19.11.2013 Jerusalem
The Memorandum of Understanding for the organized industry zone to be built by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in Palestine has been signed. The project, planned to be completed in three years, will provide employment to 6,000 Palestinians.
TOBB’s affiliate, TOBB-BİS Inc. will construct an
organized industry zone in the city of Jenin in the Western Bank. During the
ceremony attended by the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami el-Hamdallah, National
Economy Minister Cevat Naci, Treasury Minister Şükrü Bişara and Turkey’s Consul
to Jerusalem Ambassador Şakir Özkan Torunlar and TOBB President M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu, the “Memorandum of Understanding for the Payment of the Expropriation
of Worth for 10 Million USD’ was signed.
- Employment for 6,000 Palestinians
In his speech prior to the ceremony, Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that they’ve overcome an important obstacle and said, “We are at
turning point; I wanted to be at this stage 8 years ago. This place has taught
me something special. An Arab proverb goes: ‘Grapes are eaten one-by-one’ while
a Turkish proverb says: ‘Later, not harder’. With this memorandum of
understanding we have solved the problem of expropriation. Now we can expend
our energy on building the best industrial zone in the world.”
Afterwards, the memorandum of understanding was signed
by TOBB-BİS Inc. Chairman Ahmet Şekeroğlu, Palestine representative National
Economy Minister Naci and Treasury Minister Bişara.
- Completion in 3 years
The project which will directly provide employment to
6,000 people also has the support of the German government. The Jenin Organized
Industry Zone which will be built on a 920,000 square meters of land will be
situated 30 kilometers to the Haifa Port and Jordan border. The project is
planned to be completed in 3 years if construction goes as scheduled.
Accompanying M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu in Palestine were
Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO) President Adil Konukoğlu, TOBB Vice
President and İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) President İbrahim Çağlar and
Turkish businessmen.