Article - The Palestinian Economy: Dependency Under Occupation

As the Palestinian general elections fast approach, many are wondering whether new leadership would create opportunities for self-determined Palestinian economic development.

But with Israel’s ongoing siege, occupation, and fragmentation of Palestinians, and the COVID-19 pandemic crippling the Palestinian leadership’s ability to meet people’s most basic needs, can Palestinians really anticipate significant changes to their daily lives in the months and years ahead? More broadly, what are the impacts of international aid and “economic peace” initiatives on Palestinian aspirations for economic sovereignty, and which policies would actually benefit Palestinians?

In this policy lab, Al-Shabaka analysts Leila Farsakh and Ibrahim Shikaki join host Nadim Bawalsa to discuss these questions and more.

Nadim Bawalsa is Associate Editor with the Journal of Palestine Studies. From 2020-2023, Nadim served as Al-Shabaka’s commissioning editor. He is a historian of modern...
Al-Shabaka policy analyst, Leila Farsakh, is Associate Professor and Chair of the political science department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is the author of Palestinian Labor...
Al-Shabaka policy analyst, Ibrahim Shikaki, is assistant professor of economics at Trinity College, Hartford, CT. He earned his PhD from the New School for Social...

Latest Analysis

 Politics
Disinformation is being produced at industrial scale by official Israeli sources to justify its ongoing genocide in Gaza. Journalists and open-source intelligence analysts have only added fuel to this fire of Palestinian dehumanization by propping up the false news without necessary scrutiny. In his latest policy brief, Tariq Kenney-Shawa delves into Israel’s information warfare tactics, exploring how these efforts have contributed to the decay of truth and how they hamper efforts to organize a global response. He offers recommendations for reporters, analysts, and the wider public to leverage open-source tools to refute dominant Israeli propaganda and disinformation.
Al-Shabaka Tariq Kenney-Shawa
Tariq Kenney-Shawa· Mar 12, 2024
 Politics
Since the assault on Gaza began in October, 2023, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, injured, or missing, likely buried under the rubble of their homes or shelters. Nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, with cold, thirst, and hunger ravaging the entire population. While the world deliberates on the technicalities of genocide, Israeli colonization of the West Bank and disruption to Palestinian life there has only accelerated.
 Politics
The Israeli regime is currently committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, not only indiscriminately bombing Palestinians but actively targeting critical civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, universities, refugee camps, and residential buildings.
Al-Shabaka Jamal Nabulsi
Jamal Nabulsi· Feb 5, 2024
Al-Shabaka newsletter

Stay Informed

Join Al-Shabaka’s mailing list and find the latest Palestinian policy analysis in your inbox:

A New Look for Al-Shabaka

We are pleased to announce the release of our new visual identity and website—the culmination of a seven month-long process to better align our organizational branding with our revised institutional language, released in January 2023.

Skip to content