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Unemployed Gazans Ask: "Where are the Millions?"

(Yediot Ahronot) - Thousands of people bused into Gaza City Monday morning from Rafah and Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, where unemployment is believed to be as high as 60 percent, marched on Palestinian Authority headquarters demanding jobs and food. They even dared to chant direct accusations of theft of donations against the Palestinian Authority. "Where are the millions?" they demanded, in an eerie echo of a chant from the first intifada, which called on millions of people across the Arab world to help the Palestinian cause. The workers consulted with human rights groups and one NGO paid for the banners used in the demonstration. The fact that the protest was not under the auspices of any political body has led many in the PA to wonder how it turned out to be such a success and how it has gained such popular support. (Ha'aretz) Political sources in Jerusalem called the demonstrations a new phenomenon of public criticism of Arafat. "It appears that the Palestinians are beginning to ask themselves what the terror has brought them, and the answer is suffering and more suffering." Sources close to the prime minister said that over the past few weeks more and more Palestinians have come out against Arafat's rule.
2002-07-02 00:00:00
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