The city of Jenin in the farthest north of the occupied West Bank has been grappling with heavy economic losses as a result of nonstop raids day and night by the Israeli occupation army, exacerbated by the continued closure of the checkpoints leading to the city from the 1948-occupied territories.
In a press statement today, the Directorate of National Economy in the Jenin Governorate said that Israeli occupation authorities have deliberately been destroying the economic infrastructure of the province, causing losses in the millions of shekels across various sectors.
The directorate reported that numerous economic establishments have been forced to reduce their workforce or shut down for extended periods due to repeated incursions into the city. The difficulties in distributing goods, along with the decline in purchasing activity due to arbitrary measures and barriers imposed by the occupation, have contributed to the economic setbacks.
According to the Jenin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, losses have
reached $24 million in economic establishments significantly affected by the closure of the Jalameh checkpoint, through which Palestinians from the Arab towns in the 1948-occupied territories had used to come to the city prior to the closure of the checkpoint.
A local trader in Jenin pointed out that the frequent incursions by the Israeli occupation army, restricting the movement of individuals and goods, have damaged commercial businesses. In addition, he said, some shops suffered partial or complete damage due to the Israeli shelling and demolition of houses within the city and the adjacent Jenin refugee camp.
Nidal Obeidi, the Mayor of Jenin, emphasized that the occupation has significantly destroyed the economic infrastructure of the city by destroying roads and water and sewage networks. The estimated losses for the municipality alone amount to $5 million, surpassing the municipality’s capabilities, he added.
Jenin Governorate hosts approximately 13,000 industrial facilities, constituting 13.3% of the
working establishments in the province. Of these, 59.2% are commercial establishments (wholesale and retail), while 27.0% belong to the services sector. The intentional destruction of infrastructure poses a severe setback to the economic stability of the region.
Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA