On the eve of Eid Al-Adha the Muslim Day of Sacrifice the markets of Jerusalem saw a demand for Eid supplies such as sweets and clothes in addition to animals for the purpose of sacrifice. However merchants believe that the purchasing power this year is weak compared to past occasions.
Merchant Mustafa Abu Zahra described the economic situation as one of the most difficult that the city of Jerusalem in particular and the West Bank in general have due to the lack of work.
He told the PIC reporter that consumers are trying to minimize their needs due to the weak economic conditions due to the restrictions imposed on the city of Jerusalem for years as well as preventing residents from the West Bank from visiting it.
He added “This leads to limiting business in the holy city especially in the old town which suffers from economic isolation.”
He explained that “There is an increase in selling goods such as clothes desserts meat and other basic items for the holiday” adding however that it is not as strong as it used to be during the past occasions.
Salah Al-Halhuli complained about the weakness of the purchasing power in the Herbs Market of the old town of Jerusalem pushing some traders to close their shops and open shops in other places stressing that the situation became intolerable and very dangerous.
“People do not reach the markets of the old town and this is a big mistake” Abu Zahra said. “Some go to the Israeli markets and this is another mistake. Where do they belong and where are the campaigns to encourage them to reach the old town? Where are the young people?”
He denied that the prices of shops in the old town are high stressing “We sell at lower prices than Israeli markets.”
He asked people to come to the old town of Jerusalem at least without buying noting: “During the past holidays I used to close my shop at one o’clock in the morning but now I close early.”
Meat merchants confirm that “The demand for animals used for sacrifice is not as it was in the past.” Recently there has been a decline in the number of buyers due to the difficult economic situation in addition to the lack of farms that sell animals in Jerusalem.
Merchants at the Butchers Market in the old town in Jerusalem are suffering from recession because of the policies of the Israeli occupation in the holy city which have led to the deterioration of the economic situation as more than 90% of the stores have shut down.
