The Alsafeer Economic Newspaper would like to ask the Palestinian Authority this question: “Why haven’t we heard about any trials of the merchants of death and why is there always a gag order on revealing their names?”
The Alsafeer Economic Newspaper would also like to draw the consumers’ attention to the following fact: It is time we checked the goods we buy. And to those who smuggle the goods that have passed their sell by date, we say: You may get away with earthly punishment but never forget that God is watching you!
The Alsafeer Economic Newspaper would also like to say a few words to the media: Why the issue of smuggling and selling outdated products is not getting enough coverage and analysis?
To the international bodies working in Palestine we say: Promoting democracy and protecting human rights are your scope of work, and we, the Palestinians, seek your support to protect our rights that are violated by the smugglers who are major threat to our lives.
Smuggling is considered a dangerous phenomenon spread all over the globe; it threats the economy and the security of any country. Some smuggle merchandise illegally in order to evade paying taxes and customs, which has negative impact on the economy and commerce of any country. Others smuggle prohibited merchandise, such as weapons and illegal narcotics .The most dangerous of all is selling outdated foods and medicines, which people need everyday. This kind of smuggling is a destruction to the economy; it is premeditated murder and systematic crime.
We say to the Palestinian government: You have made many promises to bring to justice the people involved in such illegal activities, including selling out-of-date medicines responsible; however, imposing a gag order on some details of the cases such as the names of the people involved in these illegal acts, means giving them a leeway to continue in their work.
“Some outdated merchandise were found at a factory in Hebron; however, the factory is still running. The people of Hebron, the innocent victims, are those who pay the price.”
“In Nablus, worms were found in some dates. The dates; however, are re-manufactured, packaged and sold to people. The company involved in this case is still working freely. The government has not imposed any restrictions on it. The case has been dealt with the way worm-infested date had been dealt with!”
To all International organizations working in Palestine we say: The Public need to know. More reports need to be produced about the corruption that affects the economy, the people and the security of the country.

Supporting the Palestinian economy or a chance to take photos?!

Economic Conferences


The Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Dr. Abu Libdeh stated “ the conferences never intends to alleviate unemployment or absolute poverty in Palestine".
“We eat and drink from Israeli goods and the Israeli products invade our markets”

Barghouthi “we are interested in creating new markets and outlets of the Palestinian market otherwise the development of our products and companies will be weak”.

Dr. Nasr allah “we held high hopes for this conferences, but the results were not up to the expectations”.
Dr. Abu Bakr “all the local and international reports in the last years indicate that the main obstacle of the economic development in Palestine is the occupation”. The beneficiaries of these conferences are a specific group of the economists and businessmen”
Raniah Kotainah ”these conferences did nothing”


Palestinian public opinion is divided on the economic conferences between those who agree and are optimistic to the point of delirium, and those who disagree to the point of skepticism and indictment, leaving few to endorse or reject carefully. According to an investigation done by al- Safeer al- Iqtisadi that includes a number of local economists, Palestinian businessmen and a number of ordinary citizens. 20% of these surveyed believed that the convening of this conference stems from the fact that an urgent need to address the country’s economic problems while the 80% believe that these conferences are just formalities. Concerning the recommendations, 20% of them said that these recommendations are not implemented, arguing that the most important of several reasons is the occupation. 40% of them said that they have no idea whether these recommendations are implemented or not, and the rest of them believe these recommendations are not implemented.

As for the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving the economic success of the conference, 5o% said that these obstacles are represented in the occupation while 10% said that they are represented in the lack of human resources. Other 10% believed that the obstacles are that there is no support from those eligible bodies while the rest said that the obstacles are a mix of what has been stated above. Each one has negative impact on the performance and outcomes of the conference.

On the implications of the economic conferences held on the ground, 80% said that they do not feel any kind of change. The reasons are at the center of substantive follow-up as the President of Nablus businessmen Forum Dr. Ali Barham mentioned that the Follow- up committee of Forum North Conference met only once and never resumed its meeting again.

If we follow what was said at these economic conferences by the specialists, there will be several descriptions. Some of them consider these conferences as consolidation, saying that this conference empowers the Palestinian economy and helps it to separate from the Israeli counterpart, which will give the Palestinian economy a strong push forward. The others who decided to call this conference an “economic events” for “elitists groups who do not address the poor” or as “an opportunity for photo ops”, “the new fashion of funding”, and other different descriptions that reduce its importance and role in reviving the weak Palestinian economy.
Hence, we started searching which one of these parties is right and which one is wrong. Accordingly, we met some experts to shed light on the economic conference which is the new guest or intruder to our Palestinian society and market.


More on printed issue August 2009

The Scene of Blood in Gaza
Resonant Global affects
Oil, Tourism, Trade and Gold are with Gaza



"Gaza raises oil prices"
"Katusha Rockets Fall and the U.S. Dollar raises"
"The War on Gaza freezes the construction of new centers in the Amman Stock Exchange"
"The crisis of the U.S. Economy is exacerbated as a result of the aggression on Gaza"

"Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Jordan decide to cancel their purchase of fruit produced by Israeli farmers"

"The consumer confidence shrinks shopping in the Arab World"

In Israel:" The level of the budget deficit has risen, the purchasing power of the NIS has weakened, and there have been heavy losses in factories and projects in areas affected by the attack on Gaza Strip"

“Much of the aid has not reached the people who deserve it most”


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