Some 64,000 Israelis lose their jobs because of the Intifada

Some 64,000 Israelis have lost their jobs because of the economic slowness resulted from the Palestinian uprising which started on September 28, 2000, according to the figures of the Israeli social affairs and labor ministry.

In a statement, the Israeli ministry said that number of cases reported on firing from works increased at 50% for the same period of the previous year.

The sector of tourism in Israel was the most damaged as number of foreign visitors to Israel greatly decreased. The central bureau of statistics said that the Israeli revenues in tourism receded at 58% during the last quarter of the year 2000 in comparison with the three preceding months.

A statement by the Israeli labor ministry said that the Intifada helped in increasing the rate of unemployment to 0,4%. Unemployment rate in israel now reached 8.9% of the active labor force.

Similarly the GNP in israel receded 9.8% during the last quarter of the year 2000 in comparison with the annual average.