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Gaza "almost completely" aid-dependant |
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Tuesday, 31 July 2007 |
"There is no doubt, Gaza is becoming aid-dependent," said Liz Sime from CARE
International, in light of the continued closure of all crossing points, except
for basic food commodities and humanitarian aid.
With the borders shut, raw materials cannot get in and finished goods cannot be
exported. Factories in the Gaza Strip are folding like dominos and unemployment
is soaring.
"People hate having to ask for assistance. People want work," said Sime. "They
want aid in the form of job-creation programs." Such programs may remain a pipe
dream if the borders stay shut.
Sime was echoing statements by John Ging, the Gaza chief of the UN Agency for
Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), which is the largest aid provider in the strip.
"We expect that Gaza will become a near totally aid-dependent society, a society
of people robbed of the possibility of self-sufficiency and the dignity of
work," he said at a press conference organized with Gaza business leaders.
While basic food supplies continue to make it into Gaza, WFP said prices of some
commodities were rising, while farmers and fishermen could not export their
goods, creating losses in those industries as well.
In addition, Israel's Channel 10 recently reported that Palestinian importers
had alleged that goods arrive spoiled, partly because of the long waiting time
at the crossing.
"I am not saying the situation in Gaza is good," said Shlomo Dror, from Israel's
Ministry of Defense, but he was "not convinced" the economy would irreversibly
collapse.
"We are working to prevent a humanitarian crisis. But if the Palestinians have
complaints, they should put pressure on Hamas."
Business leaders concerned
Local industry leaders also expressed concern about a potential collapse of the
private sector.
"In one month's time there will be a complete economic collapse. And if the
siege on the borders persists, it will take years and years to recover and
rebuild the economy," said Amer Hammad, from the Palestinian Federation of
Industries.
About a third of Gaza, according to economic estimates, relies on government
salaries for sustenance.
Although the Palestinian Authority paid some salaries recently, when Israel
released frozen tax funds after 18 months, it is unclear if those payments can
be sustained.
Another third of residents depend on income from the private sector and nearly
all the rest are completely aid-dependent.
"A collapse of the private sector means that the half-million people in Gaza who
rely on those salaries will be without income," said Hammad.
About 1.5 million Palestinians live in Gaza, and 1.1 million already receive
some food aid from UNRWA and WFP.
"All of Gaza will become aid-dependent," Hammad predicted.
Nasser el-Helou, a businessman who is part of the Borders and Crossing Crisis
Committee, said almost 70,000 people have lost their jobs in the last month,
since the Islamist party Hamas took over Gaza and all borders were closed. This
number continues to rise, as more factories shut down or cut back operations.
Living on aid
Sami al Hessi, from the Beach refugee camp in Gaza, was self-sufficient before
the latest closures. Now he relies on UNRWA.
The sewing factory where he worked closed because it could not import the raw
materials or export its products. "I can't meet all my children's needs these
days. Whenever they ask, the answer is no," said Al Hessi.
He said being dependent on aid has made this "the worst period of my life."
He tried to find work within the fishing industry with his cousins, but, because
of the Israeli restrictions imposed on fishermen, he had to give up.
Comments posted are the sole opinion of the author and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIM. |
