Lecture Spotlights the State of The Palestinian Economy

The Ibrahim Abu Lughod Institute of International Studies organized a public lecture entitled “The Economic Situation of Palestine: A Study of the World Bank’s Reports” on November 18.  The lecture, part of a series held by the Saturday Forum, was presented by World Bank economic expert Noor Naser El-Din, and the private sector development specialist Abdel Wahab Al-Khateeb.

The Director of the Ibrahim Abu Lughod Institute of International Studies, Dr. Lord Habash, emphasized the importance of assessing the Palestinian economy, “This lecture discusses the Palestinian economy from an international perspective, delving into the stages of the economy’s development from the Oslo Accords until now, and putting forth predictions on future developments and advances.”

The two guest lecturers reviewed the true potential of the Palestinian economy, based on the World Bank’s studies of unemployment and poverty indices and figures, and their effect on the economy. The lecturers also highlighted Israeli restrictions impeding the Palestinian economy’s development, such as the restrictions imposed on import, export, and the financial sector.

“Should improvements be made internally, such as in civil governance, the pension fund, and net lending; and externally, such as the removal on resource-rich Area C, and opening the Gaza borders, then we predict a positive future for the Palestinian economy,” concluded the lecturers.

A discussion with the attending audience followed the lecture.  During this discussion, relevant inquiries were debated, such as the feasibility of envisioning a scenario in which Area C restrictions would be lifted, and the validity of the indices the World Bank uses in its reports.