Palestinian Businessmen Association in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday condemned the Israeli authorities’ arrest of the former board member Bassam Abu Shari’a while he was travelling through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.
Head of the Association Ali al-Hayek in a press statement denounced Israel’s arbitrary arrest policy targeting Palestinian merchants and businessmen at Beit Hanoun crossing north of Gaza.
Al-Hayek said that this policy is part of a plan to tighten the blockade on Gaza and destroy what is left of its economy.
He explained that Gaza merchants and businessmen are rarely allowed to travel via Beit Hanoun crossing pointing out that their journeys are usually accompanied by harassment or arbitrary search and arrest under flimsy security pretexts.
He called on the Palestinian Authority and human rights organizations to pressure Israel to end this policy and immediately release all businessmen and merchants it is detaining.
