JERUSALEM, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli factories have been recovering from a large-scale shutdown witnessed at the beginning of the country's conflict with Hamas, according to an industry survey published Wednesday.
The Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI) surveyed 106 to 127 factories ranging from food, textile, to electronics manufacturers over a span of six weeks since the conflict began on Oct. 7.
Among the surveyed factories, 29 percent were closed in the first working week starting Oct. 8, but the shutdown rate gradually decreased to six percent in the fourth week and just one percent in the sixth working week of Nov. 12-16, according to the MAI survey.
At the same time, the rate of factories operating at full capacity increased from 12 percent in the first week to 18 percent in the sixth week, and the reports of factories' transport difficulties also dropped from 27 percent to 13 percent.
There has also been a sharp decline in the number of factories reporting the absence of more than half of their employees, dropping from 29 percent in the first week to 12 percent in the sixth week.
On the other hand, the rate of factories facing a worker shortage has remained high, with 62 percent in the sixth week compared to 64 percent in the first week.
The worker absence was mainly caused by military reserve service, parents staying home due to school and kindergarten closures, evacuation of workers from risk areas, restrictions on the entry of Palestinians into Israel, and foreign workers leaving for home. ■
