last summer, the
terminal was closed for 19 consecutive days - causing a
deteriorating humanitarian crisis where as many as 2,500
people were stuck on the border.
Today, Israel is still negotiating handing over control
over the crossing to Egypt. The Israelis request the
relocation of the border at a place where it can be manned
by all parties: Israelis, Palestinians and Egyptians.
Palestinians dismissed this as not logical and want the
border crossing where it is and welcome a third party
intervention.
Meanwhile, Israel has recently granted the Palestinians
with a permission to build a seaport which will be used in
a limited way and in co-ordination with the Jewish state.
"If Gaza will be open to the rest of the world and
there is no restrictions on movement of people and trade,
Gaza is a very, it will be a very attractive place for
investment because of its' proximity to Europe and to other
Arab states," Economist Sameer Abdullah explains.
In addition to the access issue, the private sector is
to invest $160 million dollars for projects and factories
which will be built in lands evacuated in Gaza Strip and
northern West Bank.
But before committing to private projects, most
investors are looking for assurances and some levels of
guarantee over the future of the areas, from economic,
security and political aspects.
Economist Abdullah says despite the difficulties,
Gaza's natural and human assets - with skilled and
relatively cheap labour, can bring about the desired
changed.
"Gaza is a resort, the sea side is a good place for the
majority of the Palestinians in the West Bank and visitors
for the West Bank to use this resort which will bring a lot
of income for Gazan people," Abdullah says.
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