Israel destroys Palestinian businesses by choking the flow of tourists in the occupied East Jerusalem and discouraging visitors from venturing into Palestinian neighbourhoods using disinformation.
Emad Abu Khadija, a Palestinian businessman in Jerusalem, owns a quaint, beautiful restaurant in the city’s old part. Owing to high taxes and constant harassment from Israeli authorities, he now faces the risk of having his business confiscated. This is due mainly to the area’s historical and geographical importance.
“I became friends with him [the restaurant owner]. I would sit there, eat some pizza and drink some coffee,” says Akel, who feels he is treated like a “tourist and a criminal” in his homeland. He adds that one day last July he went to this old part of Jerusalem looking for the restaurant only to find out it was closed.
Palestinian businesses often suffer losses as Israel discourages tourists from visiting certain parts of Jerusalem, saying it's unsafe for them. Nabil Raz, a Palestinian entrepreneur, describes the business environment in Jerusalem as “a total collapse” over the past two years, exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. Raz, who earns a living making products from olivewood, says he even had to relocate to Europe to sell his products.
“A very classic tool of colonialism is the control of the economy,'' she says. ¨The suffocation of the indigenous economies is the reality that Palestinians face in Jerusalem as well. Suppressing our economy in Jerusalem is a very important way that the Israeli occupation is using to control the population and disempower and eventually displace Palestinians from the city.”
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
WSJ News Exclusive | Israel Warns White House Over Striking Partial Nuclear Deal with IranIsraeli officials say a partial accord would be a gift to the new hard-line government in Tehran, stoking a growing public rift with the Biden administration over Iran’s nuclear program.
Read more »
Living On The Border Of Gaza And Israel: How An Israeli Woman Fights For PeaceI’m a three-time Emmy-nominated journalist with a decade of experience in media who has covered major national stories like the aftermath of the Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ rally and President Trump’s “travel ban” in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. I became a journalist to speak for the voiceless, like my severely disabled sister. I have used my platform to shed light on important issues impacting people with disabilities and other vulnerable and disenfranchised communities. I won a Catalyst for Change award from the ARC of Virginia for the impact of my reporting and an Emmy nomination for an investigation exposing neglect and abuse at an assisted living facility. My goal as a journalist is to leave the world a better place by spreading hope with my work while ensuring the truth is always told, and wrongdoing is exposed.
Read more »
Morocco and Israel ink historic defence dealTel Aviv said the memorandum of understanding signed in Rabat, as part of Defence Minister Gantz's visit, will establish formal cooperation on 'operational planning, purchases, research development, and training'.
Read more »
Heavily mutated COVID variant discovered in IsraelThe B.1.1529, or the Nu variant, has sparked fears across the globe over its huge number of mutations.
Read more »