RAMALLAH: Israel has escalated a trade war with the Palestinians by stopping their agricultural exports through Jordan, Palestinian Agriculture Minister Riyal Al-Attari said on Saturday.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) opened a new front in their decades-long conflict with a trade dispute that began in October and has escalated over the past week.
“Yesterday, the director of Israeli crossings informed all exporters and all relevant parties that all Palestinian agriculture products would be banned from export to world markets through the Jordanian crossing starting Sunday,” Al-Attari told Voice of Palestine Radio.
Israeli and Jordanian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In October, the PA announced a boycott of Israeli calves. Last weekend Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said he would halt all PA agricultural imports, which in turn prompted the PA to say it would end imports of Israeli agricultural products, fruit juice and bottled water.
Those moves have frayed trade links that have generally held strong since the two sides signed interim peace accords in the 1990s, even weathering the collapse in 2014 of peace talks.
Bilateral tensions have been further fueled by the announcement of US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan which has prompted a string of violent incidents in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
The actions of the PA, whose power base is in the West Bank, in part reflect greater efforts to end what its leaders — including new Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh — see as an over-dependence on Israeli markets.
“We are at a critical political moment and we completely understand the negative impact that will result from these measures, but I say with all confidence that that negative impact will also affect the Israeli economy,” said Al-Attari. “We have several options and measures with which we can respond to each Israeli decision that aims to harm our national economy,” he added.
Israel bans Palestinian agricultural exports via Jordan
https://arab.news/6bdsr
Israel bans Palestinian agricultural exports via Jordan
- The trade dispute between Israel and Palestine began in October
- Israeli and Jordanian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment
GCC states ‘face reliance on Saudi Arabia for food imports’
- With 70 percent of food coming through Strait of Hormuz, analysts warn of inevitable shortages
DUBAI: Some Gulf states may have to rely on overland food deliveries from Saudi Arabia if the US-Israel-Iran war continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and restrict regional airspace, analysts warned on Thursday.
The region is up to 90 percent dependent on food imports, and price surges and scarcity of some goods are expected.
“With over 70 percent of GCC foodstuffs being imported through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf states face shortages if the war persists,” said Neil Quilliam of the Chatham House think tank.
“While GCC countries have taken steps to diversify suppliers and ensure sufficient stores to withstand disruption, this can only last several months. At this point, price increases and longer lead times will start to hit the markets.”
Commodities analyst Ishan Bhanu said: “The biggest immediate effect will be due to the blockade of Jebel Ali in Dubai, serving about 50 million people. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq effectively become landlocked and will depend on overland routes through Saudi Arabia.”
Bottlenecks are yet to show and the UAE has said its strategic reserves of vital goods cover four to six months of needs. It urged residents to report unjustified price increases through a dedicated hotline.
Supermarket staff throughout the Gulf said shelves remain largely stocked, though suppliers are taking longer to replenish certain products. Iran’s strikes on the Gulf since Saturday prompted panic buying in supermarkets, a dry run for what could come.
“Perception of risk matters, and even if stocks are sufficient now, public runs on supermarkets can spook the public,” Quilliam said.
