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How these Palestinian artisans are keeping craft industry alive

The residents of Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, are trying to preserve what is left of the ancient crafts industry.
A Palestinian makes ceramic lamps used as decoration during the holy month of Ramadan in the old city of the West bank city of Hebron June 18, 2015. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RTX1H2S8
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HEBRON, West Bank — “We export these goods to the whole world with a label that reads ‘Made in Hebron.’ Each item tells a story that dates back to hundreds of years.” With these words, Al-Hajj Abdul Jawad Abdul-Hamid al-Natsheh, 86, described the goods crafted by artisans in his factory, which was established in Hebron more than 150 years ago.

Although the West Bank city of Hebron is famous for crafts, which led it to win the World Crafts City award for the year 2016, the Natsheh factory, known as the Hebron Glass and Ceramics Factory, is one of the few factories that continue to work on ceramics and glass.

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