World Bank: Palestinian economy ‘not strong enough’ to support a state

[Mosby]

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian economy’s recent growth is unsustainable because of its heavy reliance on foreign aid, a World Bank report said Wednesday.

For the past two decades, donor countries have propped the Palestinian economy by giving billions of dollars. The report said such aid has led to 7.7 percent gross domestic product growth between 2007 and 2011.

The growth has been primarily in government services, real estate and other non-tradable sectors. In contrast, the report said manufacturing and agriculture have dropped significantly.

The report said sustainable growth will come only through an emphasis on trade, integration and creating a dynamic private sector. The bank urged Palestinians to follow the example of East Asian countries that have achieved steady growth through exports, saying those that have focused on local markets have stagnated.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/world-bank-palestinian-economy-not-strong-enough-to-support-a-state/

[PDJane]

1. That doesn't, of course,

have anything to do with the Israelis stealing resources and destroying olive groves and farmland.......

[mazzarro]

2. The World Bank is so head-in-sand stupid on this issue

How did the bank account for Palestinian lack of access or power to access markets outside their occupied enclaves. How do they do that? I guess the bank is asking them to completely give up (capitulate) on their (Palestinian) demands. To the World Bank, it appears Palestinians only deserve what the Western demands of them!

[kayecy]

3. Thank ypu Mosby, but you missed the important paragraph....

The bank noted that Israeli restrictions remain the biggest impediment to investing, creating high uncertainty and risk.

Note that they say the biggest impediment.......

[shira]

4. If that's the biggest impediment, maybe Hamas should stop their terror attacks, go for real peace...

...and accept something along the lines of the Clinton Initiatives, Olmert's offer, or Geneva. That goes for the PA as well.

[rudycantfail]

5. The Israeli imposed check points

all throughout the occupied lands make the flow of goods difficult to impossible and lead to a competitive disadvantage that is hard to overcome.