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When trade stops: Lessons from the Gaza blockade 2007–2010

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  • Etkes, Haggay
  • Zimring, Assaf

Abstract

This paper uses detailed household expenditure and firm production data to study the welfare consequences of the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip between mid-2007 and mid-2010. Using the West Bank as a counterfactual economy, we find that welfare declined by 14%–27%. Moreover, households with larger pre-blockade expenditure levels experienced larger welfare losses. We show that this large decline in welfare may be due to a combination of resource reallocation and reduced productivity. Workers were reallocated from manufacturing to services, and from industries that use imported inputs intensively, or export. In addition, labor productivity fell by 20% on average.

Suggested Citation

  • Etkes, Haggay & Zimring, Assaf, 2015. "When trade stops: Lessons from the Gaza blockade 2007–2010," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 16-27.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:95:y:2015:i:1:p:16-27
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2014.10.005
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gains from trade; Economic sanctions; Gaza Strip;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F00 - International Economics - - General - - - General
    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F51 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions

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