Wednesday, May 21, 2008

New report critiques West Bank development projects

Report, The Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, 21 May 2008

"....."Development or Normalization?" argues that the general concepts found in this development strategy were produced by international institutions and implemented with the help of the Fayyad government. The report then demonstrates in three case studies the implications of carrying out development with the occupation. The areas covered are: the Bethlehem tourism projects, the Jenin Industrial Estate, and the JICA projects for the Jordan Valley. In Jenin, for example, international donors are being asked to fund a project which, at very best, provides Palestinian workers with wages just barely above the international line of absolute poverty. In Bethlehem, tourism projects have been put forward that integrate Israel's illegal wall into their workings.

These findings have serious implications, not only for development and economic growth, but also on account of the deteriorating political situation. While peace talks have stalled, development projects continue that implicitly recognize expanded borders, annexations and settlements."

No comments: