Siege on Hebron’s Beit Ula industrial zone threatens Palestinian economy

Detailed summary

Israel takes measures to crush Palestinian business in the occupied West Bank.

Beit Ula, occupied West Bank – Fayez al-Amleh, 63, scans his factory in an industrial complex in this town northwest of Hebron and reflects on the recent Israeli measures that could cost him his business.

The production lines at TB.LOC, which produce security and fire-resistant doors, still slowly whir away. But they very nearly came to a halt when Israeli forces sealed the entrances to the Beit Ula industrial zone with earthen berms and stone barriers on November 4.

The measures have isolated roughly 60 Palestinian businesses from their customers and suppliers, which threatens the livelihoods of 2,500 workers employed in the industrial zone.

“Today, raw materials cannot get in, and we cannot get our products out of the industrial zone,” al-Amleh told Al Jazeera.

Hebron and the surrounding areas were hit hard by Israeli military operations after two Israeli soldiers were killed by suspected Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint near the Palestinian city on October 23.

Thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes during the 10-day siege on Hebron and returned only when Israeli soldiers left the city on November 2.

The siege on Hebron, an economic hub for the occupied West Bank, led to losses of more than 12 million shekels ($3.8m) a day, according to Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari.

But just days after the siege on Hebron was lifted, the blockade on Beit Ula’s industrial zone began. This has significantly impacted the operations of al-Amleh’s factory and the lives of the 70 workers his business employs.

As a result, his employees have had their hours cut or moved to part-time work, reducing their take-home pay.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Al Jazeera. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.