If Gaza Is A Prison, Then Members Of Hamas Are The World's Richest Wardens

Daled Amos
12 January '11

 In February 2009, for example, Gaza banks actually turned to Israel's Central Bank with an odd request: to deposit excess cash reserves in Israel.  Gaza's Economy: How Hamas Stays in Power

We have all seen the pictures and videos that prove the lie to the claim that Gaza is some kind of vast prison, lacking in the most basic goods and services.

Another misconception has to do with Hamas's allegedly desperate need for funds. This is also a myth.

The Washington Institute has an article indicating that Hamas is not lacking in money, even if it does not share it with the rest of Gaza:

The IMF estimated Gaza's 2009 gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 12 percent, an impressive number. According to a September 2010 IMF report, the total Gazan and West Bank GDP was $7 billion, while the gap in per capita income between the two areas was 48 percent; this data, combined with other relevant statistics, implies that Gaza's per capita GDP was around $1,400, much of which derives from payments by the PA. Transfers and remittances added 50 percent more income, implying that average total per capita income was, in fact, $2,100. Yet much of this income does not represent productive economic activities, and unemployment remains high -- probably around a third of the workforce.

That does not take into account the 800 tunnels going into Egypt, which generate as much as $600-850 million per year. Then there is also the cash flowing out of Gaza through the tunnels and bank transfers to safe havens in the Persian Gulf countries and Europe.

This still leaves the question of where all this money is coming from--and the answer reveals a truly bizarre situation, where Hamas is being supported not only by Europe, but also by the Palestinian Authority and by Israel:

(Read full "If Gaza Is A Prison, Then Members Of Hamas Are The World's Richest Wardens")

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