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Palestinian Businessman Launches New Party
(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - Ashraf Jabari, 45, a Palestinian businessman from Hebron, announced over the weekend the establishment of the Reform and Development Party. Jabari, who belongs to a prominent clan in Hebron and previously worked for the PA security forces, said, "We just want to focus on the economy and ensure a better future for our people....The young people care more about a strong economy. They want jobs. They want economic stability....Most people realize that the economic situation was much better before the Oslo Accords. Let's focus now on the economic track. We can deal with the political track later." Asked about charges that he's promoting normalization with Israel, Jabari said: "Nearly 100% of the Palestinians are already doing business with Israel in all fields. We buy food from Israel. We have industrial and trade ties with Israel. Every day, some 200,000 Palestinians enter Israel, legally and illegally, for work and business. Two thousand Palestinian businessmen have special permits to enter Israel."