Itongadol.- "The only enemy of extremism is good jobs," said Palestinian entrepreneur Zahi Khouri, the man behind the decision to build in Gaza.
Coca-Cola plans to open its first factory in Gaza within the next year and has already secured Israeli permits for needed materials and supplies.
To date, there is only one other soda factory in Gaza. It produces 7-Up, Pepsi and Miranda, an orange flavored drink.
The man behind the popular soft-drink, Palestinian entrepreneur Zahi Khouri, a founder and the chairman of the Ramallah-based National Beverage Company solely licensed for Coca-Cola in the West Bank, spoke exclusively with The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
"We\’ve been shipping to Gaza on a regular basis, with the approval of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli authorities,” said Khouri said.
His company already operates Coca-Cola factories in Ramallah, Jericho and Tulkarem.
Bringing Coca-Cola to Gaza will occur in two-phases, he said. The first phase, which will become operations in the third quarter of 2015, will focus on carbonated beverages, while the second, pegged for late 2016 or early 2017, will expand to juices, water, and other non-carbonated products.