The Erez Industrial Zone in Gaza is notorious as a borderline industrial slave labor camp (on occupied land), though of course its creation has long been touted as a supreme act of benevolence by Israel, which of course wishes only to show how much it wants friendship and
cooperation with the Palestinians. Erez is one of the last places where Gazans can earn a few shekels so that they don’t starve to death, though it is not by choice that they work there. Now its factories are closing and moving to Israel, AP and AFP report.
Anyone who has bothered to read the 4-stage “disengagement” plan by Sharon will also note that Israel hopes to phase out having any workers from Gaza enter Israel in the future – another act of benevolence, no doubt, though I haven’t heard how this is going to be presented to the media to highlight Israel’s desire for peace.
Meanwhile, with a Rafah Sister City Project proposal before the Madison city council, Kavanna — “the progressive Jewish voice” on the UW Campus — has suggested in its oozingly liberal way that a better choice for a sister city than Rafah (a terrorists’ nest) would be the Erez Industrial Zone, since it displays such cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis.
Now that the Erez “island of sanity” option has been precluded, maybe the “progressive Jewish voice” on campus will break ranks with the fear exploiters (e.g., the Madison Jewish Community Council, Bush, Sharon) and join the many Jews who are supporting the Rafah project.