A group of Palestinian hi-tech companies have accused the Israeli authorities of impounding important communications and other hi-tech equipment in contravention of international trade agreements.
The companies report that in addition to breaching Paris Protocol that guarantees the right to import equipment from foreign companies, the Israeli measures have caused loss of business estimated at tens of millions of dollars for Palestinian, European and US companies.
Both the telecommunication and information technology (IT) sectors are brought to a standstill due to inability to clear products held at Israeli ports. The seized goods comprise telephone exchange systems, faxes, cellular base stations, telephone sets, cellular telephone terminals, data switches, routers, modems, videoconferencing systems, and ADSL equipment.
The crux of the problem lies in the seizure of equipment that is normally traded and utilized by Israeli and international companies, with the only difference that it would serve the Palestinian private sector. International suppliers of products are: Ericsson, Alcatel, HP, 3Com, Siemens, Motorola and Cisco.
Paltel, Palestine’s Telecommunications Company, efforts to provide data services such as leased lines, frame relay, ADSL and automated teller machines (ATM) have been crippled by Israeli seizure of the necessary equipment supplied by Alcatel-Italy.
JAWWAL, the Palestinian Cellular Communications, had its permits for importing cellular equipment withdrawn since October 2001. Moreover, it had 60 radio-based stations which are essential in expanding the capacity of the existing network, impounded at Israeli ports of entry.
To unite their efforts against discriminatory trade practices, the Palestinian Hi-tech companies plan for a press conference in January, 2003, to explicate the extent of damage on the Palestinian economy. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
