Building an economy and not fences
Photo: Meir Fartush
'Use pullout to boost PA economy'
Palestinian and Israel economists argue for using disengagement as lever to lift Palestinian economy
TEL AVIV - The Aix Group, which is compriseed of Palestinian and Israeli economists, published a paper on Tuesday entitled “Israel and Palestine: Between Disengagement and the Economic Road Map.”
Original Idea
By Associated Press
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The position paper presents a comprehensive list of suggestions to make disengagement the first step in a permanent-status agreement and a launching point for the improvement of the Palestinian economy.
“Disengagement endangers the chances of a viable Palestinian state as depicted in the Road Map for Peace,” Saeb Bamia, a senior Palestinian Authority economist and co-author of the paper said.
“We can reduce those dangers by ending a subversive policy and create the conditions for Palestinian economic revival,” he said.
“One of the ways to make disengagement a constructive step is to ensure that the West bank and Gaza Strip remain one economic unit,” Ben-Gurion University economist Arieh Arnon said.
Economics of peace
In January 2004, the Aix Group published its “Economic Road Map,” which outlines an economic vision parallel to a final status peace agreement.
Now, the group is thinking more short-term, with plans for the disengagement and the revival of the Palestinian economy.
Among the recommendations, the group asked the government to ease up on restrictions on Palestinian traffic into Israel and on closures in the West Bank.
It also pushed for guaranteed economic ties between the West Bank and Gaza; Palestinian access to Israeli seaports and airports; increased political reform of the Palestinian Authority, and keeping the current trade regime.
Aix started as the result of a seminar organized by Gilbert Ben-Hayoun of the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Law, Economics and Science of Aix Marseille.
