52.6% of economic establishments in the northern West Bank governorates have closed due to the occupation.

The results of a field survey conducted by the Ministry of National Economy on the impact of systematic Israeli attacks and violations on the Palestinian economy revealed the extent of the economic deterioration in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas, which are witnessing repeated incursions and raids.

The survey comes at a time when the Palestinian economy is shrinking by 28%, amidst the genocide perpetrated by the occupation authorities against our people since October 2023, the systematic destruction of the economic infrastructure, and the installation of more than 1,000 military checkpoints and barriers in the West Bank, according to data from the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

The survey was conducted during the first quarter of this year, compared to its counterparts in 2023 and 2024. It included a sample of 523 economic establishments in these governorates, representing various production and service sectors. The data results showed that:

52.6% of establishments ceased operations, either permanently or temporarily. The highest percentage was in Jenin Governorate, at 83.1%, followed by Tulkarm Governorate, at 82.9%, Tubas Governorate, at 23.1%, and Nablus Governorate, at 12.3%.

18.7% of establishments suffered direct material damage as a result of attacks by the occupation and settlers, causing direct damage to one of their fixed assets or owned goods.

87.4% of establishments are operating below their usual production capacity, due to movement restrictions, supply disruptions, and loss of local markets, with the average decline in production capacity reaching 58.4%.

92% of establishments reported a decline in monthly revenue, with an average decline of 58% compared to the same period last year.

There was a 16.2% decrease in the number of workers in the establishments covered by the survey, particularly in Tubas Governorate by 38.5%, and in Jenin Governorate by 34%.

The survey shows that small and micro enterprises were the most affected, due to their limited financial or logistical resilience. Seventy-four percent of these business owners reported difficulties in sourcing raw materials, and 62% faced significant delays in delivering products to markets.

The survey results revealed that women-owned businesses were among the most affected groups, with 80% of women reporting a significant decline in sales volume, and more than 60% reporting a partial or complete shutdown of operations.

98.3% of economic establishments reported that one of the reasons for their declining performance was the repeated and ongoing Israeli incursions, while 93.3% of establishments indicated that the decline in purchasing activity by citizens was also a reason for their declining economic performance.

85.9% of businesses reported difficulties in moving and distributing goods between governorates, particularly due to military checkpoints. Meanwhile, 77.8% of businesses indicated that the inability of Palestinians from the 1948 territories to reach the northern West Bank governorates was one of the reasons for their sales decline.