Nazareth story parallels Christmas

Policy Advisor Samer Abdelnour responds critically to a Toronto Star article, clarifying the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Nazareth. 

Palestine can add yet another approved draft resolution to the list of UN General Assembly attempts to distort Israeli colonial appropriation into a manageable conflict with repercussions. Last Tuesday, the UNGA adopted a draft resolution that emphasises “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.”

Portraying Israeli settlements and their businesses as hubs of coexistence is absurd. The settlements have always been primary obstacles to peace in international political forums, and major impediments to Palestinian economic growth. In fact, Israeli settlements stifle Palestine’s economy, according to Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network.

The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution demanding Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources under Israeli occupation. The draft solution, “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources,” was adopted with 164 votes in favor and five against.

Yarmouk is not the only Palestinian refugee camp that has been affected by the devastating war.

Ein al-Tal, Deraa, Husseiniyeh, Sbeineh and Khan Eshieh “have suffered significant shelling, destruction and the massive displacement of their populations,” according to a paper published by the Palestinian think tank al-Shabaka.

As 2015 comes to a close, the IMEU offers the following expert Q&A on the year's events in Palestine/Israel, as well as a look ahead to 2016, with political analysts Diana Buttu and Mouin Rabbani.

While 3G access will be a huge opportunity, as long as the Israeli occupation still controls the development of the Palestinian communications industry, economic progress will be limited, Arafeh says. “The occupation is the major obstacle. The occupation micromanages every aspect of the Palestinian economy—its total control of the ICT [Information and Communications Technology] sector is just one example.”

Despite a recent Kerry visit, the US has washed its hands of Israel/Palestine talks. After Paris, Al-Shabaka's Nadia Hijab and Alaa Tartir explain, that's bad news.

Policy Members Abu Moghli and Bitarie highlight the particularly vulnerable position of Palestinian refugees of Syria that leaves them with even fewer rights than other refugees.

Il s'avère donc indispensable d'analyser et de mettre en œuvre, sur le terrain, une stratégie capable de résister à la dislocation économique au sein des territoires palestiniens occupés.