The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

Since October 2023, Gaza's entire economy has crumbled and poverty has skyrocketed, while the West Bank's businesses are grappling with settler aggression and tightened movement restrictions. Following the onset of the Gaza war, Israel halted the majority of work permits for Palestinians within its borders, simultaneously withholding billions in tax revenues collected for the Palestinian Authority, forcing public servants to receive only a fraction of their salaries.

Israel has also persistently threatened to sever the banking ties that link Palestinian financial institutions to the global economy. However, this catastrophic economic situation was not an overnight phenomenon but rather the culmination of decades of policies that deeply entwined the Palestinian economy with Israel's financial system, rendering it highly susceptible to collapse.

In this installment of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher delves into the intricate relationship between the Palestinian and Israeli economies, and the precariousness of the Palestinian economy in the current climate. She engages in conversation with Palestinian economist Raja Khalidi, policy manager Jalal Abukhater from digital rights group 7amleh, and Bethlehem tour guide Kamal Mukarker, who sheds light on the harsh realities faced by Palestinians as their economy appears to be methodically choked.