Netanyahu: Palestinians Waging Unacceptable Economic War

May 25, 2010

“Israel strives for economic peace. We have removed checkpoints; we have made life easier; we are always taking action to advance the Palestinian economy. Despite all this, the Palestinian side is opposed to economic peace and is taking steps that ultimately hurt them. This also refers to the economic boycott they are spearheading and the pollution of our water sources,” said Netanyahu.

Last month, the Palestinian Authority [PA] sent a pamphlet to every Palestinian household containing a detailed list of 500 Israeli products it seeks to boycott. The boycott campaign is bolstered by a recently passed law that makes not following the boycott punishable by imprisonment and fines.

“Whoever trades settlement products, participates in or aids the trade of these products or their importation will be jailed for two-to-five years and will pay a fine of 10,000 Jordanian dinar (NIS 55,000 or $14,360),” the new law stipulates.

Whoever transports or helps transport goods from the West Bank settlements into the territories is likely to be jailed for three-to-six months, fined 2,000 Jordanian dinar (NIS 11,000 or $2,870) and have his license revoked and his vehicle confiscated.
 
On Sunday [May 23], the PA labor minister said that her ministry will start organizing the absorption of 6,000 female Palestinian workers currently employed in West Bank settlements as the boycott is enforced. The Palestinians see the boycott effort as central to their non-violent national effort to form a state.

Posted on May 25, 2010

Source: (Excerpts of an article by Attila Somfalvi, Ynetnews, May 24, 2010)