By Jaweed Tamimi

HEBRON, May 9, 2011 (WAFA) - The economic sector in the West Bank city of Hebron was either optimistic or cautious in its reaction to the Fatah-Hamas recent reconciliation agreement.

Ehab Hassouna, a businessman, told WAFA that he expects that the Palestinian markets will see stability and recovery, expressing hope to also see an end to Israel’s economic blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006 as its pretexts for the closure end.

He said that he expects that the reconciliation agreement will bring benefits to the trading sector. He said the markets will recover if the crossings are open continuously as the cost of transporting goods to Gaza was often more expensive than the cost of the goods themselves.

Hassouna believes that the internal and external tourism sector will witness a remarkable development and capital holders will return and invest in the West Bank and Gaza as stability and security are the only way of economic growth, which the reconciliation agreement will provide.

General manager of Al-Juneidi food products company, Mashhour Abu Khalaf, stressed that the reconciliation agreement will bring political stability to the future Palestinian state, which will stabilize the economy, simulate growth of national industries, and encourage production.

Taher al-Mohtaseb, deputy chairman of the Hebron chamber of commerce, considered that the reconciliation agreement as good news for the Palestinian people in all aspects of life, whether it was economic, political, or social. Factories and businesses which suffered from recession due to the closure will see growth and development after opening the crossings in both directions.

During the period of the internal division which lasted nearly four years, the economic gap between Gaza and the West Bank widened, especially in the prices of the basic consumer goods, and wages, as the Palestinian people suffered continuously from it.

Economic expert, Suhail Sultan, expected that the Palestinian economy under the reconciliation agreement will be divided into three main pillars; governmental, private, and consumer. .The governmental economy will be affected by the support of the donors’ countries, and the reconciliation agreement will strengthen this economy, as Sultan said.

He pointed out that reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will stimulate the economy as it will lead to an increase in job market and production in the West Bank and Gaza. He said the PA should encourage the consumption of the local products and this in its part, will strengthen the economy.

He expected that Hebron will see growth in the stone and marble industrial sector and this in its part will benefit the rest of the production sector as money will be pumped into the market.

“Opening the crossings with the Gaza Strip will positively reflect on the consumer because the markets will see movement of goods in both directions,' according to Sultan.

W.S./M.A.