Palestinian business owners in the Old City in Jerusalem said that around 35% of their commercial stores were forced to close in the past six months. This announcement came during a news conference held by the merchants of the Old City on Thursday. They spoke in detail about the aggressive measures the Israeli occupation practices against Palestinians, including harassment, humiliating inspection, intimidation, and arrests at the gates of the Old City. Such measures made the citizens reluctant to visit the Old City and reduced the number of people who visit the area.

Khaled Al-Saheb, Head of the Jerusalem Merchants’ Association, said that around 25% - 35% of the Old City’s stores were forced to shut down during the past six months due to the Israeli occupation’s measures, the taxation policy, and the attempts to instill terror in Palestinians. Such attempts include the intensive presence of Israeli troops on the streets and the daily humiliating inspections of Palestinians.

He called for strengthening the steadfastness of the Jerusalemite merchants and preparing a Palestinian strategy to face Israel’s attempts to expel them from the Old City. He stressed that the volume of purchases in the Old City market dropped to about 80%.