Residents in war-torn Gaza made an impassioned plea for the restoration of peace on the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Oslo I Accord on Friday.
The Oslo I Accord was signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel on Sept. 13, 1993.
Though over three decades have passed, people in Gaza are still suffering amid an extremely difficult humanitarian crisis since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted last October. Although there are no signs of a solution at present, they still hope to reach a new agreement to achieve peace.
"I now support any agreement that can prevent bloodshed, even if it is unfair. War must be stopped immediately. Our children and young people are suffering; a large number of children have died, and hunger and poverty are spreading among us," said Ayad Assaf, a resident in Gaza.
"We hope to allow humanitarian aid to enter and to rebuild infrastructure, such as water supply and sewage systems. Many people are still living in tents, and we look forward to finding solutions so that they can move into decent, clean buildings and regain a normal life," said Wassim Thabet, another resident.
Some said despite Israel's failure to meet Oslo Accord promises and ongoing conflict, they still hope for a future peace agreement.
"Israel has not fulfilled any promises made in the Oslo Accords, and I am not very optimistic that any agreement can be reached in the future. The current situation between Palestine and Israel is very tense, marked by war and conflict. However, we still hope that an agreement can be reached to achieve peace, allowing us to enjoy the same peace that people in other countries experience," said Ayman Hamdan, another resident.
Analysts said that the Israeli military action in Gaza for more than 11 months and the Israeli parliament's adoption of a proposal against the establishment of an independent State of Palestine are both destructive to the Oslo Accords.
"Israel has committed multiple violations of the Oslo Accords. Although Netanyahu previously claimed to support the Oslo Accords, he has in fact been undermining it," said Mustafa Ibrahim, an analyst.
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Since the beginning of this year, China's financial sector has further improved financing services for small and micro enterprises, particularly by addressing financing blockages for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), amidst the country's strengthened support for businesses in recent years.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission recently issued a document addressing the blockages in the financing process of MSMEs.
According to the document, the range of entities eligible for liability exemption upon fulfilling due diligence has been broadened to cover loans in key areas such as small and micro enterprises, self-employed individuals, owners of small and micro enterprises, and farmers. This move aims to effectively reduce the burden on grassroots credit personnel and address their concerns regarding lending.
Meanwhile, the scope of renewal has been broadened from certain small and micro enterprises to include all small and micro enterprises.
It is specified that small and micro enterprises with working capital loans and owners of small and micro enterprises, self-employed individuals, and farmers who continue to require financing after the loan terms can seek renewal support from banks.
To enhance support for small and micro enterprises, coordination among different national departments, as well as between national ministries and local governments, is growing increasingly tight.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission have established a coordination mechanism to bolster financing for small and micro enterprises.
For instance, special teams have been set up at the county and district levels throughout China to comprehensively assess the financing needs of small and micro enterprises.
For small and micro enterprises with genuine financing needs and good credit standing, banks are required to complete credit approvals within one month in principle, guaranteeing direct access to credit funds for these enterprises.
As of the end of August this year, the balance of inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises nationwide reached 31.9 trillion yuan (around 4.5 trillion U.S. dollars), doubling that at the end of 2017, with the average interest rate decreasing by a cumulative 3.5 percentage points.
By the end of September, the six major commercial banks - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), Bank of China (BOC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Bank of Communications (BCM), and Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) - have collectively extended over 2.2 trillion yuan (around 310.9 billion U.S. dollars) in newly added inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises this year.
China's financial sector further removes MSMEs' financing blockages in 2024
