The Palestinian economy: Caught between Hamas and the West
Al Bawaba
A massive demonstration was staged in the Gaza Strip on Monday by hundreds of Palestinians who had once worked in Israel and were now protesting the Hamas policy denying them the right to return to Israel's lucrative market.
Monday's rally was one in a series of labor protests reported in the Palestinian territories since Hamas rose to power in March 2006. These rallies often involved hundreds--and at times, thousands--of people criticizing the government for their growing hardship.
The labor rally phenomenon clearly illustrates the increasing severity of daily economic hardships for Palestinians, as well as the failure of their cabinet to "deliver the goods" they had promised. Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, has come under strong international pressure, which has in turn taken a heavy economic toll on the Palestinian people.
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