Unemployed Pals are demonstrating for work and reopened crossings to Israel. Good on two fronts: a) real popular demonstartions b) will give Abbas some popular backing if he ever choses to lift a finger against the terrorists, which so far, he hasn't:
Unemployment Protest
'Abu Mazen - We are hungry'
Thousands of unemployed Palestinians protest outside legislative council building, demanding the Palestinian Authority help them to find work
By Ali Waked and Attila Somfalvi
Thousands of unemployed Palestinians demonstrated outside the legislative council building in Gaza Saturday, calling for the Palestinian Authority to help them find jobs.
The protestors demanded the Authority must act to open the Israeli-Palestinian border crossings to allow them to return to work in Israel.
Protestors demanded work and food for their children Photo: Reuters
Protestors holding pots and pitas (flat Arab bread) in their hands called out “Abu Mazen - (Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas) We are hungry.”
Some protestors even threw stones at the council building and shattered windowpanes.
Palestinian policemen fired into the air and managing to repel the crowds from the entrance to the building.
Unemployed Jamil Saker from Khan Yunis told Ynet he has five sons and three daughters all of whom study and cannot help with the family’s income
“We don’t want to live on charity and United Nations relief fund coupons,” he said. “I have not managed to provide for my family of 10 for four years, I just want to live a dignified life."
Saker said in the past he worked as a construction worker in Israel and earned NIS 200 (USD 46) a day.
“For the past four years no one has even bothered to look our way,“ he said. “If it wasn’t for the worker’s union insurance, we would have died of starvation
and that is why I am here with my children.”
'We want food for our children'
Many protestors, carrying banners saying "We want freedom, we want food for our children,” said they were doubtful whether the protest would change the current situation, as it is not the first time Palestinians have rallied due to the high unemployment rate.
One of the demonstration’s organizers Abu Hedi told al-Jazeera news network the protestors want work and food for their children.
“Abu Mazen promised them work, but they have not received anything,” he said. “These people are living a bleak existence.”
Palestinian Labor and Welfare Minister Hasan Abu Libdah said this week Israel must reopen its gates for Palestinian workers, in order to preserve the peace process.
“We have to win the support for peace from our nation’s people and they will not support peace on an empty stomach,” he said.
Libdah said the unemployment rate among Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is between 35 to 40 percent.
More than 65 percent live below the poverty line earning USD 2 a day, he said.
Israel: Will make effort to ease Palestinian situation
In response, government officials said reopening the Israeli-Palestinian border crossings, to allow Palestinians to work in Israel, is dependent upon the advancement of the peace process between the two sides.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas discussed the reopening of border crossings at a meeting Tuesday.
Mofaz has said eased restrictions for the Palestinians are dependent upon the authority’s deployment of Palestinian policemen and its fight against terror.
Over the past weeks Israel has eased restrictions on crossing and roadblocks within the territories, allowing the Palestinians a so-called normal daily routine.
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