The Karama strike, which swept through historic Palestine on May 18, was established to launch joint initiatives for challenge, steadfastness, and support for the national economy this June, in an effort to preserve the single national identity and the achievements of the popular uprising and struggle activities against the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and in support of Jerusalem In support of Gaza.
The idea of the “Buy from your country” campaign was launched from the Palestinian interior to expand in historic Palestine, at the initiative of the youth movements and the Arab Culture Association, which launched a popular bazaar accompanying the activities of the national economy project, and organized local initiatives to strengthen the economy of the towns and consolidate social solidarity, and to contribute to local charitable projects Variety and organizing visits to Jerusalem and the markets of Palestinian cities. Read also After the war ends, what about the requirements for the reconstruction of Gaza? How did the military operation on Gaza burden the pockets of the Israelis and deepen the financial crisis? Massive destruction and unemployment…the Israeli war exacerbates the economic crisis in Gaza Is the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt an alternative to the commercial crossing with Israel?
According to the data of the campaign to support the national economy, the value of the annual Palestinian imports from Israel is $3.3 billion, out of a total of 7.25 billion of Palestinian imports from the countries of the world. It reaches 45%, at a time when 60% of families live below the poverty line.
60% of the Palestinian workforce and labor force work in the Israeli market as cheap labor in all sectors, while the Palestinian economies depend for their revenues on Israeli products and products at a rate of 70%. Accordingly, the new campaign aims to promote and publicize the consumption of Palestinian products and Arab alternatives, and to promote a culture of replacement 53% Of the Israeli products that have Palestinian and Arab alternatives.
The data show that calls for a boycott following the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2014 contributed to a 50% decrease in Israeli sales in the Palestinian market. Accordingly, the idea of continuing the struggle and employing the achievements of the popular endowment came to spread the culture of boycott, enhance steadfastness and national economic identity, by strengthening the national economy and embracing the markets of Jerusalem. The old ones that face the threat of closure, and support the national and Arab product.
Jerusalem first
In this context, the director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, Ziad Hammouri, said that Jerusalem has returned to the collective Palestinian awareness and has imposed its presence on the world, noting that the campaign to support the national economy and focus on the markets of Jerusalem comes at a critical stage, during which hundreds of shops face the threat of closure.
In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, Al-Hammouri explained that the occupation authorities – which succeeded in controlling the geography of Jerusalem – are now waging a war on the Jerusalem existence economically, socially, culturally and politically, a demographic battle that Tel Aviv failed to resolve due to the steadfastness of the people and their support for the popular gift in historic Palestine.
Within the walls of old Jerusalem, where only 1,300 shops remain, the battle for existence is taking place amid unprecedented settlement activity by establishing dozens of outposts and biblical religious schools, and building a Jewish city on the land under Old Jerusalem. Al-Hammouri says, “The occupation aims, through settlement within the walls, to destroy the Jerusalem economy, empty the markets of merchants, and tighten control over the Old City of Jerusalem for the exclusivity of the holy sites and the Al-Aqsa Mosque for building the alleged temple.”
closure risk
Al-Hamouri explained that 25% of the 300 shops were closed even before the Corona pandemic, and were overwhelmed with taxes and debts to the occupation municipality and the Israeli tax authorities. , about 500 shops closed intermittently.
The director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights praised the initiatives and youth movements and the campaign to support the national economy, and to put Jerusalem at the center of projects, stressing the need to support the Jerusalem commercial sector to stay in the holy city, noting that the success of the occupation in eliminating the Jerusalem economy means success in eliminating the Palestinian presence In Old Jerusalem and around Al-Aqsa.
The director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights indicated that the activities to support the national economy – which coincide with the battle for existence in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, Al-Bustan neighborhood and Batn Al-Hawa in Silwan – are considered very important projects as they are launched and interact, and about 75% of the shops in Old Jerusalem are about to close, and a percentage of Alia (owners) of the independent commercial sector in East Jerusalem are forced to work as wage-earners in the Israeli market in an effort to keep their shops open.
Buy from your country
The campaign to support the national economy and “Buy from your country” aims to boycott the Israeli product, empty the Palestinian market of the products of the occupation, and raise awareness among citizens of the importance of the boycott and its role in resisting the occupier, and this is an integral part of the projects calling for a boycott of all forms of political, cultural, artistic and social normalization.
The campaign continues, during July and August, with projects and activities to boycott Israeli products and raise awareness to advance the national economy to be the cornerstone for building a Palestinian society that establishes an economy based on justice, cooperation and interdependence, away from dependence on occupation policies, freedom from Israeli dependence, and unification of economic power. Palestine and employ it for the sake of liberation and independence.
The Director of Projects at the Western Culture Association, Rabie Eid, attaches great importance to continuing the activities of youth movements, and also calls on popular committees, civil society associations and parties to be partners in struggle activities, economic and cultural support, and national identity, and to invest in the new emerging situation as a result of the popular gift by constantly organizing social solidarity initiatives and filling Palestinian space year with projects that call for optimism and steadfastness in the face of challenges.
new Horizons
Eid, in his speech to Al Jazeera Net, reviewed the objectives of the economic, cultural, national and artistic youth activities and initiatives after the popular uprising, and the meanings and implications of unifying projects and events in historic Palestine, saying, “It became clear that the Palestinian youth is thirsty for such activities, as the popular uprising came and broke all barriers and united all Palestinians move from the stage of individual success to collective thinking and success.
The Director of Projects at the Arab Culture Association explained that the activities to support the national economy carry with it the cultural, political and national organization of the people, and the strengthening of the societal cohesion of the Palestinians in all their places, despite the barriers, diaspora and asylum.
The campaign to support the national economy, the visit to Jerusalem and the flock to Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, was one of the forms of continuing the popular gift and solidarity and strengthening steadfastness.
Eid believes that these initiatives and the competition for projects by individuals, movements and institutions, each of his place and position, indicates the strength of the community and the potential capabilities within, and these initiatives fall within the quest to organize society and open new horizons for the Palestinian people and get them out of the state of frustration, political and social despair and disappointment with the performance of the Palestinian people. and practices of traditional parties.
He pointed out that the definition and awareness of economic and consumer performance, and the concept of supporting the Palestinian and Arab product, is another form of resistance, challenge, education, university behavior and communication through popular bazaars, festivals, cultural, artistic, social and political activities, and not limiting the attendance and meeting to Palestinians, to confront arrests and political prosecutions and confront colonial policies, only. On demonstrations and protests.