Eli Yishai, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Labor, met with the head of Sderot’s Small Businesses Association, Danny Dahan and other business owners, Thursday, August 7.
This was not Yisha’s first visit to Sderot. The minister has been actively involved in attempts to boost Sderot’s failing business and struggling economy due to Palestinian rocket fire and has visited the city several times during the past year to meet with Dahan and other small business owners. Dahan, who manages a Sderot supermarket, praised Yishai for his efforts to help Sderot small businesses, who are struggling
every day to maintain sales.
Photo: Hamutal Ben Shitrit
“Eli has helped establish several important venues for Sderot businesses during the past year,” said Dahan. “Eli helped local small businesses develop an Internet website marketing the goods of Sderot, and has initiated shopping functions for Sderot businesses outside of Sderot.”
Yishai arrived to Sderot on Thursday to summarize what the Trade, Industry and Labor Ministry has done for Sderot, which initiated both criticism and praise by the business owners in attendance.
Photo: Hamutal Ben Shitrit
Dahan emphasized to Yishai that the difficult days of rocket fire have not ceased. “We still live in a constant state of fear, anticipating the next rocket barrage. The state we are in right now [under the ceasefire] is more frightening because we don’t know when to expect the next Qassam.”
“Of course, there has been a slight increase in shoppers since the ceasefire began,” Dahan added. “More people stay in Sderot for Shabbat and invite family and friends, so they are buying more food. People feel it is safe enough to celebrate bar-mitzvahs and other functions in Sderot, so business is going up slightly.”
“What needs to be done to help Sderot businesses is to market the entire city of Sderot, not just individual businesses,” Dahan said. “Yishai has been helping us do that and I hope he continues to develop projects that will help keep Sderot businesses on their feet so that families can continue to live here.”
Yishai added that the real solution to ending the current economic devastation in Sderot, would eventually require a “military response.”
