ANY way.

Just imagine if they really tried to control themselves - and not kill Jews or who ever for a day or so. Olmert would give them Israel for sure!!

Before berating the alleged Israeli hindrance of the Palestinian economy, the World Bank should take into account the many burdens Israel has had to face as a result of the Arab economic boycot of Israel. What I don't understand is the Israeli government's failure to link these two issues.

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.....They "Forgot" to mention the destruction of the agriculture infrastruture that Israel left in Gaza, The indescriminate rocketing of Sederot, Hamas' charter of destruction of the State of Israel, Suicide bombings at the border crossings, the callous manipulation of Hamas on its own population...The BILLIONS of dollars stolen in aid, to further arm these killers.....I could go on, but you get the picture....Israel should cut of ALL contact with Gaza, we fullfilled all our international obligations, when in 2006, withdrew 10,000 Israeli's and leveled 30 communities, according to U.N. regulations. We owe them NOTHING. Cut off electricity and seal the Israeli border with them. It is and always was, an Egyptian problem and let them deal with their "Brethren". Any military action from Gaza towards Israel, should be considered an act of war and Israel should accordingly......Enough with the "World"s" two-face hypocritical condemnation of Israel. Enough with its "Crocodile Tears"....Anyone ever wonder, why even Sadat, who recieved ALL of Sinai, refused to take possesion of Gaza? He knew well, even then, where layed the nest of vipers......

I wonder what the World Bank's report would have said was the cause of the Gazan poverty had they been under rocket attack!!

however the time would be long and i hope it would not be long /and may be rested under the earth i hope i would be over the earth .god would did his punishment to those who were unfair and unhuman .and i would smile .i think and hope it is not me the unfair but the one who will smile

what businesses are possible in Gaza? books are banned, internet cafes are burned, pool rooms are banned, western haircuts are banned, men and women going on dates is banned etc etc The manufacture of black dresses and kassams is of course approved as is the blocking of fuel trucks and honor killings etc. I feel sorry for 'Palestinians' because they have a choice between the above and a second group that are magicians that can make billions of dollars disappear! Mike

Well, I pick Jewish lives. That's because I'm biased, you see, since one of those Jewish lives is mine. The other Jewish lives are YOURS. The World Bank obviously doesn't place much value on our lives preferring pretty numbers in a report. I wonder if the World Bank includes Kassam production as an economic activity? They don't have much to say about how much money goes for arms either. And, strangely enough, the World Bank has trouble figuring out cause & effect, as in terrorism is the cause, low economic performance the result. Could it be that all this economic aid only fuels terrorism, irresponsibility, corruption, intransigence, & the phenomenon called aid dependancy? Has the World Bank, with their superior mathematical skills, figured out how many Jews get killed for every percentage increase in Palestinian economic growth? Here again we have that underlying assumption - anything we do in self-defense is unacceptable. Any measures we take to protect ourselves from aggression is condemned because alone, out of all the peoples of the earth, we don't have the right to fight back. Well, you'll excuse me if I disagree. My life, my family's lives, my friend's lives, my people's lives are worth far more to me than economic growth for Palestinians. The World Bank can take their report & make it into suppositories.

The American and Israeli embrace of Abbas and his Palestinian Authority makes genuine peace more remote. Before Oslo there was a growing Palestinian middle class in the territories that could have provided the foundation for a stable, peace-seeking civil society. Yitzhak Rabin, both before and after his 1992 election as prime minister, proposed holding internationally supervised elections in the territories for a domestic leadership that would then negotiate with Israel over establishment of a Palestinian government and disposition of the territories. But local Palestinian leaders, despite their interest in Rabin's offer, were intimated PLO threats; while Israel's Peace Movement demonstrated against Rabin and insisted he deal with Arafat as the only legitimate leader of the Palestinians. Rabin capitulated and, via the initial Oslo agreements, allowed Arafat and his associates to come from Tunis and establish the Palestinian Authority. Very rapidly, members of what had been a growing middle class, faced now with Fatah corruption, shakedowns that undermined their businesses, political intimidation, and casual violence, began to leave the territories. Those who remained, still hoping to build a future for their families in the territories, soon saw their children brainwashed, through Arafat's schools, mosques and media, into believing that the best future was to die fighting to destroy Israel. Abbas's message to his people, through the PA's vehicles of indoctrination, continues to be what it was under Arafat and differs little from that of Hamas. The result of the PA’s policy at : http://xrl.us/bjdxh

After nearly 100 years of suffering from PAL terror since the massacres of 1920, 1929, 1936, and all the wars against us, 1972 Munich Olympics, Aquila Laura, kidnappings,band all the terrorist attacks in our markets, cities, buses, Netanya Park Hotel, Mikes Place, Sbarro Pizza, Heb Univ Cafeteria, driveby shootings, stabbings, etc. We have succeeded in containing the terror behind all the roadblocks, border crossings, Fence, etc. The constant terror attempts against us have made us stronger in the face of PAL terror and their commitment to our destruction. In the name of Shalhevet Pas and every fallen brother we will fight PAL terror and all their supporters with all our might. If this causes them poverty, suffering, starvation, collapsed economy, death to those waiting in lines for medical aid, loss of UN aid, loss of gas from Israel, etc. TOO BAD. Their constant attempts to murder and destroy us has brought their just punishment on them. Every fallen Israeli will be avenged. No PAL terrorist with blood on his hands will live to old age. The only hope PALs have is to renounce terror and try to seek forgiveness from us for all the suffering we have suffered from their terror. In the meantime look at Israeli Arabs who prosper with us and live in peace, working side by side with Israeli Jews, look at the Arabs in Akko to Nazareth to Kfar Kassem to Sakhnin who live with us in peace and enjoy the fruits of prosperity with us. Look at the 30ft high Statue of Liberty on the way to Sakhnin. Look at the Arab village planning Israeli Independence Day celebrations and those applying to be officially and permanent part of Israel and NOT PA. Look at what Hamas and terror did to Fatah and how it has poisoned the PAL people. LEARN OR SUFFER AND DIE. It is that simple.

Western aid was never "frozen", in fact it has dramatically increased. It is simply not just handed over to the PA as before. 3% growth in today's climate is something I suspect every single one of the donating countries would aspire to and note 7.7 billion makes the Palestinians overwhelmingly the largest recipients in absolute terms of Western aid - they have been the largest recipient of per capita aid for a while now. and who says terrorism doesn't pay.

Hamas are also good at tunnel making. Maybe there is a market for this skill.

god help them over there. I wonder if these people who are freezing trade and isolating (we all know who they are) hamas actually think that the plan will work, to make the people reconsidering even voting for them? all these events are actually doing the contrary. i can relate by fact that i support them more now, not all the way, but a hell of a lot more than fatah has accomplished. like an under-dog in some ways

As long as there are grubby Zionist hands anywhere near the money it isn't going to get to the Palestinians. Europe and the US would do a far better service to the Palestinian cause by instituting a total econolic, cultural and sporting boycott of Israel till such time as it gets out of all the occupied territory.

You really are a sad case who knows nothing whatsoever about what is really happening here. Stay where you are in North London and pretend you are not in danger there too. In your self-righteous manner try telling me exactly why Israel is responsible for the plight of the Gazan Palestinians who constantly bomb us, threaten our existence in words and deeds and have destroyed every chance for peace, killed their Christians and whose leaders live in luxury while their people starve?