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Poor Palestinians....literally
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: |
World Bank: Palestinians Live in Poverty
By JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press Writer
JERUSALEM - Despite a slowdown in fighting, the Palestinian economy remains crippled by four years of violence with Israel, with nearly half the population living in poverty on less than $2 a day, the World Bank (news - web sites) said in a report released Tuesday.
The international development bank paints a dire picture in its first assessment of the Palestinian economy since May 2003. Economic activity has plummeted, while poverty and unemployment climbed sharply since the current wave of violence began in September 2000, the report said.
The report was issued ahead of next month's meeting of international donors, including the United States and European countries, whose money sustains the Palestinian economy.
The report cites Israel's "closure" policies — a series of restrictions on the movement of Palestinian people and products meant to boost Israeli security — as the main cause of economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites).
It also calls on the Palestinians to carry out further economic reforms.
An Israeli official replied that the Palestinian violence is responsible for the downturn in the Palestinian economy. "The Palestinian economy was growing in the years leading up to the terrorist uprising," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.
According to the report, the Palestinian economy recovered slightly in 2003 after two years of sharp decline. It cited a slowdown in violence and drop in Israeli curfews in Palestinian areas as well as a modest rebound in the Israeli economy for the improvement.
Economic activity has stagnated in 2004, and remains well below the pre-uprising levels, the report says.
Per capita gross domestic product has fallen to about $930 this year from $1,490 in 1999, according to the bank. Unemployment shot up to 27 percent from 12 percent during the same period, while the poverty rate has more than doubled to 48 percent from 20 percent.
Those figures translate into 1.7 million Palestinians living below the poverty line, set by the World Bank at $2.10 a day. Nearly one-third of those people, or 600,000 Palestinians, live below the "subsistence" level of $1.50 a day — the amount necessary to meet basic nutritional needs, according to the bank. |
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...tinians_poverty |
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| BadBadNeil |
| and to think my tax money is going to people who like to burn our flag, i want a refund. |
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| Q5echo |
| quote: | Originally posted by BadBadNeil
and to think my tax money is going to people who like to burn our flag, i want a refund. |
i think we all know where most of that money went.
but yeah, great observation. |
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| ShadoWolf |
Could this be why?
:rolleyes: |
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| Reverend_Trance |
Cause and effect. If the Palestnians are less violent, their economy can develop, If they attack the Isrealis retaliate, destroying what limited infrastructure they do have. The Palestinians only have the city of Jericho and the Gaza Strip also limits development.
The election of a new Palestinian president might be fruitful in talking with Isreal. Promoting stablility and peace is economically beneficial for both sides. |
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: | Originally posted by BadBadNeil
and to think my tax money is going to people who like to burn our flag, i want a refund. |
The US funds the PA? The US gives palestinians grants like Israel?
P.S Chomsky's lecture here in Toronto was very insightful on Sunday! He also signed my book:) |
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| Yoepus |
What??? You're trying to tell me that war and violence has not brought the Palestinians weatlth and riches?? Come on you take me for a fool of some sort?! This can not be! :conf: :mad:
:rolleyes: :p |
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: | Originally posted by Yoepus
What??? You're trying to tell me that war and violence has not brought the Palestinians weatlth and riches?? Come on you take me for a fool of some sort?! This can not be! :conf: :mad:
:rolleyes: :p |
WHAT!!!.. you mean to tell me this is a WAR?? where are the tanks, fighter jets, and bunker busters that the pals are being donated every year by the US???
;) |
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| Massive84 |
Now that Yassar is gone, i hope things will improve, though i doubt it.
anyway i read today that Sharon allows the palestinians to vote, at least thats some sign. isn't? |
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| Yoepus |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cyrus King
WHAT!!!.. you mean to tell me this is a WAR?? where are the tanks, fighter jets, and bunker busters that the pals are being donated every year by the US???
;) |
Didn't you read the article above? You can't afford tanks, not to mention fighter jets! Don't worry at least missles, bomb belts, and stones are still in reach ;) |
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| Q5echo |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cyrus King
The US funds the PA? The US gives palestinians grants like Israel? |
yes we give them direct aid. we don't match the EU's direct aid for the same reasons the UN stopped giving direct aid altogether to Palestine. one of the smarter things the UN has done BTW. |
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