Hebron – In the heart of the West Bank, Hebron stands tall in its industrial, commercial and agricultural history, but today it is besieged from all directions, and drowns under the weight of an economic war parallel to those launched by the occupation forces on the ground.
In a governorate, a third of the West Bank constitutes an area and a population, and the first is national in terms of the number of economic facilities, economic life has become retreating in front of an unprecedented escalation, which is a suffocating siege, destruction of the productive structure, the confiscation of lands, the uprooting of trees, and the cuts of the province with countless military barriers.
Hebron .. the nerve of the national economy
Hebron has always been described as a “Palestinian economy castle”, which was confirmed by economist Tariq Al -Tamimi in his interview with “Al -Jazeera Net”, when he indicated that this province contributes 40% of the Palestinian GDP, and embraces 45% of the Palestinian industry.
The visitor to this city was accustomed to the scene of huge trucks that did not stop entering and exiting, with which food industry products, handicrafts, stone, porcelain and skin items.
In addition to being an active industrial center, Hebron is abundant with its old markets, which is one of its most prominent tourist and economic features, especially the old municipality that includes the Ibrahimi Mosque, but this feature quickly collides with the reality of the occupation.
Abdo Idris, head of the Hebron Chamber of Commerce and Industry and President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce in the West Bank, comments on this scene, saying that the Old City has suffered from the closure of a thousand stores for 20 years, including 512 stores closed by military orders, as well as complete streets closed to the movement of residents and merchants.
The backbone of the Palestinian economy
Trade, industry, and agriculture are the pillars of the Khalili economy. Muhib Al -Jabari, Director of the Office of the Ministry of National Economy in Hebron, told Al -Jazeera Net, the most prominent economic ingredient that the governorate enjoys:
- The presence of 24 thousand commercial units and 3500 industrial establishments within the governorate.
- Caliph is the highest in animal wealth, as it includes about 15,000 beef, in addition to the presence of the largest dairy manufacturers.
- A number of plastic factories, one of which works more than 700 workers.
- The governorate includes 4 brushes factories that export their production of regional markets.
- Stone factories that characterize Hebron.
- The gold and jewelry industry, which has 85 operators producing more than 70% of gold circulating in the Palestinian market.
- The largest iron factory in Palestine.
- Factory for paper and is the only one in Palestine.
- The largest animal feed factory.
Hebron is not mentioned without referring to its traditional industries, such as making glass, ceramics, ceramics, leather, and shoes, which are industries that attract Palestinian, Arab and foreign tourists. The number of visitors reached half a million tourists annually before the war, along with school and university trips, and visits to the people of 1948 regions.
Saif barriers and clearing threaten production
The Palestinian private sector lives under an actual siege by 900 military checkpoints that cut the West Bank, according to Abdo Idris.
This reality led to the high transportation costs, the disruption of supply chains, the difficulty of introducing raw materials and food commodities, which was reflected in the high prices and the erosion of purchasing power.
Idris added: “The number of trucks coming from the Al -Karama border crossing with Jordan decreased by 50%, in light of the clearing crises with the Israeli side, and the power to pay the debts of the private sector of billions.”
Al -Jabari continues that Hebron alone suffers from 120 military barriers inside the city, as well as the gates that separate them from the rest of the Palestinian cities.
This situation has led to the increase in transportation costs by 6%, and the increase in commodity prices by 2%, which doubled the economic burdens on merchants and citizens alike.
The collapse of complete sectors
The economic data of the Ministry of National Economy Office shows a disturbing decline in the vital sectors of Hebron, and can be summarized as follows:
- The construction sector decreased by 50%.
- The industry sector decreased by 34%
- Services sector fell by 33%
- The telecommunications sector decreased by 16%.
- As for the agriculture, which Hebron is famous, it decreased by 28%, with a noticeable decrease in its basic crops such as grapes, olives, figs and almonds.
- Internal tourism decreased by 80%, after it was one of the tributaries supporting the province’s economy.
A number of factories and stores were subjected to direct attacks from the occupation army, including a shoe factory that fully exposed the occupation, the destruction of scrap collection facilities in the town of Dahna, and this led to losses exceeding one million shekels (about 300 thousand dollars), as well as the closure of 100 stores in the vital Al -Ramdin Street in Al -Dhahria, and the destruction of shops for exchange and printing presses that exceeded losses of one million shekels.
Tarqumia crossing .. a knot in the trade artery
The Tarqumia Commercial Crossing, dedicated to the southern West Bank region, is supposed to be a vital artery to transport goods to and from the province. But the reality indicates increasing complications. Zahra Al -Sagheer, director of the Godfather Auditing and Accounting Company, says that the occupation closes the crossing most of the week, and when it opens it only for limited hours and a few employees, and this causes trucks to be accumulated and traders are adding additional costs, including port floor fees.
Al -Sagheer explains that the merchants resorted to ways of deviation to avoid reserving their goods, which deprives them of obtaining the stamp of the crossing or customs statement, which are basic conditions for the Palestinian Authority to obtain customs, threatening to compel the merchant to pay the fees twice. Merchants also suffer from liquidity decline and increasing debt, which drives them to close their stores or reduce the number of workers.
Palestinian leather loses its foreign markets
Hebron is famous for the manufacture of shoes and leather, and it is an industry that has started to export since 2000, and is a quality mark in the name of “Hebron job”. Amer Arafa, a businessman and head of the Federation of Dermatals, says that the production of leather industries decreased by 30%, and the export stopped to the Gaza Strip, which represents 15% of production, and this led to the suspension of a number of factories.
He also pointed out that sales in the Palestinian interior market decreased by 60%, as well as the Israeli consumer intended to boycott the Khalili products. The increasing refunded checks by Israeli agents lost their rights without legal protection.
Gold and jewelry industry .. season without profits
While the head of the Palestinian Federation of precious minerals, Eng. Muhammad Ghazi Al -Harbawi described the economic situation as the worst ever.
Al -Harbawi stressed that the gold sector declined significantly despite the entry of the summer season and events, which are usually the peak of profits, which did not exceed 30% this year to 40%.
Al -Harbawi adds that the movement inside the West Bank requires an additional 4 to 5 hours per day, due to the beating barriers and roads, and this led to a 30%increase in shipping.
The irregularity of government salaries has increased the weak purchasing power. Despite all of this, Al -Harbawi confirms that the business community in Hebron is still steadfast, and adheres to the hope of the end of the war and the return of economic life gradually to its natural path.
