GAZACITY, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - As the many colors of the fish and flowers slowly disappear from the Gaza landscape, the already grim prospects of the besieged residents begins to look even bleaker. Read more about Grim prospects for Gaza's fishermen and farmers
GAZACITY, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - Said Hillis, 60, has kept bees since he was a boy. Until the Israeli attacks changed his business. Until 2009 Hillis’ farm had hundreds of trees, and more than 10,000 chickens. “It was all destroyed during the Israeli attacks,” Hillis says. Read more about Gaza's bee industry stung by Israeli attacks
“Shurafa Tourist and Travel Company has been operating in Gaza since 1952,” Nabil Shurafa, general manager of the company, says proudly. This historical background is significant, as much for understanding the many and various forms of movement restrictions with which Shurafa Travel has had to deal during Gaza’s 43 year occupation as for providing a rationale for how and why Shurafa remains open under the current restrictions. Read more about Tough times for Gaza travel agent
BRUSSELS (IPS) - New evidence has been uncovered to show that Dexia, a major Belgian-French bank, is still financing Israeli settlements in the OPT despite official assurances that such loans have ceased. Jean-Luc Dehaene, a former Belgian prime minister and now Dexia’s chairman, announced last year that the bank had not approved any new loans to authorities located in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank since June 2008. Read more about Belgian-French bank cornered over Israeli settlement financing
Palestinian civil society represented by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, a wide coalition of the largest Palestinian mass organizations and trade unions, issued a strong condemnation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s decision today to welcome Israel as a member of the organization at its ministerial meeting to take place on 27-28 May. Read more about Palestinian civil society slams OECD over Israel's accession
The reality of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promises of “economic peace” for the Palestinians is nowhere under greater scrutiny than in Jenin, the northern West Bank city being aggressively promoted as a potential model of cooperation with Israel. Jonathan Cook reports from Jenin. Read more about Israel offers Palestinians day shoppers, not statehood
In spring 2008, several years of careful negotiations finally culminated in the first Palestinian olive oil being awarded Fairtrade status. The oil, sourced from the Palestine Fair Trade Producers Company (PFTPC), based in the West Bank city of Jenin, is both the first Palestinian product to receive Fairtrade certification, and the first olive oil to be allowed to use the mark. Sarah Irving reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Palestinian olive oil's Fairtrade journey
BRUSSELS (IPS) - European Union officials are seeking evidence to support claims that fruit and vegetables from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are being exported under false pretense. In a note circulated to its fellow EU governments in late 2008, Britain expressed concern that goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank may be entering the Union without paying the legally required duties. Read more about Israeli settlement produce may be enjoying EU privileges
The purpose of this report is to document economic links between UK companies and those based in settlements. The research has identified 68 British companies which have direct or indirect relationships with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory; 49 of which have their head office in the United Kingdom and 19 of which are British subsidiaries of companies based in Israel or other countries. Read more about Report: UK economic links with Israeli settlements