Palestinians: The strike united us and harmed Israel economically and politically

As soon as the general strike was declared in all aspects of life in “historic Palestine” as a victory for Gaza and a rejection of the Israeli war against it and the city of Jerusalem and its people, the Palestinian masses collapsed in all their places of existence, and he answered the call of the strike in defiance of the racist Israeli occupation policy against the Palestinians.

And he was not mindful of the repercussions of this strike on them politically and economically. The Palestinians fell under the wing of a comprehensive strike, announcing a “state of unity” in which all results, however harsh, would be blunted. Read alsoThe comprehensive strike … a militant approach that unites the Palestinians and establishes a new phaseCalls for a comprehensive strike in the West Bank and the 48 regions … to condemn the Israeli aggression on Gaza and JerusalemCalls for a general mobilization … a general strike in the areas of the Green Line and the West Bank governoratesThe occupation threatens to cut off electricity to Gaza, and the resistance continues the bombing .. Israel: The rockets that targeted us are the most numerous in our history

And this strike – as seen by professor of political economy at An-Najah University, Bakr Shtayyeh, is not measured by its one-day economic impact, as there are great national and political dimensions that embodied the “unity of historic Palestine” with a strike like the one that has not been witnessed since the famous Palestinian strike in 1936.

Shtayyeh said – in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net – that economic accounts are dwarfed by national gains and concepts, and that an entire generation “suffers ignorance in this aspect” of the importance of the Palestinian national system and its unity between the West Bank and Gaza, the occupied interior and Jerusalem.

No losses for awareness

Shtayyeh believed that the strike is one of several tools – such as the International Boycott of Israel (BDS) movement – that this generation can achieve and work to raise the level of patriotism in the Palestinian society in all its spectrums and the geography of its regions.

At the local level, Shtayyeh ruled out – and in the abstract sense – any losses or a major impact of the already usual Palestinian economy on losses in light of various crises, as closing shops or factories for a day does not affect their being “deferred profits.”

As for workers inside Israel, they will suffer more if the closure continues, especially since Israel announced today that workers under the age of 45 will not be allowed to enter it.

But on the other hand, the losses will be great on Israel even for one day – according to Shtayyeh – and the Palestinian gift could cause an imbalance in the Israeli economy and increase and expand with the widening of the strike area, such as if workers stop going to work inside Israel on the condition that they are compensated by Palestinians as they are the “most marginalized group in society.” .

He added that the effect is doubled when Palestinian merchants and agents of Israeli products stop importing occupation goods, especially those that have a Palestinian alternative.

An economic study conducted by the Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) recently indicates that the volume of trade exchange with Israel – which can be replaced by Palestinian products – is estimated at one billion and 150 million dollars, and these provide 70,000 job opportunities if the Palestinian economic resources are well utilized.

It suffices from this strike – according to Shtayyeh’s words – to “open the eyes” of this young Palestinian generation on how and mechanisms to harm Israel and to pain it by all means of striking and boycotting its products.

Consequently, when the Palestinians rise up, and the local and international media and social networking sites buzz about their national issues and how to get rid of their dependency on Israel, this is a “national achievement for which any economic losses are dwarfed.”

Supportive of the Palestinian economy

For his part, Mahmoud Nawajah – from the International Movement for Boycott and Sanctions on Israel (BDS) – believes that the strike is a form of civil disobedience and resistance as well, and it does not harm the Palestinian economy, but rather strengthens it through widespread calls to boycott the products of the occupation, and thus support the national economy. .

Nawajah confirms – in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net – that the strike harmed and paralyzed the occupation, and in return showed that the Palestinians are willing to pay the price for their freedom.

According to Nawajaa, Israel is already facing large economic losses, but it does not declare it, as it is losing 2% of its military manufacturing, or about 37 billion dollars annually, and foreign investment has decreased by 47%, and its exports to the Palestinian market have decreased according to the World Bank 24 %.

Regardless of its economic impact, the strike remains its political significance by uniting all groups of the Palestinian people – especially in the occupied Palestinian interior in 1948 – on major fundamental and national issues related to its position on the occupation and the establishment of its Palestinian state as an integral part of the Palestinian people.

Thwart “captivity” and domestication

Thus, Imtans Shehadeh, a Palestinian academic and a former member of the Knesset, believes – in his speech to Al-Jazeera Net – that the strike confirmed “their Palestinian roots and depth, and the failure of the occupation’s attempts to separate them from their people and families by taming them and raising their awareness.”

The strike also thwarted attempts to push the Palestinians of the interior to “settle for daily living issues,” and this – according to Shehadeh – will change the rules of the game and awareness, “which is the most important in this area.”

Economically, Israel is practically losing and affected by this strike – according to Shehadeh – who confirmed that the Israeli economic facilities have paralyzed, especially the workers, construction and transportation sectors, which were disrupted by more than 50% because they are based on Arab drivers to a large extent, and therefore this disturbs the Israeli establishment and fails its plans.

Shehadeh pointed out that the cost of the Israeli war on Gaza is estimated at more than 900 million dollars per day, distributed over military equipment, Iron Dome missiles, army reserve recruitment, unemployment, work disruption, closure of economic facilities, and more.

Although it was for one day, the Palestinians ’strike today brought them back to their famous strike in 1936, which lasted 6 months and led them to launch their major revolution against the English occupier.

It also paved the way for Palestinian strikes later during their various intifada, especially the stone intifada in 1987 and the Al-Aqsa intifada in 2000, which is what many Palestinians have shared on their various accounts on social media today.