Latest news with #Daraghmeh
Days of Palestine
3 days ago
- Business
- Days of Palestine
West Bank Farmers Reeling Under Closures
DaysofPal- Farmers in the Jordan Valley and northern West Bank are facing devastating losses due to Israeli-imposed closures, land confiscation, and unchecked competition from settlement-grown produce. The ongoing military lockdowns on Palestinian cities and crossings have disrupted the agricultural season, compounding the damage caused by Israel's policies of forced displacement and annexation in the region. These compounded pressures have severely undermined one of the most vital economic sectors in the occupied Palestinian territories. The northern West Bank and Jordan Valley—critical areas for fresh produce supply across Palestine—have seen widespread agricultural damage. Farmers report that skyrocketing production costs, combined with a sharp decline in local market prices, have made it almost impossible to break even. Maen Daraghmeh, a farmer from the region, said he cultivated 20 dunams of cucumbers and courgettes this season but suffered heavy financial losses due to oversupply in the markets. Speaking to Quds Press, Daraghmeh noted the paradox that while Palestinian cities are under blockade and movement is heavily restricted, the markets remain flooded with agricultural goods from Israeli settlements. These products, he said, are outcompeting Palestinian-grown produce. 'There should first be guidance for farmers on market demand, followed by a ban on importing goods and crops from settlements or abroad,' Daraghmeh said. 'Finally, we need proper regulation of how vegetables are marketed and distributed to help maintain the farmers' morale, livelihoods, and presence in the market.' Daraghmeh's comments echo broader calls from Palestinian farmers and agricultural organizations for national policy reforms that support local agriculture and resist economic domination by settlement industries. Without such protections, many fear that Palestinian farmers will be pushed out of the market entirely. Shortlink for this post:
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Parts of Gaza without internet after cable cut: Palestinian Authority - War on Gaza
The Palestinian Authority said internet and fixed-line communication services were down in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday as a result of damage to the territory's main fibre optic cable it blamed on Israel. Its telecommunications ministry reported "a disruption in fixed internet services and landline communications in central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip due to a new outage on one of the main routes as a result of the ongoing (Israeli) aggression". Laith Daraghmeh, CEO of the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, told AFP on Tuesday afternoon that "one hour ago, we got a new fibre cut, that's why right now we have no connectivity in south and central Gaza". Daraghmeh recalled that internet services in the two areas had also been cut for six hours on Monday before teams were able to repair damaged fibre optic cables. Internet and telecommunications were severed in all of the Gaza Strip for more than three days last week after telecoms workers were denied access to a damaged cable, the PA said. The ministry blamed Israeli forces for the outage, a claim Israel has not commented on. Now in its 21st month, the war in Gaza has caused massive damage to infrastructure across the Palestinian territory, including water mains, power lines and roads. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
