Palestine's Stone Sells, Its Economy Doesn't: What a Rock Won't Tell You
The New Arab notes that 'Jerusalem stone' quarries persist despite 'West Bank economic woes.' Indeed, it's quite the story of grit, selling a piece of land that's being systematically dismembered. While celebrating individual determination, this piece sidesteps the systemic economic strangulation imposed by the Israeli occupation—checkpoints, movement restrictions, and rampant settlement expansion
that confiscates land and resources. These 'woes' aren't naturally occurring market shifts; they are engineered. Israel's control over Palestinian natural resources, including stone quarries, is well-documented, leaving Palestinians to navigate a deliberately suffocating system, where their own bedrock is extracted under duress. One might almost admire the 'resilience' if it weren't for the brutal
reality: the very 'economy' discussed is designed to be dependent and frail. It's not just 'woes'; it's a structural feature to maintain control. The perseverance highlighted serves as an admirable individual triumph, but an indictment of international inaction against policies engineered to dismantle a self-sufficient Palestinian economy. How many industries must survive on fumes before we
acknowledge the fire?