World Bank Says Israeli Restrictions Stifle Palestinian Economy

世行指责以色列窒息巴勒斯坦经济

　



The World Bank is accusing Israel of stifling the Palestinian economy. Palestinian economic development has clashed with Israeli security considerations.

　

世界银行指责以色列窒息巴勒斯坦的经济。巴勒斯坦的经济发展和以色列的安全考虑互相冲突。

A report by the World Bank says the Palestinian economy will not grow this year, despite billions of dollars in international aid. The bank blamed the problem on Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement and trade.

　

世界银行发表的一份报告说，尽管巴勒斯坦获得几十亿美元的国际援助，但是巴勒斯坦今年的经济不会增长。世界银行认为，造成这一问题的原因是以色列限制巴勒斯坦人的行动和贸易。

The report said the economy in the Gaza Strip contracted last year because of a crippling Israeli blockade and there was only modest growth in the West Bank because of a network of Israeli roadblocks.

　

报告说，加沙地带去年的经济有所紧缩，原因是以色列实行严重封锁。由于以色列设立了路障网络，约旦河西岸的经济没有增长多少。

"If you will give a Palestinian even $1 billion, without being able to move to sell his merchandise, to bring in some merchandise, all of this cash will go for nothing," said Palestinian analyst Wadia Abu Nasser.

　

巴勒斯坦分析员纳赛尔说：“即便你给一个巴勒斯坦人十亿美元，但是由于他无法活动，他就无法卖他的商品，也无法进货，那么这些现金就没有任何用处。”

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been pushing Israel to ease restrictions to boost the Palestinian economy and in turn, increase support for the peace process. While Israel has removed one major checkpoint and about 50 dirt roadblocks, it has left most of the restrictions in place.

　

美国国务卿赖斯一直在敦促以色列取消这些限制，以刺激巴勒斯坦的经济，反过来又可以支持和平进程。虽然以色列已经撤除了一个主要检查站和大约50个土路障，但是绝大部分的限制仍然存在。

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev says Israel understands the importance of freedom of movement.

　

以色列的发言人雷格夫说，以色列了解行动自由的重要性。

"We want to move and when our Palestinian partner is ready to take security responsibility, we will be ready to move, taking down roadblocks and so forth," said Regev.

　

他说：“我们愿意消除限制，当我们的巴勒斯坦夥伴能够承担安全责任的时候，我们也就会消除这些限制，比如撤走路障等等。”

At the same time, Regev warned that Palestinian militants could exploit the removal of roadblocks to carry out suicide bombings, and that would harm the peace process.

　

与此同时，雷格夫警告说，巴勒斯坦激进分子可能会在拆除路障后利用这些机会来进行自杀式炸弹爆炸，这就会影响和平进程。

"An irresponsible Israeli movement on this issue would just destroy the process because the vacuum created and exploited by the extremists could well kill the positive momentum we now have, so it is very important that on this issue we move cautiously," he added.

　

他说：“以色列在这个问题上采取任何不负责任的行为都会破坏和平进程，因为极端主义分子可以制造和利用这个空间扼杀我们目前所拥有的积极动力，因此，我们在这个问题上谨慎行动是很重要的。”

In December, international donors pledged more than $7 billion to beef up the Palestinian Authority and economy. The aim was to gradually cut government spending and revive the private sector, eventually making the Palestinians less dependent on foreign aid. But the World Bank warns that unless Israel changes its policies, this goal cannot be achieved.

　

国际捐助者去年12月为巴勒斯坦提供了70多亿美元的援助，以增强巴勒斯坦政府的实力和经济。这些捐助的目标是逐渐减少巴勒斯坦政府的开支并发展私营企业，最终使巴勒斯坦减少对国外援助的依赖。但是，世界银行警告说，除非以色列改变其政策，否则这一目标是不能实现的。