Expanding phenomenon: More and more Israelis go out to refuel at Palestinian gas stations and shop in the villages, despite the enormous risk involved, due to the high cost of living in the country and the dramatically cheap prices in Palestinian stores.
The difference between fuel prices in the Palestinian Authority and those in Israel is very significant, and can lead to savings of thousands of shekels a year.
Thus, the price of gasoline is about NIS per liter lower than the price at Israeli gas stations, and the price of diesel is half the amount collected in Israel.
A supplement for fuel or diesel, which costs about NIS 80 or NIS 90 at Israeli gas stations, costs NIS 30 at the PA.
"I earn thousands of shekels a year just on diesel, which is sold at 50-40 percent less than ours, and that without even calculating the huge difference in basic grocery products," says N., a resident of Jerusalem who usually goes to villages around the capital to buy fuel and various products. .
Gas station in Hawara, Photo: Hanan Greenwood
Attractive price for fuel.
Huwwara, Photo: Hanan Greenwood
The low prices in the Palestinian Authority do not just come down to fuel prices.
Many Israelis repair their vehicles in garages in villages, which are significantly cheaper than in Israeli garages.
Thus, an Israeli number who used to repair his car in one of the villages in the Jerusalem area because he saved thousands of shekels in repairs.
"In Jerusalem, they asked for NIS 600 only for the plastic of a broken taillight. In the village I bought an entire flashlight with the bulbs and everything for NIS 150, the gap is inconceivable."
Questions about the origin of the spare parts and the degree of their legality do not interest the buyers.
The Palestinians are well aware of the desire of the Israelis to purchase products cheaply, and take advantage of the fact that they are going to Judea and Samaria despite the danger in order to improve their sales.
In the villages next to the roads you can see signs in Hebrew next to the signs in Arabic, and unlike in the past where the signs had embarrassing spelling mistakes as a result of carelessness, today Hebrew is flawless.
One of the areas that has emerged in recent years is dental care.
Y., who usually goes to dental care on a regular basis in the village near his place of residence, says that the prices are significantly cheaper compared to the dentists in Israel.
"Here they demanded NIS 1,500 from me for a crown, and in this village it cost NIS 500."
Cheaper.
Vegetable stand in Huwara, Photo: Hanan Greenwood
"Citizens are threatened"
Shlomo Vaknin, the security officer of the Yesha Council: "There is no doubt that the prices in the garages are significantly cheaper, parts that they steal to order.
It does not interest the buyers who the day before had mowed down someone in the same village who had entered there by mistake or who had been a wave of terror.
They are looking at the bottom line. "
And this is not just a theoretical danger.
Last week, a 70-year-old Israeli entered the village of Kadis in Samaria to go shopping.
When he got out of his car, two Palestinians attacked him and snatched his personal bag, which contained a pistol.
This week, two suspects in the act were arrested.
In many other cases customary vehicles that come to refuel are robbed.
As they get out of the vehicle, robbers enter in a moment of distraction and gallop into the depths of the Palestinian Authority.
The police said that this was an unequivocal danger to the lives of those entering the Palestinian villages.
"In recent months, we have witnessed a phenomenon in which many Israelis enter the territories of the Palestinian Authority and are robbed, sometimes using force and harming those civilians. , Robbery, theft, threats and miraculously are safely rescued from the scene by security forces. Police reiterate that entry into Area A is prohibited by law and poses a danger.
Avoid entering these areas. "
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
