Israel’s movement restrictions have created a fragile economy, vulnerable to all shocks, warns a report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
By
In less than twenty years, the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation represent a shortfall of nearly $ 58 billion (€ 51.3 billion) for the Palestinian economy. This is the conclusion of a report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), published Wednesday, November 24.
In the study, the Palestinian economy has never been able to recover from the contraction of more than 40% of its GDP undergoing during the second intifada. If the restrictions on the mobility of Palestinians and the frequency of repressive operations in the West Bank had not been maintained after 2005, the poverty rate would be equivalent to a third of the 35.4% current, supports UNCTAD. According to the report, the West Bank has lived “two decades of unemployed growth”, with a stagnant unemployment rate around 18%.
This rate rises to 35%, according to the organization, if we do not take into account the 125,000 Palestinians hired in Israel and the Jewish colonies of the West Bank. Crucial jobs for the Palestinian economy: these workers earn at least the Israeli SMIC, 5,300 Shekels (1,485 euros), more than 3.5 times the equivalent of the minimum wage in the territory managed by the Palestinian Authority. But these cash receipts also increase the dependence of the Palestinians vis-à-vis Israeli decisions.
Fragmented territory
The new Israeli government claims to bring an economic peace agenda, “reduction of conflict” by development. The theory is far from new. In recent years, restrictions on mobility have been rationalized, often in concert with the deployment of more sophisticated monitoring techniques. However, hundreds of checkpoints and barriers continue to fragment the territory.
Accused by the Palestinians to use these restrictions for political purposes, the Israeli government justifies them by a safe imperative, even though the number of attacks from the West Bank has never been so low since the end of The second intifada, in 2005. A true lightening of this device therefore seems highly improbable.
To catch up with the economic delay, the UNCTAD recommends free access to zone C, the 60% of the West Bank remained under the Israeli civil and military control, a territory under-populated, but rich in natural resources, where Israel has de facto extended his sovereignty. The UN organization also advocates the restoration of territorial continuity between the different Palestinian spaces. An approach contradits in fact by the progress of the colonies, especially those around Jerusalem, which decide the main lines of communication between the north and south of the West Bank.