Eid Joys Absent in West Bank as Trade Activities Decline
(AWP) - The joys of the Eid Al Adha celebrations have been absent in Nablus, as in the other cities of the West Bank, due to the Israeli war on Gaza and the escalation in the West Bank, which has been made worse by the deteriorating economic conditions.
Market activity has been low, as people have declined to purchase Eidiyya (sacrificial animals in Islam) and Eid garments as a result of a price hike and plummeting purchasing power.
“Conditions are much worse than they used to be. This is reminiscent of the time of coronavirus, but is even tougher,” said Bakr Khandaqji, a merchant in Nablus.
“The economic situation in Nablus is zero. The Israeli occupation army is tightening the security noose on the city, and barricades are everywhere,” he added.
Other traders said they had decided to lower prices and minimize their profit margins to encourage people to buy, and to ease matters for them, given the crushing economic crisis.
“Prices are normal. Many people think that they are high, but in fact they are normal. All of the merchants are taking the current state of affairs into consideration,” said a merchant named Fouad.
However, consumers believe that the prices are high and above their means, which is the main the reason trade activities are plunging.
Mostafa Ya’eish, a citizen in Nablus, said that prices were decreasing in only one scenario—when merchants showed compassion for the people.
“The people’s conditions are so tough. May God help them! Things are so different from what they used to be 10 years ago,” he added.
Majdi al-Masry, another local of Nablus, said that trade activities were at zero compared to the past, adding that the people’s financial status is bad.