Palestinian Authority Economy Minister Insists Increasing Palestinian Unemployment Is A Good Idea

Increased Palestinian unemployment is the result as Palestinians 'adamant about continuing boycott on settlement goods'

Palestinian Authority Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libda said Thursday that Palestinians would continue to boycott settlement goods despite Israel's requests.

...Abu Libda said that the fact that Israel has continued to request an end to the boycott proved that it was successful and has influenced the struggle to diminish the settlement's economic power.

One problem with the boycott is that the boycott violates The Gaza-Jericho agreement that includes the agreement to allow access to products of each side:

ANNEX IV
Protocol on Economic Relations between the Government of the State of Israel
and the P.L.O., representing the Palestinian people
Paris, April 29, 1994

Article VII
LABOR

1. Both sides will attempt to maintain the normality of movement of labor
between them, subject to each side's right to determine from time to time
the extent and conditions of the labor movement into its area. If the normal
movement is suspended temporarily by either side, it will give the other
side immediate notification, and the other side may request that the matter
be discussed in the Joint Economic Committee.
The placement and employment of workers from one side in the area of the
other side will be through the employment service of the other side and in
accordance with the other sides' legislation. The Palestinian side has the
right to regulate the employment of Palestinian labor in Israel through the
Palestinian employment service, and the Israeli Employment Service will
cooperate and coordinate in this regard.

Article VIII
AGRICULTURE

10. The agricultural produce of both sides will have free and unrestricted
access to each others' markets, with the temporary exception of sales from
one side to the other side of the following items only: poultry, eggs,
potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and melons. The temporary restrictions on
these items will be gradually removed on an increasing scale until they are
finally eliminated by 1998...

Article IX
INDUSTRY

1. There will be free movement of industrial goods free of any restrictions
including customs and import taxes between the two sides, subject to each
side's legislation.
...
3. Each side will do its best to avoid damage to the industry of the other
side and will take into consideration the concerns of the other side in its
industrial policy.
...
Done in Paris, this twenty ninth day of April, 1994
For the Government of Israel
Finance Minister Avraham Shohat
For the PLO
Abu Ala (Ahmed Korei)

Oh, and there's another thing--while Israeli companies may be hurt, if this continues it is the Palestinian Arabs who are going to suffer:

The Manufacturers Association asked the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry for compensation for its members who have been hurt by the Palestinian boycott against goods produced in the West Bank.

Ministry officials have already approached their Palestinian counterparts and international bodies to ask them to act to cancel the boycott, which they say violates international trade rules and policies.

Ben-Eliezer said he views the Palestinian decision seriously, and in light of the renewal of talks between the sides, "the boycott must be lifted immediately because of the fact that many businesses in Judea and Samaria employ a large number of Palestinians," he said.

Apparently foresight may not be one of Abu Libda's strongest qualities.

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