Israel Inflicts Substantial Losses on Palestinian Economy: Report
Xinhua News Agency 2002-04-01
Israel Inflicts Substantial Losses on Palestinian Economy: Report
Xinhuanet 2002-04-01 20:53:53
KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Israel has inflicted substantial
losses exceeding 8 billion U.S. dollars on the Palestinian economy, according
to a report of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
The amount lost was the result of Israel's destruction
of the Palestinian economic infrastructure, institutions, agricultural
land and services and the stoppage of working facilities and public life,
said the report tabled by OIC secretary-general Abdelouahed Belkeziz at
the on-going extraordinary session of OIC Foreign Ministers on Terrorism
here Monday.
On top of that, Israel continued to hold back around 1
billion dollars in taxes and custom duties due to the Palestinian National
Authority, the report said.
The report said that Israel continued to escalate its
attacks with its forces deliberately destroying the Palestinian infrastructure,
bulldozing and vandalizing water, electricity and drainage networks.
The report said Israel had wrecked the Gaza International
Airport runways on several occasions, destroyed private helicopters of
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, bombarding Arafat's offices in Gaza,
Nabuls, Bethlehem and Ramallah.
The Israelis also interfered in the religious affairs
of Palestinian Christian groups including persistent attempts to steal
the endowment lands owned by Palestinian Christian churches, it said.
The Israelis' aggression had been waged hand-in-hand with
blatant violations of human rights and scandalous breaches of international
covenants and agreements, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention on
the Protection of Civilians in Times of War and the Third Geneva Convention
on the Rights of Prisoners and Detainees, the report added. Enditem
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