Nablus

Nablus is the West Bank's commercial capital, historically known as 'Little Damascus' for its merchant tradition and Ottoman-era soap factories that still produce olive oil soap for regional export. The city of 170,000 dominates northern West Bank trade, hosting An-Najah National University (largest Palestinian university, 20,000+ students) and manufacturing enterprises that survived decades of occupation through informal trade networks. The 2024 economic crisis hit Nablus severely: West Bank GDP contracted 17%, unemployment reached 28%, and the city faced intensified military operations that disrupted production. Yet Nablus retains comparative advantages: skilled labor from university graduates, established manufacturing in food processing and textiles, and a merchant class with connections across the Arab world. The old city's architecture and nearby sites (Jacob's Well, Mount Gerizim's Samaritan community) once attracted pilgrims, but tourism collapsed 84% in 2024. Traditional industries—olive oil, soap, kanafeh pastries—provide export earnings when checkpoints allow. By 2026, Nablus's recovery depends on whether its commercial networks can adapt to restricted movement and whether university-educated youth can find employment locally rather than emigrating.