Israeli closure costs Palestine $6 million daily

The Palestinian economy has suffered a major blow because of Israel's continued closure of the PNA areas, said Abdul Aziz Shahin, minister of food supplies in the PNA. Shahin said the total damage caused to the Palestinians since the beginning of this year is approximately US $230 million, at a daily rate of $6 million. Shahin added the closure and the tight siege Israel imposed on the PNA was aimed at provoking the Palestinians against the PNA and at blackmailing the Palestinians into accepting Israeli plots. Shahin was speaking in a lecture held in Gaza Thursday.