Based on data from ARIJ Research Institute, the Expansion and Annexation Wall runs for a total length of about 780 kilometers, of which 61% has been completed. The route of the Wall isolated 680 km2 of Palestinian land between the Wall and the Green Line [which separates the West Bank from Israel -- TML Ed. Note], comprising approximately 12.0% of the West Bank. This land comprised about 454 km2 of agricultural and pasture land and open areas, 117 km2 were confiscated for Israeli settlements and military bases, 89 km2 were forest and 20 km2 were Palestinian built-up land. The Wall isolated 37 localities and affected over 300,000 people, particularly communities in Jerusalem where 24 of the localities affected are home to a quarter of a million people. More than 50,000 Palestinians holding a Jerusalem ID have been deprived of the right to reside in Jerusalem. Moreover, the Wall besieges 173 localities with a population of more than 850,000 inhabitants, including the city of Qalqilya. Historical Palestine: Israel Controls More than 85% of Its LandAt the end of 2012, there were 11.8 million people living in the historical land of Palestine with a land area of 27,000 km2. Jews constitute around 51% of the total population and utilize more than 85% of the total area of land. Arabs comprise 49% of the total population and utilize less than 15% of the land. A Palestinian therefore has less than a quarter of the area available to an Israeli. Water: Realities and ChallengesIsrael controls the majority of renewable water resources totaling 750 MCM, while Palestinians receive only about 110 MCM. According to Oslo Agreement II, the Palestinian share of the three ground water aquifers should be 118 MCM; this quantity was supposed to increase to 200 MCM by 2000. Israel also restricts access to water resources and imposes obstacles on the drilling of new water wells, especially for Area C that constitutes 60% of the West Bank. Martyrs: Continuous Efforts to Build a StateThe number of martyrs killed in the Al Aqsa Intifada between September 29th, 2000 and December 31st, 2012 was 7,766, up from 7,235 at the end of 2009. Of these, 2,183 were from the West Bank (2,059 males and 124 females) and 5,015 were from Gaza Strip (4,601 males and 414 females). The remaining martyrs were from the 1948 territories and outside Palestine. The bloodiest year was 2009 with 1,219 Palestinian martyrs, followed by 2002 with 1,192 martyrs. In addition, 306 martyrs were killed during 2012, 15 from the West Bank and 291 from Gaza Strip, of whom 189 were killed during Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip in November 2012. DetaineesAccording to data from the Ministry of Detainees, around
800,000 people have been in Israeli detention since 1967. Of
these, around 12,000 were women, plus many children, some of whom
were detained several times. At present, around 4,900 detainees are
detained in Israeli
prisons, including 14 women and 235 children, who represent 4.8% of all
detainees. There are 77 detainees who have spent more than 20 years in
Israeli jails and 25 detainees who have spent more than 25 years.
During the Al Aqsa Intifada, Israel detained more than 78,000
detainees, of whom 9,000 were
children, 950 were women (four of them were pregnant and gave birth in
prison) and many were members of the Palestinian Legislative Council
and former ministers. HealthStatistics for 2011 showed that the number of physicians per 1,000 of population registered in the Physicians' Union in the West Bank was 1.3 compared to 2.3 in Gaza Strip. In addition, there were 2.0 nurses per 1,000 of population in the West Bank compared to 4.1 nurses per 1,000 of population in Gaza Strip. There were 81 hospitals in the Palestinian Territory in 2011: 51 hospitals in the West Bank and 30 in Gaza Strip. These were distributed as 25 governmental hospitals, 32 non-governmental, 20 private, three hospitals run by military institutions, and one run by UNRWA. There were 5,414 hospital beds: 1.3 beds per 1,000 of population and allocated as 3,163 beds in the West Bank and 2,251 in Gaza Strip. There were 601 primary health care centers in the West Bank in 2011 and 147 centers in Gaza Strip. AgricultureThe main results covered all agricultural holdings enumerated in Palestine in the 2010/2011 agricultural year. There were around 105,000 agricultural holdings in Palestine, comprising around 72,000 plant holdings or 68.2% of all holdings in Palestine; 23,000 mixed holdings or 21.8% of holdings, plus 10,000 animal holdings or 10.0% of all holdings. There were around 40,000 cows, 732,000 sheep, and 240,000 goats in Palestine on 1 October 2011. The total cultivated area in Palestine in the 2010/2011 agricultural year was more than one million dunums [1 dunum = 1,000 m2 -- TML Ed. Note]. By type of crop, horticultural land made up around 660,000 dunums comprising 63.8% of all cultivated land, 130,000 dunums of vegetables comprising 12.5% of all cultivated land, plus 245,000 dunums of field crops comprising 23.7% of all cultivated land in Palestine. Housing: 46% of Palestinian Housing Units Are at Risk of DemolitionIn accordance with Israeli policy of dividing Palestinian land, Palestinians can only build on 13% of East Jerusalem and only on one percent of Area C; more than 94% of the construction requests made by Palestinians in past years have been rejected. According to United Nations estimates, 28% to 46% of Palestinian housing units are at risk of demolition. The average number of persons per room in housing units in refugee camps was 1.6 in 2012, while 34.6% of households in refugee camps in Palestine lived in housing density of two or more persons per room: 29.2% in West Bank camps and 42.3% in Gaza Strip. The average area of housing units in the camps in Palestine was 119.6 m2: about 120.4 m2 in Gaza Strip camps and 119.1 m2 in West Bank camps. Labor Market 2012The labor force participation rate in Palestine in 2012 was 43.6%: 42.1% among refugees and 44.6% among non-refugees. The participation rate in the West Bank was 45.5% (45.1% among refugees and 45.7% among non-refugees) compared to 40.1% in Gaza Strip (39.9% among refugees and 40.6% among non-refugees). The unemployment rate in Palestine was 23.0% (27.9% among refugees and 19.8% among non-refugees). The unemployment rate in the West Bank was 19.0% (22.6% among refugees and 17.7% among non-refugees) compared to 31.0% in Gaza Strip (32.1% among refugees and 28.8% among non-refugees). EducationAccording to the primary results of the Education Survey for the 2012/2013 scholastic year, there were 2,751 schools in Palestine: 2,058 in the West Bank and 693 in Gaza Strip. These were distributed by supervisory authority as follows: 2,037 governmental schools, 344 UNRWA schools and 370 private schools. The total number of students in these schools exceeded 1.1 million, of whom 570,000 were male and 576,000 female. There were 769,000 students enrolled in governmental schools, 277,000 enrolled in UNRWA schools and 100,000 enrolled in private schools. The illiteracy rate among Palestinians aged 15 years and above was 4.1% in 2012, distributed as 1.8% of males and 6.4% of females. In the field of higher education, there were 14 universities and 15 university colleges offering programs leading to a bachelor degree: five universities and five university colleges in Gaza Strip and nine universities and 10 university colleges in the West Bank. There were 20 intermediate community colleges: 15 in the West Bank and five in Gaza Strip. Macroeconomics: Consumer Price Index During 2012The Palestinian Consumer Price Index increased by 2.78% in 2012 compared with 2011: by 4.08% in the West Bank, 3.23% in Jerusalem (J1) and 0.48% in Gaza Strip. In comparison with the base year of 2004, the Consumer Price Index in Palestine had increased by 36.40%: by 36.51% in the West Bank, 38.40% in Jerusalem (J1), and 33.19% in Gaza Strip. Trade: Limited Palestinian ExportsBoth imports and exports of goods increased in 2011 compared to 2010. In 2011, the value of imported goods totaled USD 4.2 billion, and increased by 6.6% compared to 2010. The total value of exports was USD 720 million and increased by 25.0% compared to 2010. As a result, the net trade balance on goods recorded a deficit of USD 3.5 billion in 2011 and was 3.5% higher than in 2010. The results indicated that 87.5% of exports were exported to Israel, while only 12.5% of total exports were exported to other countries excluding Israel. The limited value of exports to other countries was due to Israeli restrictions on Palestinian exports, especially from Gaza Strip. Information SocietyIn 2012, 51.4% of households in Palestine had a computer: 55.2% in the West Bank and 44.2% in Gaza Strip. An Internet connection was available in 32.1% of households in Palestine in 2012: 34.3% in the West Bank and 27.9% in Gaza Strip. The percentage of households with a satellite dish in Palestine was 95.0%: 96.6% in the West Bank and 92.1% in Gaza Strip in 2012, compared with 92.0% in 2009. The results also indicated that 40.0% of households in Palestine had a fixed telephone line: 42.7% in the West Bank and 34.8% in Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, 95.7% of households in Palestine owned a mobile phone in 2012: 96.2% in the West Bank and 94.7% in Gaza Strip. TourismIn Palestine, tourism is the sector most affected by the Israeli occupation since Israeli companies and tourist offices hold a monopoly over groups and Christian pilgrims to the Church of the Nativity and other historical and religious sites. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, the number of Christian pilgrims in 2012 to the Church of the Nativity alone totaled 1.3 million visitors. These visitors entered via Israeli crossings and borders and were accompanied by Israeli companies and tourist services, thus depriving the Palestinian economy of returns from tourism. Data from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism show that there were around 3.5 million visitors to Israel at the end of 2012, worth more than USD 4.6 billion to the Israeli economy.
The Right of ReturnZochrot ("Remembering") -- a group of Israeli citizens -- works to make the history of the Nakba accessible to the Israeli public "so as to engage Jews and Palestinians in an open recounting of our painful common history." It explains the importance of the right of return: "The Nakba is the story of the Palestinian tragedy: the destruction of communities, civilization, culture and identity, the expulsion and the killing that took place in 1948. It is a story that constitutes the past and present of the Palestinian people and shapes a large part of Palestinian identity. Yet in many respects the Nakba is also the story of Jews who live in Israel. A story that is not easy to cope with, a story that raises difficult questions about the possibilities of life together in the space that is today the state of Israel. "It is almost impossible to speak about the Nakba without speaking about taking responsibility and repairing the historical injustice that was committed against the Palestinian people. Such repair must begin first and foremost with the recognition of the right of Palestinians to return. "What is the right of return? The right of return is the personal right of every refugee who was expelled from the country, and their descendants, to return to their place of origin, based on international law and UN Resolution 194 passed on December 11, 1948. It is also the collective right of whole communities to return and live as a community, as a group, to carry out a social framework in shared spaces such as cultural centers, religious places, schools, recreational areas. The right of return is an individual and collective right. "Who is considered a refugee? A question that frequently arises is: how many generations of descendants will be considered candidates for return? The most moral and logical answer is that the refugees will cease to be refugees when they are given the opportunity to choose whether or not to return. The right of return does not mean only physical return, but the option to make an unhindered choice -- the ability to choose that makes a person free. "What about Jews in Israel? Acknowledgment and
implementation of the right of return will not only begin the task of
correcting the historical injustice committed against the Palestinian
people, but may also usher in a new beginning for Jews in the country.
The right of return can open up an opportunity for Jews
to encounter the country in a new way, no longer as occupiers, but as
equals. An injustice cannot be corrected by another injustice, and the
right of return, like any other right, must be implemented with care to
ensure that other rights are protected. [...] "The Zionist collective memory exists in both our cultural and physical landscape, yet the heavy price paid by the Palestinians -- in lives, in the destruction of hundreds of villages, and in the continuing plight of the Palestinian refugees -- receives little public recognition. "We hope that by bringing the Nakba into Hebrew, the language spoken by the Jewish majority in Israel, we can make a qualitative change in the political discourse of this region. Acknowledging the past is the first step in taking responsibility for its consequences. This must include equal rights for all the peoples of this land, including the right of Palestinians to return to their homes." Calendar of EventsOttawa
Vigil: Remembering the Nakba Wednesday, May 15 -- 6:00-8:00 pm Human Rights Monument, Elgin and Lisgar Demonstration Saturday, May 18 -- 2:00-4:00 pm Parliament Hill Lunch Hour Leafleting May 16-22 -- 12:00 noon Distribution of maps of Palestine on Parliament Hill. Ottawa events organized by: Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East For information: 438-380-5410, www.cjpme.org Click to enlarge.
Toronto Film Screening: The Red Stone Wednesday, May 15 — 7:00-9:00 pm Beit Zatoun, 612 Markham St. 50 min., Arabic with subtitles; doors open at 6:50 pm For information: 647-726-9500 To commemorate the
65th anniversary of Al Nakba, the Toronto
Palestine Film Festival is hosting a screening of Ahmad Damen's film, The
Red
Stone.
Taking its title from the characteristic red stone with which many of Jerusalem's historic buildings are built, Ahmad Damen's investigative documentary focuses on Palestinian areas of west Jerusalem that were occupied and depopulated of Palestinians in 1948. While tracking the architectural and family histories of these splendid properties, Red Stone introduces the buildings' current occupants, the Israeli real estate companies trading in their "exotic" appearances, and the original owners many of whom are now barred from their homes. London
Featuring live
Palestinian folk music by Al Salam Band. Tickets for
the dinner and cultural show are $35 for adults, $25 for children (14
and under). For more information and tickets, contact: Alaa:
780-721-7875; Hani: 780-904-8007; Mousa: 780-974-3021.
Where Peace Lives: Discovering Peace in the Middle East Saturday, May 18 -- 6:30-8:30 pm Conron Hall, University College, Western University $10 admission, proceeds to Christian Peacemaker Teams For tickets: 519-685-0609, 519-630-3202, 519-685-9904 Sponsored by: Institute for Middle East Studies Canada, Western School of Humanities, Canadian Palestinian Social Association, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Click to enlarge. Edmonton Commemorating Nakba Cultural Event and Dinner Saturday, May 18 -- 6:00 pm Palace Banquets & Conference Facility, 3223 Parsons Road (99 Street), (Click here for map) Help spread the word! Invite your friends to the Facebook event. Organized by: Canada Palestine Cultural Association Read The Marxist-Leninist
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