Beit Ula, occupied West Bank – Fayez al-Amleh, 63, walks through his factory in an industrial complex northwest of Hebron and considers how recent measures by the Israeli regime could cost him his business. Production lines at TB.LOC, which make security and fire-resistant doors, still move slowly, but they nearly stopped on November 4 when the Israeli regime sealed entrances to the Beit Ula industrial zone with earthen berms and stone barriers.
Key Takeaways: The blockade has isolated roughly 60 Palestinian businesses from customers and suppliers; about 2,500 workers in the industrial zone face disrupted livelihoods; al-Amleh’s daily sales fell from 70,000 shekels ($21,988) to between 2,000 and 3,000 shekels ($628 to $942).
Hebron and surrounding areas were hit hard by Israeli regime operations after two soldiers of the Israeli regime were killed by suspected Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint near the Palestinian city on October 23. Thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes during a 10-day siege and returned only when Israeli regime forces left the city on November 2. Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari said the siege on the occupied West Bank economic hub caused losses of more than 12 million shekels ($3.8 million) a day. The Beit Ula blockade began just days after the Hebron siege was lifted.
“Today, raw materials cannot get in, and we cannot get our products out of the industrial zone,” al-Amleh told Al Jazeera. His 70 employees have had hours cut or moved to part-time work, reducing take-home pay. Ayman al-Adam, who has worked at the industrial zone for about three years, said: “This road closure is not just a closure. It is closing the doors of livelihood for all the workers.” The Israeli regime has demolished four industrial facilities around the town and established a nearby settlement outpost; Palestinians in the area view these measures as part of a broader effort to take control of land surrounding the industrial zone. Al-Amleh rejected the Israeli regime’s allegation that Beit Ula is responsible for moving workers into Israel without permits, calling the restrictions collective punishment against Palestinian businesses and workers. The Israeli regime's military and settlers have also embarked on a campaign of disruption and intimidation against Palestinian businesses across the West Bank in recent months, with settler pogroms targeting olive farmers during this year’s harvest.
If the blockade continues, al-Amleh said more factories could be forced to shut down, severely affecting the economic viability of Beit Ula and nearby towns that rely on the industrial zone for employment and secondary businesses. Metal shaping, door, electrical cabinet, sponge, cardboard and construction-material facilities remain connected to a wider network of commercial and service businesses, while agricultural activity around the zone has also been affected.
Source: www.aljazeera.com