Goal 1. Palestine

 Goal 1: Palestine
Kate Bailey, Alexsis Regan and Trish Siplon

         

          The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) have unfortunately increased in levels of poverty than the past numbers of the 1990s. As of 2007, 34% of Palestinians lived below the national poverty line—23.6% in the West Bank and 55.7% in Gaza (2010 Progress Report, 12). Unlike many countries that show a disparity between rural and urban areas, the greatest inequality can be pinpointed to those places more strictly under occupation and blockade. Poverty levels are temporarily kept at this level due to humanitarian aid from other countries in the form or food provisions and cash assistance—not sustainable means of growing the Palestinian economy. “If this assistance were to be deducted, the World Bank has estimated that poverty rates would climb to 45.7% and 79.4%, for the West Bank and Gaza Strip respectively (2010 Progress Report, 12).”

            The other specific targets are just as discouraging as the overall trend in poverty reduction. Target 1.B, achieve full and productive employment, has also declined in the possibility of achievement. Since 1999, total unemployment has more than doubled (2010 Progress Report, 14). Target 1.C addresses hunger which has also revealed high levels of food insecurity and growing, particularly in Gaza where they are nearly completely reliant on food imports. 38% of the population (25% in the West Bank and 61% in the Gaza Strip are food insecure (2010 Progress Report). Food insecurity is increasing health risks particularly in the Gaza Strip not only by the limited quality of food but also due to a lack of variety of foods available.

            “In addition to the disparity between Gaza and the West Bank, there are significant inequalities at the level of individual communities living in specific locales most affected by the Separation Wall and communities in the so-called Area C (2010 Progress Report, 15).” …

            Settlements: Unique to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are the areas known as Area C- territory of Palestine that is under complete Israeli jurisdiction. To expand this territory for greater political Israeli strength, the government has authorized the construction of what are called settlements in the West Bank where Israeli citizens build large complexes for political and/or religious purposes. These settlements are often right next to or even within an existing Palestinian village and once a settlement is established the economic security of the nearby villages is typically dissipated. Most notably, farmland that has been used for thousands of years is now controlled by the settlers for their own farming or development use. Land, and also water, is lost to the Palestinians which often leads to a loss in income and livelihood. Many Palestinians are then forced to find work elsewhere, sometimes having to work for the settlement that has taken the land away from them.

            Story Example: Muhammad lives in the Palestinian village of Auja and his family has farmed on the villages land for countless generations. About two years ago, an Israeli settlement was built neighboring Auja and much of Muhammad’s farmland is now used for agriculture for the Israelis. Without farming, he has lost his family’s only income. He still works on the land that used to be his, but now the products and profits go to his boss in the settlement at the end of each day instead of feeding his family. Muhammad’s wife Fadi has noticed great changes in the price of food in the local market in the last two years. Tomatoes that used to be 4 sheckels a pound now cost eleven—an unsustainable price for a family that lost their only income. Muhammad leaves for work every morning at 3am to wait in line at the checkpoint to cross the Security wall to his work on the Israeli side. The checkpoint opens at 7am, but because so many people must cross it and the guards are unpredictable, one must arrive early to insure they get to work on time.  Muhammad and Fadi do not like the new way of living. They feel much more vulnerable to food and economic insecurity since the Israeli occupation has sacrificed much control over their own lives.