Skip to main content

Palestinians opt for Islamic banking

Islamic banks operating in Palestine have experienced remarkable growth in the past decade compared to conventional banks.
Palestinians use automated teller machines (ATMs) of the Bank of Palestine in Gaza September 25, 2007. Bank Hapoalim, Israel's biggest commercial bank, said on Tuesday it was severing its business ties with Palestinian banks in the Gaza Strip in response to the Israeli government's classification of the territory as an enemy entity. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA) - RTR1U8N4
Read in 

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Sumaya is standing in a line at a commercial bank in the Gaza Strip to ask about the possibility of applying for an Islamic loan with zero interest. She wants to buy a small apartment as an investment. Asked why she was looking into an Islamic loan, she said, “I have no intention of yielding to the exploitative gains of an interest-based loan. The money is more blessed when the Sharia is applied.”

Islamic banks in Palestine have been doing remarkably well over the past few years as a result of increased demand for their services. They have not only increased their market share of customers, but are also making more investments compared with their conventional, commercial competitors.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.