[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] Gaza cement being diverted to black market - and taxed by Hamas

You know how all the cement that is being imported to Gaza is supposed to be used only for specific international projects? How the UN says it created a mechanism ensuring that the cement will not be diverted?

Yesterday, Gaza journalist Hazem Balousha tweeted this:

Yesterday, 600 tons of cement were sent into Gaza. Assuming that Balousha is telling the truth, here's where some of it ended up.

The other big news in the Palestinian Arab press is the Ministry of Finance in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, has started taxing every ton of cement a fee of 20 shekels. The PA denounced the move but there are reports that customs agents in Gaza are imposing the tax, and as a result the shipments of cement today have been suspended as a result.

These articles also make clear that cement that is supposed to be earmarked for specific projects have already been diverted, as they talk about cement traders and private buyers who are selling and buying cement. The UN mechanism to control the distribution of cement is clearly failing.

And this almost certainly means that Hamas is using this new cement to rebuild its terror tunnels. 



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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 12/03/2014 05:41:00 AM