Israeli blockade seals off Beit Ula industrial zone, threatens 2,500 jobs

Israeli forces sealed the entrances to the Beit Ula industrial zone in the occupied West Bank on 4 November, isolating around 60 Palestinian businesses and endangering the livelihoods of an estimated 2,500 workers.

The blockade, created with earthen berms and stone barriers, has stopped the flow of raw materials into the zone and prevented finished products from leaving, said Fayez al‑Amleh, 63, who runs TB.LOC, a factory that makes security and fire‑resistant doors. Production continues at a reduced pace, but sales have fallen from about 70,000 shekels a day to between 2,000 and 3,000 shekels.

The industrial complex, which also produces metal‑shaped doors, electrical cabinets, sponges, cardboard and construction materials, is linked to a wider network of commercial and agricultural enterprises. The closure has therefore affected suppliers, traders and nearby farms.

Hebron’s mayor, Yousef al‑Jabari, previously estimated that the 10‑day siege of Hebron cost more than 12 million shekels ($3.8 m) per day. The new restrictions on Beit Ula follow that siege and come after Israeli demolition of four industrial facilities and the establishment of a settlement outpost near the town.

Workers such as Ayman al‑Adam, employed for three years in the zone, warn that the road closure is “closing the doors of livelihood” for hundreds of families. Al‑Amleh rejected Israeli claims that the zone is used to move workers into Israel without permits, describing the measures as collective punishment.

The blockade adds to a broader pattern of disruption to Palestinian businesses across the West Bank, including attacks on olive farms and expanded checkpoints.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Jan van der Wolf / Pexels.