By Ali Sawafta
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Palestinian Prime
Minister Salam Fayyad urged his compatriots in the occupied West
Bank on Sunday to boycott all Israeli products, upping the ante
in a standoff with the Jewish state.
Tensions between Palestinian and Israeli leaders have risen
since the United Nations General Assembly voted to recognise
Palestinian statehood last month, a move opposed by Israel and
its ally, the United States.
Israel retaliated by announcing last week that it would dock
for four months the customs revenue it collects on the
Palestinians’ behalf – money the Palestinian Authority needs to
function. It had already withheld December’s revenues.
“Today, I call upon citizens to boycott Israeli products as
an answer to the aggression directed against us, to defend our
right to survive,” Fayyad told reporters in the West Bank city
of Ramallah.
“We will take the necessary steps to implement that.”
Fayyad had previously angered Israel by issuing calls to
avoid buying Israeli goods produced in Jewish settlements in the
West Bank, but Sunday’s call extended the call to all Israeli
goods.
Israel has already accused Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas of violating peace accords by sidestepping stalled
negotiations and securing a status upgrade at the United
Nations.
Fayyad’s boycott call may be tough to implement, as Israel
is the Palestinians’ biggest trading partner, and Israeli food
and manufactured goods are staples of the Palestinian market.
The Palestinians imported goods worth around $3 billion from
Israel in 2011, while exporting only $618 million worth,
according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Trade within the occupied West Bank and with neighbouring
countries is largely governed by Israel, which controls the
import of some construction and agricultural equipment that it
says could have military uses.
Earlier this month, Israel withheld its December transfer of
customs revenue to the Palestinians, saying the money would be
used to start paying off $200 million owed to the Israel
Electric Corporation.
Fayyad called on Arab countries to make good on pledges to
make up for any funds Israel withdraws from the Palestinians as
punishment for its decision to go the United Nations.
“I call the Arab Safety Net to implement immediately its
pledges to provide $100 million,” Fayyad said. “I call for an
exceptional Arab League meeting to look into the needs of the
Palestinians.”
Arab countries have yet to provide the exceptional funds.
(Writing by Noah Browning; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
