8 july 2013
Palestinian security sources said that petrol supplies started returning to Gaza Strip from Egypt through the Rafah border tunnels though in low quantities. They said that thanks to calm returning to the border area, petrol and fuel for the Gaza power station were pumped through the tunnels again to the besieged enclave.
Traffic in the border tunnels, through which petrol and foodstuffs and other supplies enter the besieged Strip, had come to a complete halt due to the ongoing Egyptian incidents.
The stoppage led to a series of crises in the Strip including paralyzing the construction of various projects due to the absence of basic materials such as fuel and cement.
Traffic in the border tunnels, through which petrol and foodstuffs and other supplies enter the besieged Strip, had come to a complete halt due to the ongoing Egyptian incidents.
The stoppage led to a series of crises in the Strip including paralyzing the construction of various projects due to the absence of basic materials such as fuel and cement.
There was a rise in unemployment among new graduates aged 20-29 years in 2012 compared to the previous year, said the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) on Monday. It said in a special press release on new university graduates that there are around 30,000 graduates annually from Palestinian higher education institutions.
It said in the 2012/2013 academic year, around 87,000 high school students took the general matriculation exam that allows them to enter college.
According to the PCBS, unemployment rate in 2012 rose to 50.6% among graduates aged 20-29 years with a bachelor degree or an intermediate diploma - 40.9% in the West Bank and 63.2% in the Gaza Strip. In 2011, the unemployment rate for this group was 46.5%.
The highest rates of unemployment among graduates aged 20-29 years with a bachelor degree or an intermediate diploma in the Gaza Strip were teacher training and education (73.0%), social and behavioral sciences (71.7%), humanities (70.3%), life sciences (68.9%) and computing (60.8%).
The highest unemployment rates in the West Bank for the same age group by area of study were teacher training and education (54.8%), social and behavioral sciences (52.4%), mathematics and statistics (51.2%), humanities (45.9%) and journalism and information (44.7%).
It said in the 2012/2013 academic year, around 87,000 high school students took the general matriculation exam that allows them to enter college.
According to the PCBS, unemployment rate in 2012 rose to 50.6% among graduates aged 20-29 years with a bachelor degree or an intermediate diploma - 40.9% in the West Bank and 63.2% in the Gaza Strip. In 2011, the unemployment rate for this group was 46.5%.
The highest rates of unemployment among graduates aged 20-29 years with a bachelor degree or an intermediate diploma in the Gaza Strip were teacher training and education (73.0%), social and behavioral sciences (71.7%), humanities (70.3%), life sciences (68.9%) and computing (60.8%).
The highest unemployment rates in the West Bank for the same age group by area of study were teacher training and education (54.8%), social and behavioral sciences (52.4%), mathematics and statistics (51.2%), humanities (45.9%) and journalism and information (44.7%).
7 july 2013
Smugglers resumed pumping fuel to the Gaza Strip through tunnels under the Egyptian border on Sunday, easing a fuel crisis in the enclave, an official said.
Muhammad al-Abadlah, a spokesman for the federation of fuel companies, told Ma'an that enough fuel was being smuggled in to partially meet needs in Gaza.
Meanwhile government official Abdul-Nasser Muhanna said the fuel crisis would be resolved soon.
Muhanna, an official in the general petroleum department, did not give any details on the source of the fuel.
Egypt's crackdown on smuggling tunnels created a crippling fuel crisis in recent days, causing long queues at gas stations across Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza warned Saturday that hospitals' fuel reserves were down to 20 percent.
Egypt continued to close smuggling tunnels along the Gaza border on Sunday.
Egypt's army used sand to seal several smuggling tunnels near the Brazil neighborhood, a Ma'an reporter said.
An Egyptian military official told Ma'an that soldiers seized seven boxes of ammunition at a tunnel opening in the al-Barahmeh neighborhood of Rafah on Sunday. He added that the army had deployed to the area to stop people entering through tunnels.
The official said Egypt's army was preparing for a major operation in Sinai following a series of militant attacks in the peninsula after the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on Wednesday.
Egyptian soldiers and armored vehicles have deployed heavily along the Gaza border for two weeks.
Muhammad al-Abadlah, a spokesman for the federation of fuel companies, told Ma'an that enough fuel was being smuggled in to partially meet needs in Gaza.
Meanwhile government official Abdul-Nasser Muhanna said the fuel crisis would be resolved soon.
Muhanna, an official in the general petroleum department, did not give any details on the source of the fuel.
Egypt's crackdown on smuggling tunnels created a crippling fuel crisis in recent days, causing long queues at gas stations across Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza warned Saturday that hospitals' fuel reserves were down to 20 percent.
Egypt continued to close smuggling tunnels along the Gaza border on Sunday.
Egypt's army used sand to seal several smuggling tunnels near the Brazil neighborhood, a Ma'an reporter said.
An Egyptian military official told Ma'an that soldiers seized seven boxes of ammunition at a tunnel opening in the al-Barahmeh neighborhood of Rafah on Sunday. He added that the army had deployed to the area to stop people entering through tunnels.
The official said Egypt's army was preparing for a major operation in Sinai following a series of militant attacks in the peninsula after the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on Wednesday.
Egyptian soldiers and armored vehicles have deployed heavily along the Gaza border for two weeks.
Independent MP Dr. Jamal Al-Khudari has called on the world community to pressure the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) into opening all Gaza crossings and ending the blockade on the Strip. Khudari called on all Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and international parties to shoulder their responsibility in boosting the Palestinian people’s steadfastness and lifting the siege.
The MP said in a press release on Sunday that lifting the siege should include opening all commercial crossings without any exception and allowing free import and export traffic without the Israeli lists of banned products.
A safe passage between Gaza and the Wes Bank should be opened along with the Gaza seaport and rebuilding the international airport, he added.
Khudari held the IOA fully responsible for the blockade as it controls the commercial crossings, movement of individuals in and out of the Strip, and the fishing distance off the Gaza coast.
He said that the IOA is imposing illegal restrictions that ran contrary to the international law and negatively affected all life aspects for around two million people.
Khudari underlined that the siege, in its seventh year running, had negative impacts on the economic, health, educational, and humanitarian aspects in addition to the infrastructure.
The MP said in a press release on Sunday that lifting the siege should include opening all commercial crossings without any exception and allowing free import and export traffic without the Israeli lists of banned products.
A safe passage between Gaza and the Wes Bank should be opened along with the Gaza seaport and rebuilding the international airport, he added.
Khudari held the IOA fully responsible for the blockade as it controls the commercial crossings, movement of individuals in and out of the Strip, and the fishing distance off the Gaza coast.
He said that the IOA is imposing illegal restrictions that ran contrary to the international law and negatively affected all life aspects for around two million people.
Khudari underlined that the siege, in its seventh year running, had negative impacts on the economic, health, educational, and humanitarian aspects in addition to the infrastructure.
Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) said that the Palestinian Authority owed it more than 280 million dollars in electricity bills. The IEC told the Israeli parliament’s economic committee in a discussion on Friday that the bills are jointly shared by the Palestinian electricity company and the PA.
The IEC had threatened to cut off power supply to the West Bank in the event those bills were not paid.
The PA is forced to purchase power from the IEC as Israel would not accept the building of Palestinian power plants or the purchase of electricity turbines by Palestinian localities.
The IEC had threatened to cut off power supply to the West Bank in the event those bills were not paid.
The PA is forced to purchase power from the IEC as Israel would not accept the building of Palestinian power plants or the purchase of electricity turbines by Palestinian localities.
6 july 2013
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza warned on Saturday of the seriousness of the situation in the health sector in light of the shortage of fuel. Dr. Ashraf al-Qudra, ministry spokesman, said: "The stifling crisis of fuel in Gaza has a significant impact on the health services that have been affected since last Saturday."
He explained that the operation rooms, laboratories, intensive care rooms and the preterm infants’ service always need uninterrupted electricity.
"We are facing now a critical juncture in light of the continued closure of crossings," Qudra said, adding: "We still have only 20 per cent of the diesel stock, and we are trying to exploit it to the optimal use, as part of a plan to reduce consumption."
He said that the Health Ministry's plan to rationalize the consumption aims to take advantage of the remaining available quantities for as long time as possible.
Qudra asserted that the ministry is doing its utmost to provide health service for the Palestinian people, despite the suffering of the Gaza Strip in light of the Egyptian developments.
He explained that the operation rooms, laboratories, intensive care rooms and the preterm infants’ service always need uninterrupted electricity.
"We are facing now a critical juncture in light of the continued closure of crossings," Qudra said, adding: "We still have only 20 per cent of the diesel stock, and we are trying to exploit it to the optimal use, as part of a plan to reduce consumption."
He said that the Health Ministry's plan to rationalize the consumption aims to take advantage of the remaining available quantities for as long time as possible.
Qudra asserted that the ministry is doing its utmost to provide health service for the Palestinian people, despite the suffering of the Gaza Strip in light of the Egyptian developments.
Euro-Mid Observer for Human Rights warned of the consequences of a looming humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip due to the worsening fuel shortages. These shortages impact the public services provided to Gaza residents accompanied by threats of environmental and humanitarian crises that might paralyze all aspects of life in the Strip.
The Geneva-based organization warned in a statement issued on Friday of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza which is expected to exacerbate in the light of the ongoing political crisis in Egypt, unless the international community intervenes soon to provide Gaza with the needed relief, and avoid further repercussions on 1.7 million people.
The recent Egyptian security restrictions in the border areas led to shutting tunnels that are described as the only main lifeline to provide Gaza with fuel supplies, commodities, and goods that alleviate impacts of the Israeli siege which was imposed on the Strip seven years ago, the statement said.
The human rights organization noted that the ongoing gas shortage reached an alarming level and warned of a real catastrophic situation within hours in public hospitals and health centers.
The Euro-Mid pointed out that the impact of the fuel shortage is also threatening the fishing sector, as 4000 fishing boats in Gaza would be grounded in case they couldn't get the required amounts of fuel.
As for electricity in Gaza, it asserted that the crisis is leaving the electricity services with deep impacts in different levels, especially pumping the sewage water to the sea, which can cause a real environmental catastrophe, the Euro-Mid statement said.
Euro-Mid, referring to the growing gas shortage crisis, mentioned that while Gaza Strip needs 250 tons of gas daily, it just receives about 130 tons on average via Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, with a deficit of about %50 every day.
The Euro-Mid urged the international community to act immediately to deal with the consequences of the current crisis, open all Gaza crossings, and put more pressure on Israel to lift the ongoing blockade completely and instantly.
The Geneva-based organization warned in a statement issued on Friday of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza which is expected to exacerbate in the light of the ongoing political crisis in Egypt, unless the international community intervenes soon to provide Gaza with the needed relief, and avoid further repercussions on 1.7 million people.
The recent Egyptian security restrictions in the border areas led to shutting tunnels that are described as the only main lifeline to provide Gaza with fuel supplies, commodities, and goods that alleviate impacts of the Israeli siege which was imposed on the Strip seven years ago, the statement said.
The human rights organization noted that the ongoing gas shortage reached an alarming level and warned of a real catastrophic situation within hours in public hospitals and health centers.
The Euro-Mid pointed out that the impact of the fuel shortage is also threatening the fishing sector, as 4000 fishing boats in Gaza would be grounded in case they couldn't get the required amounts of fuel.
As for electricity in Gaza, it asserted that the crisis is leaving the electricity services with deep impacts in different levels, especially pumping the sewage water to the sea, which can cause a real environmental catastrophe, the Euro-Mid statement said.
Euro-Mid, referring to the growing gas shortage crisis, mentioned that while Gaza Strip needs 250 tons of gas daily, it just receives about 130 tons on average via Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, with a deficit of about %50 every day.
The Euro-Mid urged the international community to act immediately to deal with the consequences of the current crisis, open all Gaza crossings, and put more pressure on Israel to lift the ongoing blockade completely and instantly.
5 july 2013
Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority warned that Gaza's fuel crisis will lead to an imminent humanitarian and environmental disaster, as it has started to cripple the vital sectors in the Gaza Strip. Bahaa al-Agha, General Director of the environmental quality authority, said on Thursday during a conference held in Gaza City that this crisis is causing an imminent humanitarian and environmental disaster, and stressed that the shortage of fuel directly affects sanitation and all vital sectors.
He noted that the continuation of this crisis means basically that 190 water wells supplying 1.7 million citizens and 4 sewage treatment stations will stop working, and asserted that the crisis would negatively affect all the surrounding beaches.
Agha pointed out that due to fuel scarcity, tens of mechanisms that daily transfer more than 1,500 tons of solid waste from neighborhoods and cities to landfills will also not be able to work.
He called on the international community to shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibilities, to immediately act to provide the Gaza Strip with its basic needs of electrical supplies and fuel and to exert pressure on the occupation authorities to force them, as the occupying power, to respect an fulfill their responsibilities towards the inhabitants.
The Gaza Strip has been witnessing for weeks a clear shortage of fuel. Gaza needs 400 thousand liters of fuel per day to meet its needs. It has been primarily relying on smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt borders to introduce fuel since the imposition of the blockade.
He noted that the continuation of this crisis means basically that 190 water wells supplying 1.7 million citizens and 4 sewage treatment stations will stop working, and asserted that the crisis would negatively affect all the surrounding beaches.
Agha pointed out that due to fuel scarcity, tens of mechanisms that daily transfer more than 1,500 tons of solid waste from neighborhoods and cities to landfills will also not be able to work.
He called on the international community to shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibilities, to immediately act to provide the Gaza Strip with its basic needs of electrical supplies and fuel and to exert pressure on the occupation authorities to force them, as the occupying power, to respect an fulfill their responsibilities towards the inhabitants.
The Gaza Strip has been witnessing for weeks a clear shortage of fuel. Gaza needs 400 thousand liters of fuel per day to meet its needs. It has been primarily relying on smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt borders to introduce fuel since the imposition of the blockade.
4 july 2013
The 2nd leaders’ summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) has taken place in Moscow. Experts say there is a candidate to enter the elite club of 13 members once the rich East Mediterranean deposits start to be developed. The vast sea bottom natural gas fields were discovered a few years ago. Israel is the leader in the development; it starts its activities without waiting for neither ultimate resolution of legal issues, nor settling the emerging disputes with neighbors.
It has been exploring the shelf area for many years. In 2009-2010 US Noble Energy discovered substantial natural gas deposits. According to first estimations, the deposits found were to contain 950 billion cubic metres of natural gas, the potential cost exceeding $260 billion. The Tamar gas field (283 billion cubic meters) is located in Israel’s exclusive economic zone, roughly 80 kilometers (50 mi) west of Haifa in waters 1,700 metres (5,600 ft.) deep.
The Leviathan is located roughly 130 kilometers (81 mi) west of Haifa in waters 1,500 metres (4,900 ft.) deep in the Levantine basin, near the Lebanese shore, a rich hydrocarbon area in one of the world’s larger offshore gas finds of the past decade. The Tamar is developed by Noble Energy and Israeli Delek Group, which belongs to Israeli billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, the controlling shareholder. Australian Woodside Petroleum has won the bidding to become the leading developer of the Leviathan. Many gas industry majors kept away from bidding because of regional instability and co-ownership disputes. To avoid the reaction of Arab states Royal Dutch Shell energy giant sold down its major stake in Woodside Petroleum when it joined the Israeli project. (1)
It has been exploring the shelf area for many years. In 2009-2010 US Noble Energy discovered substantial natural gas deposits. According to first estimations, the deposits found were to contain 950 billion cubic metres of natural gas, the potential cost exceeding $260 billion. The Tamar gas field (283 billion cubic meters) is located in Israel’s exclusive economic zone, roughly 80 kilometers (50 mi) west of Haifa in waters 1,700 metres (5,600 ft.) deep.
The Leviathan is located roughly 130 kilometers (81 mi) west of Haifa in waters 1,500 metres (4,900 ft.) deep in the Levantine basin, near the Lebanese shore, a rich hydrocarbon area in one of the world’s larger offshore gas finds of the past decade. The Tamar is developed by Noble Energy and Israeli Delek Group, which belongs to Israeli billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, the controlling shareholder. Australian Woodside Petroleum has won the bidding to become the leading developer of the Leviathan. Many gas industry majors kept away from bidding because of regional instability and co-ownership disputes. To avoid the reaction of Arab states Royal Dutch Shell energy giant sold down its major stake in Woodside Petroleum when it joined the Israeli project. (1)
Natural gas from the offshore Tamar field was pumped to Israeli shores for the first time on March 30, the day of the Passover holiday, in the presence of Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of Orthodox rabbis protests; they said it was out of time violating the sanctity of holiday. The fact goes to show how significant the event was for the country and its people. Minister Shalom said, «This is an ‘energy independence day’ for Israel». «This breakthrough is the harbinger of the foray of additional private companies» into the Israeli energy market», he added.
Yitzhak Tshuva said that one cannot overestimate the importance of the Tamar gas for Israel’s economy. According to him, almost every superlative is appropriate in this case. Thanks to this and other offshore gas reserves, Israel will achieve energy independence for the first time in its history and will no longer have to go begging from other countries. The country has entered a new phase of its history. According to Tshuva, Tamar is a national pride of Israel. (2) Indeed, the discovery of Tamar has turned the country into a potential energy exporter. There were hot debates, the developers wanted the maximum 55% export quota, but the Netanyahu government took a more balanced decision by the end of July raising the domestic consumption share from 450 billion cubic meters to 540.
Some 260 – 360 billion cubic meters are to be exported. It means only 40% of gas production will go abroad, while the remaining 60% will provide Israel with gas supplies during 25, or even 30 years to follow. «The decision balances between the need to ensure a cheap and available source of energy for Israelis and the need to export. This amount of gas will meet our energy needs for at least the next 25 years, « Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out. «We are not interested in becoming one of those nations that procrastinated and ended up without gas. We want to harvest the gas and produce billions of dollars in state revenue in favor of the country’s budgetary needs. We have to drive growth forward and natural gas is a growth engine», he said, adding that Israel stands to receive $60 billion in taxes and royalties from the sale of gas over the next two decades. The production will save around $ 4 billion yearly, the sum spent on imports at present. (3)
Silvan Shalom noted the government planned to extend the period of energy independence from 25 to 30 years. Sarah and Myra gas exploratory licenses have failed to produce gas. It has made Israel increase the share destined for domestic consumption. (4)
Yitzhak Tshuva said that one cannot overestimate the importance of the Tamar gas for Israel’s economy. According to him, almost every superlative is appropriate in this case. Thanks to this and other offshore gas reserves, Israel will achieve energy independence for the first time in its history and will no longer have to go begging from other countries. The country has entered a new phase of its history. According to Tshuva, Tamar is a national pride of Israel. (2) Indeed, the discovery of Tamar has turned the country into a potential energy exporter. There were hot debates, the developers wanted the maximum 55% export quota, but the Netanyahu government took a more balanced decision by the end of July raising the domestic consumption share from 450 billion cubic meters to 540.
Some 260 – 360 billion cubic meters are to be exported. It means only 40% of gas production will go abroad, while the remaining 60% will provide Israel with gas supplies during 25, or even 30 years to follow. «The decision balances between the need to ensure a cheap and available source of energy for Israelis and the need to export. This amount of gas will meet our energy needs for at least the next 25 years, « Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out. «We are not interested in becoming one of those nations that procrastinated and ended up without gas. We want to harvest the gas and produce billions of dollars in state revenue in favor of the country’s budgetary needs. We have to drive growth forward and natural gas is a growth engine», he said, adding that Israel stands to receive $60 billion in taxes and royalties from the sale of gas over the next two decades. The production will save around $ 4 billion yearly, the sum spent on imports at present. (3)
Silvan Shalom noted the government planned to extend the period of energy independence from 25 to 30 years. Sarah and Myra gas exploratory licenses have failed to produce gas. It has made Israel increase the share destined for domestic consumption. (4)
At that, the implementation of the plans may become a bumpy road. There is no clear sea economic zone delimitation of borders between the neighboring states.The Eastern Mediterranean «gas pie» is disputed by Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Turkey, as well as Palestine striving for independence… The matter gets even more complicated because the states have disputes between themselves, as well each of them with Israel.
Formally Lebanon and Israel are still at war. The Lebanese government has launched a complaint to the United Nations saying Israel is in violation of its continental shelf. Syria says the Leviathan stretches to its economic zone. Egypt insists the gas field is closer to its city of Damietta (190 km) than to Haifa (according to Cairo, the alleged distance is 235 km). It claims that the Tamar and Leviathan gas fields are situated on the southern part of an underwater slope that belongs to Egypt since a long time. Palestine accuses Israel of outright stealing the gas from the Gaza Strip. (5)
Ankara is concerned over the plans to develop the deposits near the Cypriot shore, as well as to liquefy and transport the gas jointly by Israel and Cyprus. Turkey thinks the interests of unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are ignored. There is a slim chance the countries of the region will effectively cooperate to develop the deposits. (6) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already ordered to create a special military force for gas fields protection. The formation includes missile craft and drones. Israel is in talks with Germany on acquisition of four frigates.Some estimates say the government will have to spend around half a billion dollars annually for gas fields and infrastructure defense. (7)
Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau thinks it will affect negatively the production and cost effectiveness. (8) The existing contradictions with the neighbors will hardly stop Israel from extracting the gas for domestic use. The current instability in the region meets the Israel’s short-term interests. Export sales are an imperative for attracting so much needed investments into deposits development and boosting influential international actors presence in the region. At that, the ambitious world market plans evoke serious doubts.
The ambitions are there. For instance, the Institute for Policy and Strategy has come up with the report called Israel’s New Gas Discovery: A Diplomatic and Geopolitical Nuance or Revolution? devoted to diplomatic and geopolitical implications of the gas deposits discovery. (9) Israeli experts make assessment based on obviously exaggerated estimates of the reserves; the figure three trillion cubic meters has been adduced by U.S. Geological Survey without conducting more thorough exploration research. They say that if the present market trends continue, the supplies from Russia will make up half of European consumption by 2020. The European Union would like to bring it down to, at least, a quarter. If the deposit reserves estimations prove to be correct, then, according to the Institute for Policy and Strategy assessment, starting from 2016 Israel may become a reliable alternative energy supplier for, at least, 50 years. According to these calculations, Israel has the capaсity to supply Europe with up to 30 cubic meters annually and bring the dependence on Russian gas down to 23%.
This is a rather optimistic forecast. It probably reflects the sentiments among some part of military and political elite, though it lacks solid indicators as convincing evidence that the conclusions are based on sound foundation. First, adding 30 billion cubic meters to the 500 billion European market will not result in abrupt reduction of Russia’s presence. Second, the prospects for 30 billion cubic meters export are murky as yet; it could be around 10 billion cubic meters at best. That’s what the Netanyahu government approved key indicators say. The assertions that the liquid gas supplies could improve ties with India, China, Japan and South Korea, and even make Georgia independent from Russia, sound more as a pure fantasy, as well as the plans to compensate the US supplies to American strategic European allies. (10) All this is presumed to be achieved thanks to only half a percent of world gas reserves.
Even very limited exports will engender the problems extremely hard to tackle. The disputes with neighbors hinder coming up with strictly defined gas export strategy. Israel had started to build a liquefied gas production facility along with Cyprus, but the plans were abrogated due to high costs and the protests of Turkey. Then Ankara initiated a joint study of deep water route going through the Turkish territory around Lebanon and Syria. The idea was refused: the Israelis did not want to be dependent on Turkey, which along with the European Union, could demand making concessions related to the Palestinian issue. Then an idea to build a liquefied gas facility on Israel’s own soil took shape. At first they even considered the possibility of involving Gasprom, and then the proposal was shelved due to «strategic reasons» in favor of French Technip. Now, according to the latest reports, the Israelis are getting back to the liquefied gas facility construction in Vasilikos, located on the Cyprus southern shore (near Limassol). By the end of June the Cypriot Aphrodite deposit owners (70% Noble Energy and 30% Israeli Delek Group) signed a preliminary agreement to build a $6 billion terminal till 2019. The Israeli Leviathan is close to the Aphrodite, so after taking a final decision of Israeli gas exports, the companies will join in a pipeline construction to link the both deposits. (11)
There is no doubt Ankara will do its best to frustrate the plans. It can do it taking into consideration the fact of its military presence in the northern part of Cyprus. As a result, the only realistic option at present is starting gas supplies to Jordan according to the preliminary accord, which has already been achieved. The export will not exceed 1,5 – 2,0 billion cubic meters a year on the condition the Arab Spring will not spread to the Hashemite kingdom. That’s how the hopes get dashed when you’re not friendly with neighbors.
Note
(10) Ibid
Formally Lebanon and Israel are still at war. The Lebanese government has launched a complaint to the United Nations saying Israel is in violation of its continental shelf. Syria says the Leviathan stretches to its economic zone. Egypt insists the gas field is closer to its city of Damietta (190 km) than to Haifa (according to Cairo, the alleged distance is 235 km). It claims that the Tamar and Leviathan gas fields are situated on the southern part of an underwater slope that belongs to Egypt since a long time. Palestine accuses Israel of outright stealing the gas from the Gaza Strip. (5)
Ankara is concerned over the plans to develop the deposits near the Cypriot shore, as well as to liquefy and transport the gas jointly by Israel and Cyprus. Turkey thinks the interests of unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are ignored. There is a slim chance the countries of the region will effectively cooperate to develop the deposits. (6) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already ordered to create a special military force for gas fields protection. The formation includes missile craft and drones. Israel is in talks with Germany on acquisition of four frigates.Some estimates say the government will have to spend around half a billion dollars annually for gas fields and infrastructure defense. (7)
Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau thinks it will affect negatively the production and cost effectiveness. (8) The existing contradictions with the neighbors will hardly stop Israel from extracting the gas for domestic use. The current instability in the region meets the Israel’s short-term interests. Export sales are an imperative for attracting so much needed investments into deposits development and boosting influential international actors presence in the region. At that, the ambitious world market plans evoke serious doubts.
The ambitions are there. For instance, the Institute for Policy and Strategy has come up with the report called Israel’s New Gas Discovery: A Diplomatic and Geopolitical Nuance or Revolution? devoted to diplomatic and geopolitical implications of the gas deposits discovery. (9) Israeli experts make assessment based on obviously exaggerated estimates of the reserves; the figure three trillion cubic meters has been adduced by U.S. Geological Survey without conducting more thorough exploration research. They say that if the present market trends continue, the supplies from Russia will make up half of European consumption by 2020. The European Union would like to bring it down to, at least, a quarter. If the deposit reserves estimations prove to be correct, then, according to the Institute for Policy and Strategy assessment, starting from 2016 Israel may become a reliable alternative energy supplier for, at least, 50 years. According to these calculations, Israel has the capaсity to supply Europe with up to 30 cubic meters annually and bring the dependence on Russian gas down to 23%.
This is a rather optimistic forecast. It probably reflects the sentiments among some part of military and political elite, though it lacks solid indicators as convincing evidence that the conclusions are based on sound foundation. First, adding 30 billion cubic meters to the 500 billion European market will not result in abrupt reduction of Russia’s presence. Second, the prospects for 30 billion cubic meters export are murky as yet; it could be around 10 billion cubic meters at best. That’s what the Netanyahu government approved key indicators say. The assertions that the liquid gas supplies could improve ties with India, China, Japan and South Korea, and even make Georgia independent from Russia, sound more as a pure fantasy, as well as the plans to compensate the US supplies to American strategic European allies. (10) All this is presumed to be achieved thanks to only half a percent of world gas reserves.
Even very limited exports will engender the problems extremely hard to tackle. The disputes with neighbors hinder coming up with strictly defined gas export strategy. Israel had started to build a liquefied gas production facility along with Cyprus, but the plans were abrogated due to high costs and the protests of Turkey. Then Ankara initiated a joint study of deep water route going through the Turkish territory around Lebanon and Syria. The idea was refused: the Israelis did not want to be dependent on Turkey, which along with the European Union, could demand making concessions related to the Palestinian issue. Then an idea to build a liquefied gas facility on Israel’s own soil took shape. At first they even considered the possibility of involving Gasprom, and then the proposal was shelved due to «strategic reasons» in favor of French Technip. Now, according to the latest reports, the Israelis are getting back to the liquefied gas facility construction in Vasilikos, located on the Cyprus southern shore (near Limassol). By the end of June the Cypriot Aphrodite deposit owners (70% Noble Energy and 30% Israeli Delek Group) signed a preliminary agreement to build a $6 billion terminal till 2019. The Israeli Leviathan is close to the Aphrodite, so after taking a final decision of Israeli gas exports, the companies will join in a pipeline construction to link the both deposits. (11)
There is no doubt Ankara will do its best to frustrate the plans. It can do it taking into consideration the fact of its military presence in the northern part of Cyprus. As a result, the only realistic option at present is starting gas supplies to Jordan according to the preliminary accord, which has already been achieved. The export will not exceed 1,5 – 2,0 billion cubic meters a year on the condition the Arab Spring will not spread to the Hashemite kingdom. That’s how the hopes get dashed when you’re not friendly with neighbors.
Note
(10) Ibid
E. Ahamed, Indian minister of state for external affairs, who is on an official visit to Palestine, Thursday met with Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah, during which he handed over Hamdallah a cheque of one $million as part of the budgetary support pledged by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Palestine during the visit of President Abbas to India in September 2012. According to a press release by representative office of India to Palestine, E. Ahamed also met with Foreign Minister Riad Malki and Fatah Commissioner of International Relations Nabil Shaath.
He also discussed other projects supported by India during his separate meetings with Hamdallah and Malki, as well as discussed the developments in the region, ways to forward the peace efforts with Israel and means to strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Palestine.
E. Ahamed was accompanied by Representative of India to Palestine, B.S. Mubarak, Secretary of the West Asia Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Sandeep Kumar, and Director of the Minister's Office, Suhel Khan.
He also discussed other projects supported by India during his separate meetings with Hamdallah and Malki, as well as discussed the developments in the region, ways to forward the peace efforts with Israel and means to strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Palestine.
E. Ahamed was accompanied by Representative of India to Palestine, B.S. Mubarak, Secretary of the West Asia Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Sandeep Kumar, and Director of the Minister's Office, Suhel Khan.
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) announced in a press release Thursday, that the Index of Quantity of Industrial Production in Palestine increased during May 2013.
The overall Quantity of Industrial Production Index (IPI) in Palestine reached 125.22 during May 2013 (base year 2011=100) with an increase of 2.60% compared to the previous month ( April 2013).
Quantity of Industrial Production Index for May 2013 increased due to the increase in the activity of mining and quarrying by 21.29% during May 2013 compared to the previous month which formed a share of 4.59% of the total industry. Also, water and electricity supply industry which had a share of 14.85% of the total industry increased by 4.24% compared to the previous month. Also, the manufacturing industry increased by 1.06% compared to the previous month, which had a share of 80.56% from the total industry.
The overall Quantity of Industrial Production Index (IPI) in Palestine reached 125.22 during May 2013 (base year 2011=100) with an increase of 2.60% compared to the previous month ( April 2013).
Quantity of Industrial Production Index for May 2013 increased due to the increase in the activity of mining and quarrying by 21.29% during May 2013 compared to the previous month which formed a share of 4.59% of the total industry. Also, water and electricity supply industry which had a share of 14.85% of the total industry increased by 4.24% compared to the previous month. Also, the manufacturing industry increased by 1.06% compared to the previous month, which had a share of 80.56% from the total industry.
3 july 2013
A Palestinian boy plays outside his family's dwelling as his mother looks out in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, June 15, 2013
Since the beginning of 2013, the Gaza Strip has been witnessing a sudden rise in the rate of suicides by various means and methods including hanging, immolation and jumping from high heights — mostly as a result of the difficult living conditions.
On June 27, Gaza police found 25-year-old Nidal Mohammad al-Adlouni, a resident of al-Namsawi neighborhood in the Khan Yunis governorate, hanging inside his grocery shop in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Police spokesman Lt. Col. Ayoub Abu Shaar said in a statement issued on June 28 that information indicates that Adlouni was found hanging inside his shop, pointing out that he was already dead when he arrived at the hospital.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abu Shaar said, “The police considers the recent suicides in the Gaza Strip a serious matter.”
He highlighted that a lack of a religious deterrent and weak adherence to Islamic doctrine are the reasons why the victim chose to end his life. He said that the way to remedy these cases is through guidance by preachers and guidance by imams, who must warn people of the societal risks of suicide and its illegitimacy in Islamic Sharia law.
Dr. Ayman al-Sahbani, head of the reception department at Shifa Hospital — the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip — reported that the hospital receives up to 30 patients who have attempted suicide per month. They attempt to end their lives using a variety of methods including pain killers, pesticides, cutting, jumping from heights, firearms, immolation or hanging.
In an interview with Maan News Agency, Sahbani explained that those who attempt suicide are mostly youth and described the cases they have seen in the hospital ranging from slightly to mildly serious.
Regarding the reasons for these suicide attempts, he said, “It is not our area of expertise to ask about the motives, but they are mostly related to family problems, unemployment or educational problems.”
Mustafa Ibrahim, a member of the Independent Commission of Human Rights, believes that economic and social reasons drive people to end their lives, especially in light of the difficulty in finding work and the high rates of unemployment and poverty among the Palestinian community in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ibrahim said that a person’s inability to bear the harsh living conditions and difficulties, and overcome the crises he has to endure, leads to taking the difficult decision to end his own life. This is also related to the government’s failure to fulfill its promises and provide employment and social security to the people, in addition to a lack of equal employment opportunities.
He added, “As a human rights body, we usually do not document all suicide cases, since the concerned families are hesitant to talk to us.” He noted that the shame attached to Palestinian families having lost members as a result of suicide makes talking about this issue a taboo.
Ibrahim pointed to recent cases of immolation, which have increased since the beginning of 2013 in the Gaza Strip. He stressed that they usually occur when a person loses all self-control, and is unable to determine the course of his life, in light of the bitter economic and employment reality experienced by residents of the Gaza Strip.
He called on the government to meet people’s everyday needs, restore their confidence, provide a minimum level of reassurance to citizens and refrain from taking measures that cause people to lose confidence.
On the other hand, the Gaza government indicated that suicides are caused by the lack of a religious deterrent and a weak adherence to Islamic doctrine by the person having committed suicide, or due to a psychological illness. In this respect, Ibrahim called on the government not to rely only on these results and seek to meet the people’s living needs.
Moreover, Walid Mosbah, a specialist in social psychology, confirmed that suicide is not a new phenomenon in the Gaza Strip, but suicide rates increase and decrease according to the living conditions experienced of the Gaza’s citizens.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Mosbah said, “Our society is facing a tense period in light of high unemployment and blockades. Families are suffering from restrictions imposed on them and from continued power outages, which affects the morale of the people. All of these factors combined lead to a variety of psychological distress, thus pushing numerous persons to end their lives.”
“We all saw and heard recently about the numerous incidences of suicide and immolation, but all of these crimes do not have similar circumstances, details and causes. In other words, there are several different factors leading to the occurrence of such crimes, which may be social, economic, psychological and intellectual, as well as some that are driven by revenge,” he continued.
Regarding the high rate of suicide attempts, Mosbah said, “Talk of 30 suicide attempts per month reflects a significant increase,” indicating that the situation experienced by citizens in the Gaza Strip has become very difficult.
Mosbah stressed the role of the government in facing and preventing suicides and immolation cases by spreading hope and opening the political and economic horizon toward a better future, and by providing citizens with the means to sustain their lives, their future and that of their children.
On June 24, 30-year-old Yousef Nassar died after pouring a flammable substance over his body and setting himself on fire in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood east of Gaza City.
On the same day, a high school student died after throwing herself from the fourth floor of her home in Tel al-Zaatar neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip.
On June 14, in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Ibrahim al-Tartouri poured gasoline over his body and set himself ablaze to protest the government’s decision to demolish his family-owned factory and build a mosque in its place, while his brother, Mohamed, was injured trying to help him.
The family of the two brothers said that the Hamas authorities tried to demolish the factory built on a piece of land that had been leased from the Palestinian Authority for many years, without obtaining any judicial decision.
On June 3, a 27-year-old man survived when he lit fire to a room in his family home in Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He admitted that he had intended to commit suicide following a dispute between him and his father, who wanted him to move out.
On May 30, 45-year-old Ziad Abu Musa from the town of Rafah burned himself to death, after pouring a flammable substance on himself.
The next day and in the same city, citizens foiled a self-immolation attempt by 49-year-old Tawfiq Abu Hassanein, who tried to set himself ablaze after hearing about his salary cut.
On April 13, 22-year-old Noura Solomon, a resident of El-Shaboura refugee camp in the center of Rafah, died due to the burns she sustained on April 6. Solomon tried to commit suicide by pouring flammable substances over herself and lighting herself on fire.
In this context, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) issued a statement on May 31, saying that the rise in murder and suicide cases in the Gaza Strip is a serious indicator of the low level of security and safety provided to citizens, and of pressures and tensions experienced by society. The latter threaten the social fabric and its coherence and lead to a rise in crime rates.
Rasha Abou Jalal is a writer and freelance journalist from Gaza specializing in the political news, humanitarian and social issues linked to current events.
Since the beginning of 2013, the Gaza Strip has been witnessing a sudden rise in the rate of suicides by various means and methods including hanging, immolation and jumping from high heights — mostly as a result of the difficult living conditions.
On June 27, Gaza police found 25-year-old Nidal Mohammad al-Adlouni, a resident of al-Namsawi neighborhood in the Khan Yunis governorate, hanging inside his grocery shop in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Police spokesman Lt. Col. Ayoub Abu Shaar said in a statement issued on June 28 that information indicates that Adlouni was found hanging inside his shop, pointing out that he was already dead when he arrived at the hospital.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abu Shaar said, “The police considers the recent suicides in the Gaza Strip a serious matter.”
He highlighted that a lack of a religious deterrent and weak adherence to Islamic doctrine are the reasons why the victim chose to end his life. He said that the way to remedy these cases is through guidance by preachers and guidance by imams, who must warn people of the societal risks of suicide and its illegitimacy in Islamic Sharia law.
Dr. Ayman al-Sahbani, head of the reception department at Shifa Hospital — the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip — reported that the hospital receives up to 30 patients who have attempted suicide per month. They attempt to end their lives using a variety of methods including pain killers, pesticides, cutting, jumping from heights, firearms, immolation or hanging.
In an interview with Maan News Agency, Sahbani explained that those who attempt suicide are mostly youth and described the cases they have seen in the hospital ranging from slightly to mildly serious.
Regarding the reasons for these suicide attempts, he said, “It is not our area of expertise to ask about the motives, but they are mostly related to family problems, unemployment or educational problems.”
Mustafa Ibrahim, a member of the Independent Commission of Human Rights, believes that economic and social reasons drive people to end their lives, especially in light of the difficulty in finding work and the high rates of unemployment and poverty among the Palestinian community in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ibrahim said that a person’s inability to bear the harsh living conditions and difficulties, and overcome the crises he has to endure, leads to taking the difficult decision to end his own life. This is also related to the government’s failure to fulfill its promises and provide employment and social security to the people, in addition to a lack of equal employment opportunities.
He added, “As a human rights body, we usually do not document all suicide cases, since the concerned families are hesitant to talk to us.” He noted that the shame attached to Palestinian families having lost members as a result of suicide makes talking about this issue a taboo.
Ibrahim pointed to recent cases of immolation, which have increased since the beginning of 2013 in the Gaza Strip. He stressed that they usually occur when a person loses all self-control, and is unable to determine the course of his life, in light of the bitter economic and employment reality experienced by residents of the Gaza Strip.
He called on the government to meet people’s everyday needs, restore their confidence, provide a minimum level of reassurance to citizens and refrain from taking measures that cause people to lose confidence.
On the other hand, the Gaza government indicated that suicides are caused by the lack of a religious deterrent and a weak adherence to Islamic doctrine by the person having committed suicide, or due to a psychological illness. In this respect, Ibrahim called on the government not to rely only on these results and seek to meet the people’s living needs.
Moreover, Walid Mosbah, a specialist in social psychology, confirmed that suicide is not a new phenomenon in the Gaza Strip, but suicide rates increase and decrease according to the living conditions experienced of the Gaza’s citizens.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Mosbah said, “Our society is facing a tense period in light of high unemployment and blockades. Families are suffering from restrictions imposed on them and from continued power outages, which affects the morale of the people. All of these factors combined lead to a variety of psychological distress, thus pushing numerous persons to end their lives.”
“We all saw and heard recently about the numerous incidences of suicide and immolation, but all of these crimes do not have similar circumstances, details and causes. In other words, there are several different factors leading to the occurrence of such crimes, which may be social, economic, psychological and intellectual, as well as some that are driven by revenge,” he continued.
Regarding the high rate of suicide attempts, Mosbah said, “Talk of 30 suicide attempts per month reflects a significant increase,” indicating that the situation experienced by citizens in the Gaza Strip has become very difficult.
Mosbah stressed the role of the government in facing and preventing suicides and immolation cases by spreading hope and opening the political and economic horizon toward a better future, and by providing citizens with the means to sustain their lives, their future and that of their children.
On June 24, 30-year-old Yousef Nassar died after pouring a flammable substance over his body and setting himself on fire in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood east of Gaza City.
On the same day, a high school student died after throwing herself from the fourth floor of her home in Tel al-Zaatar neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip.
On June 14, in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Ibrahim al-Tartouri poured gasoline over his body and set himself ablaze to protest the government’s decision to demolish his family-owned factory and build a mosque in its place, while his brother, Mohamed, was injured trying to help him.
The family of the two brothers said that the Hamas authorities tried to demolish the factory built on a piece of land that had been leased from the Palestinian Authority for many years, without obtaining any judicial decision.
On June 3, a 27-year-old man survived when he lit fire to a room in his family home in Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He admitted that he had intended to commit suicide following a dispute between him and his father, who wanted him to move out.
On May 30, 45-year-old Ziad Abu Musa from the town of Rafah burned himself to death, after pouring a flammable substance on himself.
The next day and in the same city, citizens foiled a self-immolation attempt by 49-year-old Tawfiq Abu Hassanein, who tried to set himself ablaze after hearing about his salary cut.
On April 13, 22-year-old Noura Solomon, a resident of El-Shaboura refugee camp in the center of Rafah, died due to the burns she sustained on April 6. Solomon tried to commit suicide by pouring flammable substances over herself and lighting herself on fire.
In this context, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) issued a statement on May 31, saying that the rise in murder and suicide cases in the Gaza Strip is a serious indicator of the low level of security and safety provided to citizens, and of pressures and tensions experienced by society. The latter threaten the social fabric and its coherence and lead to a rise in crime rates.
Rasha Abou Jalal is a writer and freelance journalist from Gaza specializing in the political news, humanitarian and social issues linked to current events.
The municipalities of the Gaza Strip warned that the continuation of the fuel crisis would provoke an imminent real catastrophe represented in the disruption of the work of key and vital sectors. The spokesman for Gaza Municipalities Union said during a news conference held on Wednesday in Gaza in the presence of a number of mayors that the fuel scarcity which affects the vital sectors would cause a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He explained that the sewage pumps highly depend on electricity generators that operate with diesel fuel and that due to the continued diesel shortage these vital stations will not be able to work.
"The shortage in diesel in the sanitation sector will cause a humanitarian disaster especially in the areas surrounding these stations," the spokesman said, adding that the municipalities began to pump large quantities of untreated wastewater into sea water as a result of the very large shortage in diesel fuel.
He pointed out that water wells that supply the population with water depend basically on diesel-powered generators; pointing out that in case those generators stop working, the citizens will be facing a genuine crisis in the supply of water.
The Union called on all concerned bodies especially the humanitarian organizations to work on finding solutions to this serious crisis, and demanded the international community to shoulder its responsibility regarding this imminent disaster that may affect the besieged Gaza Strip
He explained that the sewage pumps highly depend on electricity generators that operate with diesel fuel and that due to the continued diesel shortage these vital stations will not be able to work.
"The shortage in diesel in the sanitation sector will cause a humanitarian disaster especially in the areas surrounding these stations," the spokesman said, adding that the municipalities began to pump large quantities of untreated wastewater into sea water as a result of the very large shortage in diesel fuel.
He pointed out that water wells that supply the population with water depend basically on diesel-powered generators; pointing out that in case those generators stop working, the citizens will be facing a genuine crisis in the supply of water.
The Union called on all concerned bodies especially the humanitarian organizations to work on finding solutions to this serious crisis, and demanded the international community to shoulder its responsibility regarding this imminent disaster that may affect the besieged Gaza Strip
Lapid (Right) and Bishara
Israeli Radio (Kol Israel) has reported, Tuesday [June 2 2012] that the Israeli Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, held a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Shokry Bishara, in order to ensure the resumption of economic talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Israeli Tax Department official, Moshe Asher, and his Palestinian counterpart, Yousef Az-Zamr, also participated in the meeting.
The Radio said that the two Ministers held a similar meeting, a few weeks ago, and decided to hold further meetings to ensure economic cooperation.
Sources at the Israeli Finance Ministry said that the recent meeting aimed at renewing economic cooperation between the two sides.
The Israeli Radio said that the two sides agreed, during Tuesday’s meeting, to form a joint task team that convenes once every two weeks.
Israeli Radio (Kol Israel) has reported, Tuesday [June 2 2012] that the Israeli Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, held a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Shokry Bishara, in order to ensure the resumption of economic talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Israeli Tax Department official, Moshe Asher, and his Palestinian counterpart, Yousef Az-Zamr, also participated in the meeting.
The Radio said that the two Ministers held a similar meeting, a few weeks ago, and decided to hold further meetings to ensure economic cooperation.
Sources at the Israeli Finance Ministry said that the recent meeting aimed at renewing economic cooperation between the two sides.
The Israeli Radio said that the two sides agreed, during Tuesday’s meeting, to form a joint task team that convenes once every two weeks.
2 july 2013
Palestinians enjoy the warm weather at a beach in Gaza City, May 31, 2013.
As summer arrived, the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip — who number around 1.7 million — found in the sea an avenue to escape from the summer heat and electricity outages.
Thousands of men and children on vacation swam or lay on the beach, while most women sat carefully or swam in their black abayas. Every now and then, the scene was broken by the passage of a horse or camel to lure people into taking a ride for less than $1.
Ibrahim, 20, rode his camel from the Mughraqa region of the Gaza Strip toward the shore, which takes about an hour, to earn a daily income that does not exceed $15. Speaking to Al-Monitor while looking around for potential customers, he said, “The summer season continues until Ramadan (due to start on July 9). Because they are fasting, people don’t come to the beach much, and summer goes by quickly. During this time of the year, nobody rides camels, so I will have to find another job in construction or sales.”
Ibrahim said that in the past he had a herd of camels, but the war in 2012 left him with only one. Two girls who seemed to be friends approached his camel, and Ibrahim helped them up onto the saddle. They cried out in fear when the camel stood up to walk, while one of them said, laughing, “I feel like I’m looking out from the third floor.”
Hares, 12, and Anis, 11, just came out of the water, reluctantly, after being stung by jellyfish.
“We want the lifeguards to get rid of the jellyfish because they are so annoying. I have stings all over my hands and legs,” said Hares, while extending his red arm.
Their relative, 39-year-old Mazen al-Shaer, was also there with three of his sons. He said, “We live close to the beach, and we believe it’s the only escape for the children. There are no clubs or places where they can spend their time.” Shaer also complained about the pollution on the beach.
Papers, empty cans and plastic bags are spread out on the shore, in a scene that completely distorts the general image of the beauty of a beach and sunset. There is also a stench that can be smelled from time to time, because the beach has become a sewage dump in several spots.
Unlike Hares and Anis, not all children come to enjoy themselves, as some of them have bigger responsibilities. For instance, 13-year-old Ahmad calls out “Anbar Anbar,” while approaching families sitting in chairs and others stretched out on the ground. He is trying to sell them “Anbar,” a Palestinian term for candied apples. Not many buy candied apples from him, since families believe that their high sugar content is harmful, not to mention the fact that it comes without a cover. Still, attracted by its flashy red color, some children insist on buying one.
Suddenly, a horse carriage makes its way between the people. Families cry out, while moving away from the man leading the horse and insulting him. Yet, he insists on steering clear of the water since it ruins the wheels of the carriage. Atop the carriage there is a stove he calls the “potato stove,” which is fueled by wood logs to grill potatoes. He calls out, “Sweet potatoes.”
While putting another potato on the stove, 21-year-old potato merchant Hatem al-Nounou told Al-Monitor, “The farmers sell us sweet potatoes for a high price. For this reason, we sell one potato for two or three Israeli shekels [$0.55-0.83]. Sales are very low these days, despite the fact that there are thousands of people on vacation, in addition to 12 potato merchants on the Gaza shores alone.”
Giving us a delicious piece of grilled sweet potato served on a newspaper page, Nounou wrapped up the conversation. He then left, insisting on making his way past the vacationers once again, thus pushing them to run in all directions for fear of being hit by his carriage.
Yet, horses, bad smells and filth are not the only things ruining the beach experience for vacationers. Alerted by the sound of an ambulance siren, people suddenly run to the same spot on the beach. “Someone drowned! Someone drowned!” people cried. At that moment, rumors start spreading. Some say that a child was taken under by the current, while others talk about a man who thought himself undefeatable but did not return from the sea. Others say a woman nearing the shore was dragged into the current. Whatever the story, the ending is rarely happy.
Yahya Tayeh, a mayor and head of the marine rescue department in the civil defense services, said that since the onset of this year, there have been seven deaths from drowning and over 400 rescue cases. He added that four deaths happened before the start of the summer season — which lasts from the beginning of June until the beginning of September — and three deaths were recorded during the summer. He confirmed that these deaths occurred before or after the lifeguards’ shifts, which start at 8 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.
In an interview with Al-Monitor at his office that overlooks the port, Tayeh mentioned that before the summer season there were 100 lifeguards, and the number increased to 360 during the season. He also asserted that they advise vacationers not to swim before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., but some do not listen. They also spread awareness and hang up banners telling people not to swim in spots where sewage is pumped or in dangerous rocky areas.
He also noted that there is an operations room to facilitate constant coordination between the civil defense services, the marine police and the relief team. They are prepared for any emergency. This is especially important amid an increased number of children going missing on the beach on Thursdays and Fridays, when the number of vacationers reach into the thousands. He also warned that they lacked rescue equipment such as lifeboats and life preservers.
Close to the beach, 18-year-old Khouloud al-Sarraj sat with a book in one hand while holding her little sister Hanane's hand with the other. She said that she came here in search of some calm and fresh air to study for her baccalaureate exams, after electricity service was cut.
Surrounded by two watermelons and some towels, 48-year-old Salem al-Dreimli sat with his family, comprising mostly women and girls, on plastic chairs. He said that while they love the sea, there is a lack of lighting and lifeguards on the shore at night. He also noted that most families — his own included — come to the beach after 8 p.m., when the lifeguards’ shift has ended.
Dreimli’s wife, Umm Saed, complained about pollution and noted that the families keep the place clean and put their waste in bags. The problem, however, is that there are no bins to throw the trash in.
Regarding the issue of cleanliness, Hatem al-Sheikh Khalil, head of public relations for the Gaza municipality, stated that the beach is cleaned in the early morning. He also noted that it is impossible to clean it while the families are there. He said that the massive number of vacationers has pushed the municipality to pay extra attention to completing Gaza’s corniche, which is costing more than $3.5 million and aims at reducing crowding on the beach.
Speaking to Al-Monitor, he said that every year they get ready for the season by preparing to offer vacationers leisure options. He clarified that in the past year they allowed 15 cafeterias to rent beach spots, as opposed to only seven this year. They want to leave wide spaces open for people to sit, especially amid the tough economic conditions.
Gaza’s shore is not only an escape for students, families and children but also for newlyweds such as Samar, 19, and Mohammad, 23, who found no better place than this to spend their honeymoon. They fight and laugh, while looking at the vast ocean, counting the days of their marriage and enjoying the sunset.
Asmaa al-Ghoul is a contributing writer for Al-Monitor's Palestine Pulse, and a journalist from the Rafah refugee camp based in Gaza.
As summer arrived, the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip — who number around 1.7 million — found in the sea an avenue to escape from the summer heat and electricity outages.
Thousands of men and children on vacation swam or lay on the beach, while most women sat carefully or swam in their black abayas. Every now and then, the scene was broken by the passage of a horse or camel to lure people into taking a ride for less than $1.
Ibrahim, 20, rode his camel from the Mughraqa region of the Gaza Strip toward the shore, which takes about an hour, to earn a daily income that does not exceed $15. Speaking to Al-Monitor while looking around for potential customers, he said, “The summer season continues until Ramadan (due to start on July 9). Because they are fasting, people don’t come to the beach much, and summer goes by quickly. During this time of the year, nobody rides camels, so I will have to find another job in construction or sales.”
Ibrahim said that in the past he had a herd of camels, but the war in 2012 left him with only one. Two girls who seemed to be friends approached his camel, and Ibrahim helped them up onto the saddle. They cried out in fear when the camel stood up to walk, while one of them said, laughing, “I feel like I’m looking out from the third floor.”
Hares, 12, and Anis, 11, just came out of the water, reluctantly, after being stung by jellyfish.
“We want the lifeguards to get rid of the jellyfish because they are so annoying. I have stings all over my hands and legs,” said Hares, while extending his red arm.
Their relative, 39-year-old Mazen al-Shaer, was also there with three of his sons. He said, “We live close to the beach, and we believe it’s the only escape for the children. There are no clubs or places where they can spend their time.” Shaer also complained about the pollution on the beach.
Papers, empty cans and plastic bags are spread out on the shore, in a scene that completely distorts the general image of the beauty of a beach and sunset. There is also a stench that can be smelled from time to time, because the beach has become a sewage dump in several spots.
Unlike Hares and Anis, not all children come to enjoy themselves, as some of them have bigger responsibilities. For instance, 13-year-old Ahmad calls out “Anbar Anbar,” while approaching families sitting in chairs and others stretched out on the ground. He is trying to sell them “Anbar,” a Palestinian term for candied apples. Not many buy candied apples from him, since families believe that their high sugar content is harmful, not to mention the fact that it comes without a cover. Still, attracted by its flashy red color, some children insist on buying one.
Suddenly, a horse carriage makes its way between the people. Families cry out, while moving away from the man leading the horse and insulting him. Yet, he insists on steering clear of the water since it ruins the wheels of the carriage. Atop the carriage there is a stove he calls the “potato stove,” which is fueled by wood logs to grill potatoes. He calls out, “Sweet potatoes.”
While putting another potato on the stove, 21-year-old potato merchant Hatem al-Nounou told Al-Monitor, “The farmers sell us sweet potatoes for a high price. For this reason, we sell one potato for two or three Israeli shekels [$0.55-0.83]. Sales are very low these days, despite the fact that there are thousands of people on vacation, in addition to 12 potato merchants on the Gaza shores alone.”
Giving us a delicious piece of grilled sweet potato served on a newspaper page, Nounou wrapped up the conversation. He then left, insisting on making his way past the vacationers once again, thus pushing them to run in all directions for fear of being hit by his carriage.
Yet, horses, bad smells and filth are not the only things ruining the beach experience for vacationers. Alerted by the sound of an ambulance siren, people suddenly run to the same spot on the beach. “Someone drowned! Someone drowned!” people cried. At that moment, rumors start spreading. Some say that a child was taken under by the current, while others talk about a man who thought himself undefeatable but did not return from the sea. Others say a woman nearing the shore was dragged into the current. Whatever the story, the ending is rarely happy.
Yahya Tayeh, a mayor and head of the marine rescue department in the civil defense services, said that since the onset of this year, there have been seven deaths from drowning and over 400 rescue cases. He added that four deaths happened before the start of the summer season — which lasts from the beginning of June until the beginning of September — and three deaths were recorded during the summer. He confirmed that these deaths occurred before or after the lifeguards’ shifts, which start at 8 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.
In an interview with Al-Monitor at his office that overlooks the port, Tayeh mentioned that before the summer season there were 100 lifeguards, and the number increased to 360 during the season. He also asserted that they advise vacationers not to swim before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., but some do not listen. They also spread awareness and hang up banners telling people not to swim in spots where sewage is pumped or in dangerous rocky areas.
He also noted that there is an operations room to facilitate constant coordination between the civil defense services, the marine police and the relief team. They are prepared for any emergency. This is especially important amid an increased number of children going missing on the beach on Thursdays and Fridays, when the number of vacationers reach into the thousands. He also warned that they lacked rescue equipment such as lifeboats and life preservers.
Close to the beach, 18-year-old Khouloud al-Sarraj sat with a book in one hand while holding her little sister Hanane's hand with the other. She said that she came here in search of some calm and fresh air to study for her baccalaureate exams, after electricity service was cut.
Surrounded by two watermelons and some towels, 48-year-old Salem al-Dreimli sat with his family, comprising mostly women and girls, on plastic chairs. He said that while they love the sea, there is a lack of lighting and lifeguards on the shore at night. He also noted that most families — his own included — come to the beach after 8 p.m., when the lifeguards’ shift has ended.
Dreimli’s wife, Umm Saed, complained about pollution and noted that the families keep the place clean and put their waste in bags. The problem, however, is that there are no bins to throw the trash in.
Regarding the issue of cleanliness, Hatem al-Sheikh Khalil, head of public relations for the Gaza municipality, stated that the beach is cleaned in the early morning. He also noted that it is impossible to clean it while the families are there. He said that the massive number of vacationers has pushed the municipality to pay extra attention to completing Gaza’s corniche, which is costing more than $3.5 million and aims at reducing crowding on the beach.
Speaking to Al-Monitor, he said that every year they get ready for the season by preparing to offer vacationers leisure options. He clarified that in the past year they allowed 15 cafeterias to rent beach spots, as opposed to only seven this year. They want to leave wide spaces open for people to sit, especially amid the tough economic conditions.
Gaza’s shore is not only an escape for students, families and children but also for newlyweds such as Samar, 19, and Mohammad, 23, who found no better place than this to spend their honeymoon. They fight and laugh, while looking at the vast ocean, counting the days of their marriage and enjoying the sunset.
Asmaa al-Ghoul is a contributing writer for Al-Monitor's Palestine Pulse, and a journalist from the Rafah refugee camp based in Gaza.
Hamas authorities in Gaza have closed a gas canister factory, leaving 45 workers unemployed, over allegations they tried to imitate Israeli-made products.
Factory owner Yousif Sharaf told Ma'an that the authorities sealed off his factory, which produces domestic gas canisters, after inspectors found three canisters painted silver.
"Silver canisters are banned in Gaza because they are produced in Israel. However, one wholesaler managed to get an exemption from the ministry and he imported some 30,000 silver canisters from Israel," Sharaf said.
As a result of the decision, Sharaf suffered major losses as the market became flooded with Israeli-made gas canisters. The three silver canister found in his factory were samples and not suitable for use.
Sharaf, who has been operating the factory since 1983, condemned the closure of his facility, saying it was unacceptable to make 45 workers unemployed.
Gaza economy ministry officials said that they implement their decisions according to set standards and regulations.
"If a national product matches Palestinian standards, we do not take any procedures against the producers. However, if any breaches to the acceptable standards are reported, we take the needed procedures so as to protect national products," Abdul-Fattah Mousa, an official in the ministry of economy, said.
"He was informed he must stick to Palestinian standards, but he breached them by painting canisters in unaccepted color," he added.
Factory owner Yousif Sharaf told Ma'an that the authorities sealed off his factory, which produces domestic gas canisters, after inspectors found three canisters painted silver.
"Silver canisters are banned in Gaza because they are produced in Israel. However, one wholesaler managed to get an exemption from the ministry and he imported some 30,000 silver canisters from Israel," Sharaf said.
As a result of the decision, Sharaf suffered major losses as the market became flooded with Israeli-made gas canisters. The three silver canister found in his factory were samples and not suitable for use.
Sharaf, who has been operating the factory since 1983, condemned the closure of his facility, saying it was unacceptable to make 45 workers unemployed.
Gaza economy ministry officials said that they implement their decisions according to set standards and regulations.
"If a national product matches Palestinian standards, we do not take any procedures against the producers. However, if any breaches to the acceptable standards are reported, we take the needed procedures so as to protect national products," Abdul-Fattah Mousa, an official in the ministry of economy, said.
"He was informed he must stick to Palestinian standards, but he breached them by painting canisters in unaccepted color," he added.
MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, said that Gaza fuel and building materials shortage was due the imposed Israeli siege on Gaza Strip since 2006.
The European Union (EU) Monday provided €13 million to East Jerusalem hospitals in response to serious cash flow in the hospitals due to failure of the Palestinian government to pay outstanding debt to these hospitals, an EU press statement said. The announcement was made in ceremonies held at Augusta Victoria Hospital on Mount of Olives to celebrate the Joint Commission International accreditation for quality and patient safety awarded to Augusta Victoria and St John's Eye hospitals last month.
“The EU responded to the major cash flow problems of East Jerusalem hospitals as a result of the Palestinian Authority's financial crisis,” said the statement.
The EU last year made another €10 million contribution to the hospitals to cover costs for patients referred for treatment in these hospitals by the Ministry of Health.
“By addressing this severe debt problem, hospital facilities remained open and medical staff continued working to provide much-needed specialized health services to patients across the West Bank and Gaza,” added the statement.
“The EU continues to be a close and reliable partner to the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian people,” said the EU Representative John Gatt-Rutter.
“The objective of our support, announced today, is to allow the Palestinian Authority meet its obligations towards the East Jerusalem hospitals and ultimately ensure the provision of essential services to the Palestinian people,” he added.
“All six facilities of the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network provide quality specialized health services which are not available elsewhere in Palestine. Preserving their work is important,” said Gatt-Rutter.
Speaking on behalf of the Network, Tawfiq Nasser, director of August Victoria Hospital and coordinator of the Network, expressed the sincere appreciation of all the hospitals for the support extended by the EU through the World Health Organization (WHO) to all the hospitals.
He emphasized that this type of grant guarantees the health and wellbeing of patients, helps the Palestinian Ministry of Health sustain its services to its people, and empowers the national health system to respond to community needs while reducing costs of treatment referrals outside the Palestinian territories. That comes in addition to strengthening the Palestinian professional and civil society in East Jerusalem.
The European Union and the World Health Organization have supported the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network for the last four years. Through the latest phase of this program the EU provided €2.4 million which allowed the hospitals to improve the quality of their health services and upgrade their status to the highest international standards.
As a result, Augusta Victoria and St John's Eye Hospital were recently awarded the Joint Commission International accreditation for quality and patient safety.
“The EU responded to the major cash flow problems of East Jerusalem hospitals as a result of the Palestinian Authority's financial crisis,” said the statement.
The EU last year made another €10 million contribution to the hospitals to cover costs for patients referred for treatment in these hospitals by the Ministry of Health.
“By addressing this severe debt problem, hospital facilities remained open and medical staff continued working to provide much-needed specialized health services to patients across the West Bank and Gaza,” added the statement.
“The EU continues to be a close and reliable partner to the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian people,” said the EU Representative John Gatt-Rutter.
“The objective of our support, announced today, is to allow the Palestinian Authority meet its obligations towards the East Jerusalem hospitals and ultimately ensure the provision of essential services to the Palestinian people,” he added.
“All six facilities of the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network provide quality specialized health services which are not available elsewhere in Palestine. Preserving their work is important,” said Gatt-Rutter.
Speaking on behalf of the Network, Tawfiq Nasser, director of August Victoria Hospital and coordinator of the Network, expressed the sincere appreciation of all the hospitals for the support extended by the EU through the World Health Organization (WHO) to all the hospitals.
He emphasized that this type of grant guarantees the health and wellbeing of patients, helps the Palestinian Ministry of Health sustain its services to its people, and empowers the national health system to respond to community needs while reducing costs of treatment referrals outside the Palestinian territories. That comes in addition to strengthening the Palestinian professional and civil society in East Jerusalem.
The European Union and the World Health Organization have supported the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network for the last four years. Through the latest phase of this program the EU provided €2.4 million which allowed the hospitals to improve the quality of their health services and upgrade their status to the highest international standards.
As a result, Augusta Victoria and St John's Eye Hospital were recently awarded the Joint Commission International accreditation for quality and patient safety.
1 july 2013
The owners of 58 sewing factories in Jenin on Monday announced that they are closing their doors until further notice, citing difficulties in being able to afford the PA minimum wage announced last year.
Factory owners warned last month that if they were not exempted from the minimum wage law they would close their businesses as they could not afford to pay workers the amount stipulated by new minimum wage regulations.
In October, the PA cabinet in Ramallah endorsed a wage committee's recommendation setting the minimum wage at 1,450 shekels ($375) per month.
Ayid Rabayaa, a spokesman for sewing factories in Jenin, told Ma'an that about 20 percent of workers are unskilled and it is unaffordable to pay them according to the minimum wage.
Factory owners warned last month that if they were not exempted from the minimum wage law they would close their businesses as they could not afford to pay workers the amount stipulated by new minimum wage regulations.
In October, the PA cabinet in Ramallah endorsed a wage committee's recommendation setting the minimum wage at 1,450 shekels ($375) per month.
Ayid Rabayaa, a spokesman for sewing factories in Jenin, told Ma'an that about 20 percent of workers are unskilled and it is unaffordable to pay them according to the minimum wage.
The decision will leave over 1,800 workers unemployed.
The factories will remain closed until the owners' demands are met, Rabayaa said, urging PA officials to exempt them from the minimum wage regulations.
Israel has raised taxes on the price of raw materials used in the factories, adding to financial pressure on factory owners.
In addition to wage concerns, factory owners are also demanding compensation for losses sustained during the second intifada.
Secretary-general of the federation of trade unions, Riyad Kamil, said the decision to close the factories was illegal and violates Palestinian labor laws.
The minimum wage was agreed upon after discussion with the PA, trade unions and employers, with all sides agreeing to set the wage at 1,450 shekels ($375) per month.
The factories will remain closed until the owners' demands are met, Rabayaa said, urging PA officials to exempt them from the minimum wage regulations.
Israel has raised taxes on the price of raw materials used in the factories, adding to financial pressure on factory owners.
In addition to wage concerns, factory owners are also demanding compensation for losses sustained during the second intifada.
Secretary-general of the federation of trade unions, Riyad Kamil, said the decision to close the factories was illegal and violates Palestinian labor laws.
The minimum wage was agreed upon after discussion with the PA, trade unions and employers, with all sides agreeing to set the wage at 1,450 shekels ($375) per month.
The federation of trade unions had originally suggested 1,750 shekels ($482) but it was not approved, Kamil said. After the minimum wage law was passed sewing factories were given six months to sign new contracts to change their wage structure.
Several unions and hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Ramallah last year, claiming that the minimum wage was too low.
In July, 2012, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said the relative poverty line was 2,293 shekels ($593) and the deep poverty line was 1,832 shekels ($474), considerably higher than the minimum wage of 1,450 shekels ($375).
Several unions and hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Ramallah last year, claiming that the minimum wage was too low.
In July, 2012, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said the relative poverty line was 2,293 shekels ($593) and the deep poverty line was 1,832 shekels ($474), considerably higher than the minimum wage of 1,450 shekels ($375).
Palestinian deputy minister of economy Hatem Oweida warned on Sunday of a humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Gaza Strip if the fuel crisis kept worsening due to the closure of tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. In a local televised interview, Oweida said that the crisis of fuel and other goods in Gaza are attributed in general to the repeated closure of commercial crossings, noting that Karam Abu Salem crossing is the only terminal opened intermittently by the Israeli regime and used currently to bring shipments of fuel and goods into Gaza.
Oweida affirmed that the Palestinian government in Gaza is working on providing solutions to the crisis to meet the citizens' daily needs of fuel.
He noted that the existing fuel amounts in Gaza are used for the time being to run vital service facilities such as hospitals and the power plant.
The fuel crisis can be felt clearly on Gaza streets as vehicular traffic has declined; in addition, the recent closure of most of the tunnels because of the internal events in Egypt caused all construction projects that are carried out by the government to come to a halt.
Oweida affirmed that the Palestinian government in Gaza is working on providing solutions to the crisis to meet the citizens' daily needs of fuel.
He noted that the existing fuel amounts in Gaza are used for the time being to run vital service facilities such as hospitals and the power plant.
The fuel crisis can be felt clearly on Gaza streets as vehicular traffic has declined; in addition, the recent closure of most of the tunnels because of the internal events in Egypt caused all construction projects that are carried out by the government to come to a halt.
The Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) released on Sunday 30th June, the results of the Palestine Indicator for the Business Cycle (PMABCI) during June 2013.
PMA said in a press release that at the national level, the overall PMABCI indicates a high drop took place in June 2013, from 3.81 in May 2013 to -7.71.The behavior of the index has been different in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS). In WB, a high drop took place from 1.93 in May 2013 to -11.99 in June. This drop came after the continuous improvement in the index during the last four months, which, in turn, indicates a further decrease in the WB expectation about the economic performance in the short run. Several reasons may stand behind this drop, among those are: the continuous political instability, and the resigning of Dr. Fayyad government.
In Gaza Strip also, there was a slight drop during the last month, although it still remains on a positive 0.85. keeping its economic performance close to levels attained since December 2012. In general, GS still suffers from various internal and external factors (Israeli siege, political uncertainty under and the internal division) that significantly affect the economic performance negatively, and limited the expectations about any economic improvement in the short run.
In general, the overall index indicates that the recovery in the economic activity that took place during the past months of 2013 was interrupted in June, as a result of contraction in some industrial sectors such as; food (index decreased from 1.53 to -1.53), furniture (from 5.76 to -1.65), paper (from 0.53 to -0.21), engineering (from -3.89 to -5.13), construction and stones and marble (from 0.82 to -1.7).
About PMABC
The PMABCI is a monthly index which aims to capture the state and evolution of the Palestinian business environment, reflecting fluctuations in production and economic activity over time. The index also provides real-time information about the economy, and thus helps in taking the appropriate decisions without having to wait for the release of actual data that need time for publication.
The construction of the index follows international standards and is based on qualitative data obtained from monthly business surveys, all belonging to the manufacturing sector, were selected via stratified random sampling. The respondents are asked a number of qualitative questions related to production, sales, inventories, and near-term expectations about production and employment. The answers are then weighted according to each industry's share in total employment in the manufacturing sector, yielding a single value ranging from -100 (poor performance) to +100 (the highest score, indicating solid business performance and positive prospects). More than its absolute values, the evolution of the index over time is what intends to reflect the cycle of the business activity.
PMA said in a press release that at the national level, the overall PMABCI indicates a high drop took place in June 2013, from 3.81 in May 2013 to -7.71.The behavior of the index has been different in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS). In WB, a high drop took place from 1.93 in May 2013 to -11.99 in June. This drop came after the continuous improvement in the index during the last four months, which, in turn, indicates a further decrease in the WB expectation about the economic performance in the short run. Several reasons may stand behind this drop, among those are: the continuous political instability, and the resigning of Dr. Fayyad government.
In Gaza Strip also, there was a slight drop during the last month, although it still remains on a positive 0.85. keeping its economic performance close to levels attained since December 2012. In general, GS still suffers from various internal and external factors (Israeli siege, political uncertainty under and the internal division) that significantly affect the economic performance negatively, and limited the expectations about any economic improvement in the short run.
In general, the overall index indicates that the recovery in the economic activity that took place during the past months of 2013 was interrupted in June, as a result of contraction in some industrial sectors such as; food (index decreased from 1.53 to -1.53), furniture (from 5.76 to -1.65), paper (from 0.53 to -0.21), engineering (from -3.89 to -5.13), construction and stones and marble (from 0.82 to -1.7).
About PMABC
The PMABCI is a monthly index which aims to capture the state and evolution of the Palestinian business environment, reflecting fluctuations in production and economic activity over time. The index also provides real-time information about the economy, and thus helps in taking the appropriate decisions without having to wait for the release of actual data that need time for publication.
The construction of the index follows international standards and is based on qualitative data obtained from monthly business surveys, all belonging to the manufacturing sector, were selected via stratified random sampling. The respondents are asked a number of qualitative questions related to production, sales, inventories, and near-term expectations about production and employment. The answers are then weighted according to each industry's share in total employment in the manufacturing sector, yielding a single value ranging from -100 (poor performance) to +100 (the highest score, indicating solid business performance and positive prospects). More than its absolute values, the evolution of the index over time is what intends to reflect the cycle of the business activity.
