Occupied Jerusalem- The expansion of the range of Hezbollah fire and missiles from Lebanon to the city of Haifa and its environs, and changes in the defense policy of the Israeli army’s Home Front Command, have further disrupted economic and commercial activity in the north of the country since the start of the war, which has entered its second year.
Haifa is located in the Carmel region, and it is the third largest city in terms of population after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Jaffa, with about 300 thousand people, including 34 thousand Arabs (Palestinians whom Zionist gangs did not succeed in displacing during the Nakba).
The city is considered a vital transportation hub and the link between the north and south of the country. It is the capital of the northern region, an important urban, educational and cultural center, and ranks sixth in terms of area in the country with about 70 square kilometers.
Haifa is a center for transportation, technology, energy, and weapons industries, which makes it a strategic city that affects all of Israel, as it also includes one of the largest maritime trade centers, and its port is one of its symbols, along with the port of Ashdod.
A new reality
The escalation in the north brought with it new instructions from the so-called Israeli “Home Front Command” regarding Haifa and the towns north of it, which have been subject to restrictions for a long time. Schools and kindergartens have been closed for more than two weeks, and the regularity of work in factories is conditional on the availability of protected places and shelters.
Those who are accustomed to the new reality are the owners of companies, restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues and tourist attractions in the city, some of which have not yet opened and have been closed since the city came within range of missiles and resistance marches, and others are operating partially due to the decline in commercial and economic activity.
After the continued closure of her clothing store in the port, Israeli Zahavit Yehuda decided to open it even though traffic in the city is very weak. She says, “Some stores and companies are open and some are closed. Over the course of a year there was a great deal of uncertainty, but we realized that the matter would extend to us soon.”
Yehuda told the economic newspaper “De Marker” the reality experienced by merchants in the city, which is considered the backbone of Israel’s economy, saying, “Restaurants are closed, but companies that have shelters and protected areas nearby, like my store, open their doors, but there is no movement of people. Life has been disrupted. It is a decision.” It is difficult, because you have to take responsibility for the employees and customers. Every day I close my shop, I lose money, and so does everyone else.”
Palestinian emergency room
In the Palestinian (Arab) residential neighborhoods of the city, where there are hundreds of small commercial businesses, the Haifa Youth Movement launched a campaign to strengthen these shops and prevent their collapse in light of the commercial and economic recession, by launching an initiative entitled “Together we support the people of the country” urging the city’s Palestinian residents to shop. And buy from them, according to what political and social activist Rashad Omari said.
The activist pointed out that there are hundreds of small Palestinian commercial businesses in Haifa, which, like other Palestinian businesses and workshops in the north, were damaged and their financial income declined due to the war. He said, “The youth initiative aims to strengthen the steadfastness of Arab commercial businesses and confront the repercussions of the decline in purchasing and shopping.”
Omri reviewed – to Tel Aviv Tribune Net – the reality of the Palestinian neighborhoods in Haifa, which he described as “very bad” due to the lack of shelters and fortified rooms, and the failure of the Israeli authorities to provide protection and rescue mechanisms in emergency situations, saying that “this reality obligates the Arabs to strengthen social and economic solidarity in order to withstand and survive.” And also provide protection for themselves.”
In anticipation of any emergency, Omri, an activist in the Haifa movement, initiated the activation of the Palestinian emergency room in the city, which was prepared for the event of an earthquake and natural disasters. He pointed out that the Abbas neighborhood, which is inhabited by about 10,000 Palestinians, has one entrance and one exit, and if a missile falls in the neighborhood, it will be… It is difficult for Israeli rescue teams to enter.
Industrial center
Haifa is the largest industrial center in the north, and its leading industries form the core of the city’s local economy and contribute significantly to Israel’s economic and technological development.
Its most prominent leading industries are:
- Chemical and oil: Haifa has large facilities for the production of chemicals and oil. It contains factories for international and local chemical companies, including “Bezan”, which is one of the largest facilities specialized in processing crude oil.
- High-tech and precision industry: The city is considered one of the most important centers in Israel for the high-tech industry, as it includes a variety of large and emerging companies focused on developing innovative technologies.
- Maritime industry: The Port of Haifa is one of the two main ports in Israel. It is an important center for maritime trade and shipping and serves as an essential point for import and export of a variety of goods. It also serves as a base for maritime industries for the occupation army.
- Metal industry: There are several large companies operating in Haifa that specialize in the production of metals, including spare parts.
- Food industry: Haifa contains several factories for producing food and beverages, which serve the local market and export to foreign markets.
The escalation of missile launches and explosive drones from Lebanon caused the closure of the school and university education system in several areas in the far north, which led to a slowdown in commercial and economic activity in Haifa and the region, a significant reduction in vehicular traffic on the roads, and the absence of workers from the workplace.
Worst case scenario
The examination – conducted by the Union of Industrialists in the Haifa and North Districts – revealed that about 60% of the factories in the North were operating as usual, but partial activity was recorded in 40% of them. While about 15% of factories did not open their doors at all. Note that there are about 350 factories employing more than 20 thousand workers.
The director of the union in Haifa and the North, Roi Israeli, said that factory managers make specific decisions according to the situation, and the closer their location is to the border line with Lebanon and the greater the risk of gunfire, the more they avoid exposing their employees to danger.
The repeated missile attack on Haifa evokes a scenario in which the port’s activity is suspended, according to a report by the “Calcalist” economic newspaper. In this case, the activity will be transferred to the port of Ashdod, which is not ready to handle shipping containers in double sizes and numbers, and there may be an unusual delay in unloading the materials. Food, and in the worst case scenario, ships will stop arriving.
There is complete consensus among the “Union of Industrialists” on the direct outcome that will occur with the escalation of the missile attacks on Haifa. Journalist Dotan Levy says, “The movement of ships will stop and they will move to unload in the ports of Ashdod and the south.”
Levy, a correspondent for the Calculist newspaper, recalled a similar scenario that occurred in 2006 when a missile fell during the Second Lebanon War in a railway garage adjacent to the port in Haifa, killing 8 workers. This led to the closure of Haifa Port and the move to Ashdod Port.
