Palestinians call for strike over Israel tax raids

Palestinian businesses in Arab east Jerusalem will shut down in a general strike next week in protest at Israeli tax raids, an East Jerusalem Chamber of Commerce official said on June 27.

"We have called for a full strike on June 28. All businesses in East Jerusalem will be closed over Israeli tax raids directed against Palestinians," Hamouri, a member of a Palestinian ad-hoc anti-tax action committee said.

Israel launched a tax raid campaign in Jerusalem in June.

The strike marks an escalation in what Palestinians say is Israeli economic warfare to drive them out of East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move not recognized by the international community.

"This is a warning strike. It is one of several steps," Hamouri said.

Arab merchants this week held a one-hour strike and demonstrated in downtown East Jerusalem's commercial heart.

Hamouri said Palestinian small businesses were ordered to pay taxes in excess of their business capital.

Palestinians complain they receive few and poor services for taxes collected by the municipality.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.