PALESTINIAN WORKERS HOLD PROTEST TO LIFT SIEGE ON GAZA

Gaza City, 6 Jumadil Awal 1435/7 March 2014 (MINA) – Palestinian workers held Wednesday a protest to lift the ban on construction materials and the siege on Gaza since eight years, calling the international community to support the workers’ cause.

During the protest, which was organized by the Supreme National Committee and General Association of Palestinian Workers’ Syndicates in front of an under structure building, ALRAY, Palestinian Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The workers hoisted banners such as, “What is our sin to be deprived from building our homes and renovating our streets?”, “Gaza tests the Arab chivalry and humanitarian justice.” and chanted: “Lift the siege on Gaza and eight years of construction materials ban.”

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MP Marwan Abu Ras said that working in many sectors is halted due to the ban of construction materials in addition to a large number of other related sectors that play significant role in promoting the process of reconstruction in the besieged enclave, calling Muslim and Arab world to take a serious stand to support the Palestinian workers.

Sami el-Amassi, President of General Association of Palestinian Workers’ Syndicates, said that maintaining the stranglehold and tightened siege over the Gaza Strip produced a high rate of unemployment est. 45% and 150,000 jobless people, stating that all this is crystal clear to the Muslim and Western worlds that haven’t done anything to support Gaza.

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Regarding the workers’ suffering in Gaza, el-Amassi said that the continuing crises that exceeded all limits left 30,000 workers jobless in the construction sector and other 40,000 in other related sectors.

El-Amassi added that the siege forced 97% of industrial facilities to close and 35,000 workers layoff, among them 7,000 workers in the metal industries, in addition to prolonged suffering of more than 40,000 farmers and closing 100 textiles factories that resulted in 1000 workers layoff. (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)