Al Raqeeb Exclusive
Ramallah – In a new episode of Hadith Al Raqeeb, broadcast on Al Raqeeb Radio 101.9 FM and across social media platforms, program host Talaat Alawi discussed with economic expert and analyst Dr. Nasser Abdel Karim the outcomes of economic and fiscal policies during 2025, and what they might represent as “solid building blocks” or forward-looking indicators for 2026, amid the “painful economic blows” suffered by the Palestinian economy and the growing sense of confusion across different social groups.
At the outset of the discussion, the host emphasized that the end of the year arrives while “even the minimum level of optimism is absent,” as reflected in figures, policies, and decisions. He questioned whether the measures taken in 2025 followed a single, coherent path leading to clear outcomes, or whether they instead deepened the state of “confusion” surrounding the economic file.
Absence of a Unified Economic Narrative: “People Are Left to Guess”
The host highlighted what he described as the official absence of an economic and financial narrative, arguing that this absence confuses investors, citizens, employees, farmers, and all segments of society, because it reflects—according to his view—the absence of an economic vision to begin with.
For his part, Dr. Abdel Karim said that producing an economic discourse “with substance and meaning” requires a unified vision, agreed-upon analysis, and information grounded in facts and data, with messages based on “a discourse of realism,” not on passing positions or temporary mobilization. He added that the current discourse is marked by “scattered messages and contradictions,” and that with the absence of reliable information “people start guessing” in order to understand the scene, leading to declining trust even in official statements and analyses. He noted that public reactions on social media platforms often show skepticism toward any official announcement.
Dr. Abdel Karim called for the establishment of a specialized “media machinery” capable of producing a professional discourse that candidly explains the reality to the public, rather than leaving those affected outside the picture. He considered current statements to be “seasonal,” lacking continuity, and proposed creating a coordinating framework similar to a “policy council” to align economic and social policies and avoid conflicting laws and prescriptions.
Diagnosis Without Solutions… and the Private Sector as a “Symbolic Partner”
Dr. Abdel Karim stressed that genuine diagnosis requires returning to the causes behind outcomes and learning lessons from past experiences, rather than repeating the same headlines. He recalled that warnings against deepening dependence on Israel through intensified imports were raised many years ago, as such an approach may offer temporary solutions to the fiscal deficit but harms productive sectors and increases the trade deficit, thereby deepening reliance on clearance revenues and imports.
He criticized the persistence of the same approach despite exceptional circumstances, noting that governments often focus on diagnosing the problem through figures—fiscal and trade deficits and accumulated arrears—without presenting a clear plan answering the question, “What will we do with these numbers?” He also questioned the absence of genuine partnership between the public and private sectors, arguing that meetings are often formalistic and ineffective, despite the fact that most ministers of economy and finance come from private-sector backgrounds.
Economic Reform Begins with Politics: A Crisis of Accountability and Transparency
On the issue of reforms, Dr. Abdel Karim argued that serious economic, administrative, and financial reform efforts collide with the absence of the conditions for “political reform,” which should lead to legislative, institutional, and administrative reforms. He attributed this to an accountability crisis linked to the long-standing absence of an elected Legislative Council, weakening transparency and disclosure and hollowing out oversight mechanisms.
He said that protests, demonstrations, and appeals are “legitimate means,” but they cannot substitute for institutional accountability that enables people to hold the government accountable or withdraw confidence from it. He pointed out that the prevailing concept of reform sometimes comes in a “fragmented” and inconsistent form, questioning the nature of the reform being sought: Is it cutting the salaries of prisoners’ and martyrs’ families? Is it merely tightening monetary circulation? Or is it reform that addresses the core of the crisis, such as tax system reform, rationalizing non-essential expenditures without undermining employees’ rights, strengthening social protection, and supporting productive sectors?
Workers Without Jobs and Partial Salaries: “Suffering Has Reached Everyone”
The discussion also addressed the expanding circle of those affected by the crisis, highlighting in particular workers who have lost their jobs for more than two years, employees receiving only partial salaries, farmers facing dumping and declining protection, and small and medium enterprises harmed by economic contraction.
Dr. Abdel Karim stressed the need for a comprehensive national economic-social dialogue, preceded by political dialogue, arguing that continuing to manage public affairs with the same tools and methodologies despite major transformations “will not work” in the face of current realities.
Economic Alternatives: Combating Dumping, Protecting Production, and Gradual Import Reduction
In the advanced part of the discussion, the issue of combating dumping was raised as a practical entry point to easing pressure on clearance revenues and boosting local revenues. The possibility of reducing imports of goods that can be dispensed with or substituted by local production was discussed, as a means to reduce dependence on transfers, create jobs, and increase direct treasury revenues “away from clearance revenues and threats.”
Dr. Abdel Karim noted the existence of official efforts through a specialized anti-dumping team, but explained that the issue requires a clear decision, a solid database, and precise knowledge of goods exposed to dumping, while acknowledging that conflicts of interest between trade and industry may complicate resolution. He also proposed a phased approach over an organized time period to reduce imports of specific goods to low levels, while taking traders’ circumstances into account and prioritizing the national economic interest.
The idea of imposing a “protective tax” or regulatory fees on certain imports was also discussed, to achieve price fairness and enhance the competitiveness of local products, with the emphasis that this requires effective data systems and customs administration.
Reading 2026: Politics Shapes the Economy… and the “Humanization of Numbers”
Dr. Abdel Karim concluded that any economic reading of 2026 remains contingent on political and security scenarios: the future of Gaza and who governs it, Gaza’s relationship with the West Bank, Israel’s behavior, the stance of Arab countries and the international community, and the shape of the Palestinian political system. He expressed reservations about relying solely on numerical indicators, calling instead for the “humanization of numbers” and measuring the economy by its impact on people’s lives: job opportunities, poverty reduction, students’ ability to pursue education, and access to healthcare and services without begging.
In a striking example, he said that what people need is a sense of a government that “acts like a father and mother,” communicating with them candidly and presenting a clear plan: what it will do and how it will ask society to bear the burden. He recalled a previous experience he believed was marked by direct communication and clear explanations of decisions to the public, arguing that such discourse narrows the gap between citizens and government and rebuilds trust.
It has thus become clear that the crisis is not about a lack of numbers, but about the absence of vision, decision-making, and accountability—and that any viable economic reform requires a unified discourse, public transparency, and policies that protect productive sectors and reduce dependence on clearance revenues, within a political and institutional framework that guarantees transparency and accountability.