CHAPTER TWO - part 2 of 3 | go to part 1 | go to part 3

LIVESTOCK

The statistics of 1937 and 1943 show a tremendous rise quantitatively in livestock owned by Palestinian Arab farmers, and changes qualitatively in the types of livestock owned.

In 1937 there were 169, 145 cattle, and in 1943 there were 214,570 cattle owned by Arabs in Palestine, an increase of 27%. Therefore, in 1948, the numbers would have been 272,503 cattle.

The following table indicates qualitative changes among Arab owned cattle between 1937 and 1943.(25)

In 1937 there were 177,838 sheep owned by Arabs in Palestine, and in 1943 there were 190,283, an increase of 27%. Therefore, in 1948, there would have been 203,781 sheep owned by Palestinian Arabs.

In 1937 there were 15,621 Arab-owned camels in Palestine, and in 1943 there were 15,793, an increase of 1%.

In 1943 there were 1, 169,507 Arab-owned chickens in Palestine, approximately doubling the 1937 estimates. Therefore, in 1948, there would have been 2,339,014.

Interestingly, there was a decline in the number of goats and draught animals (horses and mules) owned by Arabs in 1943 as compared with 1937, indicating the gradual mechanization of farms and improvement of livestock. Goats numbered 288,523 in 1943 compared to 307,3 16 in 1937, a decline of 7%. Horses owned by Arabs numbered 16,669 in 1943 compared to 20,053 in 1937, a decline of 17%. Mules numbered 7,328 in 1943 compared to 8,989 in 1937, adecline of 19%.

In 1943 the total number of Arab-owned pigs was 12, 145 and of donkeys 105,414.

The Zionists stole all of the Palestinian Arab farmers' livestock in 1948 in 80% of the territory of Palestine.

PALESTINIAN ARAB INDUSTRY

The Palestinian Arab population has a long tradition of artisanship. The Palestinians established many manufacturing plants long before the first Zionist colonists arrived.

In 1927 there were 1,236 industrial enterprises in Palestine, as shown in the following list. Nine hundred and twenty five of them, or 75%, were Arab and about 300 or 24% were Jewish.

INDUSTRIES ESTABLISHED BEFORE THE WAR AND STILL OPERATING IN 1927(26)

NUMBER OF ARAB INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN 1942(27)

In 1942 1,558 Arab industrial establishments were enumerated in Palestine with 8,804 persons employed. These factories, large and small, were looted of all their equipment by Zionists in 1948, and the buildings were converted into establishments in 80% of the territory of Palestine.

PRELIMINARY GENERAL SUMMARY FOR EACH GROUP OF INDUSTRY ENUMERATED FOR THE YEAR 1942: ARAB ESTABLISHMENTS(28)

OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION

"The total quantity of olive oil produced in Palestine during the 1943/44 season was 9,912 tons, as compared with 9,414 tons recorded in the 1942/43 season, 1,618 tons recorded in the 1941/42 season, and 10,535 tons recorded in the 1940/41 season .... 80 % of the olive oil pressed in the 194014 1, the 1942/43 and the 1943/44 seasons came from five Sub-districts, namely, Nablus, Acre, Ramallah, Jenin and Tulkann. Nablus stood first. Acre second, Ramallah third, Jenin fourth and Tulkarm fifth in the last two seasons."(29)

PRODUCTION OF OLIVE OIL, BY SUB-DISTRICT, IN THE 1943-44 SEASON

OLIVE PRESSING ESTABLISHMENTS

"The number of olive oil pressing establishments enumerated during the 1943/44 season was 634, as compared with 605,350 and 628 establishments in the 1940/41, 1941/42 and the 1942/43 olive seasons, respectively. Presses were found in all Sub-districts of Palestine with the exception of Beisan and Beersheba. The greatest numbers were in Acre and Ramallah Sub-districts, where 142 presses were found in 44 villages* and 119 presses in 46 villages, respectively. The number of villages in which presses were found and the total number of pressing establishments in each Sub-district were as follows:

In 1943-44, there were 634 olive oil pressing establishments in the Arab villages in each subdistrict as follows(30):

All the establishments in the subdistricts of Acre, Safad, Tiberias, Haifa, and Ramle-Jaffa were usurped by the Zionists. Many establishments in the subdistricts of Nazareth, Jenin, Tulkarrn, Hebron and Gaza were also usurped.

SOAP MANUFACTURING

One example proving that the Zionists did not start the industrialization of Palestine is found in the Palestinian soap industry. As early as 1830 a Palestinian Arab firm began the production of olive-oil soap. Due to its high quality it was exported to many countries(31):

The principal center of soap-making was Nablus and its neighborhood (with about 30 establishments), followed by the Jaffa district. Soap was also manufactured in Haifa and Gaza and to a lesser extent in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The annual production of the soap works of Nablus before the War was estimated at 500-1,000 tons, depending upon the olive crop; that of Haifa at 300 tons; and that of Jaffa and district at 2,000-3,000 tons. The soapof Nablus and Jaffa prepared from pure olive oil, had a wide reputation in the Near East. A large proportion of the soap was exported to Egypt, Arabia, Iraq and Asia Minor. In 19 13 the total soap exports amounted to about 200,000 pounds, Egypt being the most important country of destination. For several years before the War, the supplies of olive oil in the country had been insufficient for the requirements of the soap industry and had been supplemented by imports. In 19 1 1 and 19 12 the imports of olive oil through Jaffa amounted to 647 tons and 1, 100 tons respectively. In addition coconut oil, cotton oil and maize oil were imported to be used in combination witholive oil for the lower grades of soap.(32)

... The laundry soap industry is mostly in Arab hands. In 1936 there were 24 soap factories in Nablus, with a capital investment of 230,000 Palestinian Pounds, and an output valued at about 240,000 Palestinian Pounds. Jaffa and Ramle came next in importance with 12 and 4 factories respectively.(33)

EXTRACTION OF SESAME OIL AND OTHER OILS AND PERFUMES

"Extraction of sesame and other oils depended upon raw materials produced locally. Sesame was and still is an important agricultural product of Palestine. Before the War there were about forty small factories for extracting sesame oil in The Palestinian Arabs Were a Well-Developed Nation Politically, Economically, Socially, and Culturally 45 Lydda, Ramle, Jaffa and Jerusalem, and two large Jewish factories with hydraulic presses in Jaffa. There were also a few presses in Nablus. On an average the small factories had a capacity for treating 150-200 kilograms of oil a day, while one large factory treated 2,000 kilograms a day and the other 3,000 kilograms.

"Other oils and perfumes included castor oil, geranium oil, rose water and orange blossom water, etc. These were manufactured on a small scale, mostly in the homes."(34)

WEAVING AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES

"Weaving and allied industries included weaving of clothes, abayas (outer garments of Bedouins and others), carpets, rugs, mats; manufacture of iqals (head dress), purses, tassels, and plaiting of belts; dyeing, needlework, embroidery, and lace-making. Practically all of these industries were home or workshop industries, operated by hand. The textile industry did not flourish in Palestine as it did in Syria. The most important textile centers were Majdal, having about 500 looms, and Gaza with 50 looms. They carried on weaving of coarse cotton and woolen stuffs for articles of dress worn by the fellahin. Silk-weaving was a small industry at Gaza. Many of the textile laborers were skilled craftsmen who acquired their dexterity in their early youth. The cotton, woolen, and silk yams for the manufacture of clothes were nearly all imported; cotton yarn was imported from Manchester. The Abaya was the principal article made of wool. Carpets and rugs were manufactured in the homes, in a number of towns and villages, and carpets were also manufactured by the Bedouins. Straw mats were manufactured by women at Et Tira and other small villages in or near the plains. One hundred twenty four of these straw mat handicrafts were still operating in 1927. The manufacture of iqals, purses, etc. was mainly a Bedouin occupation. Dyeing was carried out on a small scale in the textile centers. Needlework, embroidery, and lacemaking were common occupations of women at home in practically all towns and villages."(35)

THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES

"The textile industries may be divided into old and modem. The old industries are mostly Arab, and include weaving, embroidery, lace making, textile dyeing and carpet making. In these industries simple tools are used. The most important branch of the old textile industry is weaving, which is centered in Majdal and Gaza. The Arab weaving industry in Majdal represents an investment of 14,200 Palestinian Pounds, uses about 700 looms and employs about 1,400 workers. The annual production of these looms comes to about 438,000 pieces, each 6.5 meters long and 45 centimeters wide. Weaving in Gaza employs about 60 laborers. Embroidery work and lace making are undertaken mainly in Ramallah and Bethlehem. Together, the Arab industries employ about 2,000 laborers.(36)

METAL INDUSTRIES

"...Three metal factories, two in Jaffa and one in Haifa. These factories were equipped with drilling machines, forgeries, and metal-foundries. They manufactured milling machinery, irrigation pumps (not motor engines) and olive oil presses; and undertook repair work. The two factories in Jaffa produced from 80 to 90 per cent of the water lifting plant required in the Jaffa district. Other metal industries were handicrafts such as blacksmiths, coppersmiths, tinsmiths, gold and silversmiths, cutters, etc."(37)

MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES OF ORNAMENT

"Palestine has always been known for its manufacture of ornamental objects and sacred articles. Woodwork inlaid with mother-of-pearl, silver, etc., and the making of omamental objects from olive-wood were undertaken by craftsmen in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and to a lesser extent in Jaffa and Gaza. Rosaries and crosses, fragile vases and other ornaments made of black stinkstone from the Dead Sea were manufactured by specialized craftsmen in Bethlehem. Articles of glass such as trinkets, rings, armlets, etc., were made mostly in Hebron. The articles under this heading have been extensively bought by tourists."(38)

THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

"Before 1921 the cultivation of tobacco and the manufacture of cigarettes, etc., were under the control of the Turkish "Regie" Tobacco Monopoly, and no tobacco growing or manufacture was undertaken in Palestine. The monopoly was abolished in 1921, and the production of tobacco and the manufacture of cigarettes, cigars, etc., were permitted, subject to excise control."

Palestinian Arab firms in Haifa, Jaffa, Nablus, and Ramallah employed hundreds of workers. These Palestinian Arab tobacco firms "introduced experimental leaf tobacco growing stations in order to improve the quality and standard of Palestine's tobacco. To this end, leaf experts in tobacco plantation were brought to Palestine from Greece to train local growers in the most modem and efficient methods."(39)

The improvement of the quality of Palestinian-grown tobacco was paid for by Palestinian Arab firms, without financial assistance, Palestinian Arab firms were the leading tobacco manufacturers in Palestine, having well over half the trade in the country.

The number of licensed tobacco, tombac and snuff factories in 1937 was 16, distributed as follows:- tobacco and cigarettes, 12; cigars, 2; tombac, 1; snuff, 1. The industry is mostly in Arab hands. The chief factories were in 1936: the Karaman, Dick and Salti Ltd., Haifa, capital 150,000 Palestinian Pounds; The Arab Cigarette and Tobacco Factory Ltd., Nazareth, capital 40,000 Palestinian Pounds; Baddour Ltd., Haifa, capital 35,000 Palestinian Pounds; Dubek Ltd., Benei Beraq, capital 17,000 Palestinian Pounds; and the Maspero Freres Ltd., Jaffa. The output of tobacco and tobacco products during the last ten years is shown in the Table below. The industry depends upon both locally produced and imported tobacco. In 1936, 1,232,689 kilograms of tobacco and 4, 178 kilograms of tombac were produced in Palestine, and 150,535 kilograms of tobacco leaves and 69,7 15 kilograms of tombac leaves were imported.

Local production of tobacco leaves, however, has been greatly increasing. The product of 1936 is more than twice that of 1932. Local manufacture of tobacco meets most of the local demand, Imports of manufactured tobacco products in 1937 were in kilograms as follows: Manufactured tobacco, 7,404; cigarettes, 83,441; cigars, 1,841; snuff, 744; manufactured tombac, 68, the total value of which amounted to 62,652 Palestinian Pounds. Exports of manufactured tobacco and tombac products are negligible. Their value amounted to 56 Palestinian Pounds in 1935, 34 Palestinian Pounds in 1936, and 116 Palestinian Pounds in 1937.(40)

METHYLATED SPIRITS

"Methylated spirits are manufactured by three licensed factories, the largest being situated in Jaffa. The amounts of methylated spirits produced during 1932 to 1937 were as follows:-

STONES, BRICKS AND TILES

"High-class building stone is available in various places in Palestine, but the cost of transportation has been a handicap to large-scale quarrying. Several comparatively large quarrying enterprises, however, have been established as a result of expansion in construction work, particularly in the building boom of 1933- 1935. Chief among these enterprises working in 1936 were the Palestine Levant Quarries, Jerusalem, with a capital of 15,000 Palestinian Pounds, and the Sela Company, Jerusalem. The quarrying industry is mostly in the hands of the Arabs.

"Bricks are manufactured by a number of small factories and a few large ones. Of the latter working in 1936, there were the Haifa Silicate Brick Works, Haifa, and the 'Silicate' Brick Manufacturers, Ltd., Rishon le Tsiyon, Local lime and sand are used.

''Roofing tiles, flooring tiles and cement drainage pipes are also manufactured. There are two factories producing good quality tiles and a number manufacturing flooring tiles? colored and mosaic. The manufacture of drainage tiles has been developed chiefly as a result of the introduction of the Californian system of irrigation into most of the Palestinian orange groves. Among the most important factories working in 1936 were: the Palestine Ceramic Industry, Polak Bros., Haifa (tiles and pottery); Fadl-Allah Majdalani, Haifa (tiles, cement pipes and blocks); Syrian Orphanage, Jerusalem (bricks, tiles and blocks); Yusif Badran; Haifa (floor tiles).(43)

WOODWORKS

"The principal wood products are doors and windows and other building works, furniture and citrus boxes. Doors and windows, and to some extent furniture? are manufactured chiefly by carpentry shops, while citrus boxes and a considerable portion of furniture are manufactured by factories. The three most important furniture factories working in 1936 were: A. Krinitzi, Nahlat Ganini; 'Tirzah' Ltd., Rishon le Tsiyon (Jewish); and 'Progress, ' Tel Aviv (Jewish). Other furniture factories working on a fairly large scale were: Kame1 Geadah, Haifa; Tahboub Bros., Jaffa; 'Ali Dabbagh, Jaffa; and Jamil Wahbeh, Jerusalem (all Arab). The chief manufacturers of citrus boxes in 1936 were Haargaz Cooperative Society, Tel Aviv (Jewish), and Cahani Bros, Jaffa (Arab). The former also manufactures bus and truck bodies ."(44)

LEATHER AND LEATHER GOODS

"The leather and leather goods industries in Palestine include tanning, shoemaking and the manufacture of handbags? pocketbooks, suitcases, belts and other fancy leather goods.

"Tanning. There are several fairly large tanneries using modern machinery and a considerable number of smaller undertakings. The principal factories working in 1936 were: Lekovitch Bros., Tel Aviv (Jewish); the Anglo-Palestine Leather Co., yazur (Jewish); Wadie Dorkhum, Jaffa (Arab); and Kiriako Kiriaze, Jaffa (Arab). They manufacture mostly sole leather, principally from local hides. Attempts to produce high-grade upper leather have not been successful, owing to the fact that local hides are usually damaged by insects. "Shoemaking. Shoemaking is a thriving industry. There are a number of medium- and small-size factories and a large number of workshops and shoemakers, of which roughly two thirds are Arab and one third Jewish."(45)

PAPER AND CARDBOARD

"The paper and stationary industries include the manufacture of cardboard boxes, envelopes, carbon paper, typewriter ribbons, paper cups, paper bags for cement, and paraffin paper. The manufacture of cardboard boxes is an important auxiliary to the tobacco industry. The largest undertaking for the manufacture of cigarette boxes is the factory of Jabbour and Karkabi, Haifa, which employs about 50 workers. Paper and cardboard manufactures are made of imported paper and cardboard."(46)

MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES

"Of the miscellaneous industries, printing deserves special mention as a modern industry. The printing presses of Jerusalem were specially active. Twenty three of these pre- War printing presses were still working in 1927. Other industries were carpentry, tailoring, saddlery and harness-making, and the making of bread and cakes, confectionary, ice and aerated soda water, vehicles, valises and trunks, glassware, baskets, fishing nets, brooms, sieves, etc., almost all of which, with the exception of the manufacture of ice and perhaps some of the soda water, were handicrafts. Of the carpentry workshops, tailoring workshops and saddleries that were established before the War, 67, 45, and 13 respectively were still operating in 1927. Packsaddles were made mostly in Bethlehem. The glass industry was a specialty of Hebron, where craftsmen mmufactured in addition to ornamental objects, dishes and jars for home use."(47)

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