Impact of the war in Gaza on private sector workers and businesses in the West Bank

This study provides a diagnostic assessment of the impact of the war in Gaza on private sector workers and businesses in the West Bank. In addition to drawing on theoretical and empirical evidence on the impact of wars and conflicts on labour markets globally, it analyses recent labour market trends in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with a particular focus on the West Bank, such as labour force participation, employment, wages and informality, among others. It specifically assesses the impact of the ongoing hostilities on surveyed private sector employers, workers and workers' families in the West Bank, as well as their coping strategies. The findings of this study reveal that the deep-seated structural problems endemic in the West Bank’s labour market have been further entrenched and exacerbated by the hostilities. Based on its findings, the study proposes a set of policy recommendations to mitigate the impact of the war on workers and businesses in the West Bank, and to promote the creation of better and more sustainable jobs in the future.