The Union of Stone and Marble Industry in Palestine was established in 1996 as an independent, non-governmental, non-profit, membership-based institution, and it is the accredited specialist and representative of the largest industrial sector at all important levels as the export volume where it’s still spearhead for Palestinian exports. As well as the size of the labour force, where approximately 20-25 thousand workers are employed directly and 20-25 thousand indirectly, in addition, it is the largest contributor to domestic gross production at the industrial level compared to the contribution of other Palestinian industries.
The union was included in its membership (quarries, crackers, factories, and logistics) and provides its services to all governors of the country through the president’s headquarters in Bethlehem governorate and its branches in Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, and Ramallah. This sector faces many challenges and this has necessitated a new start aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of this industry and arranging the internal house of the representative union is commensurate with the industry and economic weight of this sector.
The year 2023 is a new starting point for the re-development of this sector. The union has drawn up a comprehensive plan, which began at the beginning of 2023, to melt and reshape the current landscape.
The Union plans to strike a balance between the rights and obligations of the industry to enhance its competitiveness, regulate its affairs, and address urgent, medium-and-long-term issues also, it includes the most important outstanding issues over the year as well as developments that have necessitated the defense of this industry and the protection of our national products, this includes confronting imported stone, production cost, regulations and laws, tax obligation, environmental affairs, capacity and readiness of establishments, trade facilitation, export development, competition regulation, and many other strategic issues and this will, of course, be reflected in the Unions capabilities and its services in terms of inclusiveness, quality, and achievement.
Finally, I thank everyone who has sincerely supported the Union and thanks go to all partners from the general and private sectors as well as to the Unions and Working Group for its dedication and commitment. I assure you of our continued direction to achieve the best in the sector through your cooperation, efforts, and support.
Mr. Nassar Ali Nassar
Chairman of Board of Directors