One of the most prominent landmarks of the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem is its souks (markets) which are an integral part of its Arab identity and they are distinguished by their boutiques and magnificent architecture. These bazaars are considered the backbone of the city’s economy.
These markets acquired their names from the types of merchandise sold in them or were named after famous people places or landmarks. They are connected with each other by a large network of intersecting roads yards and passages.
However the old souks of Jerusalem are struggling to exist in light of Israel’s hectic efforts to Judaize the holy city and steal its identity.
Souk al-Hosur
One of these markets is Souk al-Hosur and it was given this name because merchants there were in the past active in the sale of handicrafts made of palm fronds and straw like mats and baskets. Nowadays visitors can no longer find such things in this market.
Souk al-Hosur is one of the smallest bazaars in the Old City of Jerusalem with only 13 stores and some of them are closed or used for storage purposes because of arbitrary Israeli measures like heavy taxes. The other stores sell tourist products and souvenirs.
Khaled al-Khatib one of the storeowners in the market told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that in the past merchants used to sell mats and products made of palm fronds and straw that were brought from Nablus and Gaza but such commercial activity in the market subsided and vanished after Israel built a wall around Jerusalem.
Khatib also recalled that there was a popular café called al-Bashoura in the market which contained a spring and local residents were frequenting it to take water from it pointing out that the old merchants of the market had died long time ago.
He complained of the commercial stagnation which the Old City markets suffer from and of Israel’s attempts to Judaize their Old City after it gave its streets Hebrew names.
