Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Gaza Loses Fizz in Face of CO2 Blockade

Attempt to bottle up economy idles soft drink plant

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 17, 2007 3:25 PM CST

(Newser) – The Israeli and international blockade of Gaza means Ammar Yagezi, a third-generation soft drink bottler, has been unable to supply Palestinians with Pepsi and 7Up. Tel Aviv says the freeze on imports of cement, fertilizer and—in this case—CO2 is for “security reasons,” but Time says the Strip is uncarbonated because Israel hopes a shuttered Gazan marketplace will catalyze residents to throw out the Hamas leadership.

“You can’t make bombs or rockets out of this stuff,” the angry bottler said of carbon dioxide. “They’re trying to kill off Gaza’s economy.” Indeed 90% of factories and 85,000 workers are idle. But the blockade may be driving moderates into the arms of Hamas, which is flush with food and money—and maybe even a cold beverage—for willing militants.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

A Palestinian workers monitors 7-Up production at the Yazji Group soft drink factory on August 3, 2005 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. The Yazji Group has been producing 7-Up since 1962, and Pepsi since 1997.... (Shutterstock.com)

A Palestinian worker displays bottles of 7-Up at the Yazji Group soft drink factory on August 3, 2005 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. The Yazji Group has been producing 7-Up since 1962, and Pepsi since 1997.... (Getty Images)

A Palestinian workers monitors 7-Up production at the Yazji Group soft drink factory on August 3, 2005 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Gaza's Pepsi factory is explored in this video. (france24 (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Relief Flows as Egypt Opens Gaza Border

Four-year-old blockade ends

(AP) - After a four-year blockade, Egypt today permanently opened the Gaza Strip's main gateway to the outside world, bringing long-awaited relief to the territory's Palestinian population and a significant achievement for the area's ruling Hamas militant group. The reopening of the Rafah border crossing eases an Egyptian blockade that has prevented the vast majority of Gaza's 1.5 million people from being able to travel abroad. The closure, along with an Israeli blockade of its borders with Gaza, has fueled an economic crisis in the densely populated territory. Egypt announced the decision Wednesday. More»

Gaza Exodus in 4th Day as Egypt Fails to Seal Border

Israel has new security concerns over flow of Palestinians into Egypt

(NEWSER) - Thousands of Palestinians continued to flood into Egypt for a fourth day today, despite Egyptian attempts to close the border using water cannons, barbed wire and a human chain of riot police. Hamas bulldozers smashed new holes in the fence, and cars joined the stream of traffic, the BBC reports; cranes have been erected to move supplies into the Strip faster. More»

Gaza, Israel Spar Over Power Outage, Embargo

Israel resolute amid condemnations, worries situation could spin out of control

(NEWSER) - Gazans awoke to a second day without its main power plant or fuel as international leaders condemned the “collective punishment of the people of Gaza,” and Israeli PM Ehud Olmert resolutely said Gazans "will walk, without gas for their cars" until their "murderous regime's" rocket attacks cease. World leaders, meanwhile, worry the situation will spiral out of control, the AP reports. More»

Israel Freeing 1K Palestinians to Bring Soldier Home

Government strikes deal with Hamas for Gilad Shalit

(NEWSER) - After more than five years as a captive of Palestinian militants, soldier Gilad Shalit will be home within days, the Israeli government says. Shalit, now 25, was 19 when he was captured during a cross-border raid in 2006, and his captivity has long been an emotional issue in Israel. To secure his release, the Israeli government has promised Hamas that it will free 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, close to a fifth of all Palestinians held by Israel, the BBC reports. More»

Gaza Militants OK Israel Cease-Fire

Egypt brokers deal to stop escalating violence

(AP) - Gaza militants agreed to a cease-fire with Israel to stop spiking violence, a Hamas official said today, after a deadly attack across the Egyptian border on Israeli vehicles set off a three-day round of rapidly escalating Israeli airstrikes and rocket barrages from Gaza. The sudden flareup also threatened Israel-Egypt relations, after three Egyptian police were killed as the cross-border clash developed Thursday. Egypt complained strongly as thousands demonstrated in Cairo, and Israel apologized. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Gaza Loses Fizz in Face of CO2 Blockade