Prices have skyrocketed in Palestine recently. Key articles like petrol, flour and milk have all increased by more than 25%. The price of a 50 kg sack of flour is now about 60% higher than it was just recently.

This has led to a mass strike throughout the West Bank, a strike that includes everybody from taxi drivers to the teachers at schools and universities. The strikers are demanding the resignation of Salam Fayyad, whom they claim has not done enough to solve the problems regarding the sudden price increase. The strikers also call for the PA to abolish the Paris Protocol, a part of the Oslo 1 agreement that enables Israel to dictate and collect the import taxes for products … Continue reading

Palestinian citizens are currently struggling to withstand a severe economic crisis which is gripping the country. Excessive taxation on sales, as well as unfairly imposed conditions in favour of Israeli imports, mean that many Palestinian producers are struggling to survive. Low customs duties or import tariffs, the responsibility for which lies with Israel under the Paris Protocol (Oslo 1), contribute to the flooding of the market with foreign products, with the effect of significantly reducing the competitiveness of Palestinian goods.

Agriculture, which is a crucial sector in many villages such as Beit Ommar, is one industry which is massively threatened, not just by the broader economic climate, but by policies … Continue reading

Three small Palestinian produce stalls were destroyed by Israeli forces on Thursday, 6th September. A lorry, equipped with a crane and claw, accompanied by several occupation police and military vehicles, was used to destroy the roadside stalls, as well as all of the fruit which was being sold. The stalls were located on Route 60, close to Beit Ommar.

The continual closure of local markets, as well as the harsh restrictions on movement which prevent the timely distribution of produce, mean that many farmers have struggled to sell their entire yield and small stalls are often established beside roads in an attempt to boost income and improve the profitability of their … Continue reading