report: "nablus stands beautiful and unvisited"

2011-04-24

palestine experiences a boom in tourism, as herds of tourists storm the cities of jerusalem, jericho and bethlehem. meanwhile, the west bank city of nablus, rich in historic and religious sites, hardly attracts visitors. (...) [read more]

report: "palestinians find trade, not an economy"

2011-04-19

[es] [fr]
the palestinian authority is preparing to establish a state in near future. but the palestinian economy remains strongly tied to israel, and manufacturers are struggling to recover from the second intifada. (...) [read more]

video: "fire in balata camp"

2007-06-27

on tuesday night (june 26th) israeli military vehicles stormed balata refugee camp near nablus, opened random fire and terrorized hundreds of residents who were out in the streets seeking relief after another scorching hot day in the west bank. terrified refugees fled to their houses for safety but israeli military vehicles sealed off streets and neighborhoods. some shops and offices were left open as their owners ran out in panic after the sudden invasion. blasting orders over loudspeakers, the army forced residents out their homes and made them take off their clothes. the troops fired randomly at buildings in the area and set a local restaurant on fire. no casualties were reported. the operation ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning lasting over seven hours. here´s a short clip produced by the research journalism initiative covering the invasion.

video: "balata camp incursion"

2007-05-25

[de]
on may 24, the israeli occupation forces stormed balata refugee camp in nablus (palestine).

here's a short clip from this military operation produced by the research journalism initiative.



this short video can be downloaded in better quality here and here.

video: "kids used as human shields"

2007-04-11

[de]
in a military operation taking place in balata refugee camp (nablus, occupied palestine), israeli occupation troops forced two youngsters to serve as human shields.

a filmmaker from the research journalism initiative, who is close to a-films, caught the scene and other shots of the military operation and home demolition on tape.



click here and here to download the clip in full quality.

video: "nightlife in balata camp"

2007-03-18

for four consecutive nights, the israeli occupation forces have invaded balata refugee camp on the outskirts of nablus (palestine). they drove up and down the camp, threw percussion grenades and fired randomly at residents' homes.
this is not a new habit of the israely army, but something they've kept doing for many years already. it's important to note that this is not an exception, but normality in balata refugee camp.
this short clip was made by close friends of a-films, the research journalism initiative.



click here to download the clip in full quality.

video: "operation hot winter"

2007-02-25

[de] [fr]
on february 25 2007, the israeli occupation forces invaded the west bank city of nablus with massive forces. the army focussed their operation especially on the yasmine and qariyon neighborhoods in the old city. during the four days that the assault lasted, tens of thousands of people were confined to their homes. the israeli military raided dozens of houses, detaining and arresting scores of people. it abused journalists and aid workers and even used palestinian civilians as "human shields". the occupation forces killed one person and injured dozens. this military operation was one of the biggest of its kind in the last two or three years that happened in nablus.
during the operation, activists from the research journalism initiative and from a-films kept producing short video reports on what happened on the ground. here you can watch our clips from day 1, day 2 and day 4 of the operation as well as an interview with a girl that was used as a human shield and the injured son of a shahid.

day 1


day 2


day 4


interview 1


interview 2


click here to download full quality versions of day 1, day 2, day 4, interview 1 and interview 2.

video: "the alley"

2007-02-11

[de] [es] [it] [fr]
this film was made in balata refugee camp near nablus, palestine. it's supposed to provide the viewers with some impressions of the current economic situation people are suffering from.

the clip is the result of a collaboration of activists from the research journalism initiative and from a-films.

part 1


part 2


The film can here and here be downloaded in full length and better quality.

video: "ma´jeen operation"

2007-01-25

[de]
on 25th of january 2007, the israeli occupation forces once more stormed nablus in an effort to arrest wanted residents. here's some footage of this assault.

video: "qisariyye operation"

2007-01-18

[de]
on 18th of january 2007, the israeli occupation forces entered nablus with dozens of jeeps, surrounding a building in al-qisariyye area at the edge of the old city. one resistance fighter got shot dead in the operation, a 15-year old was shot in the eye.

balata film collective

2007-05-30

in 2004 and 2005, a group of activists (among them a-films people) in balata refugee camp in nablus (palestine) formed a video collective to enable young palestinians from balata to break their isolation, challenge their oppression and and represent their lives to the world. workshops in independent media were held and about a dozen short clips were produced. so far some of these videos are available on the film group´s youtube account:

shadows of occupation
camp children prepare a shadow puppet theatre production as part of balatacamp.net activities. during the performance, the characters of their imagination move from the screen onto the streets of balata. here´s the short clip:



elections under occupation
palestinians from balata camp speak out about the elections for the palestinian authority on january 9th, 2005. the short clip includes interviews with representatives of various organisations, as well as people on the streets.
click here to watch the video.

election furore in balata camp
the balatacamp.net girl journalists hit the streets during voting to see what camp residents really think.
watch the clip here.

akoub - the challenge
the vegetable akoub plays an important role in both palestinian identity and cooking. this short clip describes how israeli checkpoints, settlements and military bases are making it an increasingly difficult and dangerous ingredient to gather. market vendors, vegetable dealers and palestinian grandmothers explain how even a simple vegetable has been forced to join the ranks of the resistance.
the akoub-film can be watched here.

palestinian embroidery under occupation
palestinian embroidery is a hidden form of resistance to israeli attempts at economic, social and political subjugation. women's embroidery is one of few means of economic independence, neither dependent on israeli contractors or its market. embroidery is also a powerful means of expressing identity and making a connection with the palestinian past prior to expulsion.
watch the short video here.

women in death castles
a high proportion of palestinian women prisoners in israeli occupation prisons are from the nablus region. in this film, recently released women from balata and nablus speak out about their pain and struggle while imprisoned. testimonies describe interrogation, physical and mental torture, loneliness. the video inccludes interviews with ex-prisoners, children of current prisoners and officials from the prisoners society.
click here to watch this film.

grass doesn´t grow in the camp
after 20 years in israeli prison, balata resident meqdad khatib is released. his newly-wed wife pregnant when he was arrested, meqdad had never seen his son mahmoud until he was also imprisoned. finally the family is to be reunited. however, mahmoud was killed by the israeli army in 2006.
the balatacamp.net girl journalist team go along to the checkpoint and meqdad's house to check things out. along the way they come across israeli jeeps, praise-singing grandmothers and fields of green grass.
this joyful video can be watched here.

memories of the nakbe
rarely seen archival photographs alongside palestinian survivors remembering the 1948 'nakbe' (catastrophe), describing the expulsion from their land on which the suburbs of tel aviv have since been built and their subsequent struggles as refugees. memories include the terror immediately prior to fleeing, the slow realisation that they would not be returning home soon, the struggle to rebuild their lives in cramped refugee camps, and the increased resistance that grew once the Israeli military pursued them to the refugee camps.
click here to watch this clip.

birds of revolution besieged in balata camp
the schoolchildren of balata camp face up to israeli military force. as jeeps attempt to invade and enforce curfew, the children make clear that they won't submit.
here is the short film.

children of the stones
the children of palestine lead a childhood of oppression, struggle and isolation. faced with daily israeli military invasions, the short moments of relative quiet and safety take on unexpected importance and beauty. children of the stones opens up a snapshot of the daily lives of palestinian children.
this short video can be watched here.

for more information and videos from the balata film collective as well as for other ressources from the balata camp community projects, check out its webpage.

report: "Nablus Stands Beautiful and Unvisited"

2011-04-24

Palestine experiences a boom in tourism, as herds of tourists storm the cities of Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethlehem. Meanwhile, the West Bank city of Nablus, rich in historic and religious sites, hardly attracts visitors.

"It's an ancient city with a magnificent old town. It's home to Jacob's Well, the Samaritans and Sabastiya." Salem Hantoli, manager of Nablus' al-Yasmeen hotel, praises the various tourist attractions of Nablus, a city with 126,000 inhabitants in the northern West Bank. Al-Yasmeen, the second largest of Nablus' four hotels, has 45 beds and 16 employees.

"Before the second Intifada, our city used to be a major destination for religious tourism," recalls Abdelafo S. Aker, public relations officer at Nablus' municipality, adding that after the uprising, the siege and the closures, tourists have become rare in Nablus.
In 2009 only 7,170 hotel guests were counted in the whole Nablus governorate as compared to 451,840 in the West Bank as a whole, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). For 2010, figures aren't available yet.

Hotel manager Hantoli says that in 2008 things started to improve. "The year 2009 was even better, and 2010 was a boom." Al-Yasmeen's occupancy rates and revenue have reached new heights.

The hotel's improving performance has to be considered in the light of the extreme slump during the Intifada, however. "For at least five years, our occupancy rate was no more than 10 to 15 percent," the hotel manager remembers. Even now, 80 percent of his guests belong to the alternative tourism sector, visitors with political interests. "Lately, but very slowly, we start to have people coming only for tourism."

A contributing factor has been the easing of entry restrictions to Nablus since 2009. The city has been under strict closure for seven years and the Israeli army often denied foreigners passage through the checkpoints surrounding the city. "The slight increase in tourism is largely domestic though, it's visitors from the West Bank and Israel," says municipality officer Aker. In terms of international tourism, no big shift could be noticed.

Aker points at Israeli measures as the main obstacle to attracting more international tourists. "When at Ben Gurion Airport you tell them you're planning to visit Nablus, they'll recommend you not going there because the city 'isn't safe’. And surely they'll make it harder for you to actually enter Israel," says Aker.
During the Intifada, Nablus and its three refugee camps were strongholds of armed resistance to Israeli occupation. Clashes, massive Israeli army raids, targeted killings and long curfews were part of everyday life. Israeli propaganda further contributed to the city's image as a chaotic and dangerous place.

In Nablus, efforts are under way to change the city's bad reputation. In 2007, the Palestinian Authority (PA) began to deploy police forces. Armed resistance has vanished and Israeli raids have become less frequent. They usually take place after midnight and are coordinated with the PA. Nablus representative Aker says that the much improved law enforcement has led to stability. "There's no reason any more not to visit Nablus," he concludes.

Yet local hotels are facing another problem. While in all other parts of Palestine, hotel guests stay for an average of two nights, in the northern West Bank they do so for less than 1.5 nights. Tour operators usually bring visitors only at daytime, while they spend their nights in Israeli hotels. Hantoli says that it's also the operators’ responsibility to better link Palestinian sites. "Unfortunately, most of them still solely focus on Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethlehem," he regrets.

Nablus lacks a competitive tourist infrastructure. "You can't just jump to tourism," PR officer Aker says. "We lack hotels, restaurants and experienced staff," he tells. Attracting investment, however, depends on stability. Even though things have calmed down, military raids could still occur and at any point, closure may be imposed and access to Nablus be interrupted. The Israeli army remains a factor of uncertainty.
Huge potential is seen in the reconstruction and renovation of Nablus' historic old town, likely the city's main attraction. During the April 2002 'Battle of Nablus' and several other big Israeli army invasions, the old town has suffered heavy damage. Several mosques, churches and traditional olive oil soap factories such as the Kanaan and the Nabulsi factory were totally destroyed, while other sites such as the Ottoman-area Turkish bathhouse 'Hammam as-Shifa' and the massive Abdelhadi Palace were severely damaged.

"By developing and renovating the old town, there'd be even more reason for tourists to actually spend more than just a few hours in the city," explains Salem Hantoli at al-Yasmeen Hotel. The municipality along with Palestinian and international partners is working on restoring some sites and alleys in the old town. Renovation work is noticeable, but remains quite scattered.

"Our financial resources are very limited in comparison to the needs on the ground," says the municipality's representative Abdelafo S. Aker. The immense destruction of private property left hundreds of the old town's 20,000 residents homeless. Sheltering and assisting them became a priority, while the protection of cultural heritage had to wait. "Also, infrastructure projects such as water, sewage or electricity have been our immediate priorities," explains Aker.
In the heart of the old town, Nasir Arafat directs a non-governmental organisation called 'Civil Society of Nablus Governorate'. "We used to pay the rent of people whose houses were destroyed or uninhabitable," says Arafat. Nowadays, the organisation is busy assisting people in renovating and rebuilding their private homes under the aspect of humanitarian aid.

During the interview residents pop in, listing up their needs and asking for money. "We're not fast enough, because we're lacking money," Arafat regrets. "Still more than 200 houses are in need of reconstruction."

Not far from Arafat's office lies the huge Tuqan palace. During the 18th century, the Tuqan clan nearly controlled all of Nablus and its hinterland. The palace is mostly neglected and its back garden now looks like a jungle. Obviously, restoration efforts would have to be a massive undertaking.

Members of the Tuqan family say it's beyond their financial scope. As time passed, the clan's wealth trickled down through several generations and dispersed. Goats are now grazing where once Nablus' powerful elite ruled.

This report was written by Ray Smith and was published here by IPS Inter Press Service.

report: "Palestinians Find Trade, Not an Economy"

2011-04-19

[es] [fr]
The Palestinian Authority is preparing to establish a state in near future. But the Palestinian economy remains strongly tied to Israel, and manufacturers are struggling to recover from the second Intifada.

Recent reports by the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process (UNSCO) and the World Bank acknowledge the Palestinian Authority's progress in institution building and in improving governmental functions, denoting it as well positioned for the establishment of a state.

According to the World Bank, economic growth in the West Bank reached about 7.6 percent of the GDP in 2010. These figures require careful interpretation, though. The World Bank stresses that growth is "primarily donor-driven" and "reflects recovery from the very low base reached during the second Intifada."

Growth isn't sustainable either and "remains hampered by Israeli restrictions," the report says. Not all sectors of the Palestinian economy are growing. While construction is booming, manufacturing output fell by nearly 6 percent, remaining more than 10 percent below the 1999 level, the World Bank points out.
In the city of Nablus, nestled between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim in the northern West Bank, the main streets, torn up by Israeli bulldozers and tanks nearly a decade ago, are packed with cars. Traffic lights have replaced the rule of chaos. Al-Mujamma, a massive ten-storey complex overlooks Nablus's ancient old city. It hosts a shopping mall, a cinema, various companies and an underground taxi station.

On Saturdays, scores of Palestinian Israelis flock into the vibrant markets. Basel H. Kanaan, chairman of Nablus's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is pleased but warns: "It's not like before the Intifada." In the old city's Khan al-Tujjar, where centuries ago expensive clothes brought from Damascus and Cairo were sold, merchants nowadays underbid each other with low-quality products made in China.

"The Chinese goods destroy our businesses," says Kanaan. He explains that local producers can hardly compete with the Chinese. According to the Palestinian historian Beshara Doumani, Nablus has long been Palestine's most important centre for weaving and dying of textiles. Its garment manufacturers used to produce inexpensive clothes for the mass market of peasants and lower urban classes.

Today, the Palestinian garments and textiles industry is estimated to employ about 65,000 workers, contributing about 15 percent of the manufacturing output. Nablus has the highest concentration of the textile businesses. The large majority have less than 10 employees.
In the old city's Aqaba neighbourhood, Moaz Hlihil employs 15 workers. His enterprise, located in an old stone house with an arched ceiling, is packed with cloth, yarn and wooden boxes, with portraits of Yasser Arafat on the wall.

"We work with Israel," Hlihil says. "Our opportunities are very limited, we're under siege. Israel is the only market we have." Most Palestinian manufacturers are subcontractors to Israeli companies who outsource the labour-intensive stages of production because of the low wages in the West Bank.

Garment manufacturing consists of several steps. Following the design, cloth is cut and sewed. The garments then are washed, ironed, packed and distributed. Palestinian subcontractors are usually delivered the cut cloth. Finally, the packed garment is re-exported to Israel and sold in the local market or exported under Israeli tags.

Hlihil's business is among the few that do the design and cutting themselves. "The work remains the same, it's routine," Hlihil says. During the Intifada, he kept producing, despite the harsh conditions. "Our situation was bad, doesn't get better and remains bad."

Hlihil's employees earn up to 20 dollars per day. The Israelis pay by piece. "It's simple," says Hlihil: "If we work, we earn." Sometimes there's no work at all and his employees have to find another way to bridge the income gap. Hlihil admits that planning is difficult, as work is on-demand.
According to the World Bank, unemployment in the West Bank has decreased to 16.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010. However, this number doesn't tell the whole story, because labour force participation rates are low and underemployment is high. Mohammad al-Aghbar, one of Hlihil's employees, finds it difficult to support his family if his income is unstable. "Before the Intifada," he says, "we used to have work every day. Also, our income was better, because our expenses were lower."

At Nablus's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chairman Kanaan says he's happy about the re- establishment of connections between Israeli businesses and Palestinian manufacturers. He doesn't regard the subcontracting in the textile production as problematic. "They get us money and our guys have work," he says with a smile.

Putting on a more serious look, Kanaan says: "Here in Nablus, we have trade, but not an economy!" He explains that because many factories were destroyed during the Intifada, local manufacturing struggles. "No value is produced here, there's only trade. But trade is only to move money from one pocket to the next."
In Nablus's manufacturing sector, only the furniture business has witnessed improvement, Kanaan points out. In Zawata, a village adjacent to Nablus, Amer Nayef Qatalony confirms says "the year 2010 was excellent, the best year since a long time." Qatalony is manager of the al-Khulood Furniture Factory.

In 2002, when the Israeli army assaulted Nablus constantly, put the city under curfew for almost 200 days and imposed complete closure, the company escaped to ar-Ram near Jerusalem. In 2006, it relocated to Nablus. "Since then, our situation has been improving slowly, but steadily," Qatalony says.

Qatalony says Chinese competition is pushing prices down and endangering local producers. He's sure though that many people know that furniture produced locally is superior. "Fortunately, many customers don't only look at the price."

Thanks to increasing sales, the company today employs about 90 people as compared to 30 before the uprising. "Our customers used to come from Israel and from all over the West Bank," he remembers. Now they're slowly coming back.

This report was written by Ray Smith and was published here by IPS Inter Press Service.

artículo: "hay comercio, pero no economía"

2011-04-19

[en] [fr]
la autoridad nacional palestina (ANP) se prepara para fundar un estado en el menor tiempo posible. pero su economía sigue muy dependiente de israel y a su industria le cuesta recuperarse de la segunda intifada, que estalló en 2000. (...) [>>>]

artículo: "Hay comercio, pero no economía"

2011-04-19

[en] [fr]
La Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP) se prepara para fundar un Estado en el menor tiempo posible. Pero su economía sigue muy dependiente de Israel y a su industria le cuesta recuperarse de la segunda Intifada, que estalló en 2000.

Los avances de la ANP en la creación de instituciones y mejora de las funciones del gobierno indican que está bien ubicado para crear un Estado, señala un informe del Banco Mundial y del coordinador especial de las Naciones Unidas para el Proceso de Medio Oriente.

El crecimiento del producto interno bruto de Cisjordania alcanzó 7,6 por ciento en 2010, dijo el Banco Mundial. Pero según la institución, el alza obedece al aporte de los donantes y "refleja una recuperación respecto del bajo nivel alcanzado durante la segunda Intifada", el alzamiento popular contra la ocupación israelí.

El crecimiento tampoco es sostenible y "sigue obstaculizado por las restricciones israelíes", señala el informe. No todos los sectores de la economía palestina crecen. La construcción está en auge, pero la producción industrial cayó casi seis por ciento, 10 por ciento por debajo del nivel registrado en 1999, según la institución.
Las principales calles de la ciudad de Nablús, entre los montes Ebal y Gerizim, en el norte de Cisjordania, que fueron destruidas por topadoras y tanques israelíes hace casi una década, ahora están repletas de automóviles y los semáforos reemplazaron el caos en el tránsito.

El complejo Al Mujamma, con vista a la parte antigua, tiene un centro comercial, un cine y alberga varias empresas y estación de taxis subterránea.

"No es como antes de la Intifada", advierte Basel H. Kanaan, presidente de la Cámara de Industria y Comercio de Nablús, pese a la cantidad de personas que se concentran los sábados en los bulliciosos mercados.

En Jan al Tujjar, en la Ciudad Vieja donde hace siglos se vendías ropas traídas de Damasco y El Cairo, ahora se comercializan productos de mala calidad, procedentes de China.

"Los productos chinos destruyen nuestros negocios", se lamentó Kanaa. Los fabricantes locales apenas pueden competir.

Desde hace tiempo, Nablús ha sido el centro más importante de tejidos y telas teñidas. La industria de la vestimenta solía fabricar ropa barata para los campesinos y la clase media de las ciudades.

Se estima que el subsector emplea actualmente unos 65.000 trabajadores, que contribuyen a 15 por ciento de la producción industrial. Nablús tiene la mayor concentración de empresas textiles. La mayoría de ellas tiene menos de 10 empleados.
Moaz Hlihil tiene 15 empleados en el barrio de Aqaba, en el casco antiguo. Su empresa funciona en una vieja casa de piedra con techo en forma de arco que está llena de ropa, hilos y cajas de madera. En una pared cuelga una fotografía del líder histórico Yasser Arafat (1929-2004), quien declaró unilateralmente la independencia de Palestina en 1988.

"Trabajamos con Israel", señaló Hlihil. "Las oportunidades son limitadas porque vivimos en estado de sitio. El Estado judío es el único mercado que tenemos", apuntó.

La mayoría de los fabricantes palestinos están subcontratados por empresas israelíes, que se benefician de los bajos salarios de Cisjordania.

La fabricación de ropa tiene varias etapas. Una vez que se tiene el diseño, se corta la tela y se cose. Luego se lava, se plancha, se embala y se distribuye. Los palestinos suelen dedicarse al corte. Cuando la ropa llega a Israel, se vende en el mercado local o se exporta con etiqueta israelí.

La empresa de Hlihil es una de las pocas que diseña y corta la tela. "El trabajo es el mismo, es una rutina", explicó. Durante la Intifada siguió produciendo, pese a las difícil conyuntura. "La situación era mala, no mejoró y sigue así", añadió.

Los empleados de Hlihil ganan 20 dólares al día. Los israelíes pagan por pieza. "Es fácil. Si trabajamos, ganamos", indicó. A veces no hay pedidos y los trabajadores se ven obligados a encontrar otra forma de mantener sus ingresos.

Es difícil planificar porque el trabajo depende de la demanda, reconoció.
El desempleo en Cisjordania disminuyó 16,9 por ciento en el último trimestre de 2010, según el Banco Mundial, pero sigue alto.

"Antes de la Intifada solíamos tener trabajo todos los días", señaló Mohammad al Abhbar, uno de los empleados de Hlihil. "Nuestros ingresos eran mejores porque nuestros gastos eran más bajos", añadió.

El presidente de la Cámara de Industria y Comercio de Nablús se mostró contento con la reanudación de los vínculos entre empresarios israelíes y fabricantes palestinos. Kanaan no considera que los subcontratos textiles sean un problema. "Nos dan dinero y nuestra gente tiene trabajo", señaló con una sonrisa.

"En Nablús tenemos comercio, pero no economía", apuntó, con expresión seria. La industria tiene problemas porque muchas fábricas fueron destruidas durante la Intifada. "No se produce valor aquí, sólo hay comercio, que hace circular el dinero de un bolsillo a otro", añadió.
Sólo los fabricantes de muebles mejoraron en Nablús, indicó Kanaan.

"El año 2010 fue excelente, el mejor después de mucho tiempo", señaló Amer Nayef Qatalony, del poblado de Zawata, vecino de esta ciudad.

Cuando el ejército atacó Nablús en 2002 y la ciudad estuvo bajo toque de queda por casi 200 días, la empresa escapó a ar-Ram, cerca de Jerusalén, pero en 2006 volvió a esta ciudad. "Desde entonces, nuestra situación mejora lentamente, pero de forma constante", indicó Qatalony.

La competencia china presiona los precios a la baja y pone en peligro a las empresas locales, explicó Qatalony, quien añadió que está seguro de que mucha gente sabe que los muebles palestinos son mejores. "Por suerte, no todos los clientes se fijan sólo en el precio", añadió.

El aumento de las ventas permitió a la compañía tener 90 empleados, respecto de los 30 antes del levantamiento popular de 2000. "Solían venir clientes de Israel y de toda Cisjordania", recordó. La tendencia se recupera lentamente.

Artículo original publicado en inglés por Ray Smith aquí en IPS Inter Press Service.

artículo: "Hay comercio, pero no economía"

2011-04-19

[en]
La Autoridad Nacional Palestina (ANP) se prepara para fundar un Estado en el menor tiempo posible. Pero su economía sigue muy dependiente de Israel y a su industria le cuesta recuperarse de la segunda Intifada, que estalló en 2000.

Los avances de la ANP en la creación de instituciones y mejora de las funciones del gobierno indican que está bien ubicado para crear un Estado, señala un informe del Banco Mundial y del coordinador especial de las Naciones Unidas para el Proceso de Medio Oriente.

El crecimiento del producto interno bruto de Cisjordania alcanzó 7,6 por ciento en 2010, dijo el Banco Mundial. Pero según la institución, el alza obedece al aporte de los donantes y "refleja una recuperación respecto del bajo nivel alcanzado durante la segunda Intifada", el alzamiento popular contra la ocupación israelí.

El crecimiento tampoco es sostenible y "sigue obstaculizado por las restricciones israelíes", señala el informe. No todos los sectores de la economía palestina crecen. La construcción está en auge, pero la producción industrial cayó casi seis por ciento, 10 por ciento por debajo del nivel registrado en 1999, según la institución.

Las principales calles de la ciudad de Nablús, entre los montes Ebal y Gerizim, en el norte de Cisjordania, que fueron destruidas por topadoras y tanques israelíes hace casi una década, ahora están repletas de automóviles y los semáforos reemplazaron el caos en el tránsito.

El complejo Al Mujamma, con vista a la parte antigua, tiene un centro comercial, un cine y alberga varias empresas y estación de taxis subterránea.

"No es como antes de la Intifada", advierte Basel H. Kanaan, presidente de la Cámara de Industria y Comercio de Nablús, pese a la cantidad de personas que se concentran los sábados en los bulliciosos mercados.

En Jan al Tujjar, en la Ciudad Vieja donde hace siglos se vendías ropas traídas de Damasco y El Cairo, ahora se comercializan productos de mala calidad, procedentes de China.

"Los productos chinos destruyen nuestros negocios", se lamentó Kanaa. Los fabricantes locales apenas pueden competir.

Desde hace tiempo, Nablús ha sido el centro más importante de tejidos y telas teñidas. La industria de la vestimenta solía fabricar ropa barata para los campesinos y la clase media de las ciudades.

Se estima que el subsector emplea actualmente unos 65.000 trabajadores, que contribuyen a 15 por ciento de la producción industrial. Nablús tiene la mayor concentración de empresas textiles. La mayoría de ellas tiene menos de 10 empleados.

Moaz Hlihil tiene 15 empleados en el barrio de Aqaba, en el casco antiguo. Su empresa funciona en una vieja casa de piedra con techo en forma de arco que está llena de ropa, hilos y cajas de madera. En una pared cuelga una fotografía del líder histórico Yasser Arafat (1929-2004), quien declaró unilateralmente la independencia de Palestina en 1988.

"Trabajamos con Israel", señaló Hlihil. "Las oportunidades son limitadas porque vivimos en estado de sitio. El Estado judío es el único mercado que tenemos", apuntó.

La mayoría de los fabricantes palestinos están subcontratados por empresas israelíes, que se benefician de los bajos salarios de Cisjordania.

La fabricación de ropa tiene varias etapas. Una vez que se tiene el diseño, se corta la tela y se cose. Luego se lava, se plancha, se embala y se distribuye. Los palestinos suelen dedicarse al corte. Cuando la ropa llega a Israel, se vende en el mercado local o se exporta con etiqueta israelí.

La empresa de Hlihil es una de las pocas que diseña y corta la tela. "El trabajo es el mismo, es una rutina", explicó. Durante la Intifada siguió produciendo, pese a las difícil conyuntura. "La situación era mala, no mejoró y sigue así", añadió.

Los empleados de Hlihil ganan 20 dólares al día. Los israelíes pagan por pieza. "Es fácil. Si trabajamos, ganamos", indicó. A veces no hay pedidos y los trabajadores se ven obligados a encontrar otra forma de mantener sus ingresos.

Es difícil planificar porque el trabajo depende de la demanda, reconoció.

El desempleo en Cisjordania disminuyó 16,9 por ciento en el último trimestre de 2010, según el Banco Mundial, pero sigue alto.

"Antes de la Intifada solíamos tener trabajo todos los días", señaló Mohammad al Abhbar, uno de los empleados de Hlihil. "Nuestros ingresos eran mejores porque nuestros gastos eran más bajos", añadió.

El presidente de la Cámara de Industria y Comercio de Nablús se mostró contento con la reanudación de los vínculos entre empresarios israelíes y fabricantes palestinos. Kanaan no considera que los subcontratos textiles sean un problema. "Nos dan dinero y nuestra gente tiene trabajo", señaló con una sonrisa.

"En Nablús tenemos comercio, pero no economía", apuntó, con expresión seria. La industria tiene problemas porque muchas fábricas fueron destruidas durante la Intifada. "No se produce valor aquí, sólo hay comercio, que hace circular el dinero de un bolsillo a otro", añadió.

Sólo los fabricantes de muebles mejoraron en Nablús, indicó Kanaan.

"El año 2010 fue excelente, el mejor después de mucho tiempo", señaló Amer Nayef Qatalony, del poblado de Zawata, vecino de esta ciudad.

Cuando el ejército atacó Nablús en 2002 y la ciudad estuvo bajo toque de queda por casi 200 días, la empresa escapó a ar Ram, cerca de Jerusalén, pero en 2006 volvió a esta ciudad. "Desde entonces, nuestra situación mejora lentamente, pero de forma constante", indicó Qatalony.

La competencia china presiona los precios a la baja y pone en peligro a las empresas locales, explicó Qatalony, quien añadió que está seguro de que mucha gente sabe que los muebles palestinos son mejores. "Por suerte, no todos los clientes se fijan sólo en el precio", añadió.

El aumento de las ventas permitió a la compañía tener 90 empleados, respecto de los 30 antes del levantamiento popular de 2000. "Solían venir clientes de Israel y de toda Cisjordania", recordó. La tendencia se recupera lentamente.

Artículo original publicado en inglés por Ray Smith aquí en IPS Inter Press Service.

video: "invasion in balata camp"

2007-05-25

[en]
am 24. mai 2007 stürmte die israelische besatzungsarmee einmal mehr das flüchtlingslager balata in nablus. sie verhaftete mehrere personen. hier ein kurzes, von der research journalism initiative produziertes und von a-films bearbeitetes und übersetztes video zur militäroperation.



der clip kann hier heruntergeladen werden.

video: "jugendliche als schutzschilde missbraucht"

2007-04-11

[en]
in einer militäroperation nahe des flüchtlingslagers balata (nablus, besetztes palästina) am 11. april 2007 zwangen israelische soldaten zwei jugendliche, ihnen als menschliche schutzschilder zu dienen. ein video-aktivist von der research journalism initiative, der a-films nahe steht, filmte diese und weitere szenen der militäroperation.



der clip steht hier zum download bereit.

video: "operation heisser winter"

2007-02-25

[en] [fr]
am 25. februar 2007 drangen die israelischen besatzungstruppen in der stadt nablus in der nördlichen west bank ein. die armee fokussierte ihre operation speziell auf das yasmine- und das qariyon-quartier in der altstadt. während des viertägigen angriffes waren zehntausende menschen in ihren häusern eingeschlossen, die israelische armee stürmte dutzende häuser und verhaftete unzählige menschen. sie misshandelte journalisten und sanitäter und benutzte sogar palästinensische zivilisten als menschliche schutzschilde. die besatzungstruppen töteten eine person und verletzten dutzende weitere. diese militäroperation war eine der grössten ihrer art in nablus seit zwei, drei jahren.
während der operation produzierten aktivisten von research journalism initiative und von a-films täglich kurze videoreporte von den geschehnissen. hier können die clips vom 1. tag, vom 2. tag und vom 4. tag der operation und ein interview mit einem mädchen, welches als schutzschild benutzt wurde und dem verletzten sohn des shahids 'anan al-tibi angeschaut werden.

1. tag


2. tag


4. tag


interview 1


interview 2


hier sind qualitativ bessere versionen vom 1. tag, vom 2. tag, vom 4. tag, vom interview mit jihan und vom interview mit ashraf verfügbar.

video: "il vicolo"

2007-02-11

[en] [de] [es] [fr]
il film presenta gli aspetti dell'attuale situazione politica ed economica del campo rifugiati balata a nablus (palestina). fornisce allo spettatore sguardi e voci di questa comunità così duramente colpita. il film comincia mostrando i venditori di verdura e altri residenti in balata e si conclude in un negozio di dolci ai confini del campo; mostra una forma di occupazione a cui palestinesi sono obbligati a causa dell'occupazione israeliana.
questo film è una produzione congiunta tra a-films e research journalism initiative ed é stato girato nel febbraio 2007.

parte 1


parte 2


questo breve documentario può essere scaricato in piena qualità e durata qui e su indymedia.