RAMALLAH: Samuel Dalou, whose family has run a produce market in the West Bank city of Ramallah for decades, was astonished when local farmers suddenly began arriving in droves offering fresh produce at extremely competitive prices.
When Ahmad Salim arrived from Jenin to offer his produce, Dalou half jokingly asked how he had managed to infiltrate the border to bring such high-quality Israeli vegetables. “This is from our farms in Jenin,” Salim proudly replied.
Dalou, whose family fled to Ramallah from Lydda in 1948, was further taken aback when he heard the price Salim was offering — roughly half what he was able to obtain through the regular middlemen who brought Israeli produce.
Salim, like many young Palestinians, became a farmer out of necessity. “Since I was young, I enjoyed reading world literature and philosophy,” he told Arab News.
“But the conditions of life forced me to adapt. When the Israelis stopped all work permits, I focused my efforts on helping others return to our land.
“My brother installed solar panels to pump and provide water to previously unused areas. I supported my friend Ehab and encouraged him to establish an agricultural nursery.

“We found ways to get seeds from around the world and even from Israel to produce competitive produce that meets the needs of the Palestinian market.”
Ehab Yasin, a former laborer in Israel, told Arab News he began his nursery on previously abandoned land. Prior to this, he had squandered his time on long commutes to work in Israel.
“Now, I earn as much as I did working in Israel, spend time with my family, and I can see a brighter future ahead,” he said.
“I started with one dunum (1,000 square meters) and expanded to two, but the demand for seedlings, both traditional produce like tomatoes and cucumbers and various other assortments, exceeds what we can supply.”
Yasin, 34, lives in Deir Abu Deef, a village in the Jenin Governorate. Although the village has a large number of greenhouses, it receives the least amount of national or regional support. For Yasin, the biggest challenge right now is keeping his seedlings warm through the winter.
“I’m using traditional methods, burning wood for heat, but I hope to establish a proper heating system for my greenhouses. It will cost around ILS 50,000 (about $16,000),” he said.
“I have established an agricultural society with the hope of finding ways to grow and expand our work both in quantity and quality, and variety of seedlings.”
Salim emphasized the agricultural potential of the Jenin area.

“We’re now producing a variety of crops, including avocados, guavas, and a successful brand of Palestinian broccoli,” he said. “Much of what we are producing was once imported from Israel. Many farmers have also planted apple trees similar to those from the Golan Heights.
“While Palestinian vegetables are abundant and of good quality, Israel still excels in fruits, which had no competition until recently.”
Israeli agricultural exports to the occupied territories are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Following the cancellation of work permits for Palestinian laborers after the Gaza war began in October 2023, many found themselves without jobs.
Concurrently, local producers faced restrictions on accessing Israeli markets due to stringent border and customs controls.
Dalou said that while there was a temporary shortage of products, Palestinian stores eventually adapted by tapping into Palestinian markets.
One challenge they encountered was the unstable security situation in Nablus, home to the largest produce market in northern Palestine.
“It didn’t take long for decision makers to decide to create a new market in the relatively peaceful village of Beita, although access to Beita is not always guaranteed due to sudden Israeli closures.”
The burgeoning success of Palestinian agriculture is not solely a byproduct of the Gaza war. For years, there has been a gradual decline in Palestinian reliance on Israel for fruits and vegetables, driven by local decisions to protect domestic produce and boycott settlement goods.

This shift has enhanced self-sufficiency and resilience, despite ongoing restrictions that limit the growth of the Palestinian agricultural sector.
Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh introduced a policy of gradual disengagement aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and reducing dependence on Israel for food.
This strategy promoted local production through the establishment of “development clusters,” fostering smart and sustainable agriculture, activating Arab partnerships, and leveraging modern technology to enhance efficiency and meet the demand for key crops.
Riyad Al-Attari, the former Palestinian minister of agriculture, highlighted the significance of this initiative, targeting 10,000 dunams in Qalqilya, an area surrounded by the separation wall that is home to 108,000 Palestinian citizens across 34 communities, four of them Bedouin.
The plan aimed to bolster the agricultural sector and enhance resilience against the backdrop of occupation.
“The plan will serve as a strategic response to the Israeli project aimed at emptying the land and replacing its inhabitants with settlers,” Al-Attari said.
“Qalqilya is the first stop on this development journey, where 52,000 Israeli settlers reside, surrounded by a 52 kilometer-long apartheid wall.”
He said these clusters “represent a new trend in Palestine, aligning with the Palestinian government’s goals of optimal resource utilization, land reclamation, and strengthening water resources.”
The initiative is expected to fortify the agricultural sector, contributing to food security and creating job opportunities.

Al-Attari said the plan will gradually enable Palestinians to reduce their reliance on Israeli agricultural products, particularly fruits, which currently account for significant imports.
“Any product that achieves self-sufficiency will be prevented from entering any market, whether Israeli or otherwise,” he said.
The Palestinian government has designated Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Jenin as agricultural clusters focused on Palestinian fruits and vegetables, while Nablus and Hebron are recognized as industrial clusters.
Bethlehem is identified as a tourist cluster, and Jericho and the Jordan Valley are envisioned as multi-functional agricultural, industrial, and tourist hubs.
Besides allowing laborers to cultivate their own land, the travel restrictions imposed on Palestinian workers by Israel have also freed up time to spend more time with family.
Salim says many former laborers have made a conscious decision to focus on their own land and their families.
“My friends have told me they will work on their land, spend time with their families, but will never return to work in Israel,” he said.
Not all Palestinian farmers have seen their fortunes improve. In many parts of the West Bank, agricultural output has actually declined amid a contraction in the farming workforce and falling sector income, even as farmers shoulder rising costs and tighter movement restrictions.

While some families have tried to revive long-abandoned plots or expand smallholdings to compensate for the loss of wage work, they are doing so in an environment rights groups describe as one of “persistent intimidation.”
Israeli army raids in and around West Bank refugee camps have intensified since the Gaza war began, driving fresh waves of displacement among residents and shopkeepers, while emboldened settler groups have stepped up attacks on isolated farming communities.
As the resilience of many Palestinian farmers grows, it appears a new agricultural landscape is emerging — one that promises hope, sustainability, and self-sufficiency. However, while the occupation continues, long-term success is far from guaranteed.