Border closure increases poverty of Palestinians

A HEAVY Israeli army presence in Jerusalem yesterday prevented protests against a five day closure of the West Bank and Gaza from erupting after Ramadan prayers attended by 270,000 Palestinians. Thursday's observances were followed by clashes between stonethrowing Palestinian youths and Israeli police.

The present indefinite closure was imposed to prevent Islamist militants from setting off bombs inside Israel to commemorate the 40th day since Israel assassinated the Hamas bomb maker, Yahya Ayash. But this closure only served to remind the 2.4 million Palestinians of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, preparing to celebrate the feast which ends Ramadan - the Muslim fasting month - of their extreme vulnerability. For closures produce unemployment and severe economic dislocation.

According to the Palestine Authority president, Mr Yasser Arafat, every day of closure costs the Palestinians $6 million in lost pay from jobs in Israel and revenues from trade. Repeated closures averaging at least a week every month have made it impossible for Palestinians to secure regular employment in Israel.

This has transformed skilled Palestinian construction workers (once 96 per cent of all building labour) into unskilled, low paid casual labour. Closures and limitations on work permits have reduced from 120,000 to 30,000 the number of Palestinians working in Israel. As a result (male) unemployment has reached 25-30 per cent in the West Bank and 50-60 per cent in Gaza.

Closures have ruined business in Palestinian East Jerusalem by cutting it off from its West Bank hinterland, and prevent West Bank and Gaza agricultural produce and manufactured goods from reaching markets in Israel, the Arab countries and other export outlets.

Israel's obsession with security has postponed the opening of the 90 kilometre road linking Gaza to the West Bank. This means that Palestinian businessmen and goods travelling between the two regions must apply for permits from the Palestinian and Israeli authorities, a lengthy procedure which discourages commerce.

Complications add to Palestinian difficulties. Palestinian imports and exports need extensive Israeli documentation. Goods leaving or entering Israeli ports and airports must be carried by Israeli lorries while passing through Israel, then transferred to Palestinian lorries in the self rule areas.

Palestinian carriers en route to Arab countries move in convoys subject to repeated Israeli searches and delays. Perishable produce often rots in transit while imports take weeks, sometimes months, to reach their destinations. Israel also levies customs duties on Palestinian imports, including raw materials, fertilisers, agricultural chemicals and seeds, increasing Palestinian costs. These complications render Palestinian goods uncompetitive in internal and external markets with those produced, in Jordan, the Palestinians' main commercial rival.

Outstanding pledges by international donors to provide the Palestinians with $1.4 billion in budgetary and development assistance cannot, in Mr Arafat's estimation, make up for the closures and complications imposed by Israel which inhibit the growth of a viable Palestinian economy.