Bayt Fajjar - بيت فجّار: مصانع الحجر: انموذج سئ للامان والصحة للعمل في فلسطين: ترجمها الى الانجليزية الدكتور محمد ثوابتة

Summary Translation from Dutch into English
Source:http://www.fossocsol.be/content/publicaties/fosfor/archief/2004/kverslag2-2004.php

Translated by Dr. Mohammad Thawabteh, Bayt Fajjar.

Bayt Fajjar is famous for cutting-stone factories scattered around, with the largest gathering centred on two industrial zones-- one is in the east and the other is in the west. It has always been trumpeted that the town is considered to be a foundation stone for the Palestinian economy. However, there have been some economic and health problems for decades.
The underpaid factory workers are good example to the miserable economic live Palestinians generally lead. They work long hours for little money but, at the end of the day, they eke out an existence on a few Shekels a day. This bad situation rapidly worsens because of Israeli occupation policy in the Occupied Territories. Many factories are forced to lay off the workers. And many others prefer the closure of uneconomic factories leaving many workers in desperate financial straits.
Besides deteriorating economic situation, the factories are detrimental to the health of the people in the town. Waste dumps cause environmental pollution exceeds most acceptable levels and turns vast areas of the town into a wasteland. Certainly, this results in unavoidable increase of death toll and, at best, several diseases.