A refugee’s open letter to Mahmoud AbbasElectronic Intifada - 19 Sep 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rWhere are you taking us, Mr. President? To what desert are you leading us? To what catastrophe? How dare you decide how many refugees can or cannot return? Who gave you permission to speak in my name, and in my children’s name? Who asked you to barter our rights? What is the price for the sale of an entire people’s rights and their sacrifices for 60 years? Abdelfattah Abusrour decries the Palestinian Authority president’s recent statements undermining the Palestinian refugees’ right of return and compensation.
World Bank: Growth weak, aid dependency risingElectronic Intifada - 19 Sep 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rJERUSALEM (IRIN) – Economic progress ha s been insufficient to stimulate growth in the Occupied Palestinian Territories because of the restrictions on movement, while dependency on aid was increasing, the World Bank said on 17 September. In a report released ahead of a donors’ meeting on 22 September, the bank praised the reform efforts of the Palestinian Authority, saying appointed Prime Minister Salam Fayyad had managed to significantly reduce expenditure, cut down on government employment and begin reforming the security forces.
