The Palestinians paid a heavy cumulative cost estimated at $50 billion between 2000 and 2020 due to the additional restrictions imposed by Israel in the part of Area C of the West Bank available for Palestinian development, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) said in a report on Tuesday.
In the report, entitled “Economic costs of the Israeli occupation for the Palestinian people: The toll of the additional restrictions in Area C, 2000–2020”, Unctad estimated the cost of the additional restrictions at $2.5 billion per year.
The report, which assesses the economic impact of the additional restrictions on economic activities in this part of Area C, showed that the cumulative cost between 2000 and 2020 is equivalent to three times the West Bank GDP in 2020 and over 2.5 times the Palestinian GDP in the same year.
"Area C of the occupied West Bank accounts for about 60% of the West Bank and incorporates all Israeli settlements. It is under Israeli civil and security control," the report pointed out.
"Despite several UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions that emphasize the illegality, under international law, of settlements and the acquisition of territory by force, they continue to grow and expand."
The recent report noted the occupying power provides generous incentives to settlers and entrepreneurs to facilitate industrial and agricultural ventures, which have encouraged hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens to move to the subsidized settlements, where living standards are, on average, higher than in Israel, according to different sources.
In addition, the report mentioned the fact that the occupying power includes 70% of Area C within the boundaries of the regional councils of settlements, rendering that part of Area C off limits for Palestinian development, even though Area C is the largest and only contiguous part of the West Bank and has the most fertile land and valuable natural resources.
'Meanwhile, Palestinian access to the remainder of Area C (30%) remains heavily restricted," Unctad added.
The report also found that restrictions imposed by the occupying power have constrained economic activities and the movement of people and goods in Areas A, B and C.
It also referred to multiple Israeli restrictions that include a ban on the importation of certain technology and inputs, a stringent permit regime, bureaucratic controls, checkpoints, gates, earth mounds, roadblocks and trenches in addition to the Wall.
Follow the latest news on Google News
