The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 9

LOCAL WORLD THE SCRANTON TIMES TUESDAY. MAY 14. 2002 KIDS FROM PAGE 1 land mosque preachers are not doing enough to shelter children. Parents are too preoccupied with watching the news on television to listen to their own children. said Abu Hein.

A narrow coastal strip wedged between Egypt and Israel. Gaza is one of the worlds most densely populated areas. Its economy has been hit hard by the violence, with many thousands losing their sole income because travel 'restrictions prevent them from getting to jobs in Israel. Of its 1.1 million inhabitants, about 70 percent are refugees or the descendants of refugees who fled or were forced out of their homes at the time of Israels creation, in 1948, and now live in some half a dozen refugee camps. The economic decline, the fighting and the uncertainty have filtered down to children in Gaza with what experts believe to be devastating psychological effect Close to 20 percent of the more than 1,600 Palestinians killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since September 2000 were 18 and younger, according to Palestinian health officials.

Several thousand minors have been injured. Most of the deaths and injuries among children occur when they join protests to throw stones, bottles and sometimes firebombs at Israeli army troops, checkpoints or Jewish settlements. Troops often respond with rubber bullets or tear gas, but they also fire live bullets at times. brother, said he too wanted to be a martyr. But he added: I will do something thats well planned and effective.

I might as well, since in these days we can all be sitting here at home and suddenly die from Israeli shelling. Gazans have traditionally viewed themselves as leaders of the fight against Israeli occupation. Gazan children some barely out of diapers have been used by grown-ups to feed this notion. In Gazas funerals for sha-heeds, or martyrs, and in rallies by Palestinian factions such as Arafats Fatah or the militant Islamic group Hamas, children as young as three or four are outfitted with combat fatigues, masks and toy guns. Such occasions routinely attract hundreds of children, all accustomed by now to the deafening noise made by gunmen firing in the air.

Children are sometimes symbolically wrapped in white sheets to suggest their desire for martyrdom Muslims wrap their dead in white sheets before burying them with participants around them shouting slogans glorifying martyrdom. Songs extolling the virtues of martyrdom and praising those already martyred are played on loudspeakers in large tents erected for the families of children killed by Israeli troops to receive condolences. Hamas, responsible for scores of suicide bombings in Israel, often pays for the funerals. Izzedine Hilo, a 14-year-old boy killed Friday by Israeli troops in northern Gaza, was de- A March survey of 2,300 children between the ages of six and 13 showed that up to 73 percent in some parts of Gaza have taken part in violence and that 98 percent have witnessed events that frightened them. In some areas, as many as half of those questioned said they knew another child who died in the violence, according to the survey by -the Center for Social Training and Crisis Management, a Palestinian non-governmental organization.

With martyrdom now nearly an obsession among youngsters frustrated by the uncertainty and low quality of life, Gazans have been alarmed in recent weeks by a spate of incidents in which teen-agers, some as young as 11, tried to infiltrate heavily guarded Jewish settlements or attack Israeli army posts. One such child was Yousef Za-qout, a ninth grader shot dead April 23 with two friends, ages 14 and 13, by Israeli troops as they tried to slip into the settlement of Netzarim in central Gaza. Zaqout left a heart-wrenching will for his family, saying it was his wish to be a martyr, begging his parents forgiveness and exhorting his six siblings to pray regularly and fast from dawn to sunset twice a week. He was older than his 15 years. Our children are no longer children, Yousefs father, Bas-sem Zaqout, said of his son, who took karate lessons and was the goalkeeper of his schools soccer team.

Ahmed, Youssefs 16-year-old A drawing made by a Palestinian child that shows his post traumatic stress disorder related to the Intifada is displayed at the Community Training Center and Crisis Management center in Gaza City, on Monday. Nearly 20 months of Israell-Palestinlan fighting has taken a heavy toll on the children and teen-agers of Gaza with many reacting to events they witness or see on television with anything from suicidal tendencies, aggressive behavior to depression and post traumatic stress disorder, according to social workers and psychologists. turns being carried by friends shouting with our blood, our souls we sacrifice you as in the funeral processions. There isnt a single street or family here that doesnt have someone who died in the fighting, said Bakr, the hospital director. The children are both frightened and rebellious.

cal version of Cowboys and Indians. There is also checkpoints, a game in which children try to flag down passing cars as happens to Palestinians crossing checkpoints manned by Israeli troops checking the identity of passengers. There is also shaheed, a game in which children take drapes and bedding. The companys brands include the Black Tie collection of tablecloths and accessories, as well as the Cotton Casual line of tablecloths. DENTURES LAB ON PREMISES REPAIRS VfAcrrpt B.C., Delta, Access Keystone XU DENTAL CENTER 2611 Pitlaton Ave, Scranton Dr RrtprJ Nocenni, S.

kUMktl Dr Richard A Bran. DDS fc a Atlanta i With new synthetic fabrics and the flood of modernity after the war, lace ceased to be a coveted commodity. In the late 1950s, the company fell on hard times and twice went into receivership. It was taken over for a time by Harry Weinberg, a financier and philanthropist originally from the citys Hill Section. Mr.

Weinberg sold Scranton Lace in 1974 to Mr. Warsky, of Waverly, for $450,000. In its last days, Scranton Lace still made tablecloths, window 1 Wkz 11:40 dared a martyr of Islam in a Hamas banner hoisted outside his house over the weekend. Two other children who were with him were injured, one seriously. The violence has also found its way into play time and games mirroring aspects of life in recent months have evolved.

One is Arabs and Jews, which is a lo to find one that values his skill as a weaver and loom operator. He says he will miss' his job at Scranton Lace. He speaks with awe of the European-made Nottingham lace loom 14 tons, 40 feet long and 2'4 stories high. There arent many places like this in the country, and certainly none in the area, he said. The people were nice and the pay was good.

It is not known if production will be relocated or if Scranton Lace will continue as a brand. Scranton Lace has a showroom in New York City. Before World War the lace-works was one of 10 mills in Pennsylvania that together produced more than half of all lace goods in the United States. Like most industries, Scranton Lace joined the war effort, producing mosquito and camouflage netting, bomb parachutes, tarpaulins and targets. After World War II, the company returned to making cotton yarn, vinyl shower curtains and textile laminates used for umbrellas, patio furniture and pool liners.

anced with one-time revenue sources as evidence that the city remains distressed. If no action is taken, that structural imbalance continues. Thats the underlying problem, Mr. Reddig said, adding the revised recovery plan is designed to move the city to long-term financial stability. City Council is expected to place the recovery plan on its agenda for introduction next Monday.

A public hearing will be held before council considers it for final approval. 2 PAIRS OF EYEGLASSES FREE EYE EXAM INCLUDED INCLUDES Single Vision Plastic Lenses Select Frames A Eye Exam FT 28 Bifocals add $20 per pair No Line Bifocals add $60 per pair A flATTlT Som fwtncaong accty WttWa AtllMAl coupon Not utd often Uffijjgra- 0RercxDMsAAy3l 2002 PROGRESSIVE LENSES VARILUX COMFORT Sale pnee $169 Reg $229 Plus FREE EYE EXAM wpurchase of frames A lenses Soma rostncaont apply tm couoon Not vaU othar often CXter axomJiAy 31 2002 At its height in the early 20th century, Scranton Lace employed more than 1,400 people in its 28 buildings and 760,000 square feet. The progressive employer provided bowling alleys in the basement, a fully staffed infirmary, a staff barber and a gymnasium. The company once owned its own cotton field and coal mine. Weaver Robert Christy of North Scranton said company vice president Robert Hine called all employees together halfway through their shift Friday to break the news: Scranton, Lace was closing, effective immediately.

Workers could finish out the day or go home. Mr. Christy went home, leaving Scranton Lace for the last time after 14 years of service. People were shocked, he said. Since Ive been there, I heard rumors about closing, but you never think today will be the day.

The company cut employment to 150 last year, and most recently to about 50. At closing, wages ranged from about $7 to $13 an hour. tom-line, drop-dead document. He also said the citys recovery must take priority over potential lawyers fees. If (Mr.

Doherty) is going to effectively negotiate contracts, this is one tool thats vital to the financial success of the city, Mr. Murphy said, noting that the city is at a critical juncture. I think its important for City Council to work cooperatively with the mayor to give him the tools he needs. Mr. Gilhooley said he knows there is a certain amount of trepidation among city workers about the plan, but he believes there are elements in the plan that will please some employees.

The bulk of the plan is expected to focus on gaining concessions in city labor union contracts, since the majority of city expenses are personnel-related. The city's contract with the Department of Public Works expired Dec. 31, 2001, and contracts with the three other labor unions police, firefighters and clerks are up at the end of this year. Already, the city unions are gearing up for a fight. Union offi- TEXTILE FROM PAGE 1 wanna County employing more than 15,000 people, including in the city of Scranton.

As an industry, textile and garment manufacturing was second only to mining in size, value and employment. After the de-, mise of-deep mining in the 1950s, mills helped keep the region from economic collapse. Today the textile industry employs only about 400 people in Lackawanna County, according to the state Bureau of Labor Sta-. tistics. Scranton Laces storied history dates back to the 19th century.

Bom in 1897, the North Scranton company blossomed into one of the regions healthiest employers before dwindling to a skeleton of its former self over the last several decades. It stopped production Friday, and about 50 employees left the building for the last time. As the worlds largest producer of Nottingham lace, Scranton Lace used an enormous, one-of-a-kind loom to create the citys highest-profile export. ANOTHER FROM PAGE 3 Councilman Alex Hazzouri said the recovery plan preserves public safety and other services, returns management to the managers and does not raise taxes. I believe it is essential that we pass this legislation.

Scrantons future is at stake, he said. "After approximately 10 years as a distressed city, we finally have -a recovery plan that will work and, equally important, an administration that will make it Councilman Brian Reap, how-i ever, expressed concerns about 1 the preliminary draft of the plan that was distributed to council. Mr. Reap said he has many questions after reading about half of the draft. He offered no further details, other than to say he believes certain provisions proba- bly will have to be resolved through the courts.

From where I sit, it looks like the lawyers are going to reap the benefits, Mr. Reap said. Council President Kevin Murphy said the recovery plan is a point of negotiation, not a bot Canada By Rail City and Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce officials say they havent been formally notified of the closing. Scranton Lace officials arent talking. Mr.

Hine declined to return phone calls and passed on a no comment to a visiting reporter. Owner Jerry Warsky did not return phone calls. A spokesman at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry said Scranton Lace had not notified the state of a layoff. Barb Marinucci of the Weston FieldBulls Head Neighborhood Association can see the Scranton Lace building from her home. The company and its clock tower were a mainstay of the city.

As a college student. Miss Marinucci used to sell Scranton Lace products at the Globe Store. Their products were of such an exceptional quality, she said. Two years ago, Scranton Lace restored its old clock tower, bringing its familiar tones back to the neighborhood. Mr.

(Christy, 33, is looking for a new job, but doubts hell be able cials recently went on the offensive, charging the city is not really distressed because its recent finances do not meet the state requirement of having several years with deficit budgets. Fred Reddig, an official with the state Department of Community and Economic Development, which oversees the distressed municipality program, disagreed. Like Mr. Gilhooley, he pointed to the citys failure to address the structural imbalance and the fact that recent budgets were bal ALL FRAMES IN STOCK INCLUDING ALL DESIGNERS! Esprit, Guess, DKNY NASCAR, And More' FREE EYE EXAM wipurchase of frames lenses rover IT vKI3lAL cacon Not aad asw oAws. CMsr SKpMcs July 31 2002 2 PR.

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