Business owners and importers-exporters know the secret that Hebron is where many Israeli products are manufactured.
Many factories in the Palestinian Authority side of Hebron do brisk, regular business with Israel, as described in a report by Kan 11. Israeli journalists visited several Hebron factories and spoke with their owners about their business relationship with Israel.
There is a fair chance that Israelis have eaten in a kitchen made in Hebron without realizing it. Architects and designers in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities order products manufactured in the many PA industrial companies in Hebron. High tech robotic machinery creates sinks, countertops, etc., made to order from places such as the Arab-owned Qandeel furniture factory.
H1 Hebron is the largest, most populated, most advanced, most industrialized, most prosperous city in the Palestinian Authority. Trucks with PA-made products are delivered to Israel every day.
An Israeli brand name logo is added to the merchandise after it crosses the green line. Mattresses are a big business in Hebron. One such factory has 150 employees.
Zamzam plastic factory in Hebron has been suppling Israeli with plastic bags for 50 years. They produce 50 tons every day with 75% going to Israel.
For plastic products used in cooking and storing food, there is an orthodox Jewish “Badatz” kosher label, attesting that all lubricants and finishing oils are vegetable-based and not animal-based.
They also manufacture plasticware that is certified kosher-for-Passover labels, insuring no bread or leavened material was used. A certified Jewish kashrut inspector from Israel comes to Hebron to approve.
For the Israeli elections, they print campaign material for different political parties regardless of political stance, right-wing or left-wing.
Al-Jebrini dairy company in Hebron exports two trucks daily, one to Arab shops in Jerusalem, and one to Gaza. The cheese products sent to Jerusalem have Hebrew and Arabic labels and are compliant with Israeli government health standards. The ones sent to Gaza have Arabic labels. They are wary of exporting to other Israeli cities so that they don’t get boycotted. There are also Israeli import laws on dairy products.
“We, as two close economies, would benefit from complementing each other,” said the owner. “Both sides have an interest in raising individual income in the area.”
Hebron business owners speak with pride that their factories are high-tech and modern with computerized manufacturing processes.
Achmad Amaleh, an entrepreneur and businessman born in Hebron, currently living in Jerusalem said, “we do have national aspirations that we would like to advance, not displacing those national aspirations of the other side. But on the other hand we have economic aspirations too. And one does not exclude the other.”
“Kosher, Made in Hebron” was produced by Kan 11, written by Gal Berger, editor Vered Lidani.
Hebron is divided between the H1 section, comprising 80% of the city, controlled by the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli section , comprising 20% of the city. The Israeli side includes the old city, and Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. Israeli civilians are allowed access to only the Israeli neighborhoods within the 20% of H2.
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