Palestine lost around $ 5 billion since September
Palestine, Economics, 6/7/2001

The Palestinian economy has suffered losses up to 5 billion dollars since last September when the Al-Quds Intifadah started, Kuwaiti news agency says quoting a report of The Arab Labor Organization.

All sectors had been affected by the siege and closure on the occupied territories, the labor sector in particular. The report which will be presented to the International Labor Organization in Geneva, said the tight closure had brought up the number of unemployed Palestinians to 365,000 out of 625,000 economically active individuals in the overall population.

The report also pointed out Israel had taken many measures and policies to stifle the Palestinian economy, most particularly the tight closure that impedes around 125,000 workers from going to work in the Israeli controlled territories. As a result, unemployment had reached 56% and imports were stopped. The report adds Israeli authorities had closed down international ports with Egypt and Jordan, shut down Gaza airport, and deny Palestinian lorries access.

Transport fees and costs have also increased as goods could only leave the docks and port warehouses in Israeli trucks and lorries. It also considers Israeli policy of economic separation as part of plans to isolate the Palestinian territories, controlling imports, manipulating employment to fit Israeli interests, and creating new territory demarcations regardless of all previous agreements.

As to agriculture, mining, manufacturing industries, electricity and water, construction, trade, transport and other sectors including workers and employers, the report estimates the losses in these sectors at $ 2.9 Billion. Costs to the national resources were estimated at another $ 639 million dollars since September when a controversial visit to Al Quds by the now prime minister, Ariel Sharon, sparked the 2nd Intifadah. This includes uprooting about 50,000 olive and citrus trees, and destruction to agriculture lands, wells, irrigation grids, and animal resources and wildlife.

Regarding the housing and residence sector, the report said over 4,080 housing units had been damaged and scores of public, industrial, and infrastructure facilities had been destroyed. Transport and motor vehicles including trucks, cars, and equipment had also been destroyed. This is to be added to losses to the tourism sector that had amounted to around 123 million dollars. The death toll stands at an astounding 540 martyrs all young in age with an age average of a mere 22 years. In addition, 26 thousand Palestinians had been injured. 20% of the wounded suffered permanent disabilities. Over a thousand citizens had been arrested. The report estimates the Palestinian authority's losses at an additional 632 million dollars in health care, security, social services, education, and imports sectors due to closure and damage to the infrastructure. There is also the cost of financial support to the families of the martyrs and the disabled estimated at around $ 80 million. In addition, the report indicates that the Palestinian authority is due about $ 190 million that Israel holds back. The authority's general funds and resources had decreased by $ 389 million dollars in the last seven months.

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