Gaza: Warnings of widening segments of the poor and unemployed

Gaza: Warnings of widening segments of the poor and unemployed

• 2018-12-03 19:50:04
• 25 views

Gaza _ Palestine News Network

Al-Hayek, head of the Palestinian Businessmen Association, warned against the entry of new segments of the population into the ranks of the poor and the unemployed due to the current economic situation.

Al-Hayek said in a press statement that the economic reality is bitter and that it will become worse due to the absence of economic solutions and the exacerbation of crises resulting from division and siege.

He pointed to the decline of the productive capacity of the economic establishments to more than 95%, the almost complete absence of its activities due to the absence of governmental solutions, the continuous Israeli restrictions on the movement of exports and imports and the prohibition of the introduction of the raw materials necessary for its operation.

He pointed out that more than 90% of traders and businessmen are no longer able to invest in new economic activities, due to lack of investment environment, political instability, structural distortions in the economy and resentment of the policy of neglecting compensation and lack of access to their financial benefits and double taxation between the two parts of the country .

"The economy in Gaza is in need of an economic policy that improves the lives of the population, reduces unemployment and poverty, and reorientes the wheels of production in factories and economic establishments," he said.

He pointed out that many of the existing investment projects threatened to close during the next phase because of the weakness of purchasing power, and the absence of effective solutions to the humanitarian crises, economic and social worsening in Gaza.

He stressed that the end of the division and the achievement of national unity is the only way to end the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the increase in the number of unemployed and the poor significantly, and paralysis in the private sector.

He pointed out that any economic recovery of the sector depends on ending the Israeli siege and achieving Palestinian reconciliation and a real change in Israeli policies and actions towards Gaza.