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Gaza War Impacts Palestinian Arabs in West Bank
(Wall Street Journal) Omar Abdel-Baqui - The fallout from more than a year of war in Gaza is increasingly threatening the local economy in the West Bank. Production costs are up and exports have dropped. Rising unemployment is hurting local consumers. Tourism is down sharply. The West Bank economy was relatively stable before the fighting in Gaza began last year. Israeli and Jordanian ports served as gateways to the world for Palestinian businesses. Tourism to historic sites in Bethlehem and Jericho generated revenue. More than 100,000 Palestinians entered Israel legally for work, and relatively low unemployment kept West Bank residents spending. All that changed after the Hamas-led attack. Israel has tightened restrictions on movement in the West Bank and canceled permits for Palestinians who worked legally in Israel.