Download or read book Am I Not a Human 2 The Suffering of the Palestinian Woman under the Israeli Occupation written by Sami el-Salahat and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2009-06-16 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the major sufferings of the Palestinian women who are living under the Israeli occupation, and whose basic rights are conitnuously violated by this occupation. It sheds the light on the women’s social, economic and health status, and how suffering is imposed and aggravated by the occupation; all in a concise, simple, academic and interactive style.
Download or read book Am I Not a Human 13 The Suffering of the Palestinians from Israeli Roadblocks in the West bank written by Fatima Itani and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2017-12-11 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Al-Zaytouna Centre has issued the English version of its book entitled “The Suffering of Palestinians From Israeli Roadblocks in the West Bank” prepared by Fatima Itani and Mohammad Dawood, edited by Dr. Mohsen Moh’d Saleh and Rana Sa‘adah. This book is the thirteenth in the series “Am I not a Human?” through which Al-Zaytouna Centre seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the suffering of the Palestinian people caused by the Israeli occupation, in a style that addresses the mind and the heart, within an academic, systematic and documented frame. This 108-page book addresses the suffering of Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank (WB) and the most serious violations committed by the occupation against the Palestinians at these roadblocks, which are spread out in their various forms all over the WB. The book reviews the Israeli policy of disconnecting Palestinian lands and humiliating Palestinians. It is followed by a legal preamble that reviews international and humanitarian laws that prove the illegality of the barriers. Then it gives an account of how the numbers and types of these barriers have evolved in the WB during the period 2001–2014. The book points out how setting up Israeli checkpoints in the WB hinders people’s movement, prevents them from going about their daily business in a normal manner and wears them out economically, mentally and socially. It also points out that, in spite of their different types, they are all there to break the Palestinians’ will. The Israeli checkpoints are considered among the worst manifestations of human rights violations; as in many respects, they are actually linked to practices that infringe on people’s lives and violate their dignity, safeguarded in international charters and conventions. The book points out that the logic that must be adhered to in demanding immediate removal of the occupation’s barriers is the illegitimacy of the occupation. As these roadblocks detain behind them Palestinians’ hope of living in a free country, in which they enjoy freedom of movement, work, education … and others.
Download or read book Am I Not a Human 10 The Suffering of the Palestinian Worker under the Israeli Occupation written by Mariam Itani and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2014-05-07 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the tenth among the series of “Am I not a Human?” which is a rich interactive documentation of the Palestinian suffering under the Israeli occupation. The 110 pages book deals with the suffering of the Palestinian worker, the history of the Palestinian labor movement and its struggle to restore its rights. It also talks about the direct targeting of the Palestinian workers, the infrastructure and the agriculture sector. In addition to the Israeli restrictions on the Palestinian economy. For example, since al-Aqsa Intifadah on 28/9/2000 and till the end of October 2010, the press in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza strip (GS) was attacked 1251 times. The workers living in GS and WB are 24.4% of the Palestinian people i.e., one quarter of the population there. Israel has always worked to strangle the Palestinian economy in order to make the Palestinians economically dependent on Israel. This book also discusses the “open door policy” which was advocated by Moshe Dayan in 1968, that aims to increase the individual standards of living while dismantling the Palestinian economic capacity. Statistics reveal that more than 35% of the labor force is in GS, and 25-30% of the labor force in the WB had been working in very bad conditions from 1970 till 1993. The Palestinian workers salaries do not exceed 30-50% of the salaries of their Israeli counterparts. The book asserts that stopping the suffering of the workers is neither by increasing the international financial aid, nor through the employment support programs, rather it is by ending the Israeli occupation. The statistics and documents in this book are rich and updated. Moreover, it contains testimonies, and photos that are very persuasive and convincing.
Download or read book The Palestine Strategic Report 2018 2019 written by Prof. Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2021-04-19 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. ** Al-Zaytouna Centre is pleased to present to its readers the Palestine Strategic Report (PSR) 2018–2019, the 11th PSR to be published. With an academic methodology and comprehensive, and objective approach, the report comprehensively details developments concerning the Palestine issue and provides the latest information and data available at the end of 2019, along with analyses and forecasts running into 2020–2021. This report is the result of collaborative work between 14 experts and researchers. In eight chapters, it addresses the internal Palestinian scene; Palestinian demographic and economic indicators; the situation in Jerusalem and the holy sites; the specifics of Israeli aggression, Palestinian resistance and the peace process; the complexities of Israeli-Palestinian dynamics, including the internal situation in Israel; and Palestine’s Arab, Islamic and international relations. The PSR now occupies a prominent position as an indispensable reference document, integral to Palestine studies and research. Al-Zaytouna Centre hopes the PSR will continue to make valuable contributions in this field.
Download or read book The Process of Israeli Decision Making Mechanisms Forces and Influences written by Karim El-Gendy and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2018-12-16 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Al-Zaytouna Centre has published the second edition of The Process of Israeli Decision Making by Karim El-Gendy. The 272-page book is an attempt to understand the Israeli decision-making process, and to bridge the literature gap by relating domestic factors with decision-making and foreign policy. El-Gendy aims to discuss the Israeli decision making process from three different viewpoints. The decision makers and the formal relationship between them, the structural forces and influences inherent in the decision making mechanism, and the external factors that influence the decision making process. The author explains how elements and forces within the labyrinth of the Israeli society exert influence on the decision-making mechanism and on how foreign policy and national security decisions are made. He expands on a number of external forces, or forces external to the decision-making process that are powerful enough to influence it. El-Gendy discusses the influence of five forces; the military, the advisors, two religious groups, the relationship with the United States, and the relationship with the Jewish Diaspora. This book attempts to take holistic approach to the decision-making process and avoid focusing its attention solely on decision-making in crisis situations.
Download or read book Am I Not a Human 8 The Separation Wall in the West Bank written by Hasan Ibhais and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2013-03-18 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2002, the Israeli Occupation started the construction of the Separation Wall in the West Bank. This Wall aggravated the suffering of the Palestinians living in the West Bank, denying them many of their basic rights in addition to the freedom of movement. This book sheds light on the various dimensions of this suffering: on social, economic, educational and health levels. It starts with demonstrating the development of “The Wall” idea in the Israeli Occupation mentality, contending the Israeli argument of “security” purposes behind the construction, and illustrating the various political and settlement-expansion motives. It also considers the International law position from the wall, including the 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the Wall. The book explores the stance of the Israeli Supreme Court towards the Wall and some of its rulings to modify its route. The book then moves to discussing the various humanitarian impacts of the wall on the lives of the Palestinian people. Among theses impacts: land expropriation,housedemolitions,restricting movement, denying accessibility to basic services like education, work and health; added to social issues of isolation and further fragmentation of the Palestinian Society. The book also studies the Wall in Jerusalem in a separate chapter. This Wall is a manifestation of Israel’s most important goals; Judaizing the city, confiscating its lands, surrounding it with settlements and walls, and pressuring the indigenous Jerusalemites into leaving the city. It dedicates another chapter to the case of Bil‘in village as a form of possible popular resistance against the Wall, explaining the innovative ideas to resist the Wall and how the Israelis were testing “non-lethal” weapons to disperse protesters there. One of Bil‘in’s most notable achievement is represented in the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court to amend the route of the Wall passing on its land. The book falls in 118 pages of medium size, and addresses the hearts and minds with the most accurate and documented information. This series is a rich interactive documentation of the Palestinian suffering under the Israeli occupation. It focuses on the Israeli violations of the Palestinians’ basic human rights.
Download or read book The Palestine Strategic Report 2016 2017 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2018-11-19 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. **
Download or read book The Road to Jerusalem written by Prof. Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2023-09-20 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Road to Jerusalem
Download or read book The Palestinian Issue Historical Background Contemporary Developments written by Dr. Mohsen M. Saleh and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2014-03-03 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 224 page book presents a general overview of the Palestinian issue, by tracing its historical junctures and its current developments. For the reader, this will facilitate his comprehension of its overall picture, the intertwined factors connected to it, at any stage and in a logical sequence, up to the present stage. This book is of special importance to the group of readers who wish to get a general idea of the Palestinian issue, or those who do not find time for detailed specialized studies. The book is written in a smooth English language, and is full of information updated till 2013; all the while retaining a scientific, academic and documented wording, far from emotional structural discourse. In its first chapter, the book deals with the background of the Palestinian issue until 1918. It reviews Palestine’s history through the ages, its geography, its Islamic standing, and the Jews’ religious and historical claims in Palestine, up to the emergence of the Palestinian issue in modern history, in addition to its political developments up to the end of World War I in 1918. The second chapter highlights the period of the British occupation of Palestine during 1918–1948. It discusses the development of the Zionist project, the emergence of the Palestinian National Movement and the 1936 Palestinian Revolt, as well as the political events that followed, up to the 1948 war and its repercussions. The third chapter reviews the issue’s developments during the period 1948–1967, focusing on the development of the Palestinian national movement, the birth of Fatah movement, the establishment of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), and the war of June 1967 and its repercussions. As for the fourth chapter, it addresses the period 1967–1987 up to the outbreak of the first Intifadah in 1987, shedding light on the emergence of the Palestinian national identity, the development of the Palestinian armed struggle, the Arab countries’ role in the Palestinian issue, and the emergence of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The fifth chapter deals with the period starting with the outbreak of the 1987 Intifadah until the failure of the Camp David negotiations in 2000, going through the inception of Hamas, the transition of the PLO from armed struggle to peaceful settlement, the formation of the Palestinian National Authority, and the developments that Israel had witnessed during the same period. The last chapter in the book reviews the developments that occurred following the outbreak of al-Aqsa Intifadah in September 2000 and until 2013. It is divided into subjects that include the Palestinian resistance, the Palestinian internal situation, the path of the peaceful negotiations, Jerusalem and the status quo, the Separation Wall, and the Israeli internal situation. This book is an important source for readers seeking to acquaint themselves with the Palestinian issue, and to become informed of the pertinent facts in a balanced manner. It can also serve as an introduction to further studies of the Palestinian issue.
Download or read book Egypt Syria and the War on Gaza A Study on the Egyptian and Syrian Foreign Policy Responses to the 2008 2009 Gaza War written by Muslim Imran Abu Omar and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2015-01-28 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations in Beirut has published a new book: Egypt, Syria and the War on Gaza: A Study on the Egyptian and Syrian Foreign Policy Responses to the 2008/2009 Gaza War, written by Muslim Imran Abu Umar. The original text of this book was a dissertation submitted in June 2013 in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Political Science at the International Islamic University Malaysia. This 103-page book focuses on the differences and similarities in the foreign policy responses of Egypt and Syria towards the 2008/2009 Gaza War. Five domestic and external factors are used to compare the foreign policy responses of Egypt and Syria, these are; Arab Nationalism, Islam, security concerns, economic concerns, and type of alliance. The author analyzes the official statements of the officials of Egypt, Syria, Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to understand, classify, and compare the policies adopted. A qualitative approach in which a content analysis is carried out is used to reach conclusions. Abu Umar concludes that while Islam and Arab Nationalism were very influential factors for the Egyptian and Syrian public, they had a minimal impact on foreign policy makers in the two states. Both security concerns and the type of alliance were very influential in the foreign policy making of the two states. Economic concerns were less important in both Egyptian and Syrian responses to the 2008/2009 Gaza War.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2010 11 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by AL-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2011-05-23 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations issued its Palestinian Strategic Report 2010/11 (PSR 2010/11) which addresses the developments of the Palestinian issue in 2010/11. The PSR is considered one of the most important scientific studies published annually by Al-Zaytouna Centre. The Report is rich with information, analyses, tables and charts besides strategic visions and future outlooks. It is published for the sixth year in a row and it has become one of the major sources for experts and those interested in the Palestinian issue. It provides a comprehensive coverage of the developments of the Palestinian issue that happened over a year while abiding by strict scientific and professional standards. The Report is 444 medium-sized pages. It is co-authored by 15 researchers specialized in the Palestinian issue, reviewed by four consultants and edited by Dr. Mohsen M. Saleh. The PSR 2010/11 stresses that the uprisings witnessed in the Arab world since early 2011, especially in Egypt, will have a direct impact on the Palestinian issue. The impact will most likely be positive if the uprisings achieved their goals and yielded political regimes which express the real will of the Arab peoples. However, the Report notes that the internal affairs would most probably be the primary concern during the coming period. Regarding the inter-Palestinian reconciliation, PSR 2010/11 asserts that the reconciliation agreement signed in Cairo last May still needs more serious steps to end the division and achieve real reconciliation on the ground. It needs to resolve many obstacles through cooperation between the different parties, away from external interventions and pressures. On the Israeli level, the Report mentions that 2010 has continuously witnessed the inclination of the Israeli society towards the extreme right. It further notes the absence of any breakthroughs in 2011 especially in the light of Israel’s rejection for the negotiations with President Mahmud ‘Abbas. The agreement signed with Hamas and the PA’s attempts to obtain international recognition of the Palestinian State in September 2011 hindered such negotiations. On the international level, the PSR says that the international diplomatic efforts towards the Palestinian issue have failed again in 2010. They could not achieve any significant progress regarding the peace settlement track or the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. Moreover, PSR 2010/11 includes a large number of figures and statistics on Israeli violations on different levels. During 2010, 98 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (including Jerusalem) by Israeli forces and settlers while 967 Palestinians and international solidarity activists were wounded. On the other hand, Israel’s internal security service mentioned that during 2010, 9 Israelis were killed and 28 were wounded in operations carried out by the Palestinians. Concerning settlement building, the Report shows that despite the 10-month Israeli moratorium on settlement building, Israel established 1819 buildings/apartments in 133 settlements all over the West Bank, including Jerusalem; in addition to 1433 mobile homes (caravans). PSR 2010/11 also discusses the increased Israeli attacks on the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and historic Palestine, during 2010. It further shows that the developments during that year revealed that the Judaization of Jerusalem has become the primary battle for Israel due to the obsession with the “Jewishness of the state” dominating the Israeli mind. Concerning demographic indicators, PSR 2010/11 mentions that at the end of 2010 the number of Palestinians around the world was around 11.14 million people. More than half of them, i.e., 5.75 million (51.6%) live in Diaspora, while the rest, i.e., 5.39 million (48.4%) live in historic Palestine. The latter are distributed by 1.28 million people in the territories occupied in 1948 and 4.11 million in the ’67 territories. The Report mentions that if the current growth rates of the Palestinians and the Jews persist, the number of Palestinians and Jews will become on par by 2017 where each will reach around 6.53 million. Thus, in 2020, around 49.2% of the population will be Jews as their number will reach 6.87 million compared to 7.09 million Palestinians. Regarding the economic indicators in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Report shows that events during 2010 has not affected the direct dependence of the Palestinian economy on the Israeli economy. In addition, the isolation of the Palestinian economy from the outside world continued due to the Israeli control of all international exits and Palestinian border crossings besides the Palestinian foreign trade. PSR 2010/11 also refers to the enormous difference between the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on one hand and the Israeli economy on the other. Thus, it shows, for example, that in 2010 the Palestinian GDP per capita was $1500 (around $1925 in the West Bank and $877 in the Strip) compared to $28,500 in Israel. In addition, the GDP amounted to $5.73 billion for the Palestinians compared to $217.13 billion for the Israelis.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2014 2015 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2016-07-19 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. *** Al-Zaytouna Center for Studies and Consultations in Beirut has published the Arabic version of the Palestinian Strategic Report 2014-2015 (PSR) The PSR is one of al-Zaytouna’s most important academic studies, published periodically in both English and Arabic. Today, it can be surely asserted that PSR is a must reference for every researcher and academic who are interested in the contemporary developments of the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The PSR reviews biennially the various developments concerning the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, objective and academic manner. It offers a wealth of data, up-to-date statistics, and analyzes and offers an outlook of future events. The PSR 2014–2015 falls in 392 pages and seven chapters. Edited by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh, PSR 2014–2015 was written by 12 specialized researchers, and reviewed by four consultants. The seven chapters cover the internal Palestinian scene, the Israeli-Palestinian scene, the Palestinian issue and the Arab world, the Palestinian issue and the Muslim world, the Palestinian issue and the international situation, the land and the holy sites, and the demographic, economic and educational Indicators.
Download or read book Am I Not a Human 9 The Suffering of the Palestinian Student under the Israeli Occupation written by Hayat al-Dada and published by مركز الزيتونة للدراسات والاستشارات. This book was released on 2017-01-24 with total page 95 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations in Beirut has issued the English version of its book entitled “The Suffering of the Palestinian Student under the Israeli Occupation,” prepared by Hayat al-Dada and edited by Dr. Mohsen M. Saleh and Rana Sa‘adah. This book is the ninth in the “Am I not a Human?” series through which Al-Zaytouna Centre seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the suffering of the Palestinian people caused by the Israeli occupation. This is done in a style that addresses the mind and the heart, within a scientific, systematic and documented frame. This 95-page book addresses the suffering of the Palestinian student under Israeli occupation. It reviews the most prominent international legislation related to the right to education in peace and war, the impact of Israeli policies aimed at keeping the Palestinian people ignorant, and the impact of daily attacks, the siege, and the Separation Wall on the Palestinian student. The book highlights Israeli aggression against Palestinian students through the use of roadblocks and checkpoints. This is in addition to the Separation Wall in the West Bank that added to the students’ suffering, which varies between physical inspection, physical and verbal attacks, blocking the arrival of students and teachers to their schools and universities, and impeding the arrival of school supplies. Furthermore, imprisoned students are deprived of their right to education. The book brings to light Israeli practices with respect to Palestinian curriculums. Israel has implemented policies that would let the Palestinian people be ignorant of many facets of their history. Thus it has deleted or amended parts of Palestinian curriculums to bring them in line with its occupation objectives. It separated the students from their heroic past and distorted their history. In Jerusalem, Israel changed the Arab curriculums to suit the occupation’s requirement. It introduced the matriculation “Bagrut” certificate in place of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) “Tawjihiya”, unrecognized by Hebrew universities. It froze the construction of school buildings and put various obstacles in the way of obtaining school building permits, as it did not take into account the natural population increase, thus causing a high rate of overcrowding in classrooms. The book also speaks about the low quality of education due to Israeli suspension of schools and the taking of security measures regarding them, in an effort to terrorize students and teachers. The book refers to a number of wars waged by Israel against the Gaza Strip, which shook the Palestinian educational establishment to the core, in addition to great damages caused by its blockade of Gaza Strip since 2007.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2009 10 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2011-05-24 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Palestinian Strategic Report 2009/2010 is the fifth in a series of comprehensive annual studies of the Palestinian issue published by the Al-Zaytouna Center for Studies and Consultations and now distributed by Pluto Press. The book covers the internal politics of Palestine, Israeli politics and policy, and Israeli–Palestinian relations. Also covered are the Arab, Muslim, and international stances toward the Palestinian issue. Along with economic and demographic indicators, the report has a special focus on Jerusalem and the holy sites. The 14 distinguished contributors not only survey the situation but also analyze events in the region, identifying trends and predicting likely future developments. The Palestinian Strategic Report 2009/2010 is an essential reference book for scholars, NGOs, and activists working on or in the Middle East.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2012 2013 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2015-06-30 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. ** Al-Zaytouna Center for Studies and Consultations in Beirut has published the Palestinian Strategic Report 2012-2013 (PSR). The Palestinian Strategic Report (PSR) is one of al-Zaytouna’s most important academic studies, published periodically in both English and Arabic. Today, it can be surely asserted that PSR is a must reference for every researcher and academic who are interested in the contemporary developments of the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The PSR reviews biennially the various developments concerning the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, objective and academic manner. It offers a wealth of data, up-to-date statistics, and analyzes and offers an outlook of future events. The PSR 2012–2013 falls in 400 pages and seven chapters. Edited by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh, PSR 2012–2013 was written by 13 specialized researchers, and reviewed by three consultants. The seven chapters cover the internal Palestinian scene, the Israeli-Palestinian scene, the Palestinian issue and the Arab world, the Palestinian issue and the Muslim world, the Palestinian issue and the international situation, the land and the holy sites, and the demographic, economic and educational Indicators.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2011 12 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2013-06-25 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This annual referential report, has become an essential classic in the academic realm of Palestinian Studies. It includes the latest and most recent statistical and analytic data on the various developments related to the Palestinian issue. ** Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations has just released the Palestinian Strategic Report 2011/12 (PSR 2011/12). It reviews the various developments concerning the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, objective and academic manner, covering the period up until the end of 2011/12, as well as some developments in 2012. PSR 2011/12, which is being published for the seventh consecutive year, is one of the most important studies published on an annual basis by al-Zaytouna. It has become a staple reference for specialists and those interested in Palestinian affairs, owing to its comprehensive coverage of the developments related to the Palestinian question throughout the whole year. PSR 2011/12 observes strict professional and academic standards, and offers a wealth of data, up-to-date statistics, and tables and charts. It also contains strategic assessments and offers an outlook of future events. This 415-page book was co-authored by 12 researchers specializing in Palestinian affairs, and was revised by four advisers, and edited by Associate Professor Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh. This year’s PSR contains seven chapters instead of eight, with demographic and economic indicators having been merged into one chapter, and added to educational indicators in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS) – distinguishing this year’s report from its predecessors. PSR 2011/12 concludes that the Palestinian political arena is still experiencing the same problems and obstacles seen in previous years, most notably the failure to bring together the various factions and constituents of the Palestinian people under one umbrella (the Palestine Liberation Organization—PLO); the lack of a unified strategic vision; the failure to agree on the priorities for national action in the current stage; and the continuing conflict between the strategies of resistance and negotiated peace. This is in addition to the fact that Palestinian decision-making centers remain in disarray, coming under pressure from the Israeli occupation in the WB, and Israeli blockade in GS. As regards reconciliation, PSR 2011/12 argues that steps towards achieving it will continue to stumble, expressing little optimism regarding the legislative and presidential elections, and the elections for the Palestinian National Council (PNC). Furthermore, there remain significant hurdles before the reformation of the PLO and the security forces, where the insistence of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah on maintaining a high level of security coordination with the Israel remains the biggest obstacle to achieving real Palestinian reconciliation. As concerns Israel, the PSR states that 2011/12 did not witness any significant changes in relation to its internal political landscape, except the fact that the Israeli society has continued to lurch to the extreme right in general, in tandem with increased racist manifestations targeting the Palestinians of 1948. The PSR discounted the possibility of the negotiations making any serious breakthroughs in the remainder of 2012, especially as the causes and factors leading to the failure of the efforts to resume negotiations remain extant, chiefly as a result of Israeli ongoing settlement activities; reduced American interest in the Palestinian issue in light of the preoccupation with the presidential elections; and continuing changes unfolding in many Arab countries, most notably Egypt. At the Arab level, PSR 2011/12 indicates that the Palestinian cause was not absent from the agendas of the Arab uprisings of 2011/12, albeit it was not prominently present in them either. The emergence of democratic systems that reflect the will of the populaces, and with the rise of political factions that are faithful to the Palestinian cause and are not subservient to foreign agendas, hope remains that the Palestinian question will receive more attention from these new regimes. With respect to international affairs, the report concludes that international diplomatic efforts concerning the Palestinian question declined further in 2011/12, as a result of several factors and developments. These include the uprisings and transformations in several Arab countries; the resurging tension surrounding the Iranian nuclear program and the prospects of a military confrontation; and the repercussions of the global financial crisis which has particularly hit countries in the European Union. PSR 2011/12 points out that 2012 marks the year of the US presidential elections, during which American diplomatic efforts in the Middle East traditionally wane, while the stances of both the Democratic and Republican parties converge towards the Israeli position, with a view to win over the Jewish vote. The report also collates many statistics concerning Israeli violations at various levels, including the fact that 118 Palestinians had been killed by the Israeli forces and settlers in GS and the WB (including Jerusalem) in 2011/12, while 554 Palestinians and international solidarity activists were wounded. On the other hand, Israel Security Agency (ISA) recorded 21 Israeli deaths in the same year as a result of attacks carried out by Palestinians, while 122 Israelis were wounded. On the subject of settlement building, the PA Information Center Concerning Colonization and Annexation Wall Affairs in the Ministry of State recorded the existence of 474 settlement sites in the WB until the end of 2011, including 184 settlements, 171 unauthorized outposts, 26 other settlement sites and 93 buildings which were partially or fully appropriated by the settlers in East Jerusalem. In addition, PSR 2011/12 draws attention to the fact that the pace of attacks in Jerusalem has been surging year after year, to stress that the battle for the Judaization of the Holy City remains Israel’s first priority, in conjunction with a trend of growing obsession with the Jewishness of the state dominating public thinking in the state of Israel. The report also adds that 2011 saw a marked upsurge in attacks against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine by Jewish extremists and Israel, mostly as part of the ‘price tag’ wave of attacks by settlers in the WB. As for demographic indicators, the number of Palestinians in the world stood at the end of 2011 at about 11.22 million people, with half of whom, i.e., 5.63 million (50.1%), living in the Diaspora. The other half, i.e., 5.6 million people (49.9%) live in historic Palestine, including around 1.37 million in the territories occupied in 1948, and 4.23 million people in the WB and GS. According to PSR 2011/12, if current population growth levels of both Palestinians and Jews remain the same, the populations of Palestinians and Jews in historic Palestine will equalize in 2016, when the number of both Jews and Palestinians will be approximately 6.4 million. In 2020, the Jewish population will be 6.9 million and will represent about 48.9 percent of the total population, compared to 7.2 million Palestinians. Concerning economic indicators in the WB and GS, the report states that 2011 did not see any new developments concerning the direct dependency of the Palestinian economy in the WB and GS on the Israeli economy, or the fact that this economy is isolated from the Arab world and the rest of the world owing to Israel’s control of all international ports and Palestinian border crossings. This is in addition to the fact that Palestinian foreign trade is mostly done with Israel. PSR 2011/12 also highlights the enormous disparity between the economic conditions of the Palestinians in the WB and GS on one hand, and those of the Israelis on the other. Indeed, the per capita income in 2011 was $1614 in the WB and GS (around $1981 in the WB and $1073 in GS), compared to $31,291 in Israel. The GDP in the WB and GS reached around $6.34 billion in 2011, while the Israeli GDP totaled $242.92 billion.
Download or read book The Palestinian Strategic Report 2007 written by Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh and published by Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies & Consultations. This book was released on 2010-06-21 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Palestinian Strategic Report is a highly academic annual report that assesses the Palestinian situation. It rigorously studies the developments of various aspects of the Palestinian issue, i.e., internal political affairs, economic development, demographic indicators, the Arab, Islamic and international stands and the Israeli attitudes and policies, all within an academic, well-documented context that is supported with the most recent statistical data. This report is the product of a massive team-work exerted by a group of affiliated researchers and specialists; editors, and consultants. It is published both in Arabic and English. The first Report covered the year 2005. As later reports were released annually, the report was well-received and highly acclaimed, especially within academics. Today, it can be surely asserted that this report is a must reference for every researcher or academic interests in the contemporary developments of the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Moreover, its English version is among the few highly academic and objective writings in this field by an Arab research centre.