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A truck moves through the Jerusalem stone limestone quarry in Beit Fajar, located eight kilometers south of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on November 10, 2025. — AFP
Despite the devastating condition of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, who manages a quarry in the West Bank, proudly observes a convoy of machinery actively cutting into towering walls of dusty white rock stretching into the horizon.
“This is considered the primary income source for the entire area,” Atrash stated at the site near Beit Fajjar, close to Hebron.
The quarry produces Jerusalem stone, the renowned light-colored rock used across the Holy Land and beyond for thousands of years, giving the region its characteristic architectural appeal.
However, Atrash, in his fifties, expressed concern: “Our livelihood is constantly threatened.”
“Lately, it feels like the occupation (Israel) has started targeting us economically,” he added.
Atrash is worried about potential confiscation of industrial equipment, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements, and the worsening Palestinian financial crisis.
The conflict in Gaza, initiated by Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel, dealt a harsh blow to an economy already in decline.
According to a late November report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Palestinian territories are currently experiencing “the worst economic crisis ever recorded.”
Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, has recently established hundreds of new checkpoints, disrupting commercial transportation.
Restrictions extend beyond mobility; the halt of permits for West Bank Palestinians seeking work in Israel has hit hard.
Soaring Costs
“There are issues with exports and market access because we previously exported most of our stone to Israel, but after October 7, things became difficult,” explained Ibrahim Jaradat, whose family has operated a quarry near Sair—close to Hebron—for over four decades.
The Palestinian Authority, which holds limited civilian authority in parts of the West Bank, is approaching bankruptcy.
Atrash remarked that public services are worse than ever, with fixed costs like water and electricity skyrocketing.
Quarries contribute 4.5% to Palestinian GDP and employ nearly 20,000 individuals, according to the Hebron Chamber of Commerce.
About 65% of exports go to Israel, where some municipalities require Jerusalem stone for construction.
“Most of our buyers are Israelis who resell the stone to construction sites,” said Abu Walid Riyad Gaith, a 65-year-old quarry operator.
He lamented what he perceives as a lack of support from Arab nations, which he claims do not purchase enough of the stone.
‘Afraid to Build’
Other risks threaten the industry. Most of the roughly 300 quarries in the West Bank are situated in Area C, a region under full Israeli control that encompasses the majority of settlements.
“Many Israeli settlers pass through here, and if Israel annexes parts of Palestine, these areas will be among the first,” stated one operator who requested anonymity.
Certain members of Israel’s government, noted for being among the most right-wing ever, openly discuss plans to annex parts or the entirety of the West Bank.
International law considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.
They are expanding faster than at any time since at least 2017, when the UN began tracking such growth, according to a recent UN report.
The physical demands of quarry work are intense, yet many Palestinians have limited alternatives as their economy deteriorates.
“We are working ourselves to exhaustion,” Atrash said, pointing to his ten laborers shoveling in large pits, clouds of dust covering them in white residue.
In a neighboring quarry, a former geography teacher, blinking and coughing amid strenuous work, shared that due to the Palestinian Authority’s budget crisis, he no longer receives a salary and has sought employment in the only sector still hiring.
All workers interviewed reported suffering from back, eye, and throat issues.
“We call it white gold because it usually brings significant income,” said Laith Derriyeh, who works for a stonemason.
“But now, everything is complicated. It’s very hard to envision a future.”
“People have no money, and those who do are afraid to build,” he added.
Jamaal, who has been cutting limestone for 40 years, used a cutter alongside his colleagues at a Jerusalem stone factory in Beit Fajar, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by workers in this essential industry.
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