JERUSALEM – In addition to the heartbreaking toll in human lives and families torn apart, the ongoing war in Gaza is crippling Israel’s once-thriving tourism industry. Many local businesses are struggling to weather this strained economy.
The streets of Jerusalem’s old city would normally be bustling with tourists, but now lie eerily quiet. The number of visitors coming here plummeted by more than 80% during the last months of 2023.
When this reporter recently visited the Tower of David, overlooking the old city of Jerusalem, I was the only one in the entire complex. The sound of the fighter jets overhead was the only sound. This war has crushed tourism in Israel, and for the people who make their living off of those tourists, this has been an absolute catastrophe.
Armenian Shopkeeper Garo Sandruni told us, “Recently, when the war started, we had really terrible time because business came down, like I could say, almost, almost 100%.”
Many shop owners in the Old City have been forced to close their doors, unable to pay rent and taxes without the steady stream of tourists they’ve relied on for years.
“Instead of having sales a day, now we’re having one sale probably in two
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