Israeli checkpoints cut West Bank dairy sales 30-40%, force layoffs

September 10, 2026 at 02:48 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Al-Kamel Dairy Factory in Rujeib, near Nablus, has seen sales fall 30 to 40 percent and laid off at least 12 workers as Israeli military checkpoints disrupt transport across the occupied West Bank. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission counts 925 checkpoints and military gates territory-wide, 147 in the Nablus governorate alone. Transport movement has dropped more than 50 percent since October 2023.

Key Facts

Al-Kamel Dairy Factory, established in 2022 in Rujeib, has two distribution trucks permanently parked due to falling demand and mobility restrictions.
The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reports 925 checkpoints and military gates across the occupied West Bank, including 147 in the Nablus governorate.
Transport movement in the occupied West Bank has dropped more than 50 percent since the war on Gaza began in October 2023.
Al-Kamel has laid off at least 12 workers after sales declined by 30 to 40 percent.

Checkpoint Proliferation

Israeli military roadblocks have multiplied across the occupied West Bank since the war on Gaza began in October 2023. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission counts 925 checkpoints and military gates territory-wide, 147 of them in the Nablus governorate. The checkpoints were established to maintain Israel's occupation and guard Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law. Transport movement in the occupied West Bank has fallen by more than 50 percent since the war began.

Al-Kamel Dairy Impact

Al-Kamel Dairy Factory, founded in 2022 in Rujeib southeast of Nablus, has seen sales decline by 30 to 40 percent. The company has laid off at least 12 workers and keeps two distribution trucks permanently parked in its yard. Owner Dweikat said checkpoints and gates across the West Bank, especially around Nablus, have obstructed movement and raised transport costs. He added that the severe siege on Nablus leaves almost no entrance without a permanent or semi-permanent checkpoint.

Economic Contraction

High unemployment, the suspension of work permits for Palestinian workers in Israel, and falling salaries have depressed economic activity in the occupied West Bank. Dweikat said factories sometimes cannot pass increased costs onto consumers because the economic situation is already deteriorating. The disruptions have severely inflated production and transport costs for Palestinian companies.