GAZA TO STOP IMPORT OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES FROM ISRAEL

Gaza, 8 Rabiul Awwal 1436/30 December 2014 (MINA)– The Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority of Gaza has decided to stop importing batteries and electrical appliances from Israel.

The group said in the statement that authority head Kenan Obeid and the Deputy Minister of Economy agreed during a meeting to stop importing batteries and electrical appliances from Israel, especially refrigerators, washing machines, computers and television screens.

The statement said that the batteries and electrical appliances have negative effects on the Palestinian environment and importing them helps build up dangerous Israeli solid waste in Palestine, in addition to the fact that these appliances consume double the amount of power as the alternatives.

The Environmental Quality Authority also said in the statement that the fees of importing these appliances are “only beneficial” to Israel, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The Gaza Strip and it’s 1.8 million inhabitants have been under Israeli siege for nearly eight years, with all imports and exports as well as the movement of people restricted by Israeli authorities with Egyptian collusion.

Gaza is thus dependent on the small amount of goods Israel does allow to decide to enter the Strip, meaning that finding alternatives to Israeli goods is extremely difficult.

This difficulty is compounded by the collapse of Gazan industry as a result of the siege, which has forced the majority of manufacturing enterprises to shut down due to lack of ability to export goods or import supplies. (T/P010/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)