The impact of Israeli closure policies and movement restrictions on the Palestinian e

[Dylith]

A new story entry has been added:

The impact of Israeli closure policies and movement restrictions on the Palestinian economy

The Palestinian economy is in a current state of crisis and has been fluctuating throughout the course of the Second Intifada (2000-present). Throughout this time period the actions of Israel (while not the only cause of economic hardship) in the Palestinian territories have contributed significantly to the problem.

[Ardentfrost]

The stoic stating of a multitude of facts in this article makes the problem seem insurmountable! I mean, what can we possibly hope to do to Isreal, a country that often acts to the dismay of the countries and organizations that protect it? If you want the US to pull aid and protection of Isreal, then you are labeled anti-semitic, which NO politician wants.

Not to mention that by helping Isreal we stir up more hatred from Arabs. We have set a precedent such that we are seen as ALLOWING Isreal to do these things despite them being a sovereign nation. What can anyone do?

[6SpeedTA95]

So whats the answer here guys? Keep in mind the Palestenians are constantly firing rockets into and at isreali civilian areas. Not to mention the propaganda they feed their children with regard to killing jews.

I think some of the Israeli actions are over the top, but whats the answer for Israel? Whats the answer for Palestine? Is there a joint answer? If it were easy I dont think this would have been decades old problem...

[Rouger2]

Why get into this rats nest. Israel always seems to be pushing the Arabs who are a hot headed bunch for sure. They seem to want the thing to go on or a least some of them. They are now allowing small settlements in Palestine and are closing the border crossings. The Palestanians seem to trying harder but have their hot heads and I guess always will. I have come to the conclusion that a Berlin wall is the only solution, but it seems Palestine needs Israel for trade so what do you do punt I guess. I don't like to think about something that has no solution and this thing doesn't.

[motivez]

Sorry for not replying sooner. Great article I think, it highlights exactly how Israel's policies have often exacerbated the problem of militancy among the Palestinians rather than helped it

Last Friday on Real Time w/ Bill Maher, there was a guy who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.. he talked about how it wasn't always Al Qaeda who was attacking them, it might be a plumber who's out of work and needed money to survive, and getting paid to fight the US forces was one of the only options.

Certainly the same applies here. When you cut off an entire community's ability to provide anything for itself by controlling borders, electricity, imports and exports, water, allowing people to enter / leave their towns, travel to/from work and so forth.. the options they have to make a living for themselves are virtually nil.

That leads the militant groups, who often have access to stuff they need (Like we saw with Hezbollah in Lebanon, passing out food, water, money for rebuilding) become attractive options for desperate people with really nothing more to lose.

It's one reason that I've consistently said in threads about Israel's military occupation of the territories that autonomy needs to come first, so the Palestinian people can provide for themselves, and can see a better life on the horizon if they want it.

I think there's a lot of hatred for Israel, and I think a lot of it is justified. If we lived in those conditions, we'd hate Israel too. Our country was built on overthrowing a government we saw as oppressing us. Certainly it doesn't justify the tactics where they target civilian areas, but they're fighting back the only way they are able.. and unless they're given complete autonomy, their own state, control over their own resources, borders, and so forth.. I don't see anything changing.

You'll never have peace while one of the best options for employment (and as a result, the ability to provide for family) is militant groups. It just wont happen.