Not everyone lost out from the Israeli blockade of Gaza:
The company’s revenue grew to $1.8 million in 2009 from $145,780 in 2006, Qannan said. Staff has quadrupled since 2006 to 65
Which company?
The blockade initially made it difficult for Gaza City- based Palestine Food, which is owned by the Palestinian Authority’s Palestine Investment Fund, to get fresh fruit to make its drinks. The company, which largely produced citrus concentrates for juice production before the blockade — 90 percent of which were exported — changed its formula after access to foreign markets was cut.
“We diluted it with water and added sugar and flavoring,” said Haytham Qannan, the juice factory’s procurement manager. “It tasted good and sold very well.”
But now they face competition from Zionist juice. The solution:
Now, as Israel relaxes its restrictions, the company has joined fellow manufacturers including Pepsi-Cola bottlers Yazegi Group in demanding that Hamas protect local industries and refuse imports of juice, soda and snack foods. Officials of the Islamic movement have heeded the calls and are barring entry of such items as Israeli grapefruit juice and potato chips.
