Gazans Turn Old Cars and Metal into Profit
2021-02-08
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1A new Israeli policy permits people in The Gaza Strip to sell old metal and send it to Israel for processing.
2Gaza is a Palestinian area bordering Israel and Egypt.
3The territory has an estimated 49 percent unemployment rate.
4Many old cars from Israel were sent to the northern part of Gaza many years ago.
5These cars stayed at junkyards, places where old things that are no longer used are stored.
6Gaza does not have the factories needed to melt down and process the metal waste.
7Palestinian merchants estimate that 200,000 tons of metal waste has built up near Gaza's border since an Israeli-led blockade of the territory started in 2007.
8Last October, however, Israeli officials cleared the waste metal for export to a crushing factory inside Israel.
9The move has brought revenue and jobs to the poor area.
10People in Gaza sell the waste metal for around $228 for one ton.
11Israel permits 1,000 tons to be exported per week.
12It is estimated that in four years, all the extra metal that remains will have been sold and recycled.
13The merchants say the exports have created work for about 6,000 Palestinian workers in Gaza.
14Gazans have earned about $3 million since the project started, Israel said.
15Emad Aqail is a 39-year-old metal worker from Gaza.
16He feeds metal into pressing machines, so it is ready for export.
17"There is almost no work in town...Working in metals is exhausting, but it gives me the income I want."
18Many Gazans would like to crush and recycle the metal for use inside their territory.
19However, Israel and Egypt restrict machines from going into the Gaza Strip.
20The two countries consider the militant, Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, a security threat.
21No equipment, such as new metal pressing machines, can be sent to Gaza because it can also be used to manufacture weapons.
22Lieutenant Colonel Abdallah Halabi is with Israel's Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza.
23He said Israel aims "to improve the Gaza Strip's economy, because the quality of life and economic development in the Gaza Strip can't be separated from the stability of the region's security."
24Bahaa Al-Agha is the director of Gaza's Environment Quality Authority.
25He welcomes the program because it clears out dangerous materials polluting Gaza's soil and water.
26But the good economic results would have been greater, he said, "if Israel allowed the establishment of factories to recycle these materials in the Gaza Strip."
27I'm Armen Kassabian.
1A new Israeli policy permits people in The Gaza Strip to sell old metal and send it to Israel for processing. Gaza is a Palestinian area bordering Israel and Egypt. The territory has an estimated 49 percent unemployment rate. 2Many old cars from Israel were sent to the northern part of Gaza many years ago. These cars stayed at junkyards, places where old things that are no longer used are stored. Gaza does not have the factories needed to melt down and process the metal waste. 3Palestinian merchants estimate that 200,000 tons of metal waste has built up near Gaza's border since an Israeli-led blockade of the territory started in 2007. 4Last October, however, Israeli officials cleared the waste metal for export to a crushing factory inside Israel. The move has brought revenue and jobs to the poor area. 5People in Gaza sell the waste metal for around $228 for one ton. Israel permits 1,000 tons to be exported per week. It is estimated that in four years, all the extra metal that remains will have been sold and recycled. 6The merchants say the exports have created work for about 6,000 Palestinian workers in Gaza. Gazans have earned about $3 million since the project started, Israel said. 7Emad Aqail is a 39-year-old metal worker from Gaza. He feeds metal into pressing machines, so it is ready for export. 8"There is almost no work in town...Working in metals is exhausting, but it gives me the income I want." 9Many Gazans would like to crush and recycle the metal for use inside their territory. However, Israel and Egypt restrict machines from going into the Gaza Strip. The two countries consider the militant, Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, a security threat. No equipment, such as new metal pressing machines, can be sent to Gaza because it can also be used to manufacture weapons. 10Lieutenant Colonel Abdallah Halabi is with Israel's Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza. He said Israel aims "to improve the Gaza Strip's economy, because the quality of life and economic development in the Gaza Strip can't be separated from the stability of the region's security." 11Bahaa Al-Agha is the director of Gaza's Environment Quality Authority. He welcomes the program because it clears out dangerous materials polluting Gaza's soil and water. 12But the good economic results would have been greater, he said, "if Israel allowed the establishment of factories to recycle these materials in the Gaza Strip." 13I'm Armen Kassabian. 14Nidal al-Mughrabi from Reuters reported this story. Armen Kassabian adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 15_______________________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17recycled - v. to make something new from (something that has been used before) 18merchant -n. owner or supervisor of a store or small business 19revenue -n. money that is made by a business or organization 20stability -n. the quality or state of not being easily changed 21allow -v. to permit; to treat something as acceptable 22How is garbage recycled in your country? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.