Gaza's factories laid to rest, a symbolic protest against the Israeli blockade

Wednesday March 19, 2008 19:53

by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

The local popular committee for breaking the Israeli siege on Gaza staged yesterday a symbolic funeral procession in Gaza city for some thousand local industries, in protest of the ongoing Israeli blockade of the coastal enclave.

illustration photo/ flicker images

Signs, holding the names of each factory, have been carried by locals and factories' owners in the vicinity of Sheikh Zayed mosque at the Kateeba area in Gaza city.

In a small spot in the Kateeba playground, several sympolic tombstones have been dug for the symbolic burial to rest of Gaza's factories.

Palestinian independent lawmaker, Jamal aL-Khydari, who is head of the pogpular committee, told reporters that such a move is a part of continued activities against the Israeli economic blockade.

" there are now 3,900 local factories that have been forced to shut down because of the siege, rendering about 100,000 laborers jobless", aL-Khadari told reporters.

He added that the sealing off of such factories has been a result of the lack of raw materials and restriction exports and imports due to the closure of border crossings, Israel enforced last June.

Nasser aL-Hillou, owner of 'doors and windows' factory and a funeral participant, told reporters that he was forced to close down the factory in 2007 and that his 32 laborers are now jobless, while his monthly financial losses are estimated at $ 40,000.

Activities against the Israeli blockade have been widespread in the coastal region, since Israel has imposed such a closure in June2007, as more than 80 percent of the 1.5 million residents of Gaza depend on food assistance, while poverty rate has hit the highest records.