Palestinian private sector boycotts Doha
Palestine, Economics, 11/13/1997

The Palestinians until now have not had a reason to expect major foreign investments in the PA areas because the conditions prevailing in those areas do not encourage such an investment, a Palestinian economic expert said Thursday. Dr. Nasser Abdul Karim said that foreign investments usually need political stability, an appropriate infrastructure and an advanced monetary system "and none of those three are available so far in the Palestine National Authority areas." Commenting on a decision by the Palestinian private sector to boycott the Middle East and North Africa (Mena)International Economic Conference in Doha, Qatar. Abdul Karim said that since the first economic conference was held in Casablanca, the Palestinians had very little to gain while most of the foreign investments went to Israel. Therefore, he said, the Palestinians today find very little reason to push them to go and attend the conference in Doha.

According to Palestinian estimates, foreign investments in the PA areas over the past few years were less that US $100, while the amount of foreign investment in Israel had reached a sum of US $2.5 billion. Therefore, believes Abdul Karim, Israel has been the main winner of the economic conferences "which were in fact designed to collect the fruits of peace, security and cooperation." He added that the Palestinian participation in the Doha conference will only help Israel to gain more profit.

Ibrahim Abdul Hadi, head of the Palestinian Businessmen Union in the West Bank, said that Israel has even denied Palestinian businessmen any special treatment during their travel or during transporting their goods from one place to another. "When we ask Israel to implement the safe passage agreement between the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the agreement on crossing points between the PA areas and Jordan and Egypt, they always claim that security considerations prevent according us any special status. So why would they want us to be in the conference when even our status as businessmen is not fully recognized?"

Head of Palestinian Chamber of Commerce in Gaza, Mohammed Al Kidwa, too said the Doha conference is doomed to failure since Israel does not abide by the interim agreements and does not recognize the rights of the Palestinian people. Al Kidwa said the private sector in Palestine would be very happy to participate in the Doha conference should the political situation allow and should Israel release part of its tight measures against the Palestinian economy, "but previous conferences have shown that there is nothing to expect for them because of Israel."

Al Kidwa called on the Arab countries to restrict the flow of Israeli goods into their land, and said: "Why would Israeli products fill the Arab markets when Arab products imported to the PA areas are obstructed at the borders by Israel?" He said that Israel does not allow more than 15 lorries loaded with Egyptian products to cross into Gaza per day.

Previous Stories:
  Talks to resume. Israel warns against MENA expectations   (11/7/1997)
  PLO urges all Arabs to boycott Mena   (10/31/1997)
  Palestinian official denies rift with Qatar on Mena   (10/11/1997)

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