Occupation of Arab territories stifles economic growth: UN report

Occupation of Arab territories stifles economic growth: UN report

                  Arab territories continue to be stifled by restrictions imposed under Israel’s occupation and the policy of separation, according to a report by the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO).
                 The annual report of ILO on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories released last week calls for replacing the current security logic “with a development logic, based on a long-term vision of the economic, interests of all the women and men in the region.”
                 The report states that despite some improvements in the movement of people, there has not been an improvement in the lot of workers over the past year.
                The report underlines that all parties “have to come to a decision sooner or later on the next steps. The Palestinian economy has reached limits which cannot be surpassed without agreement and action on the two major constraints it faces: occupation and separation. Palestinian State-building should not be stifled and allowed to run out into frustration and discontent.”
                This year’s report refers to the many facets of separation resulting from the closure of the Gaza Strip, the effects of the Separation Barrier, the separation of East Jerusalem from the West Bank.