Part II (A) 2 - Living Conditions of the Palestinian People

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UN'TED NAT'ONS Distr.
GENERAI
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1+ October 1977
ENGLISH
ORIGINAI: A3ABIC/ENGLISH/
FFENCH
GENERAL
A S S E M B LY
Thirty-second session
UNTTED NATIONS ENWRONIONT PFOGRAMME
Livi4g conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied tenitories
Report of the Sec retary-Gener€-I
1. The present report, is subnitted pursuant to resolution 3l-/110 of
16 December f976, in which tbe ceneral Assembly requested. the Secretary-General', in
collaboration with the relevsnt United Nations organs and. specialized, agencies, to
pTepare and sub4it to the Assenbly at its thi"ty-6econd session a report on the
Iiving conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories. ft further
lequested. the Secretary-General , in preparing the rgport, to consul-t and. co-operate
vith the Pal,estine l,iberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian
people ,
2. At tbe 45th neeting of the Second Connittee, on 17 Novenbet L976, r'hen the
d.raf't resofution on the living conditions of the Palestinian peopl-e in the occupied
territories was schedr[ed. to be voted on, the Conmittee was informed that, if the
Secretary-GenereJ- were requested to prepare a report on the living conditions of the
Palestinian people in the occupied territories, the task vould be entrusted to the
Department of Econoeic and Social. Affairs. The Second Comaittee was fu.rther
info"med. that wh11e the task $ou-Ld present certain difficulties every effort wou.ld
be made to prepare a:rd subnit the report if it were requested. Since the
Secretariat had. no independent source of information about the occupied territories,
it ttould have to l-ook to the Governments and organizations concerned to provide tbe
necessary information to enab]-e it to submit a report to the GeneraL Assenbly at its
nexr sessron \see Alv.zl 3Ll uf{.4)/,
3, In accordance with the statement made by the Seeretary-General r s representative
at the second. Comittee referred to above, a note verb€J-e was sent on 16 lilay 1977 to
the Pern8nent Missions to the United Nations of Egrpt, fsrael , Jordan and the
Syrian Arab Republic, as well as to the permanent observer of the PsJ-estine
Liberation Organization, draving attention to the resolution and requesting such
infomation as night be mad.e available on the subJect-matter of the report requested.
77 -18698
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by the GenereJ Assembly. fhis was folJ-owed by a second. note verbale dated
?1 {"a" 1977 r^rhich requested that the necessary infornation be submitted by 1l August l!Jl.
l+. Pertinent information for the report vas requested. from the rntemational
Labour Organisation, Food and A€xiculture Orgenization of the United Nations,
united. Nations xducationa,l , scientific ena cutturat Organization, world Hear-th orgenization, Econonic conmission for western Asia, united Nations Relief and works
Agency for Parestine Refugees in the Near East and from the speciar cbairnxan of the conndttee to rnvestigate rsraefi practices Affecting Hura"., Rights of the Population of the Occupied. Territories.
5. 0n 19 August L971 , i-he permanent Representative of Egrpt traflsnritted. a report prepared by the Eggptian authorities. Ttris reporb is reproduced in its entireiy in arnex LA.
o' -Lne rerma.nent Hepresentative of Israel to the United Nations in a note verbale
dated 16 August 1977 addressed to the Secretary-General stated that the position of rsrael on the subJect-natter of the resolution in question was made clear by the delegate of rsrael in the second co.eittee on 1f Novenber 1976, and was reflected in do:unx:n! A/c.2/3L/sR.\5, the refevant paragraphs of which (pa".". 5l+ to 61) were attached, These paragraphs are reproduced in annex I.B.
7- The PermEnent Missjon of Jordan to the united Nations, in a note verbsre datecl 10 Augus t 1!/J' subnitted a report which dealt prinarily *itrr the situation in the occupied parts of Jerusalen and requested that, in view of the vasior:s references to the security co.ncil resor-ution on the subJect, the report be circur-ated as a
docr.ment of the security councir (s/123T8). Fu."ther, the note verbare indicated that the Government of Jordan wourd, in due course, transrnit further reporbs covering the situation of the rest of the cccupied West Barlk and the living conditions of the Palestinian refugees" in aaaition to those of the indi.geaous inhabitalts. These additional reports had not been received at the tirse nr rrr'rr'no
bhis report.
8. The Permanent Mission of the syri an Arab Republic trars'itted the report prepared by the competent authorities of the Republic ,,rith a note verbale dated
25, JDJY I97T, Subsequently, in a note verbafe aated 23 Augus t 19TT, the pennanent
Mj.ssion requested, upon instructions from its Government, that this stu{y be circulated as an official docr-rment of the General Asserrbly under items 30, 3r and 6a (a/12lrAo)
9. The Pa"lestine Liberation Organization has, to date, made no information available directly to the secretary-General, Hovever, the statement of the FAo includes a note verbale from the P;litical- Department of PLO to the Director-General- of tr'AO informing hin of the hardships experienced by the palestinians withtn the occupied territories. fhis note rrerbale is included as part af annex II .8.
10' The Chairnen of the Special- Conrnittee to Investigate Israeli practices Affecting the Hunan Fights of the populatlon of the occupied rerritories referred. in his reply to the retrnrt subnitted by the special corulittee to the Generat Assembty at its
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tlrirty-first session (A/37/2fB), and drev attention in particular to sections rv and
VI which contained infornation on the situation of iivilians in the territories
^...r-iaa hrr Terael Sin..e hhis renorf, is availab-Ie as a document of the Cenelal
Assenbly, it is not reproduced.
11. The ILo drew attention to a report on the situation of wo"kers in the
territories occupied. by Israel-, which vas included in the report of the Director-
General on the activities of the ILO in 1976, presented to the rnternational Labour
Conference at its sixty-third session (f977). \J Relevant sections have been
excerpted therefrom and. constitute annex II.A of this report.
I2. A fornal- statement from the Director -General- of FAO is included in ful-l in
aJrnex f LB.
13, ui\lESCO stated. that it did not have any recent infornation col-lected directfy
l.r^h tha nan-rniod .f-rri+^1.iF q. An errnert rn.issinn to collect information on
ed.ucation and cultural l-ife in the occupied territories is being planned and the
findings will be nade available in due course. UNESCO did subnit, however, a copy
of the report of the Director-General on the inplementation of resolution 13'1 ,
adopted by the General Conference at its eighteenth session' concerning the
educational and cul-tural institutions in oecupied Arab territories ( doctr.nent
f9C/73, and its annex 99 nX/50). Pertinent excerrts from these docunents are
incfuded in annex II C.
1l+. llHO stated that the Thirtieth World Health Assenbly, which took place at Geneva
in t4ay 1977, had on its agenda t,he question of "Health assistance to refugees and
displaced persons in the l4iddle Eastrr, for vhich the background documentation
included the progress report of the Sub-Conmittee of Experts set up by the Director-
General to study the health conditions of the inhabitants of the occupied
territories in the lJiddle East ( document 4.30/36) and, as an annex to that document,
the abbreviated annual report of the Director of Health of UNRWA for the year 1976
( docr:ment A.30/WP/1). Selected paragraphs from the latter document have been
excerpted on the basj.s of their perti.nence to the matter at hand and are transcribed
in annex II .D.
1), UNICEI stated that, as it clid not have pl-oiecbs specifically dealing viLh the
PalesLinian people in the occupied territories, it was unable to prov-ide infornation
relevant to the subj ect ,
16. The statement received fron UNRWA is reproduced in annex II.E.
I7. The stateroent received fron the Executive Secretary ol ICWA is i.ncluded in ful-f
in annex II.F.
1/ rsBN 9?-2 -!or72\ -9, pp. )+7 to 59.
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Rer:lies received. fron Member States
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1. Ranullah prison is overfil].eit $ith citizens fron the West Bank who were
a^rrested by thi Israeli authorities on charges of resisting the occupation. These
authorities persist in their oppressive policy towards Arab atetainees, which lecl
those Jailed in Al pra1i1 (ffenron) Prison to threaten to go on a hun6er-strike to
the death. The head of AI Kha-Lil Muni.cipality hes appealed to the lsraeli Military
Governor to tahe lreasures to improve the conditioas of those prisoners, and even
expressed villiugness to provitte then with food and clothing at the expense of the
Municipality.
2. The occupation authorities berred the alelegations of Nablus and Remulleh from
visiting the Arab Gulf states, thus raising obstacles to the idea of fraternity
betteen the toxns of the occupied territories and other Arab towns ' Those
authorities further banned the head. of Ra:nullatr Mrmieipafity fron going to the
united states, where he was due to attend. the annu€I congress organized by the
migrants fron that to'tn, lest their coloniel 4ethods should be exposed" The
occupation autborities further refused to al]-ow the head of Nablus Municipslity to
travel to Rone to attend a neeting of he8'ds of denocratic nunicipalities '
3. The Israeli authorities J-evy heaw taxes on consumer gootls in the occupie'l
territories, causing a fligtrt of Arab capital to Jordar, vhicb in turn has
contributed to e further deterioration of economic conditions.
!. UnenpLoyment increases among the Arabs because of the Israeli designs to force
Arabs to feave the occupied territories. In this respect ' the occupation
authorities pensionetl off a 1a"ge number of teachels in the west Bank' The mmber
of citizens who l-eft the West lant auring last year is estinated at L51000' most of
then youths lrho were forced to enigrate by vari ous Israeli pressu"es ' Bhe
population has actually declined t; 58l,ooo, coBpared to B5l+'000 before the
196? agression.
5. The lfilitary Governor of the llest 3al1k banned the esteblislment of 8r$r prtoJects
there under ttre pret ext of exa!0ining their soufces of financing and ascertaining
that Buch proJects vere not funded by the Palestine liberation Organization' This
measure hai resulted in a freezing of funtis supplied by some Axab Gulf States to
suppos the West Bank nunicipal councils.
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6' rsraeli authorities impose exorbitart go to visit their reletives-in custom duties on Arab citizens vhen they fhis the occupied territories during the sunner troliaays. action is meant to euich the rsra-eli treasury, on the one hand, and to mal{e Life harder for Arab citizens, on the other.
7' The occupation authorities have prevented the resid.ents of the A1 Maareh srea in sinai froro going near water vell-s. As a result, rates for fresh vater soared and l-iving conditions beceme even nore difficurt, 1,/hi ch forced the population to leave the area.
If, Israeli settlenents in the occupied. territories
1. In the fiefd of s ettl-ement operations, the occupatLon authorities continue to expropriate large areas of Arab land, part i.cularly in the Turkrun and Jenin areas, prior to the estabrishment of settienents on that 1and. The victory of the Likud bloc has encouraged- pro-settLenent groups, especially the Gosh fu.oniu, to proceed vith the establishnent of settlenents- on Arab r,and. The above-mentioned group pla's the estabrishnent of 10 settlernents in the west Bank over the next fev
lw:"olhrk: .i s uTndheer swenaey tgoro uspe ti s about to set up a settl-enent on the Jerus al_en Road.. up two other setllements, one on the hius of Nablus a,d the other in the Abul_ I'orneh area in Nablus.
?' The lvfinisteria-r comnrittee for settlement Affairs has atlocated 30 nillion fsraeli pounds for the inplenentation of a new proJect that envisages the establislxnent of 110 new settlenents in the Rafih area over the neit 10 years.
3' The fsraeli lr{inister of Agxicur-ture, Ariel sharon, announced that a te€m of experts fron l,ikud had elaborated a programne for the creation of five new rsraeli towns in the Viest Bank to_accoumoaate f5O,OOO persons. The progranme envisages linking these towns vith Jerusarem ana rei Aviir via a network of hishr,rays. The progra'ume further cal1s for the establistr:nent of rr3 industriar and Lrilurturar settlements in the West Bank,
)+' Teddy Kolek, the Ivlayor of occupied Jerusalem, has announced that Israel $i1l-
b1e"" d?ilv igdlet!d uapg aJienr uusnadJe-re n' whatever the sor-utions to be reached., nor vil1 Jerusaren any circumstances.
5' The rsraeli ivlinister of state, rsraer Gafilee, announced that the number of settl'ements established since the 196r var tota.rled 100, at a cost of )+ nillion rsraeLi pound.s ' He added that the united states had not exercised any pressure on rsrael in this respect, aJrd. that the rsraeli Government,s decisions were not dependent upon the position of the United States.
6' The rsraeli Minister of Defence, Ezra weizna,n, visited Kiryat settlenent near A1 l{halil arld urged rsrael-i settlers to exert effoats to turn their settlenent into a 1ar6e city.
7' Rabbi i{eir Kahane of rsrael (a fanaticar rabbi) denanded that the rsraeli
A/a:?. Eng-l:," t"it!g
Anney t- .
GoveTnment should implement Menahim Begints promises of considering the t{est Bank
a ]iberated Israeli land, and al1ow the establishnent of settlements there' He
d.ecl-ared his intention to set up a settlenent vithin the borders of Nabl-us '
8. The Israeli authorities proceed.ed to survey the land in the vicinity of
Bei.t Amer village in A.l Khafil, in preparation for the establishnent of a number of
settlements in that region'
g, The region of lhan A-]. Abmer in the West Bank is being transforned into an
industrial region' Industria-l establ-ishnents are being set up' anong which is a
plant for sophisticated nilitary industries that ri11 begin production during the
next fer,' months. Moreover, 5,000 residentiaJ- units are to be set up in the
above-mentioned region to accc&modate Jewish sett.l-ers.
l-0. The Israeli authori.ties are planning to set up a nrrnber of banks in the region
of lftran a.f Ahmer near the bridges connecting the west'Bank and the East Bank ' so
that citizens vould. not be allowed to bring in any foreign currency and woufd have
to chalge arhatever currencies they might have into fsraeli currency at the branches
of those banks situated in the arla of residence of all arrivals in the occupied
territories.
addressed to the Secret arv-General
a
/6rieina1: Englis!/
1, The PermsnentTepresent ative of Israel to the United Nations stated-that
" That resofution l|Cenlrar As senbJ-y resolution 3]./110 of 15 December t9T.{/ ' whicir
vas based. on resolution 3 adopt ed at Habitat: United, Nations Conference on Human
Settlements on l-l- June 19?6, conpletely preiudges the issue, and leaves no room
for an objective report". ihe Pernanent Representati.ve of Israel further stated
that "The position if Israel on the subiect-natter of the resolution in ouestion
was made clear by the delegate of Israel in the Second Comittee on
ii tco,t.lrl.r 1976 and is reilected in docunent A/c'2/3r/sR'\!, the relevant
paragraphs of which (paras. 54 to 51) are attached.rr
2, These paragraphs are herer+ith quoted verbatim:
"5\, Mr. ELIASHIV (Israel) said that the initiators of d raft resolution
l/C. Z7Titfrffi singled out a so-ca1led. econonic issue rhich cou.Ld not be
divorced from the complex Mid.dl-e East problem as a whole' MoreoYer t the
questions referred to in the dra.ft resol-ution 'were being dealt with by other
United. Nations bodies.
"55. The first preambul ar paragraph of the draft resolution recalled
resolution 3 of the Vencouier -on?""".r"., which referred' to a so-caLled rfactt
'
namely, that rthe Pafestinian people have been forced to abandon their
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indigenous hcmelandr. That base.Iess and false assertlon was politically motivated and aimed at attributing the to fsraet exclusive responsibility for a.L1 consequences of the continuous aggression comritted by Arab states against Israel since 19)+8. Israel had not cilated the patestinian problen. Tbe Pal estinian tragedy vas a direct result of the aggression launched. by the Arab states in f9l+8. To .efer to the rsraer,i presence-in the occupied. areas since 195T vhile ignoring the fact that Israel ;ad arrived there in the course of a war of Arab making was to pervert fund.ment€.,_ truth. The continuation of that occupation vas a direct consequence of the refusa.l of the Arab States to enter into negotiations with rsraer to establish a firm and just peace in the area. rsrael-rs Declaration of rndependence hart contained a,' appea-r for friendship addressed to the Arab people in Israel and the neighbouring Alab States, In response' the Arab states hail proclained. war against rsrael, ana itreir arnies had clossed the borders in arr att enpt to crush it at bifth. At that time, the Arab population of Israel- had been irged ana incited by the Arab leadership to leave their hones and seek to'npor"ilr shelter in neighbouri"t Ar"; countries. Several. hundreds of thoussnds of iatesiine Arats had heedeai those ord.ers. In that connexi on, he read out quotati.ons fro[ axticles which had appeared in Lebanese, Jord.anian a^nd Egpdia.n pulricaiions and which d.emonstrated that those facts had been recognized ald adraitted by Arabs and. others. The Jewish authorities on the other hand in an att enpt to prevent that ' flh-iagdh rta. unched. appeals to Arab residents in rsrael
"J5. In view of those historical facts, the attenpts of Arab spokesmen ro bl€me others for the creation of the problen and their professed" interest in the rel-I-being of the refugees rang hluowo r.rhen those feople could have becone independent arrd self-sufficient naiy years ago but for the calculated opposition of the Ar ab States to anlr Lonstructive approach. As a consequence
9f. nrat aggression, a.massive exchange of population had. ta.hen place in the
it{haed dlli.i' :d !dTlet. EasAt practically equaJ" nriber o?'J""" from the Arab countries of and North Africa had. come to Israel-, the vast nqjority of theJ' forced' out of their forner hones in a state of destitution, rsraer hacl lrel comed. its refugees. and nad.e then an integral and vigorous part of the nation. The Arab States had left their breihren in camps so is to use them as a political weapon against rsraer' Jordan ha. paid the price for that inhr:man end short-sighted policy in septmber 19?0, vhen a pal_esiinian Arab uprising had been suppressed. in a massacre vhich trai cost thousands of lives and- d.estroyed thousands of humsn habitatisns. Lebanon was also paying the price in tbe fratri cid al struggle in wtrich that entire nation was .rg;:;. "
"5?' I^Ihik that terribr-e hr.rman tragedy was going on in r.ebanon, the ro4jority of the Palestinian Arabs in the aoiinistere6 areas were living in conditions of nid.ening contact lrith the rsrael-i. population on a basis of mutual human :d.1e1fin"9itti oann,d do.fifgenreitdy which, though stiil ctouded by a ]-ack of politica]- trre prospeci of a peaceful future. tis country w.as ful1y conscious of the problem of the patestinian .Arabs and did not requ-ire persuasion or preaching on the need. to solve it peacefull-y ana ironouralfy. Such a sol-ution could only be achieved. in the context of a genuine peace settl-ement in the I'ricrdle East r which his country vould make every effort to
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achieve. tr'ancifuf allegations and distorted reports vould not deter Israelfrom
pursuing its positive policy of economic and socia'l- progress in the
adnin-istered areas, maintaining ihe J-avs in force in the territories and
conducting its administratj.on in accordance vith the refevant rules of
int er nat ion 4.1 conventions until a iust and durable peace was achieved'
-
Objective observers, including hundreds of thousands of visitors flom the
lrab States, affirroed- the success of that policy' There h€d been a reaJ"
grorth of a.n average of 18 per cent pea alnun in the GNP in bottr territories'
ind. per caoita income had increased by BO per cent in the llest Bank and by
f2O ;;l;;t-T" Gaaa in eight vears. The unenployoent rate had drop.ped fron
fO per cent in the west Sarlk and alnost 30 p"t
""-,tt
in the Gaza Strip in 1967
l; ;.;" by June 19?6. Educationar facilities within the free education system
in the West BaIk and Gaza had been increased. by \6 per cent. Over I biflion
fsraeli pounds had been spent on the rehabilitation of refugees in Gaza'
Construction pJ-ans to provide housing for tens of thousands of fanilies 'wouL'l
continue, and th€ area of construction in the West Bark and Gaza had exparded
rrom B8o,ooo square feet i" igge to 6.9 nittion square feet in L971+'. The
adninistration had spared and would spare no effort to improve the structure
of the caitps, insta.l- water and el-ectricity, p"epare playgrounds ' pave
.
sidevaJ-ks and provj.de sewage works and other iu"ititi""' One thousand housing
units vere being construct!{ every year in both territories' and ?0 nil-lion
Israeli pounds had been ealnarked- for new schfles to provide conmunity
serviees such as schools, shopping centres and clinics'
"!8. Israel's concern for the wel-l-being of the Palesti'nian Arabs in the
territories had been inpugned and rid.iculed by certain Arab Governnents ' It
vould appear that those Governments vouf? rather see stagnation and misery
prevail and wou1d seek a restoration of the situation prior to L967 ' "Ihen
during l-9 yea"s of oppression and persecution the inhabitants of Gaza had
leen klepi in aeproralte living eonditions by the Eeypt iarr military authorities'
"59. operative para€raph 2 of the d'raft resolution requested bhe
Slcret-ary-Cen.t-uf , io preparing the report, to consult and co-operate with
the so-c8.Lfed rPalestine iit."utiott Organizatiortr. That request made a
uoekery of the United Nations Charter' since PLO was a notorious organLzatlon
vhich na.de no secret of its avowed. obiectives of destroying Israel, a state
Member of the United Nations' ana aepriving its peopl-e of their independence '
sovereignty alld self-deterninat ion. Arbicl-e t9 of the PLO covenant openly
declared that the existence of the State of Israel was nul-1 and voi'd '
arbicle 20 denied sny histo"ical links between the Jewish people and the Holy
Land, arld article 2l- reJected arry form of solution for the probl-em ' apart
in effect from the d.estruction of Israel. AIy report produced 1l.ith the
co-operation of the so-ca.I]-ed PLo vou-Id conta'in false assertions' such as the
'big ]'ie', aLready contained in resolution 3 of the Vancouver Conference' that
Ithe cultuxal habitat has been vi1fu1ly destroyedi ' lsrael woul-d not
co-operate in such a vicious propaganda exercise'
tt50. I{is delegation strongly reJecteal the resolutions enr'r:ner at ed in the
preambular paragraphs or trte Orart resol-ution' ftrrthermore ' it vished to place
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on record its firn objection to any kind. Pr'O, a terror of co-operation and consultati.on vith organization which pretencled to speak for the parestinians and uhich had brought misery, nurd.er l,nd assassination to the Middle East, incfuding the terrifyin! -
nlrn"r, t".e.ay- i"-ill"r"",
"61. Draft resolution A/c"a/3r/L.r3 rras of a pofiti.cs.L, propagandistic nature extra.neous to the Connittee. It singled out an issue wnicfr- eJula not le divorced fron the c onq)l_ex Middle Easi probiur. Furthermore, it ignored. the responsibility of the Arab States, whi-ch coul_d not escape tt.
of their ovn aggression against fsraer-. rt ras biased. a,,d one"-osniJd"eqdrr.u. r,r"t" "ras based on faJ-se asserti:ns.ald distorted quas i_historical allegations, and j.t ignoxed. the plight of Jewish
"on rejected it unlti.s'i., -Arab countries. iis delegatton eonpletely, hoped. that those d.el_egations vhich had refused to support resolution 3 in Vancouver wou].d. slso reject the present reso.lution, artd cal-fed on ottrer d.elegations to do so."
Englisb/
/The reply of Jordsn was issued on 10 August 19?? unrler s /L237
c.
/origina1
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D.
/6rieinal-: Arabic /E::gli sh1-
sW.b ofrl :A^l/3:l2*/l! 89. /of the Syrian Arab Republic was issued on 25 August f9T? under the
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ANNEX II
es received from ialized
of the United }trations sYstem
Englis!/
The ILo alrew attention to the Director-General r s report on the activitieg
of ttre ILO in 19'16, nhich l,'as presented to the International Labour Conferelce at
its sixty-third session (fgff). a/ This report included a progress report on the
stud.y of the situation of workerE in the teiritories occupied by Is"ael' The
foll-owing statements are taken fron this progress report, as reproducetl in the
report oi the Director-General on the activities of the ILO in ]19762
NXPORT SiJBI,TITTED BY THE DINECTOR-GENENAI TO TTTE
199TH SESSION OF TI1E GOWRNING BODY
PNOGRESS BEPORT ON THE STTIDY ON TIIE SITUATION OF
WORKERS OI' THE TERBITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISBAEI
I. opportunities for emplolrment and vocationat training
lrnh l
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3. The airns and effects of official economic anil social policy'
particularly employnent pollcy, as analyseil in sone of the stuclies, V ney be
ir:nmarised as follovs: because of 8Jr acute shorba€e of labour in fsra'el after
the l-95? vax the authorities suddenly reversed. their earlier policy of Tefusing
Arab wo"kers from the occupied. territories adrnission to Israel; recruitment
was officially organised. througb a systelo of labour exchanges in the
territories and was facilitated by tire existence of a reserve of poor a'nil
unenployed. workers; there resulted- a nigratory novement froo the occupied'
territories to Israel, the number of A"ab vorkels e!4ployed in Israel having
risen frorL Just over 1o'0oo in 1969 to nearly 701000 or about 21'5 per cent
/origina^l:
1/ ttRaplorb sur la situation des travailleurs arabes dans les te?"itoires
de liP€Je;;ine oecup6e", in Dossier Palestine 1' Geneva (r:nclated), pp'.61-75;
"Conditions of vork for Arabs under the yoke of Israel-i occupation", Beirrrt
(undated); and note on condition of Arab workers in the territories occupied
after 1!3'i, cornmunicated to the Director-General by the Palestine Trade union
Federation (8 I'etruary 1975 ) .
g/ "Activities of the rLO 19?6!r.
International Labour Conference, I9TT
(rsBN 92-z-10t72\-9).
Re'oort of the Director-General to tbe
(Part z), IL0, Geneva, 19??
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of the total labour force of the quot€d. territories in 19TI+, The studi.es here take the view-that the fa1l in unemployment and the rise in purchasing pover in the occupied territories have beei due not to the developnent of the loca1 econorny but to the enplo)rnent of Arab workers in fsrael. Government policy' it is cl-ained, is traving adverse consequences such as the breal.arown of the occupational structure and of smal-l-sca1e agriculture in the teffitories, the appearance on the employrnent market of women and of young people vho have given up school, and a d_rain on the human resources required by the econmy of the territories, which are suffering fron a labour shortage. The d.rain on manpower is said to be accompanied by other measures such as the d.isplacement of population, the establishment of israeli agricultural settlenents in the occupied. territories and. the appropriation of lando vhich aggravate the situation of the local. popufation. -!/
t.h. at A1r.a b vAos lkfoelr se imnp tlohfeo ent itself, and in practice, some sources e/ mairntain oceupied ierritori-es suffer rtor ai
" "
ririi-"t:.o' in access to enploynent ald. occupation. since they d.o not have free choice of ernplo;ment they are being ehannelled by the labour exchanges into particular branches and tlryes of vork, aecoraing to the same sources Arab workers in Israel have 1itt1e security in their enifoynent, which is dependent on the needs of the fsraeli economy and on political d_ecisions. In the erent of coll-ective mass dismissal, it is saii, they stand. little chance of finding neu jobs in the territories, where the economy is so structured as to be
to absorb much more labour. 3/ 'nab1e
5. Other sources of information give a different account of the
I/ .In a conmunication of B February 1976 the palestine Trade Union Federation nentioned.o among other things, the lg7l_ xeport of the special United Nations coumittee set up to invesiigate israeti practices affecting the human rights of the populaiion of the 6ccupied t""rito"i"",-*a-p"i"t.a out that that connaiti ee had not been a.dmitted io fsrael and the occupied
l:::1^t:.11"" j \raro€Lscus, 1^9-1fJ, )",t 1vhqi cbhy i sth eap Gpeennde.erda lt otr 'ethdeer aatbioonve o_mf eJontridoanne dT croardnren uUnin cioantsior,, also gives infounation on the subject.
-B o-d y.f?s/_ 1 f!9ltth esxeasnspiloen, t(hcen .Ber6b/rzaoc/2t "fr onnp pM"r".a Ni*a-isirrrj;s stthatee ment at the coverning addressed by the note of 5 october 19?5 Arab Labour.Office lo tne nirector_ceneral , and the above_ mentioned note cormunlcated (g February iifZj- ri the palestine Trade unian Tla.lFr'+i^-
ref^e rs! torn t hites cnuonteen ot fd 8ir fFieeubrtu_atirlys rgoji G the palestine Trade union trederation the^building the Israeli economy fp*ii""i*iy-i" industry) and,the threat they pose mainly to the enployment of Arab vorkers ' rt considers that the rl"i - uill cause rup.triation of r.memployed Arabs an economic crisis in th" ;;";i;;rill, *n."" half the national revenue cones fron eernings fron empLolment in fsrae].,
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objectives s.nd practical application of enploynent policy. l-/ According to
those sources the naJor principles underlying that policy are the maintenance
of full employment in the occupied territories and ensuring that !"orkels fron
those teraitories in Israel enjoy the ssme conditions as tlo Israeli vorkers r
while msintaining the integrity of the labour force in the territories.
Substanti.al changes are alleged to have occurred since June 1967 in the
volume and structure of ernployment.
7. The growth of employnent opportunities in Israel, it is said' has
xlade a great impact on the traditionaf distribution of fabour by braJrch of
activity. According to the statisties suppliecl on the distribution of the
wo"king population by brarch of activity in the territories, half the workers
are engaged in agriculture, and 5 per cent in the building industry' as against
20 and 50 per cent respectively in Israel. As regard.s access to skil]ed
empl-olrnent, it is stated that Arab workers in general have no difficul"ty'
denanal having exceed.ed. supply for some years. rn January 19?5 over half the
Arab workers in the buifding industry vere skilled or seni-skilled.
Vocational ed.ucation and training
9. Some inforrnation is available on secondary vocationat education in
the territories, fhere is information, revealing different trendsr on rates
of increases in the nuber of pupils on the ltlest and. East banks of the Joralan
between 1965-66 and, 197?-73. 2/ ft is a]-so alleged that secondary commercial
education is disappearing on Th. llest bank, 3/ Tt is also repoxted that there
has been a generai increase in the mmber of pupilsr teachers and schools on
the West bank since the 196? war, and in particular the organisation of
courses of basic vocational education and pre-vocational training ancl a courSe
'I / 'rh r irfoarna+.icrn given below is drar,m mainly fron notes sddressed to the
DirecTor-General by the Ministry of Labour of Israel- (t9 lune 19?5) and by the
Histadrut (20 May 1975) snd from a. study entitled "Labouters flom the
adniniste"ed. territories vorking in Israel" (Tef aviv, May 19?5) by the
Ministry of Labour, the Executive Conmittee of the Histadrut and the
Industrialists Federation in Israel, Use has also been made of the periodic
reports of the Ministry of Defence on the tenitories ("Four yesrs of uilitary
administration't, !967-TIt and "The adrninistered territories" . ]-97l--7 2 end
:972-7 3) and a study by the Sank of Israef entitleil "Scononic growbh in the
adml.nlstereo. arease ryoo-t-y lJ \Jerusaleln, Lyl)t.
2/ Infonuation supplied by the Government of Jordan to UNESC0 and
reproduced in paragraph 58 of the "Report of the Director-General on the
situation of the national education alld the cultural life of peoples in the
occupied Arab territories" (UNESCO, Paris' 1974).
3/ Report of the Director-Geners"1 of UNEsco, op. cit. ' para. 9.1'.
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in coumercial eilucation r,rhich in 19?1 was fo11owed. by I,,BOO pupils in Judea
and Saroaria, ! Vocational training schools are reported to have been established in 1973 and others to be planned. 2/
t_ra i-n i1n0g. i-nD itfhfeer ing opinions are given of the aims anat the system of vocational occupied. territories. Accord.ing to certain stuoies tne
establ-ishnent of apprenticeship centres in the territories is just one of a series of measures designed to 'exploit cheap Arab labour for ihe benefit of the rsraeli econmy". 3/ rn support of that charge attention is dravn to ttre kintls of training proviared, the channer-r,ing of pupils and trainees into certain inclustries or traales in vhich there is a s' esruiocuhs a ssh bourtialdgien go,f vlatrbicohu,r iitn- isrs rasaeird.. , Dariesc piirrenicnisaetiolyn those
against Avabs in access to enproynent J+/ in Tsrael, it is said, is 1ea-ding to a decline in their levers of skilr. or traipering their acquisition of Job skills and experience. !
1l-. Accortling to the authorities I olm explanation of the principles
untlerlying anpover poLicy in the territories, vocational training is one of its basic ains and naJor a.spects. 6/ fne information received refers to the establishnent since 1!68 of-20 vocational traini.ng centres in Judea and. Sanaria (where there were only three before 196T ) and seven in the ce7, Ar-iand
sinai (vbere there was onr.y one oerore riBT). rh.-;;;;; pi""ii"-t""i"ire for 18 trades af,rd between 1968 a.nd 19?5 prod.uced a mrmber of graauates f/ which' it is saittn accounts for about 1! per cent of the total_ labour force in the territories. Special progra'mes ,id .rtort" are
"eported to have been
devotecl to the training of young people and ronen, and since 1971 certificates
have been issuecl to buil,ding so?kers entitling them to the lowest grade on tbe skilled worker scale in Israel.. Apart from traditional vocational trainins
ni.l_it.a Vry lbaiddn:,i,npiasrtraa, ti5o9n1, ,l dinistry of Defence of Israel: r'I.our years of ].967-.1:., op. cit., pp. 101_102; arrd "ihe administered territories'r , I7TI-72, -op.__9-{. , pp. t3e_f39, and. L97Z_73, p. 1lB.
2/ See !'labourers from the adsinistered territories vorkine in Israel . op. cit,
3/ "Bapport sur l-a situation cles travailleurs a"abes dars l-es territoires
d.e l-a Palestine occup6e", op. cit., p. 71,
4/ See para. ! above.
- ^ 2/ l4r. Nasrrs statement at the Governing Body's 195th Session, and note of
5 0ctober 1975 s.ddressed by the Arab Labour office to the Direct or-General.
$-/ uote of 19 June Lgl j ftom the Ministry of Labour to the Director_
General; see eJ.so ttlaboulers fron the administered territories vorking in Tezo o l rt ^i+ LL. La e.
^r. !/ ttrat.is: -18,582 graduates, li! per cent of them in the building trades,
24 per cent in ind.ustrial_ occupations and 20 per cent in tailoring and enbroidery: ttlabourers from the administered. territories working in Israel", op. cit. , Append.ix A, table l+.
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pase 5
prograrnnes, other forms of activity a"e nentioned' such as the supply of advice'
technical assistance and services to Arab farmers in the territories' !
Renarks
I2. The inforilation supplied by different sources on employment and
vocational training concurs ii-t "ot"
respects. In some cases' however, it is
difficult to interpret or cal-1s for cl-arification'
'l? Tn c},nr".l. - thFre seems to be a need. for further analysis of several
problems, which in the nain relate to: (g) tfre organisation of recrujtment
and free choice of enployment; (q) tir. ext-ent of equality of opportunity and
treatment in regard. to vocatione"l- guidance and. trainingn access to emplolrment
Brd. occupation, promotion and security in enploynent, and (9) more genera,fly,
policy regarding the use and develolment of the hunan resources of the
occupieat territories.
II. Wages, social benefits and. working conditions
Situation of workers fron the occupied territories enployed in Israel
ll+. According to infoynation fron Israel-i governnent and trade union
sources, the general principle of equality in regard to uages, social benefits
and working conaitions for Isra.eli vorkers and. Arab vorkers f1.om the occupied
territories in Israe1 has been offieially proclaimed. V In partieuler ' the
principle of equal pay for equal work is statetl to apply not only to the gross
i^rages paia by the erdployer but afso to the net wages actual'1y received bJ the
volker. For this there a.re tr,to reasons: a desire to prevent adverse effects
on the errploynent of Is"aelis and a tlesire to protect Arab ltorkers fLorl
expJ-oitation. The application of the principle is closely supervised by the
Isiaeti trade r:nion roovement. J/ rhe stuay mentioned above on economic grou'th
in the administered ter"itorieF also refers to the difficulty of evaluating
data on avera€e wage J.eveJ.s in d.eternining whet'her the principle is applied' 6/
1/ See the reports of the Ministry of Defence:
adninistration", 19b7-lt' op. cit., pp.4o' Lb>-b;
territories", L97r-7 2, op.ait., pp. 60 and 2\o'
rr!'our yeats of nilitary
"The aclministered
)+/ For example, note of 19 June lL97 5 fTom the MinistTy of Labour to the
Direc{or-Generaf; and a st atement of t3 Decembet 1972 by Mr. Moshe Dayar,
former Minister of Defence, and a decision of February a973 of the Central
Comtittee of the gistadrut, cited in "Labourers from the administered.
territories LTorking in Israel", op. cit.
5/ More particularly, the special team set up by the Eistadrut in
co-op;Iation with the &nploynent Service mainly to guide and instruct Arab
workers coming to Israet (see para. 3l+ below).
6/ ltrie Bregman: "Economic gro'.rbh in the adninistered areas", Bank of
Israel-, op? ci3. , p, 27.
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rase o
l-5- According to other sources of inforrnation actual va€e
"ates
are much
l-ower for Arab workers than for Tsraelis. V It is alIeged, in particular,
that wages are paid through the authoritief, who ms_ke deductions variously
assessed at 33 to l+O per cent. These dealuctions, it is said, are paid. into a special fund 2/ snd. are contributions to the social security system anal also to the war effort. / However, the Arab worker a11egedly d.oes not receive al-l the benefits enJoyed. by the IsraeLi worker in return for the same
deductions legally made fron his vages ... on the grounds that he is not a
menber of the Histadrut, \/
fT. Several- sources of infornation also refer to the residence rights
and transport and housing conditions of nationals of the occupied ter"itories
vho l,tork in Israel. Aceording to those sources 5/ Israeli regulations forbid.
l"orkers frorn the territories to reside in fsrael. Instead they must nake a
long arduous Journey every day whicb adds to the duretion of the working d.ay.
The cost of transport, borrre by the L'orker himself, nay a:nount to a qualter of
his vages. Some Arab labourers, for example, frorn Gaza, are compelled by the
distance from home to workplace alrd by transport conditions to rive in rsrael in conditions of hardship, sometines in rest camps run by the enployers.
L9. Accord.ing to certain sources of inforraation, differences in treatneat
may be found. in Israeli undertat<ings, They relate, for exampte, to systenatic
assignment of Arab workers to night shifts or even discrimination in the use of
plant facifities.
1/ Note of the Arab labour Office of 5 October 19?5,
2/ According to some sources the sums d.educted fron wages are paid into
a fund. in the neme of the State of Israel and between 1p68 and 19Tl+ totalled
1,090 nillion Israeli pounds (US $z5b miLlion at 1973 prices) ('rConditions
of vork for Arabs under" the yoke of Israeli occupation'r, op. cit.).
3/ lfr. Nasrrs statement at the coverning Bodyrs 195th Session.
y See, for example, the note of the Arab Labour Office of 5 October 19?5,
"Rapport sul la situation des travailleurs arabes dans l-a patestine occup6et',
op. cit., and" the note of 8 f'ebruary 1976 comrunicated by the palestine Trade
Union Federation,
5/ For example, the note addressed on ! october :-975 to the Director-
General- by the Arab Labour office; rrBapport sur 1a situation des travaillers
arabes dans 1a Palestine occup6e", op. cit.; nemorandum of the Israeli League for lluma.n and Civil- Rights, nentioned in that report; the note of
8 February 1976 comrnuni c at ed by the palestine fracle Union Federation, vhich
refers in particular to information in Israeli ner^rspapers; Mr. llasrrs statement
at the Governing Bodyrs 195th Session.
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Reference is aLso matle tO the dangers facing rorkers who lodge conplaints abOut
their working conditions. 1/ According to other sources only a very low
percentege of Arab vorkers-fron the territories (2 per cent) is assigned to
shift work, p.lant facilities are available to el-L workers without
discriminations , and working cond.itions in any given undertaking are
detersined by collective agreement applicable to al.l vorkers without
clistinction.2/
Situation of workers in the oecupied territories
20. It has been said. that "there is a great disparity betveen the nages
which the ATab worker of the occupied territories reeeives in ttrose territories
and ttre wages he can earn in Israel". 3/ AvailabLe statistics show that the
disparity dirninished between L969 and 19?3 but renains wide' The Arab
'worker t s daily vage was on the average 80 per cent higher in Israe] than in
the territorils in fg6g and stiU 50 per cent higher in f973, y Even though
there has been a J.arge increase in noninal. vages in the territories, certain
sources of infornation point out that in real wages there has not' Any
increase in the cost of living in Israel has a direct effect in the
territories, vhere the substantial increase in prices between 1969 8^nd 1974
hi.t the poorer ltorkers pa.rticularly haJd,. 5/ Other sources of information
indicate a rapid rise - even more rapid than in Israel - in prices in the
territories, but at the same tine af,] average yearly rate of increase in real
vages higher than that record.ed. in Israel for Arab wo?kers fron the
territoriei. 5./
2!. Little infomation is available on the matter of social benefits
and. sf.fowances enJoyed by workers in the territories.
22. As regards working conditions in the administered territories '
1/ Note of B Februery 1976 of the Palestine Trad-e union Federation and
statement by Mr. Nasr at the Governing Bodyrs l95th Session.
3/ lainistry of Lsbour in Israe]., note of 19 June L9'15 to the Director-
General.
3/ ttRapport sur Ia situation des travailleurs arabes dans les territoires
de Ia Palestine occup6e", op. cit., p. 67,
l+/ ryre gar}k of Israel study on economic growth in the adninistered'
terrifories, tabl-e III.6, p. 37. Figures relate to net wages.
5/ "Conditions of worh for Arabs under the yoke of Israeli occupation" '
op . clt . , pp. l-l+-f 5.
5/ See the Barck of Israel study on economic growbh in ttre administered
terrilories, p. 13 and table IIf,5, p. 37.
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Annex 1l
according to infornation received !/ the conpetent authorities are enforcing
Jorda'ian labour law on the west l-ant (ror s]orntr'1e in regard to occupational
safety, vork disputes, hours of vork, l_eave and so on) and Egyptian labour J-av in the Gaza strip. Accord.in€ to the s a:ne sources of j.nformation official_s in
the competent rninistry are co-operatiag closely rrith sone l+00 local enployees. fn Jud.ea and Salrari a Arab officials continue to perfonr the functions
prescribed. under Jord.aaial J.aw in rega.rd. to the supervision of working
conditions,
Renarks
23. Initial- study of remuneration €.ntt workibg conditions reveals certain
points requiring further clarification and examination. In the nain the
problens relate to:
(C) the appJ-ication in practice of the principle of equal remuneration for
Israeli workers and workers fron the territories enployed in Israel,
remuneration being understood to include social benefits alrl various
aLlowences and. foms of compensation;
(q) the trend of official policy in, regard to residence rights, housing and. the cost and conditions of transpolt for Arab workers empLoyed in lsrael;
(t) the supervisory and other neasures ta}en to ensure that Arab workers d.o not suffer forus of cliscrinination in certain undertakings in regald" to
r^rorking conditions; and
(gl trend"s in vages in relation to the cost of living, in other working
cond.itions and in social benefits in the occupied territories themselves.
ITI. Trade union rights
Trade union rights in the occupieil territories \.
25. According to certain sources of information the ?iAht to orAanise
. is not respected. in the occupied. territories, where trade unions and
occupational- associati.ons are subject to pressure and repression of various
kinds. a/ ftems of infornation concerning, a.nong other things, the arrest
1/ Note of 19 June 1975 fron the fsraeli Ministry of Labour to the
Director-General ; note by the Histadrut of LB Mav f9T5 addressed to the
Director-General; antl ttlabourers from the administered territories workins in Israe1", op. cit.
?/ fVote of 8 tr'ebruary Jr976 ot the Palestine Trade Union tr'ederation.
Mr. Nasrrs statenent at the Governing Bodlrrs 195th Session, Mr. Nasr's letter
of 6 March 1975 to the Director-General and note fron the Arab Labour Office
of ! October 1975.
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and. expulsion of trad.e r.rnion leaders and nenbers have been subnitted to the
Governing Body or addressed. to the Director-General.
29, The fsraeli Government has stated. 1/ that no trade unionist is
penalised or punished because of his trade u-nion activities, ... According
to an Israeli source the emergency regu.lations of 1945 are stil-I in force on
the West Bank since they have nevel been repealed by Jordan. 2/
30. In examining sinile.r conplaints subnitted to it concerning the exile
or aryest of members or Leaders of trade r:aions in the territories occupied by
Israel, the Conmittee on Freedom of Association found that the complainents
bad. not exercisecl their right to submit more detaited informa.tion concerning
the reLationship between the above-nentioned. neasures and traale union
activities, and the Conmittee was unable to carry out a more d.etailed
exanination of the conplaints. 3/
Tra.de union rights of vorkers of tbe occupied. territories employed in
Israe].
32. The sa-lient features of trade union orgalisation in Isr'ael are the
unity in fact achi.eved by the Histadrut and. the seope of its activities'
which extends large]-y beyond. the scope of trade union protection ia the strict
sense arrd includes social protection as wefl. 4/
33, According to some sources of infornation, workels of the occupied
territories neither enjoy nor exercise trade union rights. Thus it has been
stated that "the workers, when they come frorn the occupied territori.es to vork
in the other territories, are denied the protection of the Arab labour union
in their hone country because they a"e working in factories in the other part.
And. of course they are not protected by the trs.de unions in the other part
becsuse they a.re resid.ents of the occupied territories.'r 5/ The right to join
or to folm s. trade union is allegedly not grarted to Arab vorkers from the
!i Note of ].p June a975 to the Director-General.
ful Meit Shamgar, Attorney-General of fsrael: "The observance of
international- l-aw in the administered. territoriesrr, in Israel Yearbook on
Ilr.rnan Rights , Vot. 1, 19?1 , pp . 262 f f .
3/ See the 1l4th, 122nd and 1l+7th Reports of the Conrnittee on Freedom of
Association: Official Buftetin, Supplement, Vo1. LIII , 1970, No. 2,
paras. 121+-11+1; v"1. LI1I J971, No. -, paras. 55-83; and GB.II\ /II/?T ,
paras. 91-98,
^V, !." "Social secr:rity in Israelrr , Histaclrut, Tel Aviv, 19?3, especiauy
pp. J, 4) and 4b.
)./ Mr. Nasr's sts.tenent at the coverDing Body's 195th Session.
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occupied territories nho ale eDployeat in Israel. V ft is alleged. that the Israel-i authorities are trying to secure Histadrui, henbership for Arab
workers, but that such nembership does not protect thee against discrinination. !/
3l+. According to other sources Alab workers frc,n the ad$iniEtered. territories lrho are enployed in rsrael enJoy freedon of association and tbe rlght_to organise. They nay Join tbe Eistadrut, 'rthough rmclerstandably
/ttrey,/ a^re und.er pressure not to Join ...t'. 3/ Their etigititity for
menbership in the plovid.ent firnds affiriated with the Histad.rut is express\r
provid.ed for by a decision of FebruarJr 1973 ot the Centra]- Comittee. l+/
Bxpress instructions have been given to af1 Labour couacils and. vorkerJ'
comittees to ensure equality of treatuent lrith regard to assistance and. protecbion, At tbe tevel of production units the workers I interests are
fepresented. without ttiscrinination a:od colLective agreenents a.re appliceble to
al]- workers nithout distinction. 7 rt is also reported that tbe Histadrut
has tal(en special &easures for thE information ancl education of such
workexs. 6/ Finally, tbe Histaatlut points out that building vorkers in Israel
fare comparativery welr because of the strength of the ,nions in that inttustry
sJrd that naJry Ars.b workers heve benefited. as a result since about half of
then, as has been said, are enployed in builcling in Isra,el.
lenarka
35. As regards tlad.e union rights, a nore d.etailed. exaninati.on on the
! Report on |tContlitions of wor.k for Arabs under the yoke of fsraeli
occupationtr, op. cit., p. 13. In its note of B Febxua{r I9?5 the palestine
Trade union tr'edelation states that at the end of 19?1" the rsraeri authorities
considered the question of adnitting Arab worke"s froo the occupied. territorieo to roenbership of the Histatlrut, but that the tenporary nature of Arab
enploytrent has so fer preventeal the tahing of antr decision.
2/ .In t]ne above-nentioned study by the General Fetleratlon of Jordan Trade
Unions (Damascus ).
3l Statenent by the General Secreta.ry of the Histadrut in l9?3, quoted in the stuqy "Labourers fros the adninistered territories vorking in Israelti.
op, cit. In its conclusions the study states that 8,000 norkers frotr the
aduinistered territories who are employed in rsraeL have becone nembers of the Histadrut. The stualy gives a sin ar ftrgu'e for the east side of Jerusaren.
(See note to para. 3l_.)
.l+/ fnis clecision al.so rel-ates to equality of renuneration ancl vorking
eonditions, referred. to in the previous chapter.
|-/ Accorcling to the reply by the Ministry of Labour to Mr. Nasrrs
alJ-egations (note of 19 June I9T5 to the Director-General ) .
- A/ see the second footnote to para. 14, which
"efers
to the establislrment, in co-operatiou with the enBlolment serwice, of a special tearo vith nainly
ed.ucationaL functions.
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basis of further i.nformation appeals to be Decessar)r, in partlcula,r on the
foll-oving points :
(a) the precise reasons untterlying ar:,y repressive neasures taken n'ith regaral
to leaalexg or lneobers of trade unions in the occupietl territorieE and artlr
connection vhich those reasons may have with the lavful" exercise of trade
union freecloros anal rights;
(!.) the. conditions for the fornation an<l operation of trade unions in the
occupietl territories both in law aJttl in practice antl their scope for i:'
action e:ral col-lective bargaining;
(S) the extent to vlrich vorkers from ttre occupiecl territories vho are eloIrloyed
in Israel enJoy equality of treatnent in regartl to freedom of association'
the right to orga,nise anil benefits provialetl for under collective
bargaining.
ceneva, 1l februarry 1!75.
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3. St a.t enent by the DES_cJgI-General of the fo
Aaricultural Orse-nization of the United llations
: Ingl-a 5n/
The following statement dated. l+ August 1977 was received in the form of a
letter to the Und.er-Secretary-General- for nconornic and Sociat Affairs:
"fn your letter dat ed. 16 Msy 19??, you drev ny attention to
GeneraJ- Asserably resolution 31/uo of 16 Decenber 1pJ5 eoncerning living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and. invited
me to supply you, by I Ju1y, with any information that night be usefu]- in the
conpil-ation of the report vhich the Generaf Assenbly had asked the Secretary-
Gene"al to prepare.
"fn ny letter of 15 June 19?T I inforrned you that ve vere not yet in a
position to pfavid.e very detailed infornation on the living cond.itions of the
Palestinian people in the occupied territories. Ilovever, in view of the
general subJeet-rnatter and the fact that the second pleambufar pafagraph of
the General As senbly resol-ution also referred to the Econonic and Social
Cor:ncil resolutj,on 2026 (LXf) on the assistance to the palestinian people,
f consid.ered it appropriate that the report of the Secret€xy-General , in
response to the above-ment ioned. General Assembly resolution, could also
reflect the action I had taken regarding the assistance to the Palestinian
people.
"Accord.ingly, f inforned. you of the process of consultation which I had
vith both the. Executive Secretary of the Economic Coumission for Western Asia
€nd the Chairman, Palestine National Fund, ?alestine Liberation Organization,
on action that tr'AO might talre to assist the Palestinian people.
"I had also infonned you of the emerBency food aid from the World Food
Progra:mre resources vhich I had sanctioned for Palestinian refugees in the
Lebanon and. those under the caxe of UNRWA. I do not wish to repeat the
d.etail-s of this action as they have al-ready been reported in fu-1l in the
Secretary-General r s report to the sixty-third session of the Economic and"
Social Council (E/5005).
rrci h^a '*i +.i - ^ that letter, I received a note verbale fron Farouk Kadd.uni,
Presid.ent of the Political Department of the Palestine Liberaiion Organization
inforning ne of the hardships being experienced by the Palestinians rdthin the
fsraeli occupied. territories whose Livelihood depend.s mainly on agricul-ture.
As this note verbale was relevant to the Secretary-General t s report, I quoted
it in fuJ.I in ny cable to hin of 15 Jufy 1977, in the original ltalian
language in which it was couched together with an unofficiat English
translation for facility of reference. I reproduce herer-rnder the unofficial
English translation .
'The ?LO (Political- Deparbnent ) presents its conplinents to the Food aJId
/ urlgr.nar
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Agrj.culture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and wishes to
inforn that Organization thet the fsraeLi occupation authorities have
persisted., ever since the tine of tbeir occupation of palestine, iu
varied. and. continuing att enpts to force the sons of our palestinian
people to abandon their Iands, either by the use of fo?ce or by the
promulgat ion of unjust 1aws.
rBesj.des these inhr.rmen and aggressive practices of the Israeli
oceupation authorities o vhich have been occurr:ing for nany years vithout
interruption, these sane authorities have now tigtrtened. tbe circl"e around
the sons of our people by confiscating thousand.s of dununs of fertil_e
lands owned by Palestinian citizens arrd by aggression against the sources
of water, as has recentl-y occurred at the aqueiluct of Ein Samia, vhich
sefves more than 80 tovns and viI]aees in the resions of Ranal-Lah and
Bireh, so that the inhabitants of those areas ha;e been deDrivetl of
water.
rFurthernore, the Israel-i occupation authorities. pe"sisting in thejr
policy of land. confiscation, have pronulgated, through tbe Military
Govelnor of the Gaza region, Ordi.nance No. L98 on the use of vater
resou?ces, which compels the or^mers of ffe11s, excavated by Palestinian
f€J'mers at their orm expense and on their oxn land, to use only part of
the wat er of suctr we11s, thereby liniting the are& of lantl which can
benefit from these taters, leaving the remaincler inpossible to cultivate.
rThese acts conn:itted. by the Israeli occupation antho"itie€, sre
considered. by us as flagrant acts of oppression against our people in
the occupied territories, ailred at compelling the sons of our people to
aband.on their olm lands, in ordea to requisition them afterwards through
repressive laws based on the right of rnight.
tfn registering these facts lrith !'AO, we hope this organization will
intervene in order to put an end to such crininal acts against our
people and our motherland.
rPL0 avails itself of this opportunity to preGent to FAO its best
sal-utations and. cornpliraents. (signed) Farouk KADDUMf, Presid.ent of tbe
Po11tica1 Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization.'
ifn the sa.ne cable f had suggested to the Secretary-General that as he
trad al-ready asked. the Governnent s of Egypt, fsrael, Jordan and the Syria,n
Arab Republic as wel-l as the Palestine Liberation organization to supply
information relevant to his report, he night vish to take this note verbale
also into account in compiling his report. f had afso assured. hin that he
could count on ny fu11 support in vhatever action he vished to take to respond.
adequately to the objectives of the General As senrbly resoLution.'l
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rage -14
: .-r rencn.,/- -LftsJ.._.7Lsn/
1. The repry subnitted by UNESCO states that pusuant to resolutioD 13.1 adoptetl at the eighteenth session of the General Conference of UNESCO, the Director-GenelaL
subnitted to the Executive Board. at its ninety-ninth session a report on the imllenentation of this resol,ution concerning educational and cul-tural institutions in the occupied -Arab territories, l-/ Subsequently, the Executive Board. in its
resol-ution 9.2 invited the Director-ceneraL to report to the ceneral Confelence at its nineteenth session on the inpl eroent€.t ion of the resoLution,
?. In his report to the nineteenth session of the General Conference
(oct_ober 1976), the Director-General outLined the steps he had ta.ken to inplenent
18C/resolution l-3.1 concerning access to national education s;nd culture by the
popul-ation of the occupied Arab territories. Z/
3' The repl'y fultber states that in the period between the eighteenth se'sion of
the General Conference a.rld. the opening of the ninety-ninth session of the Executive
Board ' in order to ascertain directry the situation with regard. to ed.ucation and
cul-tt,Ie in the occupied Arab territories, the Director-General- nad.e a nunber of
unsuccessful, approaches to the rsraeli authorities, 3/ the rsraeri Government being
unable to extend to UNESCO the requisite facilities.-
l+. In the period between the ni.nety-ninth session of the Execut ive Board. and the
nineteenth session of the General- Conference (a9 rvfay to 25 October 19?6), the
Director-General cont inued. his efforts to obtain the necessary faciLities fron the
IsraeLi Covernment in ord.er to inplenent f8C/xesofution 13,1. l+/
,' Shortly before the announcement of the nineteenth sessi_on of the Genera.I
conference, the Director-Generer received a conmrnicati.on informing hin of the rsrae]i Government I s rragreement in principle. for the sending of a nission to
gather information on the state of education and cu]-ture in the "territories ad-ministered by Israe1", and stating further that a].l the necessary facilities would
be exbended to the representatives of the Director-General to enable them to perfotu
their tasks. rt was, however, not possible for the mission to tsle place untiJearLy
in 1977.
ll 99 Ex/5o.
U r9c/73.
11 99 Ex/50, paras. 12, 1\, 23, d+, ?5,27,28 and,29.
y L9c /73, paras. 16-25.
/0rigina]
Nations Educationa].
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6. In view of the absence of a report reflecting an on-the-spot assessment of the
functioning of ed.ucational and cu1tu"a1 institutions in the occupied territories,
the feport to the Executive Board, 5/ vhich forns annex f of the Director-General r s
report to the GeneraL Conference 6/-is confined to the connunications adtlressed to
hiro directly by the covernments oF Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Syrian Arab
Republic, anil by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (pf,O), tfre League of
Arab States and the Arab Eatucational-, Cultural ancl Scientific Organisation
(ALECSo), as wel-l- as by some Governnents of Arab States concernetl about the
situation of historical- and religious mom;ltents in the occupied te"ritories.
Belov are extracts fron this document (99 EX/5O) vhich reports infornation on
Sinai and the Gaza Strip conmunicated by the Egyptian Government i on the situation
on the West Bank of the Jordan conmunicated. by Jordsn, Israel, PLO and ALECSo;
€rtl on the Golan ]leights communicated by the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as
the conment s on the occupied. territories as a whole whicb Egypt, PLO and ALiECSO
ad.dTes s€d. in letters and reports to the Director-Generaf:
"A. Infornation concerning Sinai anil the Gaza Strig
"37. ttre Egyptian Governrnent has sent the Director-General a tist of
the educational and cuLturaf institutions situated in the occupied
territo"ies of Sinai and the Gaza Strip (primary schools, preparatory
sehools, secondaxy schocls, a religious education institute, an
agrieultural training institute, vocational training centres, a
teacher-training co11ege, cinenas, public and private libraries,
sports clubs, clubs for young people, magazines).
"38, With
"egard
to the operation of the institutions and activities
mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, the Egyptian Government l-isted.
a number of difficulties stemling fron the fact of the occupation enrt
preventing these institutions frorn carrying out their work fully. T'he
facts brought to the Direetof-GeneraL rs attention a.re the following:
t'39. In the school-s situated in the Gaza Strip a,nd not controlled
by IJNRIIA/UNESCO, pupils do not have the necessary textbooks because the
Israel-i authorities do not al-low textbooks printetl in Egypt to be
inported for these school-s. Stud.ents must tberefore make do with
summaries arld notes prepared for then by the teachers, though these
sunmaries and notes are in most cases insufficient.
5.1 99 Ex/50.
6/ \9c/73.
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"40. ftre schools in the Gaza Strip are to a large extent short of
teachers. Sefore the occupation there va6 6n average of one teacher for every
35 pupils I since L97:-:l972 this has fallen to one teacher for every 1+7 pupils.
Eilucational- personnel vho had been abl.e to epecialize in higher etlucational
establishnents in Egypt and who have retumed to Gaza are prevented. by the
occupation authorities fron practising their lrofession,
"l+1. Most of the teachers in the Caza scbools have received insufficient
teacher training, especial-1y tbose at the seconilary Ievel. where the qualified
staff are supplenented. by, anong others, stualent teactrers fron the internediate
teacher-training centre in Banel-leh. Soroe schools have even talen on as
teachers civil- servants rho have had no teacher training whatever.
"l+2. To this rDust be atliteil the fact that since the builalings destroyed. in
1967 trave not been rebuilt, tbe Gaza aecto! is suffering froh a shortage of
school-s and, in the schools that ato exist, a shortage of classroons. Before
the occupation the average for the yeat t966-t96? was l+B pupils per classroom;
since 19?1-1"9?2 it has been 55 pupils per classroom.
r?l+3. The onl-y three cultural centres in the sector, which vere in the towns
of Gaza, Iftran Yunis and Rafah, hsve been closed. Those three centres ' each of
which possessed. a large library, attractetl large nunbers of inhabitants in the
sector antl gerveal as cultural neeting pLaces.
"Ll+. Ttre one comercial college at second.ary ]-evel that existed in the
Gaza sector has likevise been closed on the Dretexb that it coltstituted a
threat to public sequrity.
'rB. Infornation regarding the West Bank of the Jor<Ian
"\7. ttre Jord.anian Governnent stated tbat a raclio-broadcasting station
used to opelate under its control in Arabic at Ranaff€h ' Since the occupation
of the territory that station has forned part of the Israeli broadcasting
netvork.
"l+8. Wbil-e pointing out that in the present circurstances it is inpossibl'e
for the Jordanian Government to obtain accurate figures and infornation
regariling tbe situation an{I functioning of educational and cultura}
institutions in the occupieal territories, end that in its viev Unesco vas in a
better position to canry out such investigation work, the Jordanian Government
infomed the Director-Ceneral" of the following:
"\9. the occupation authorities heve derrclished severaf school buildings
in the territories situated on the West Bank of the Jord€Jt, inclucling two
schools at Imwas, two schools at Yalu antl tvo schooJ-s at Seit Nuba, sll a'ithin
the d.istrict of Ramallah.
A/32 /228
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"50. fwo schoo.Is Institute have been cfosed. by the oceupation authorities: the of Business Adminj.stration at ieit-Hanina and the "A1 aq"." gi;i" school. As a pretext for the d.en0olition of the latter, the occupation authorities alfeged the craeks that were visible in the wal-ls of the schoor.
The Jordanian Government points out that the fissu"es in question .were caused by the excavation work carried out by the occupation authorities in the vicinity of the school.
au.t-h o"?ri1ti:e As ninu mtbheer toefr rpituopriiless a nal teachers have been interned by the occupation of the West Bank or sent ar4ray fron those territories.
"52. As regards the report which AIECSo has sent to the Director-General- containing the concl-usions of a group of experts on education in the occupied. Arab teffitories, the following facts have been brought to the attention of Unesco:
"53. tn the West Bank territory the occupation authorities have nade
changes in the curricula and tertbooks - which used to be the same as were used. in Jordan - whieh have altered their nature.
"51+. On the preterb that most of the textbooks being used contained. chapters or paragraphs that night genelate hatred towards rsrae.r in the nind.s of AJab pupils, these textbooks have either been banned. and replaced in nost
cases by 'notes' and 's'nrnariest which are quite often poorly printed, or else nodified afber whole chapters or paragraphs were deleted or rewritten, particularly in textbooks of history, geography, literature and religious instruction. Many te)cbbooks - includ.ing "or" n fri"f, were used in the
UNRWA/Unesco schools - have however been retaineal after a cotrmittee of international experts appointed. by Unesco found that nothing in them vas of
suctr a nature as to jeopardize the spirit of internationaL r:nderstanding. (1)
"55. fhe chs.nges and al-terations made in curricula and textbooks in the
occupied territories of the I'Iest Bank of the Jordan tend, according to the
ALECSo r'eport, to:
(") create a new generation of palestinians i.n whose nind.s the reliaious
and national heritage vilL no longer exist;
(b) r'es.ken the links that yourg ps.lestinians have vith their native land
through tbe elinination of al_l- reference to their past in books on sociology, the Arabic language and. Islamic religion;
(f) ryris question was includ.ecl in the agend.a of eight sessions of the
Executive Board. between a967 and. r97\. rt gave rise to s number of decisions
on the part of the Board.: TT/IX(/Decision 5.8; T8 EX/Decision l.)+;
82 EX/Decisio" \.2,5; 83 trx/Decision \.2.3; 8[ Ex/oecisioo l*.a.f ;' 85 Ex/Decision )+.t.2; 8T Ex/Decision l+.2.ll; BB D(/Decision l+.r.r.
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Annex 1I
-Hage -Lo
(c) veaken the spirit of resistance to the occupation, by tleleting from all
the textbooks poems and even expressions of a nationaf or patriotic
character I
(d) I'eaken l-inks with Jord.an and everybhing related to Arab and Islamic
unitY :
(i) by doing away with the emb].es of the l{ashemite Kingdon of Jordau and
the name of the Ministry of Education of that country which appealed
on textbook covers , and
(ii) by eliminating references to the Jehad, the life of tbe Prophet and
the sacred charaeter of the ho.ly places '
"56, for each of the facts adduced in the report (e) tire ALECSo experts
have given relevant references to legislative texts, adroinistrative decisions
and book titles, and have quoted the paragraphs that have been criticized in
the school textbooks.
"57, As
"egards
the A-1,-Ibrahi.ni Mosque (Hebron), the Secretary-General of
the League of Arab States consid.ers that Israelis decision to divide the
buildings of the Mosque between the Moslem and Jenish conmunities constitutes
a violation of the charter of the united Nations and the Geneva conventions
and a rejection of the resolutions of the United Nations General As senbly and
the Unesco General Conference, and a serious affront to Moslem sensitivity anal
to the sacred chsracter of these places of prayer.
u . .J erusa_Lem
"t8. According to the ALECSO report and the con::nunication fron the
Jordanian Government, the Arab educational institutions situated in the city of
Jerusalen, which prior to the occupation fo1lo$ed. the curricufa in use in the
Hashernite Kingdon of Jordan, have been purely and sinpl-y brought untler tbe
general education system of the State of Israel. That systen is governed by
Act No. 5713 of 1953, which stipulates o according to the analysis nade of it
by the authors of the report, that one of the aiEs of public educetion is "to
base ed.ucation on the values of Jewish culturetr.
'r59. Far from fostering the access of Arab pupils to their national
cufture and. education, as the resol-ution of the Unesco General Conference
prescribes, the fact of imposing Israeli curricula on Arab pupils constitutes in the viev of the ' ALECSO experts, a serious threat to their cultural
identity, because these curlicula tend to:
(Z) frre ALECS0 report as vefl as the coomunications received by the
Director-General a"e at the d.isposal of the Executive Board.
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Pa.ra 'lO
(a) make the Arab pupils believe that Pal-estine was a Jetd sh l-and. from
remote times, persuad-e then to accept the expansionist intentions of the State
of Israel antl make then admit that such expansion is naturali
(b) constitute an affront to Arab dienity, sociologically and
econohically, and nake their und.erdevelopment obvious;
(c) nake Arab pupils feel thet the Jevish race is superior in all
respects so that they lose confidence in thenselves and their people;
(d) describe Arab history as a eatalogue of conquest and piracy
perpetuated. against the eountries where the Arabs settled;
(e) inculcate and develop in the pupils the feeling of belonging to a
religious tlenomination ;
(f) d.eprive Arab pupils of scientific and technological- culture,
especially at the levels of secondary and higher education; antl
(g) strip .Arab pupils of the values and trad.itions of Arab and fslamic
culture so as to underhine their feeling of belonging to the Arab nation.
"60. ft].e ALBCSO comittee of experts also points out that afl- Arab pupils
stualying in schools situated in Jerusal-em are obliged to do twice as much
school" $ork since, on the one hand, they must foIlow the official lsraeli
curricuLrm and sit for the end.-of-course State exaninations vhile, on the
other, they are inpelled to prepare privately for the West Bank examinations
vhich viLl enable them l-ater to enter Arab universities. Ihis double burden is
for the Arab pupils, in ALECSOTs words, a cultural and educationel torture
whi.ch is not to be founal an)rwhere el-se.
1161. trIith regard to the historic mom:ments of Jerusalen which represent s.n
essential feature in the spiritual, and cuftural- life of the Moslen conmunity,
the Government of Kuwait, in a conmunication dated. B March 1p16, expresseci
concern about the serious threat wbich it conside"s the excavation work
undertaken by the occupation authorities is causing to a mrmber of historic
build.ings of great inportanee, especially those housing the Arab Orphanage and
the Al-0thmanya School- (1,t.hich constitutes the central- part of the western r€11
of Al-Ilaran Ash Sharif snal vhich is situated in the innediate vicinity of tvo
incomparable components of that rmique group, namel-y the Gate of Al-Kattanine
and the Minaret of Quaitabay).
"52. lbe Government of Kuwait also reports that the Isreeli authorities
intend to build a new roaal running beside the ol-d ra$parts of Jerusalem.
According to the plan which has been draryr up, this would entail the
d.esecration of tvo ancient Moslem ceneteries (Bab A1-Rahna and Yusfiah).
"53. As
"egards
the TechnicaL High School of Jerusalem, the Jordanian
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Annex If
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Government, in a conmunication dated 9 March 1975, sent a statement to the
Director-General, together with photographs and a report of an fsraeli expert,
on the daroage done to the school , rrhich is, in the Government t s vier, the most
important specialized Arab establishnent in the city, as a result of woxk
(excavations using dynamite and earthworks ) undertaken by the Israeli
authorities in the inmediate vicinity of the school, where a road and an
industrial complex are being bui1t.
r'6\. tn addition to the large and dangerous cracks in the wa11s of the
building, the Jordanian Government ha6 dral'n the Director-Generaf I s attention
to a number of facts vhich, in the Government rs view, constitute pressures
brought by the occupation authorj.ties on the students and teaching staff of the
school as part of their policy of. encouraging the Arab inhabitants to feave the
country. Thus the occupation autho"ities have refused- to a11ow the opening of
the hotel- management section of the school, for which equipnent and naterialhave
been availeble since 1!5J, and they have a.lso closed the main road
leading to the school.
"D. Golan Heights
"65. In a letter dated 18 March 1976, the Permanent Delegate of Syria to
Unesco complained, on behalf of his covernment, that the occupation authorities
wil-1 not 1et the Syrian students in the terri.tory of the Golan Heights continue
their stud.ies in Syrian universities as Arab students in the other sectors of
the occupied. Lrab territories have been a1lowed to do.
"65. In calling the Director-General r s attention to this prohibition and
to various difficulties net with by Syrian students in the Oolan Heights -
such as the destruction of houses and the lack of educational and scientific
faci.lities - the Syrian covernment hoped that Unesco voufd intervene vith the
Israeli. Government to put an end to this serious situation.
"8. Bemarks concerning the occupied territories as a whol-e
"67. tn conctuding its report, the ALECSO cornrnittee of experts expresses
the view that the policy folloved by the occupation authorities 'with regard to
the education of young Palestinians is contrary to the Universal Declaration of
Huran Rights, especially Article 25 which states in paragraph 3 that 'Parents
have a prior right to choose the kind of ed.ucation that shaIl be given to thei"
children '.
"68. The P!O, for its part, has called the Director-General ' s attention to
facts which it considers infringenents of the ?alestinians' rights to a
national education. It has referred. in particufar to the d-ecision of the
fsraeli Government to forbid. Palestinians betveen the ages of 16 to 35 fron
leavlng the occupied territories unless they agree to spend a period of at
least six months outside those territories.
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"69. Since this measure affects, annong those belonging to the age gloup
in question, the nany Palestinian students enrolled vith Arab universities (in
which they are folloving cor?esponalence courses ) who leave the occupied
territories every Jre ar for short perio<Is in ord.er to sit exaninations in those
universities, the PLO considers that sucb a measure in reality constitutes
pressure which the occupation s,uthorities are bringing to bear on the stutlents
so that they vi].] leave the country.
"70. In the same communication, the PIO inforneil the Director-GeneraL that
the occupation Buthorities are taking pupils fron school-s of general education
and. forcing them to enrol in special centres for nanuaf vork. lbis practice is
apparentLy increasing antl the PLO considers that it is rneant to loner the
cultulaL level of the peoples in the occupietl territories in order to nake them
a reserve of nanpower for Israeli ind.ustry. "
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D. Reply submitted. by the Worl,al Health Orsanization
/urr.grnal: -ung-j.lsa
The reply of lillo lras subnitted in the forn of extracts from the annual report
of the Director of Ilealth of UNRWA for the year tg76, vhich was subnitted. as a
docunent to the Thirtieth lfor1d Hea]-th Assembly. V The relevant paxagraptrs are
quoted verbatim;
"1h. The long civil war in Lebanon cl-ained many victims, Palestine
refugees as wefl as Lebanese. Precise figures are not yet available. Many
Ifere kiIIed, nan]r nore injured.. There was also widespread displacenent of
refugee faoilies, who either had. been living in canps (about !0 per cent) or
\tho had been living in tovns and. villages, Several ca ps have been partial-ly
or tota].l"y d.estroyed. and the mnber of displaced refugees is estinated at
30,000, Energency assistanee in the forn of rattresses, blankets, clothing,
shoes, kitcben kj.ts, food., conmod.ities, skin nilk and. soap has been distributed.
where needed anrl to the exbent that funds, including generous contributions
from vollurtary agencies, pernitted. I4any of the Agency's installations have
been danageal or destroyetl. Schoo] builtlings had to be repaired and many desks,
benches, textbooks and scbol,astic supplies replaced. This task is not yet
conpl-eted. Apa.rt from schools, other UNRWA installations must be repaired,
inch:iling the Agencyrs cent?a] varehouse in Beirut, which r,ras hit by rockets
and seriously da.n&getl by fire. l,lany of the general- supplies stored. there were
lost and have to be replaceal. The Agency is unable, in present circumstances,
to estinste precisely the cost of repairs and replacement.
''CURATWE MEDTCAT SERVICES
tt15. These services were nad.e availabfe in 131 bealth cent"es and health
points (98 UNRWA, 1? government and 16 volr:ntary agencies). Two new diabetes
antl derroatology cLinics were establ,ished during the year in addition to the
existing ones. Attendances for medical consultation continued. almost at the
same rete, except in Lebanon. In Beirut, the naJority of the refugees resid.ing
in Dbayeh, Dikrf,aneh antl Jisr el--Basha canps fled to the western sector of the
city where they sha?ed. accomnodation with relatives and friends or occupied.
deserted alartment s and unfinished buildings. An emergency service vas
established to provide then with basic rnedical care services.
|l
V Health assistance to refugees and d.isplaced. persons in the Mi.ddle East
(mo/wp/r) , 2'l Lprir 1977.
^/
32/22a
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Annex fI
'r0utpatient dental c are
"18. This consists of consultations, sinple fillings, dental X-rays, tooth extraction anat gum treatment and. rninor oral surgery. More emphasis rras given to the preventive aspects of dental health and hygiene anong school
chi'I dren and. pregnant vomen. During the year a nel, dental clinic was established in New A.nman Calrp, east Jordan, increasing the nuxnber of clental clinics providing this service to the refulees to 21, Dental care rras aLso iuproved by the provision of an additional dental r:nit in Jaramana camp in Syrj.a .
'rMental hea]-tL
"23. The denand for outpatient and inpatient services for uenta.l ir-lness continued to increase. Consequently, the _A,gency is giving nore thought and attention to the preventive aspects of mental health.
tl
I'PREVH'IT rvE MEDrcAr smvrcEs
"28. Xarly in July there was En outbreak of cholera in Syria, whi ch started in the no"th-east district of Hasaka and soon spread. to other localities. Pronpt control measures were taken by the IINRWA Field Heafth
Departnent in coord.ination with the nationar health authorities, particular].y in refugee camps. These included chlorination of L'eter sources, suspension of distribution of reconstituted nirk and of serving fresh fruits and v-getables in ttre suppler@ntaxy feeding centres, mass vaccination of the popuration at risk, and promulgation of health guidance on food. and personal hygiene in
Agency schools, health centres and. other installations. These controt measures proved effective: only two cases were reported anong the refugee population in spite of ttre videspread nature of the epidenic, and both cases vere cured.
The other Fieltls were inne ili ate 1y put on the alert and. the necessary precautionary neasures were taken. cholela was transmittetl, horever, to Jordan
and later to the occupied terlitories of the west Bark anil Gaza strip r,rhere 1!, + and 14 cases respectively occur'"ed a,nong the refugees, though no fatal-ity ras reported. The situation in l,ebanon renained obscure due to lack of
comunications It_vas, howeve'r ,b pooths sinibtleer tnoa lvlya cacninda etex ttehren arelffyu,g eaes caa rneps puolpt uolaf ttiohne ciniv ir var. Bripoli the area throu€h the help of the Tnternationat co-.iitEe of the Fed cross
and to apply strict sanitary measures in these camps, No confirmed case r,ras
reported. .
Al 32/ ?28
English
Annex fI
Page 2l+
"29. Conearetl with 19?5 there was litt1e change in the incidence of
d.iarrhoeal cliseases and dysentery in the area of operations as a whole.
$phoitt and pars.typhoid were further
"educed
from 6)+ cases in ir975 to 53 cases
in l-9?6, of rhich )+7 were reported from Syria. The incidence of infectious
hepatitis, on the other hand., showed a renarkable increase in all Fields, from
596 to IO)l cases foltowing the general trend in the area. Polionyelitis has
surprisingly reached. moderate epidenic proportions in Gaza, sinilar to those
of 19?l+, despite the prinary and booster doses of oral polio vaccine given
routinely to children below thlee years of age attending the Agency's child
heal-th clinics. Fifty-five cases r.rere reported, mainly in July and August, as
against only six cases in 1975. The epid.ernic subsided towards the end of the
year. Ttre efficacy of the vaccine and the 1eve1 of protection are being
investigated. in an attenpt to find. an explanation for the outbreak. There vas
a substsntial drop in the incid.ence of measles, fron 28)+O to 11+)+7 which eould
be attributed. to a nore extensive irnnuni zat ion coverage of the children at
risk. Comunicable eye diseases, mainly in the form of acube conJunctiv-itis
occurring particularly d.uring sr.rnmer months, have continued to show a modest
dovnward. trend which coultl, in part, be s.ccreditetl to improvement of sanitary
facilities in camps antl heal,th education centTed on personal hygiene.
"30. InfLuenza showed. an upward. trend, nainly observed ea?1y in 1975 but
resusing again late in the year, {ith Gaza and Syria principally accounting
for the increase. While no ind.igenous cases of malaria were reported during
the yea.r, only two irported ones were cliscovered in Gaza. Newly detected cases
of respiratory tuberculosis dropped. fron 1?5 last year to 1l+1 this yeax.
Beporting fbom Lebanon Field nay be considered as incomplete.
rrMaternal and chil-d health services
tt33. In the prenatal clinics , 29 006 womerr rrere registered for maternal
care' which included regular health supervision and the issue of extra rations,
nilt aad iron-folate tablets through pregnancy and the nursing period. For
the 29 397 tleliveries, care wss p"ovideat in the homes nlainly by the Agencysupervised.
dayahs (for 51 per cent), in UNRWA maternity centres (nainly in Gaza)
by UNRWA nursing staff and in hospital for women with difficulties or increased
risk. In al"l-, five naternal deaths were reported., i.e.0.02 per 1O0O live
bilths, while the reported still--birth rate was 10.2 per 1000 total births.
"31+. A total of 85 618 children O-3 years of age have benefited. fYom the
services p"ovided at the 79 child health cfinics.
A/ 32 / 228
English
Annex tl
Paoa )\
'IENVIRON},IEMAL ItrALTH SEBVICES
"l+3. The programrne is concerned. nainly with the provision of potable r,rater supplies, sanitary disposal of sol_id and liquid wastes, drainage storm water and control of insect and rod.ent vectors of disease. A total of 65! 736 refugees and displaced persons living in g: ,"i"e..-"".;"
-lurr.rit"a
from the progranme, which has been maintained at a satisfactory level in most of the camps. However o due to prolonged civil warfare in Lebairon, the services were adversely affected, Furthermore, in the West Bank, the saniiation services continued. to suffe" from difficurties encormtered in the recruirmen-c of sanitation labouxers. Ad hoc arrangements had to be nade to prevent any serious hea"lth hazard.s. Due-to-the "e"io* financial sit'ation -facea Agency by the throughout the year, support of the self-help canp inproveraent schene
had to be reduced consid.erably. The programme Iras ba"el-y nalntained through a sublidv of approximately $ z5 0oO againsi a total requirenent initially estimated at $ 171 OOo. Nevertheless, with the cooperation of ]-ocal- authorities and the sustained participation of
"efugee camp conmunities, a
nurb er of improvements were carried out as detailed in the folrowine para€raphs.
. l',*,*. Schemes for providing private water connexions to refugee shelters
have been progressing very sati.sfactoril-y. Through a self-he].p programae, three caups in the west Bank have been provided. vith private water connexions
and two camps in Gaza are to benefit from a silailar prog"arme very shortly. Municipal r^7ater s upply schemes for two camps in the lfest Bank and three ca-ups in Gaza are progressing steadily. The Government of Jordan has overcome the chronic water shortage of suf c amp vith a newly drilled well and the syrian
L;overriment (General Authority for palestine Arab Refugees ) is pranning to dri11 an additional well to conplete the private vater connexion scheme at Ktran Eshieh camp. Three caeps in Lebanon and two in Syria continue to experience water shortages, but augmentation schemes for the two camps in Syria are in progress,
"l+5. Replacement of public latrines lrith private ones continued to progress satisfactorily and. current]y about 9l+ per cent of the refugee
popul-ation in camps have been provided with private latrine facilities.
ttl+6. fn Syria, on cornpletion of the constructj.on of lateral ser^rerg in three canps, about 75 per cent of the camp inhabitants are now served by
sewersge systems. The Agency is planning to extend the sewerage faci]ity at
Dera'a carnp to cover the additional shelters reeentJ_y constructed. by the
refugees .
ttl+7- The ongoing self-he1p scheme for the constructi.on of surface drains
and pavement of pathways benefited. 15 canps in the West Bank, two camps in Gaza, one camp each in Jordan and Syria and a fev ca.mps in Lebanon. it.
scheme solves vaste-wa.ter disposal problerns, facil-itates refuse eollection, provides better access to rertlgee shelters and ca.mp instar-lations and herps in the abatement of dust and nud. Consequently it continues to be very popular
Al32/aza
Engl i sh
Annex 1I
rage zo
rlith the refugees. Efforts are being maale to provide adequate support floor the Ageacy in the forn of building nateriais.
uLB, Ifith the provision of a scooter cart at Neirab canp for the transport of refuse, only thtee camps in Sjrria are 1e f.t, with nuLe carts; a tipper-truck is uader procurement for inproving the efficiency of the fefuse
coLlection services. !\Ether iqprovenent of garbage collection and diEposel services is envisaged by the prowision very shortly of additional- vehicles in
the tebanon and l{est Bank trields to neet the lrorkLoad.
''NUTNITION AND SI'PPLEMET'ITANY FMDING SERVICES
"\9. The Depaltnent of IIeoLth attaches great inportance to the
supervision, protection anal pronotion of the nutritional status of the refugees.
These functions are entrusted to the Nutrition and supplenentar5r Feeding Division. The services proviiled by this Division are directed particularly
torrards the nost vuLnerable groups anong the refugees e nane\r infants,
pre-school and elenentary gchool children, plegnant anrl lactating vouen,
non-hospital-i zetl tuberculosis patients an<t nedically reco@encleil hardship cases.
The services comprise the distribution of (a) nift, (b) ni cld.ay hot nea1s, (c) extra dry rstions and (tt) vitanins. fhe emelgency feetting progranne
established after the L95T hostiLj.ties for the benefit of the disptaced
refugees antl others affected by the confJ-ict and its afternath, rres
roai.ntained drring 19?6 , but with ni.nor changes ( for cletails of the p"rLo"gorame
see Appendix 2).
A/ 32/?28
Annex 1I
PaBe 27
T: pa-r,. -r,},h;++6.] L,, +he United \ations Celief and l{orks
djr-r-y 1"r P.laciintr qefuda=A=. -i.r. =t.l:^_e= 'T caT fast ._ /0riginal: rngf 1sn/
1. UI{RWA provides essential services to Palestine refugees in the Near East,
including the occupied terri.tories of the West Sank and the Gaza Strip. The
primary task, the determination of the needs of the Pafestine refugee population
in the area of operations and the implenentation of p"ografines to neet then in the
fi-1dq nf p/lr.afi^n hF,lt.h 'nd relief i" a nnntin'nr,< -hic r'5 reflected
in the Conmissioner-General's annual- report to the General Assembly. -s/ The report
gives an accor.ut of the services rendered by the Agency ald also forecasts in the
Agencyrs budget the requireroents to help ensure adequate living conditions for the
refugees - albeit at a ninimr.xl ]-evel.
2. The 5l+8,627 registered Palestine relhgees in the occupied territories, like
the other 1,057,859 living in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab lepublic and Nast Jordan,
benefit from UIIRWA education, health and relief services. UNESCO and lrrllO
respectively provide technical- expertise and professional guidance for the
education ar]d training progra$rnes ard the health services (incfuding, anong others,
suppJ-ementary feeding and sanitation) vhich are almed at rnaintainin€! a stardard
at feast equivalent to that established by the Arab host Governments for the
indigenous population. Relief services include distributicn of basic dry rations
to about one half of the registered refugee Fopulation ( about 324,000 in the
occupied territories), Jimited assistance in the provision of shelter (about
272,OOO registered. refugees live in earnps in the occupied territories), and wel Fare
services on a smal-I scale to hardship cases (about lt,500 in the occupied
terrltor1es,J .
3. Tn 1977, UNRWA expenditure is estimated at $131+ milIion, approximatefy
$l+2 mittion of vh-ich vill be spent for the occupied territories. Tn 1978, merely
to naintain services at their present leveI, the Agency estinates its r-equirements
at $1\8 ni11ion, of which approxirnately $46 nillion is for the occupied territories.
These estimates take into accou-nt extrapolations of population fiepres which have
a direct effect on education requirements and alsc - thaugh not as direct - on
health, relief and support services. I/Uxether all the pro€lranmes can be executed
to the fu11 extent wifl depend on the receipt of sufficient voluntary contributions
for the purpose, As at 30 June 19?7, the shortfall of contributions against the
d! tyfur+
F. Statenent submitted by the lconornic !_e"4.g
"
t_gll_Igt iiestern Asia
Infornation obtained by ECWA indicates the following trends in these living
cond.itions:
a/ OfficiaL Recq4ls of the--General Assen ly, Thirty-se!9nd Se ' ijuD0tement No. i J \A/ Jclf J./.
^/32
/2?B
English
Annex fI
Page 28
I. Land ounershi! and use
LalgeamountsoflandhavebeenreserYedbytheoccupatianauthoritiesfor
various putpo"a", includ.ing military uses. The ovners of these lands are denied
access Lo them. AgricutLu-ra-t deve1opment of the occupied berribories has been
advexsefy affected. g/
2.
At the beginning of the period of occupa'tion, about 25 per cent of the
poputation of the occupied territories left these territories' On-Iy a sna11 -triction of these people have returned. controls on movenent in and out of the
occupied territories are strict, especially for celtain groups of Palestinians.
There is continued migration for economic reasons' to the rapidly devefoping Arab
cor.mtries and to the developed countries. In ad.dition, there has been a large
number of forcible deportations' often of conmunity leaders ' V
3. Changes in settienent patterns
Dr.]tr.lng and inrnedlately following the 196T r'"ar, a mlrber of villages were
totauy or partially destroyed. some of these have been rebuilt, vhile othel's
have not.
An im.cortant development is the establisbnent of new non-Palestinian
settlements in the occupied territories. In a number of cases, the establislment
of these settlements has been officially approved by the occupation authorities.
These nev settlernents, in some instances, have niilitary and strategic significance.
Their establishment tends to change the character of the occupied territoTies. c/
4, Housing
Two trends in the housing field nay be noted. One is the deliberate
destruction of houses by the occupation authorities as an act of punishment. The
nufl ber ol houses desr,.royed is large.
A second trend is the construction of new housing proiects reserved for
non-Palestinian individuals, This has taken place especially in the area arould
J erusa-Lem. o/
'., Yiodle East Tnterna.Lional,
off_icf-alffi
London, lvYay 1975, p. 22. See also Israeli
\967, pp. 2690-269l. regard ing various 1ar'rs on
confiseation of land.
b/ United llations General Assenbfy anrl Sec,rity Councif debates for June to
lec enler 196l. l:ote a.lso varjous reporls of the United Nations Specjal CouniLbee
Inr.qq qqa lrlg lsraeli Pracrices AffecLing Human Rjghts in 0ccupied Territories,
1tE9-197-6: c"n.".
c/ Reports of Special Or:nmittee, op. cit.
d/ Tbid, In addition note U.S. House of nepresentatives Cornmittee on Foreign
Affairs. Probleras of Frotecting Qlvitians under International Lar^r in the Middle
last Col rf f!ce, Flea.ines'
A/ 32/ 228
Annex ff
,. Urban change
The legaI status of east Jerusalem has been changed Israel, separating this area from the t'West Banktt sector
by the covernnent of
of Jordan.
East Jerusafern has great rerigious and curturar signi ficance, an important as velr as oei:rg urban centre in the west Bank. clearing of buildings fron parts of east Jerusalem has resurted in large-scare urban change. At the same time, the construction of high-rise apartment houses has alterecl the environment and the character of the city.
Several of the refugee catnps have alsc been affected by the clearing of far€le
numbers of buildings. U]{RWA reports that inadequat e p:-ovi.sion was made for the resettlement of families displaced by the process of urban clear.ance. e/
C/ TsrAAli .)ffini -- t'oaal r-a ^^ ^,,
UN'TED NAT'ONS
DIVISION .
0I'
€ErYElAt dSSS,rBi,y
:=-t a
- -/.r
E:
illl,l r>e
Distr,
GENERAI,
A/ 33/ 35)1
2 November lpJB
OBIGINAI: ENGLTSH
GENERAL
A S S E M B LY
Thirty-third session
Agenda iten 68
HU}{AN SETTLF,I,fENTS
Living conditions of the palestinian
f'Ii-n tU h-tLc J^U^...,P,J^ i-..rE U +L C^T--Ji'*-L'LUfJES
1' In its resolut i,JD 3z/IT7 of t9 Decenbe r I9T.{ , the cenera.l Assenrbly requested the secretary-General , in colLaboration r+ith the re]evarrt United Nations organs and specialized agencies, particularly the united Naticns Rerief and works Agency ibr
111:"1::,",. T.rygee s in the Near last (ulnwa) and the Econonic Commission for Western
'A'-.a' (ruwp/' to prepar^e and subrnit to thc Asseul]y aL its thirty-:hir-d session a comprehensive and analyticaJ- report on the sociar and economic impact of the Tsraer-i oecupation on the riving conditions of the palestinian people in ine occuprea teritories. It fu"ther requested the Secret ary_General in preparing the reporr, to consult arrd co-operate witli the pafestine Literation Orga.tlization, the representative of the palestinian peopfe.
2' The resolution folloved and expanded the scope o| ceneral Asser'bly resorution 3l/110 of 15 December 1976,. on tt"
"u*u ""f;."i" pursuant to resolutjcn 3ll110, the secret arv-cenerar- submitted a report (e/ zz/zeg) to the Assernbi;;l-;"" thrrty- second session. rt nay be recalled that the representative of the secretary-General explained that' because the sec ret ary-Generar- hia no independent saurces of infcrmationo the report consisted of replies and pertinent excerpts from docr.rnentary material subnittec by the countrfes concerned as we]] as the relevant united l{ations orga'ns and specialized agcncies in response tc the secret ary-Generar r s request r.or informaticn on the subject_matter of tie report.
3,- -The ceneral Assernbly at its thit-ty_second s€ss1on submitted. by the ge cret ary-General , expressed the view f\rrther analysis in ordet, to neet fJ1l; the objectives
, afder considering the rcport
that there t/as need for
of resolution 31/110.
Gr-n erol A e e amhl.'
r.,hi ^h +lr d --*^-+
a rah^7+ lrr eo.r ^h
4. In view of the broa.d scope of the report now requested by the snd recognizing the difficult ccnstraints of time a.nd pface under would have to be paepared, the secret ary-Generat decaded to subnit an inpartial expert €nalysis af the
"o"iu-t .r, a econom]c irqpact.
5. In order to discharge the task requested of hirn in the resolution
78-2tl+6)+
a^td to ensure
./
Al33/3J\
En 91i sir
Page 2
r 1-alnnnor awr--f ,.i-,, f lra S6l-?d f prv_aFnara t ntanncd to utiLize the services of a
J ea'n of three consu,Ltants, conprising a physical planner, an econonist snd ,.
, ocioLogist. Tt was envisaged that the consultants" accompanied by an officiat 01'
UNRWA or ECWA, would visit the countries cci.rcerre.1, incfuding particutarly the
territories occupied by Tsrael as a result of the hostilities of June 1967, in
ordet to provide a fi-st-hand account of the sociaf and economic inrpact.
to co-operate in providing and obtaining other information as needed" Available
l,ritten material would have to be supplemented thTough personal interviews and
other direct inquiries in the fie1d, In that connexion, the Secretary-General
intended that the eonsultants should also visit the headquarters of thc Palestine
Liberation Organization, UNRI^IA and ECl,iA in Beirut,
'(" At an early stage, the Secretariat undertook the selection of candidates in
each of the three fields of expertise, paying particular attention, in view of the
nature of the assignment s.r]d the tine available to compfete it" to the professional
competence and re.Ievant experience of the candldates unde" consideration. Three
candidates suitable for the task and available to underlake the assignment at that
time r'rere tentatively s elect ed.
B. fhe Secretary-General sent a note verbale dated 9 I'{ay 1p7B to the Permanent
Representative of Israelo dral,ring attention to the tresolution and Tequesting s',ich
i nformaticn as night be avajlable on the subject-matter of the report requeste4 by
the General Assembly. The note requested that the information be provided by
30 Junc 19?8. In infcrming the Perroanent Fepresentative of Israel of his intention
to send to the occupied te"ritories a mission comprisin€! the consultants
acccrpanied by an official oC I]-\FWA or fCIIA, the Sec retary-Ceneral requesLed that
tbe Tsraeli authorities extend to the rnission the necessary assistance and
co-operation. In particular, the Permanent lepresentative of fsrael r,ras informed
that the proposed visit by the consultants to the occupied territories was of
s-oecia.L importanec for Lhe per formance ofl their tasks. A repJy was requested by
31 ]'{ay 1978.
9. The Permanent Rcp;esentative of Tsrael, in a note verbale dated 3f ltay 1978"
expressed concern regarding the tenor o,f the resolution. However o he stated that
his Goverrurent would be ready to supply the Secretary-General with information
Sernane to the matter, Subsequently, certain materials r+ele transmitted to the
Secretariat by the Permanent Miss:i.on of Israel. The note verbale fron the
6. The Secretary-General afso
Covernnenbs o' Ie"y,ot, Jordan and
Liberation Organization to make
declded to request the Government of fsrael and the
the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as the Palestine
available such information as they rni ght have and
7a^ r rac + +1.,-+
free access
with the
request in a note verbale dated
_Ly lo, tne rermanenr t"If sslon 01 -Lsrae-L
mqrv vis.'tors to r,he l-,er-ri tories
Pernanent Fepresentative made no l:eference to the Se cretarlr-General ts
the consultants, acccmpanied lry a.rr official of UltrRI4rA or ECWA, be given
to, and freeaom of movenent in, the occupied territories in connexion
preraration of the report "
10, The Secretary-General reiterated bis
2l Jrly 1o7$. .Ln a reply dated tB August
noted that the reporLs and iropressions of
A/33/3r\
Engli sb
Fage 3
administered by Israel since 1967, including, and health and labour inter afia, economists, sociologists experts, ful1y ilrustiatEE ti." improvement in livirig conditions of the parestinians in tlo"" t""tiioti.", rnd it therefore deemed the sending of a roission of experts unnecessary.
11. In a nobe to the permanent l.,tission of Israel dated 11 Septenber IgTBr the s ecretary*General stated that he considered the visit to the occupied terrrtories essential if he r'rere t'o be abfe to submit a-n independent and objective re,port to the Generat Assenbfy based on a fiTst-hand
impact. Tn that connexion, the """orrn" of the social and economic Goverrr'ment of rsrael S ecretary_General expressed the hope that the might extend to the
facilities to gather trre I'elevant informa"toior,n" ai,n1 i.tohte" tohcecu npeiecde stsearrryi tocor-ieopse.ratr-on and
ll;-"-l:"n.tl:t-1?J9:,1". s ecretary-Generat also addressed notes verbates to the
*::*i?: l: ll: :":*"lion and requesting """n avaitabte on the subject-matter r"r.i.,"#,;^; ;;;;'i!',*au Thc rar orir,u ,.iorJ-;";;;;;;;";;i;. ;;;'J;J";l]ior.,. a [l;.i:l",i::"i::::-:P:":': ::l:i':':"" ;"";;.;;;;"o,'ii"""" isiEl""i;'"5'JiiI;"""-
::l:::l^:r_": 1il:.i*.rn: permanent R.;";;";;;;i;;; ;i ;;"";;":'::;*;i:"";:il3
:::::::i"^:",,^T,i* i.-':::.1"n' comprisin! -.-ir''.""""":J;;';;';"".illlili'orl'.1 official of UNnWA or ECWA- to rhai1. .^r,h+-i^-
ess.isienna ahn ^^ ^^^-^.,,':-rl "tair ccuntr-res, uiLh r_ie reouesL t_rat the necessary :::::::l:"_i"d co-operation be extended t.-.r-'" "."""i;;";;:-'il.";#";ffi"fi:.;:::
in a note verbale dated 30 l.4ay 19T8,
a visit by the consultants, accompanied
the preparation of the report of the .,
requested to reply by 31 l,lay 19?8.
13. In a note verbale dated 26 Ilay alf}, the pernanent Fepresentative oi. the syTian Arab Republic stated that t is co".etn .nt velcomed the team of consurtants for the preparation of the report anrr that the coriet"nt authorities in the syrian Arab Republic vould extend to the consultant" afi-pissible assistance and co_operation.
tl. .tL" Fernanent Representative of Egylt, ,stated that the Egyptian authorities oretclroeO by an officiaf of UIIRI,IA or ECI^IA, in regarA io Secret ary-General .
L5' The Per"rnanent Rerrresentative of Jordan, in-a note verbale dated fT July lplg" informed the secret ary-General of his Goverrirnent r s readiness to provide ar-r possibre assistance and co-operation to the propo""a f"u* of experts. He further informed the secretary-General that a conmittee of the cent-ra1 Bank of Jordan' the "N.aut'ilo.in"gaf cfo;uendc, if fccro npslaisntinnign go, ft hreep Rreosyeanr tastoivceiesty for scientific Research and the Executive orrice ror the Affairs of the bccupied Territories, to prepare a report on the conrj.itions of the refugees.
16. No reference vas made
Republic to the request for
in the replies of Egylt,
information refevant to
Jordan and the Syrian Arab
Lle subjecc-r-atte- of tfe reporL.
sent a nolle verbale to the
Organization, drarn ing attention to
as might be available on the subject_
17. Also on 9 l.{ay 19?8, the Secretary_Ceneral
Pernanent Obsel:rrer of the palestine f,iieration
the resolution and requesting such information matter of the report requested by the General
A/ 33/3r)+
English
18. The Secret ary-General, in a note verbafe dated 5 Septenber 1!18, again drev
the attention of the lemanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Or'Sanization
to the resalution and reiterated his reouest for infornation gen4ane t'o the
subject-matter ol the relort. lio reply to the S ecretary-General ' s noie verbale
of 9 llay 1978 to the Permanent Observer of the Palestjne Liberaticn Organization
has ieen received as of the d-ate of this interirn report.
L9. l.{eanr,ihile " after consuftation r,rith the Executive Secretary of ECUA and the
S,.-ni:- jve
^r' -.1-r. sFcr-e..pt-v-CF*eral in Beirul , it r,ra s oecioeo th:t in
vier.r of the situation rrevailing ln Beirut the mission should not proceed to the
area at this time.
2A. In the fight of the circunstances relerred to above, it has not been possible5
despit'e every ef'ort tc oo so, to lrcpare lre ful.L reporL cal-Leo for by resolrtion
32/L7\ in tir:re fcr subnission to the ceneral Assenbly at its thirty-third sesslon.
The Se cret ary- General holes that a fuli report on the social and economic irapact
of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the ?alestinian people in
'hF --. r'itrd r,.r-ir.*i6s '.;-l ho r-on.*cl rrd subritted Lo I'he ASSer0bly et its
thiTtv-fourth se s s ion.
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
UNITED NATIONS
Distr.
GEI\fERAL
A/34/536 f LOH ,!
25 October 1979
ENGLISH
ORIGINAL: ARABIC/ENGLISH
Thirty-fourth session
Agenda item 65
HUMAN SETTLEI1ENTS
Living conditions of the Palestinian people
in the occupied territories
Report of the Secretary-General
1. In its resolution 33/110 of 18 December 1978, the General Assembly requested
the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the relevant United Nations organs
and specialized agencies, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Economic Commission for
Western Asia (ECWA), and the Special Co~nittee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories, to
prepare and submit to the Assembly at its thirty-fourth session a comprehensive
and analytical report on the social and economic impact of the Israeli occupation on
the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories.
It further requested the Secretary-General, in preparing the report, to consult and
co-operate with the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the
Palestinian people.
2. The resolution covered basically the Sffine scope as General Assembly
resolutions 31/110 of 16 December 1976 and 32/171 of 19 December 1977 on the same
subject. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 31/110, the Secretary-General
submitted a report (A/32/228) to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session
and pursuant to Assembly resolution 32/171~the Secretary-General submitted another
report (A/33/354) to the thirty-third session.
3. In this regard, it may be recalled that at the thirty-second session of the
General Assembly, while intrOducing the earlier report, the representative of the
Secretary-General had explained that, because the Secretary-General had no
independent SOurce of information, the report had, of necessity, to consis~ of
replies and pertinent excerpts for documentary material submitted by the Governments
79-27388 / ...
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of Egylt, Israel, Jord.an V ana the Syrian relevant Arab Republic Z/ as well as the united ivations oigur" and specialized ;J;;;;"ii "JJporrse secretary-General-rs request for to the information on the subject-matie"-.r-in.'ti.po"t.
l+. In his report of 2 November tgTB (A133/3]>\), the Secretary_General indj.cated" thato in vielr of the broad. scope of the report requested. by the General_ Assernbly and the difficult constraints of time and pru."u uncler which th" ;;;;;i-"""io'n";" to be prepared', he intend.ed. to util-ize the services of three consurtants - a physical planner' an economist, and. a sociologist - who would und.ertake an impartial expert analysis of the social and economic impact of the rsraeli. occupation on the living cond.irions of the Pal-estinian people in the occupied territories' However, in response to the secretary-Generalrs requests that the consultants be given free access to the occupj.ecl territories, the permanent Mission of fsrael sta+'ed' that the reports and impre""iorr" of many visitors to the territori.es administered. by rsrael since L967, inctuiing economists, sociologists and health and labour experts, fu11y ill-ustrated. the iiproveraent of the l-iving cond,itions of Pal-estinians in those territories. consequently, the rsraeli Goverrurent deemed the send.ing of a mission of ex,oerts unrl€c:^ss&r;r.
5' The secretariab of the united Nations centre for lluman settl-ements (Hatitat) has continued' its efforts to dispatch the mission of experts to the area. However, the inforrnation i.t has obtained. as at October 1979 e]early ind.icated that the position of the Government of rsrael on this matter has not changed. rn these circumstances, the Secretary-General consid.ered that d.ispatching to the area an expert mission which voul-d have no access to the occupied. territories themselves r,rould' serve little purpose and was unlikely to facilitate the preparation of the comprehensive and analytical report requesied by the General- Assembly in j.ts resol-ution 33/110. The secretaiy-General vill tontinue his efforts to d.ispatch a mission of experts as soon u." ti"".,rstances permit.
9co' unMciel aonf vthhilee ,u wniittehc lr eference to General Assemb]y resolution 33/110, the Governing Nations Environment progra:mu (unsp)r-ly-it" d.ecision T/2 of 13 May L979, requested. the Executive Director of UNEp to ensure an adequate assessment of the environrnental cond.itions of the pal-estinian people. After eonsulting vith the secretary-General, the Executive Director Lr uivsp requested. the Governments of Egl'pt, rsraern Jordan and the syrian Arab Republic, as well as the Palestine Liberation Organization, to provid.e him with relevant information on this subj eet ' A report based- on an analysis of information provided. in response to this request by the Governments of trgypt, Jord.an and the syrian Arab Republic as vel-l as the Palestine Liberation organizaiion is presented" as annex r. rn preparing this reportn information was arso obtained. for ECI,IA3 ul\lRwA and the ulvDp offices in Jord.an and the syrian Arab Republic. The report covers major aspects of the social and. economic irapact of the rsraeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied. Arab territories.
V circur-ated- as a docr-rment of the security council (s/tzzTil.
(a/s227/ fciiilr.curated' as a d'ocument of the General Assembly under items 30, 31 and, 62
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T, In accord.ance with the provisions of General Assenrbly resolution 33/110r the
Secretarv-General also undertook to consult and co-operate vith the Palestine
Liberation Organizati.on. fn response to his request, PLO, on I August 1979,
submitted to the Secretariat a report which is reprod.uced, in annex II.
I.
rr.
Annex I
Environmental cond.itions of the Pal-gstinian people
Report of the Executive Director of the United
itrations Environment Proqramme
CONTENTS
TITTFQNNI INT'T N N aaaaaaaaaaa.aaaa aaaa
POPULATION A}TD SHELTER
A. Density of populaticr in reletion to housinl units.
'l PJ avnvrsra] vrvorr* i nn a a a a a a a a a a . a .
2. l4ovement of popul
3. Demolition of set
new settlements i
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tlements and. construction of
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Annex I
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J.I J
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9
10
10
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4. East Jerusal-em: changes in housing and.
settlement policy . r . . . . . . . . . ., . .
5. Palestinian refugee settlements and. camps . .
5
6
6
T
T
o
18-20
2L-23
d4
2r-28
2a-?1
32-36
3T -39
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D. fmpact of Israefi settlement
B. Bui.lding industry and housing construction
I H t 6^t?a na f at
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A. Medical- personnel and facilities . .
B. Infant rnortality and. malnutrition " .
C. Water-borne d.iseases . .
D. Environmental- health services . . .
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NATURA],RESOURCES . I ' ' ' '
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1. llater resources
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IV.
2. l"Iater for refugee camtrs
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CONTENTS ( continued)
lorlu a a a a o a a a a a a a a a a a a a o
Paragraphs Page
\B-:: lt
48 r-1
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l-. Land occupation pattern . . . . . . .
2. Desertification . . o .
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V. WORK]NGENVTRONI\MNT.. . . O ' ' ' ' ' ' O, ' O
A. Labour conditions . . . . . . . . . . r r . . . . o
B. Depeasantization of the pafestinian people . . o . .
VI. CONDITIOTIS OF SCHOOL BUTLDTNGS
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I" INTRODUCT]ON
I. The General Assembly in its resolution 33/110 of 18 Decernber lgTB called. upon
the Cecretary-General to prepare and submit to the Assembly at its thirty-fourth
session a comprehensive and analytical- report on the social- and econornic impact of
the fsraeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the
occupied" Arab territories. On 13 May 1979, by its d,ecision 7/2 on the environmental
cond.itions of the Palestinian people, the Governing Council- of the United. lTations
Environment Programme (uNSp) recalled the above General Assembly resol-ution and.
requested. the Executive Director of UNEP to ensure an ad-equate assessnent of the
environmental concliiions of the Palestinian people in its implementation.
2" In ord.er to implement the Governing Council d,ecision and. after consultation
with the Secretary-General, the Executive Director requested the Govern-ments of
Egypt, Israel , Jord.an and the Syrian Arab llepublic, as rrell as the Pal-estine
Liberation Organization (PLO), to provide hin with rel-evant information on the
environmental- cond-itions of the Pal-estinian people. The present report is based
on an analysis of information provided. in resnonse to that recluest by the
Governments of Egypt, Jord.an and the Syrian Arab Republ-ic and by PLO, as r^rell as
information available to ECI'IA, Ui\lRlIA and the UNDP offices in Jordan and. the
srrrien Anqlr Ranrrbl-ic. The ngmbe:r s in nerenthcaqL-c s if,nfl tuhrr! e rfvolrvlrvlfolr6 trinp nlJasr .rasb.rr "rasl./nrrrhs refer to the sources of informationo which are listed. at the end. of the annex.
II " POPULATION AI\TD SHNLTER
A" Density of population in relation :p__bgggpg.f4*g
l-. Population
3. The population of the llest Bank, includ.ing nast Jerusalem, was estimated in
I9T5 at about 725"0OO, of whom 290,000 vere refugees registered with UNRITIA.
Situated on the I'Iest Bank of the Jqrdan River, the area is rich in historical and
archaelogical- sites. Its )+,820 km' have traditionally been a centre for
agriculture and tourism. (fe)
4. In 197\ the Gaza Strip had a population of \92eOOO, of vhom 327,500 had
refugees status vith UNRl,[A^and 151+")00 vere non-refugees. The area of the
Ga.za. Sutrr inry 'is lD aouhvuun rrf J?-r irIc l'nZ or'rr''-- r'r- ana ^r +Le hir"hr.st nonrrla.tion d.ensities in ^Mt : 6f v I116 a U VIlq Uf UII! lrr€.,!ru
the world (t,5OO per kmz) " The refugees in the Gaza Strip who J-ive in the
eight carnps built by UNR\^IA constitute 35 per cent of the total Palestinian refugees
registered with UNRWA. (fB)
- ^ /-
construction being only one tenth of vhat it had been in 1955. The marked increase
in buifding which has taken place since 197I+ is stil-] not sufficient to meet the
housing needs of the Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza" (q)
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5' - Lor''rer population d.ensity (t5o/rr*z) ano prod'uced- better physical environroent have better housing cond.itions in the l^/est Banl< than those in the Gaza strip. In general , _h ou)s-LinIBg scuo.-nrLdrriLtilo-onnss aa.rr.ee rreerp.,onrrti.eedd tron Ibe better in the urban areas than rn the ruraf areas" (f)
T " Of the Palestinian dwerl-ing houses in the Ilest Bank 20 per cent have only one
:'2:t'2i^,oio"}o fam39il--ileust ocef n5t ttwoo 1 r1o opmerss,o wnsh illiev eth ein average family size is seven members. of the one-room dwel-lings and r*o,ooo-i"riii." same size in tr'ro-room dvelring houses, vith average occupancy of 3.2 persons per room' It has been estimated. thatr?at l-east 2OO,0OO teople lr.lrrgurrtly in need' of rehousing in the occupi.ed territories, r.rhich means that a minimum of 2r'o0o new dwelling houses i,s required.i' (B persons per dwe}ling hou;e). (rzj
2. Ugfgm""t .of -p.ofut"tion (tz;, (5), (L)
B' In f9l+8, an estj-niated. TSOrOOO Pal-estinians rrere rrermnnenr'l rr rjiqnt:ocrt frnm their homes. During and ronowing tne igei-ii", ;;;r;;il"i'"i"'1,-;;;5;';;"=.1"r""" fl-ed fron the liest Bank and Gaza. some were refugees from uNRI,^,iA carnps, whire others vere fleeing for the first time. of this nurnber approximatery [orooo,."" perni.tted to return.
9' Prior to 1967, the population of the West Bank and. Gaza had experienced. prosperlty and growth in various sectors. This vas reflected in the construction of housing and schools and the development of tovns and municipalities. (fz) The various municipalities in the trr7est Bank have retained., in their building and architecture, much of their historie trad.itions, while at the same time taking ful-l advantage of mod-ern facil-ities" rn the p*st, there vas therefore consid.erabl-e urban immigration.
10' Hor'rever, under occupation, the growth process has been sfowed d.own by the clestruction of houses as a result of nilitary occupation and by the lack of construction of new accommod.ations for the Pafestinian inhabitants.
l-1 ' since L96T' a mrmber of villages have been d.estroyed" and others partially d'estroyed-. Villages totall-y d-estroyed. during and fol-l-owing the 196T wlr irr"iro.u, Yalu, Beit Nuba, amwas, Ar:Buy, Beit Awa, Beit l{arsam, anc, Jiftliq" shops, hospitals, businesses and offices have been demolished as well, deprivirrg t] . inhabitants of their means of subsistence.
]-2" ITo provisions for nev housin€l are reaclily available. Therefore, the inhabitants are l'rithout shelter and. means of livelihood-, having been d.eprived. of their homes and l-and-" Out of frustration, they leave the occupied territories to seek refuge in nearby States" (5)
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? Demolition of settlements and. construction of new settlgl'4ents in the Gaza Strip lTtfGbl,lr2l, (ra)
13. In 1970, recommend.ations were rnad.e by the Israelis suggesting that the
refugee features of the UI\RI'IA camps be changed. to l-ead to the integration of the
refugees into urban l-ife. Economic incentives were to be offered. and- nev houses
were to be constructed. The plan ca1Ied. for the abolishment of refusee camts in
the Gaza Strip and the Tilest Banli.
l-4. In l-971, large-scale d-emolition of refugee camp housingr in the Gaza Strip
took place. About 3,500 homes occupied. by about 2)+,000 people were ilestroyed.,
without provision for alternative housing. UNRT{A repeated.ly cal}ed. for the rectification of the situation, but by Ju]-y 1973 reported that of p)+2 families
interviewed., 706 were stil-l inadequately housed. fotlowing the d.emolition of their
homes. By April L973, d.enolition of houses for new road.s had begun in Rafah and
Khan Younis, and- recent reports indicate that the Rafah settl-ement is beins
red.eveloped..
Li " lTew apartment houses were constructed. in the occupied- territories to house
Jei,rish immigrants. These irnmigrants were also pernitted" to l-ive in the homes of Arabs, who were not permitted. to return" Und.er Israel-i law, new Israel-i
anan'f 14ah+ Luur1rru"r''rlr^tr.o' nnq rsrr pe rnrvnuf q:rvr@alirlogU|lfgg tUOU IntUOIt-nd-tjJWebV. S. TJIhl(je InltejWW d(lWv.tje-Ll-_l- -i-ne,ss a.re p,enera.llv
locatecl in the Arab sector of Jerusa]-em.
16. Folloruing the r,rar in 1967, the fsrael-is developed a settlenent policy i,rhich
deeply affected. the occupied areas. The first phase was the establ-ishment of
agriculturaL "nahalrr settlements with military features in the West Bank, on the
Jordan River, on the Golan Heights and in the Gaza Strip" The seconil stage was
the building of i,ndustrialized centres of r,rhich one, betr^reen Jerusalem and Jerichoo
is invofving a substantial amount of planning and. investment.
17" 0f the new settlements established. since 1967, the majority are in the
territories occupied. in the l-957 war: 23 in the llest Bani: and7 in the Gaza Strip.
New plans for ad.d.itionaf settlements are periodically announceal. The resul-t of
the d.emolition and settlement policy is, i$€r_ef.ta" to r.reaken attachments to
homes and to the cultural- heritage, often forcing the homeless to emigrate.
4" East Jerusal-em: changes in trg5_ing__ele
settlelr-e_nt pol-icy ()+), (fe)
18. Accord"ing to United. Nations resol-utions, the status of .ierusalem remains
Iegally unchanged." Flor,rever, the o'Law and Administrative Ordinance: Procl-arnation
of Enlargement of the Municipal Area of Jerusal-em' , of 28 June L96T, designated
an area inhabited- by 100"000 Arabs to be und-er Israefi rule, I,trithin the last
12 years, an estimated.20-301000 Arabs have d.eparted. from the OId City.
19 ' The clearing of 82 metres along the \Iail-ing 'Wall entailed the demol-ition of
msnrr dr'rarrr'noc oround. the Haram Al- Sherif , 3f buil-dings, and the four Arab q,uarters
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surround"ing the area : r'rhich vas estimated to be 20 per cent of al-l the Arab property in the OJ.d" City. The 2OO hones destroyed. round the L{ailing 1,.Ia11 were replaced by a nel^r Israel-i p1aza, and the Pal-estine Archael-ogical Museum was expropriated. and its rel_ics confiscated.
20 - ^Arn/nvrrnvv^im!uq@* "caJ-y 1r200 hectares of land in East Jerusalem vere confiscated and
expropriated- und.er the "Land Acquisition for Public Purposes Act". rn this process, four square ]iilonetres near East Jerusalem which incl-uded l-'OLB apartment*^, \ZT stores and a factory' were expropriated,. Many new hi.gh-rise apartments were constructed" and became the subject of much controversy, both internationally and vithin the occupied territories and- fsrael itself, involving the aesthetic effect
on the land-scape of historic Jerusal-em and. the subsequent d.isplacement of people.
, " Palestinian refunee settlements and g_ggp!-
2l-" Fol]-owing the first pal_estinian var, in l9)+T-I9\8, the country's Arab population was d"ivid.ed into four main groups. Less than hal-f of the Arab population remained, in their original homes: about l5O,OOO in Israel-, some
350,000 und.er Jordanian ad:ninistration on the I'Iest Banh, and about
70'000*100,000 urrd"er Egyptian administration in the Gaza Strip, in add.ition to
about 750,000 refugees d"ispersed. in the above areas and. in Lebanon, the
Syrian Arab Republic and Transjordan. (S)
22" By L975 almost half of the 3,0OO,O0O Palestinians scattered. through the
Itliddfe Xast were resistered as refrrr"ees r,rith TTlvRI,fA. Over a third of the rafrrope /1,_^ ^^^\
ut-rLUr v/f, url vr.rllvvn. VVSI a, UIll-I'u- vr utrs rgf,U6CUS
\+)9zOO0) vere official-ly registered. in Ul$RIdA established canps. Those
registered. in camps constituted nearfy 6O and. 25 per cent of the totaf population
in Gaza and the I^Iest Bank respectively. These figures excl-ud.ed. refugees wno aid not
receive UI\IRI'IA shelter in camps, but vere recipients of other United lrTations
servi-ces' Actual- camp population exceed.ed. the official registration by about
10 per cent due to the presence of unregistered. refugee d.ependants. fn add.ition
to a total- of 53 ''established-'' camps in East Jordan, the llest Bank, Gaza, the sr'iqn arah Ra-rrllic and" Lebanon, over 1)+OrOO0 Arabs lived in 5 Jordanian and lr s"nio' r?o*o-^^ncYtt camps organized. after the 1957 r^rar. About 99,ooo inhabitants
of the "emetgency'' camps were UNRtr/A refugees" The bal-ance vere other "persons
d.isplaced" as a result of the 195T war. (:)
23. The main housing problems faced. in the UI,IRWA carnps are; (a) over-crovding
^ua1 1lr^o^u"^s-'l--^n g 'u'--n'+^lr. s: in a number: of cases far.rilies share the same unit; (l) inability
to expand- housing units vertica]l-y or horizontally, (c) aging of the present units; end fag /) -},v^vr ^- ^^hmunication networks and sanitary infrastructure. (13); (r>)
B. !g44&r--ua
il+. Build.ing materials, vith the exception of o-uarry stonee are in short sunply
and. must be inported from outside the region at very high cost. This is
narj-jnrr'lor] 1' +Fl,e of steel rrvoudJ,s - musUeAtatr l TfrIaAImIIEeJ s 4aInlUd Ucegir:LngellUn.t . AA Ucetr:mlllLerrnu t, [email protected] ilDs
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still in the planning stage. The establ-ishment of a large ancl increasing nr:mber
of Israeli settlements has placed ad.d.itional constraints on building activity in
the l,Iest Bank and. the Gaza Strip" hrployment of construction workers within
fsrael itself has oriented the labour force away from development in their ovn
territories. Furthermore, the destruction of an estimated. 19r000 houses in the
llest Bank and Gaza since 196T nas aggravated an alreacty critical problem. Housing
problems are accentuated by the land. confiscation and. expropriation policy and
the Absentee Property Law of the occupying authorities" (fZ)
c. Elgg!11icifi,
2r. Prior to the l-967 war, there were 11 separate electrieity-generating concerns
in the lJest Bank. These were either coumercial companies, Iike the Jerusalem
Governorate Electricity Company, municipal companies like Nablus or some
co--operatives in the larger vil1ages. Total generating capacity was about
21 . 5 },fi,r. (13 )
26. Folloving the war, Israel tried. for several reasons, to tie the electricity
grid. in the l,trest Bank to that of Israel, particularly for cities where electric
grid.s were ila^maged by the war. Some cities responded and connectecl their supply
to the Israel-i gricl, whi1e others d.id. not. Those relying on their own generating
capacities, at least in partn include Jerusalem and }Iablus. Among those localities
connected. to the Israel,i gricl are Hebron, Tulkarm anct Qal-qielyeh. Sinilarly,
some vil-lages close to the armistice line of 19hB were eonnected., like Azzoun and
Deir-a1-Ghsoun.
27. The Jerusalem Governorate Eleetricity Company is subJect to Israeli 1aws,
and is buying electricity from the Israeli Comopany to supply the requirements of
Israeli settlements. The Israeli authorities have asketi the Conpany to seII
electricity at fixed 1ow prices. fsraeli authorities estimate that the generating
capacity of the Jerusalem Company will d.ecl-ine from 20 lvlW in 11976 to 1l+ MW
in 1980, while need.ed. capacity vi1I rise fron 30 MW to 5l+ MW. Currently" the
Company supplies eleetricity to about 75 villages and canps in the I'Iest Bank in
ad.ctition to cities like Bethlehem, Ramallah, Birch and Jericho, nine Israeli
army campsu and 12 Israeli settlements or residential quarters. (fS)
28" The Nablus electricity, however, is sti1l supplied by the punicipality, using
two generating units install-ed in 1,977. The following villages in the Nablus
Governorate are al-so supplied fron Nablus: Deir Sharaf, Rameen, Beit Leect, Zeita,
a1-Badan and Tel. (fE)
D. Impact of Israel-i settlement
29. Of a total area of 550,OOO hectares on the l^trest Bank of the Jordan, fsrael
has taken possession of about 15O"OO0 hectares comprising about 27.3 pet cent of
the area of the l{est Bank. (fO) The ner,r settlements occupy about 35'000 hectares
(about 6.3 per cent of the West Bank area) most of which is agricultural land.
/.".
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vaoa r,
There were 68 settlements up to the end of Jg|B, housing more than gOTOOO persons,
divid'ed. as follows: 11 settlements around Jerusalem, 12 around. Ramallah and. Biera, 12 in Hebron and Bethl-ehem, ll+ Israel around Nablus and 19 in the Jordan Va]Iey. has been concentrating housing around" the Jerusalem area, a fact evid.enced
by the 76,OOO people who live in these settl-ements. (Z)
30. Israel is still earrying out its settlement-buil-ding policies. Six more are
planned" to be built soon. As this continues, it necessarily means that Arab land will- be emptied in favour of the Israeli population rather than its Arab
owners.
31. InL96T, the infrastructure (road.se sewerage, etc., includ.ing electricity) in
the I'Iest Bank and Gaza Strip was better than that of most countries in the region. Very little has been d.one since either to improve or to maintain the existing l-evel. The pattern of nilitary road. d.evelopment and. restrictions on electricity and. water expansion have impected building construetion projects. Few existing sewerage systems ha..'e been expanded", resulting in stoppage, blockage and. overflor.rs. (rS) -
rII. HUMA}I HEALTH
A. Iriedical- personnet- an4 facilities (11)
32" Specialists in paecliatrics, pathology, laboratory technologies and rad.iology are either in short supply or non-existent. The chances for West Bank physicians to acquire scholarships in any of the sorely needed. specialities are virtually nil" (11)
33. i{ursing and pararnedical- services are no better off in terms of quantity or quality. There is a great shortage in laboratory and X-ray technicians,
physiotherapists, blood bank technieians and pharmacists. (11)
3\. The heal-th infrastructure has not developed in recent years. on the contrary,
d.ue to a reorganization of hospital services and red.istribution of responsibilities,
the number of public hospitals d.ecreased. from 11 operating, and 3 on the ver.ge of
operation, in L967, to 8 operational plus a mental:hospital and a tuberculosis
hospital in a975. The total number of beds also d.ecreasecl from 1,02J in 1968 to
9\S in l9'tr5, thus lowering the rate of beds per 1,000 population i"or 1.5 in ag68 to l-.3 in 1975. Admissions increased fron 23,593 in 1958 to 36J6o in 1975. (r:)
3r. In the I'lest Bank, most of the Palestinian Red Crescent activities operated.
before L96T nave been drastieally curtailed. There are sti1I units, mainly
out-patient services, in some l+ or 5 towns: in Gaza Red. Creseent onerates a clinic and a small surgical hospital.
36. Preventive activities and elementary sanitation are somewhat neglected..
Preventive and curative activities are not integrated. in a comprehensive health
servicel health ed.ueation of the public is al-most non-existent" and the community
does not fee]. concerned. as it is not involved.. (U), (fS)
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B. Infant rlortality and malnutrition
37. The lr{ed.ical Association of the lrlest Bank reports that infant nortal-ity
increased frora 70.9 per thousand in 19?3 to ?3.8 per thousand in 1971r and to
80.3 in l-975 in the particular area stud.ied, in which some 2,100 births a year
took place (tne total number of births a year in the llest Banh is approxfunately
30,500). The sa,me study quotes Israeli statistics to the effect that over-all
infant nortality increased. from 3? per thousand in 1971+ to 39.5 per thousand in
1975. Infant mortality rate for the Arab population in the llest Bank fluctuated
around an average of \O.O per thousand fuom L966 to L975; the figure decreased
fron l+l.B per cent in l.966 to 39.5 per cent in 1975" but with a high of
l+\.3 per eent in ]-:967 ancl a Lor of 3?.0 per cent in 197\.
38. In spite of their great discrepancy, these figwes agree, at least' that
infant nortality has not clecreased. significantly over the 1O-year period
L966-L975, antl may have increased since L973. Moreover, neonatal nortality
(deattr of infants up to the ege of 30 tlays) as well as the number of still-births
have increasecl.
39. Protein malnutrition is relatively frequent cturing the weaning period,
together with gastro-intestinal infections. Iron cteficiency anemia is reported in
approxinately 2J per cent of chiltlren uncler 3 years of age.
C. Water-borqq 3;lsqgqes (1l)
l+0. In the hrest Banli ancl Gaza, as well as in host countries, diarrhoeal diseases
are by far the naJor causes of norbidity and nortalityu especially among infants
and young children. Speeific inforrnation on other water-borne diseases is not
available.
D. Environmental health services
\f. UNRI,IA environmental health services for the Palestinian people (refugees)
comprise nainly provision of potable water supplies, sanitary clisposal- of solid
and liquid wastes, stom water clrainage and control of insect and roclent vectors
of disease. A toial of 653,5\9 refug-es antt tlispJ-acetl persons living in 53
refugee canps benefittett from the services, vhieh were maintainetl at a satisfactory
leve1 in most of the camps. During the year L977, the annual cost of the services
provi4ed by the Agency r,rorked out at $:.50 per beneficiary. The inflationary
trend and other factors are likely to increase the cost in coming years. (f6)
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W. I{ATURAL RESOTACES
A. Itrater
l-. Irlater resources
)+2. Water availability (from both und.erground and. surface resources) and its use are of crucial importance to possibilities l"trest Bank agrieulture. Although promising seem to exist (""g., building of small d.ans or other run-off
storage facilities in various catchment areas) (e) " available information shows that not a single irrigation project has been plannecl or inplemented. in the llest Bank since L96T "
l+3. Drilling of nev wells for the development of und.erground. water resources has
been practieally prohibited since June 1957. The flow from existing wells has been reduced and put und.er strict control . There are claims that there is al-so d-epletion and d.ecreasing water levels in a number of Arab wel]s. Since occupation, a total of t-2 wells have d.ried up (fZ) " During th.e year I97T h978, a total ot
331 we1ls were in operation: 31\ 'rArabtrwells prod.uced.33 nillion m3 of water.
l+l+. This pattern of water resources use is explained by the lr{ilitary Goverrurent in terms of und.erground. water conservation policy. Hovevero hydrological surveys
have shor,m that a sizable part of fsraelrs water supply originates in the
itrest Bank (through run-off, seepage and underground vater). The West Bank reported.ly has an annual water surplus of at least 6OO nniUior, *3, while in I9T9
J?1""1 wiJ-1 experienee a deficit of 26, mil-lion m3, which may reach nearly
5Oo mit-t-ion mi in 1985. (T), (13)
45. The situation of und.erground. water in the Gaza Strip is equally disturbing.
Water discharge has been going at an excessive rate, resulting in a d.eclining r"te" table and increasing salinity. Competition of neighbouring fsraeli we11s for
r,rater is also keen. (i)
't+6. The importance of better use of avai1able water resollrces is often indieated
by referring to the fact that until 1978, only 8"100 hectares were und-er irrigation
in the I'lest Bank (l+ per cent of the area und.er cultivation) and.9,OOO hectares in
the Gaza Strip (L5 per cent. of the land und.er cultivation). Dry lands are
supported. by a rainfall of I+OO-5OO nnu nuch of whieh is r,rasted in run-off water,
drained nostly to Israel. Despite the critical importance of water, 1itt1e seems to have been done to conserve rainfal-l vater through such projeets as terraqes, earth damsr and pools. (e)
2 " llatgr for refu.gee*camps
\f" Schemes for provid.ing private water supply to refugee shetters continued. to
progress satisfactorily at two canps in the l{est Banko six camFs in the Gaza Strip,
one ca-ltrp in Lebanon and two camps in east Jord.an. Currently \5 per cent of canp
inhabitants are served by private water supply and the rest continue to d.raw waler
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from publie stanil-pipes. A water augmentation scheme for Jaramana camp in the
Syrian Arab Republic is nearing completion. The Amman llater and. Sewerage Authority
is executing a scheme to provid.e private water supply together vith sewerage
systems at two carnps located in Anman city. The Government of the Syrian Arab
Republic has provid.ed. an ad.clitional well, pumping station and elevated water
reservoir to noeet the growing need.s of refugees at Khan Eshieh camp where all
shelters have been provid.ed. with private water supply. (f5)
Land
1" Land- occupation pattern
hB. The fol-lowing table gives an indication of land occupation patterns in the
I.iest Bank.
Lantl resources in the l,'Iest Bank
- Ration of confiscatetl land to total area of West Bank 27.r%
- Ration of settlements area to l'trest Bank 5 "3% (z), (i), (l), (rr)
2. Desertification
t+g. The main causes of clesertification are overgrazing, clearing of vegetation
for agriculture, burning, faulty irrigation systems" expansion of agriculture on
shal-lov soiL and steep slopes, lack of anti-erosion measures, etc. These have led
to degradation of the vegetation cover, loss of soil fertility and productivity,
and several other forms of desertification. The situation is deseribed. in the
following paragraphs.
l-. Dry-l-and trees
50. Orchard.s on hi11y slopes of the West Bank are receiving a much inferior
level of husbandry than vegetables and farm orchards under irrigation. As a
Land. use Area (hectares)
West Bank total
Confiscated. land
Total settlements
550,000
l-l+8,856
3l+,71+B
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result of accumulated negligence, the status of figsu almonds, grapes anil even of ol-ives is d.eteriorating. About l+O per cent of all trIest Bank olive trees are
100-l-50 years old and. need. rejuvenation. Olive trees al-so need. to be protected.
by Iaw against destruction by invad.ing flocks of sheep and. goats. Better fertil-ization and. more effective pest control are necessary measures. (z) Forestry
contributed. less than 1 per cent of the agricultural income in rgTI+-r9Tr.
2. frrigation tgcbniques (2)
7. Experience gained over the past three years has clearly demonstrated. the superioritlt of drip irrigation to former practices. Among severaf other
ad-vantages, drip irrigation saves over 50 per cent on water use and pO per cent
on labour in comparison with trad.itional method.s of irrigation. There are now
730 hectares und.er d.rip inigation in the West Bank and. 900 hectares in the
Gaza Stripc at an estimated. cost of $3OO per hectare" (Z)
Sal-inization
52- Al-kal-ine soil-s occur urainly in the Jericho areae due to slow drainage of
highly saline soils (pH B "j-9).
l, Pastures
53. There are vast areas on the West Banh hil-ls which are fit for pastures.
Effective progra.lnnes of pasture development require first of all restoration of public ownership of the land. Much of this land, which has traditionally been natural grazing land, is now zoned. out for military or settlement purposes. It
is reported" that 5,000 hectares coul-d. be turned. into good. grazing 1and. (a)
WORKING ENVIRONI{ENT
Labour cond.itions
,1" llest Banli workers, numbering some 60o0o0, form about 5 per eent of the
Israel-i fabour force. (f:) ft is claimed that Arab labourers enployed in fsrael
are paid l-ess for the sarne job than their fsraeli counterparts. (Z) Approximately
l+0 per cent of the Palestinianst wages go to the fsraeli treasury: while the
same is true of the Israel-i labourer, the latter nevertheless receives more social
benefits, pensions, health insurance and. unemployment benefits. (6) Often travel
to and from fsrael- entails four to six hours of travel d.aiIy, thus ad.ding to the
length of the working day. Those who d.o not wish to travel often sleep in
makeshift shelters within Israef" or in their place of work, the cellars of
build.ings under construction, kitchens of restaurants, orehard.s or other
agricultural areas. (l+) The relatively higher wages in fsrael and. high rate of
unernployment in the Gaza Strip have been used. to attract workers away from the
V.
A.
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Strip with a view to reducing population density. Professionaf doctors, engineers,
professors ancl other qualified persons are reported to be unable to find work in
ihu o"",rpied territories. They frequently leave the area out of economic necessity,
thus draining the occupied teritories of qualified persons needed to supply
necessary seivices. From 19?lr on, unemplolment steadily increased as a result of
a decrease in capital- investlient within Israel. (\)
B. Depeasantization of lbe PaErstinian people (3)
,5. The most salient change among the Palestinianse one that is leading to the
over-a1l restratification of the Palestinian population because the refugees
constitute half their nr:mber, has been their depeasantization. This te:sl is used
to inclicate that the refugees lose their skills and eapacities as agrieulturists
cr peasants vithout becoming integrated. into the urban centres which their canps
aa3oin or acquiring new non-farming occupational skil-ls. I'lith the loss of
substantial agricul-tural hold.ings and the displacement of other peasants who have
no land. from their rural communities" there has been a major shift away from
agriculture. (Z)
VI. CONDITTONS OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS
55. Available reports show that schools in the occupied territories are in very
old buildings, most of which are about to fal1 dornm. Some classrooms are
d.escribed "- t.ing like rat-holes, and many do not have access to fresh air or
natural J-ight. It is reported. that only one and a half schools were built cturing
10 years of oecupation ( from 196T to !977). (rf)
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\.
5.
l_.
2"
3.
Provid.ed by Amman" Jord.an. Jorcl.an.
ing. Providect by pLO. 1979.
ffi :T:"51;1":Tiliill;"T"il"'#:"'$;;1.u", p. 15. Providett by Jorclan.
P{3LOq.i1 Htla1 "The Palestinians of the trdest Bank and. Gaza strip',. provicred by
9. , Beirut, Lebanon. VoI. Vff No. 1, 1977, pp. zb-47. provideti by pLO.
10' Idahd'i abct-El-:lladi t'The rsraeli Settlements in Jerusalem and. the West ffihought Forum, Jerusalem, May 19?8, pp. 5r-9r; Ann "rsraeli settlements in the oecupied. TerritorLesi'. p"iiria"a ny rr,o.
11' The l{eclic"l Alsoci?tion or the westgant. Report on Medical rnstitutions and.
O and Jorclan.
l,2. $taat gap+. Housing problems in the West Bank. (Otricial pl,o ideas for liuman settlenaents) sanetl, special issue No. [-12, December 19?g (Laui"). Provid.ed. by pLO.
13" n*oevasl Jord?nian-scientitic sociglg "The significance of some Idest Bank ffi"ry 1e?e-i;;;ii;;i.-priiju.d. by Jordar..
1l+' glatisticpl-qata for Arab Population in occupied rerritories and rsrael. (Syria - Office of the palestinian Refirgees, Damascus). provided by Syria.
!€ere_nce.g_
'lr?b--Lg9gg+gsli;tytF o{ Ar?p cairo. 1978. (erauicll-provi.ae-sil-btgy gsisyeri.a nrh Ae rapba rR.eesptiunbialicn.s in the Arab states,
4yPrPli.g' Al-RaJah l{ational university. Nablus. }Iest Bank. ',Agrieulture in the l{est Bank and Gaza strip, problems Lna erospectsr'. provicl"a"ty er,o.
PNetnw gY9or.kI! .a" t (BPirnogfehsasnotro no)f. PttPoalilteisctainli aSnc ience at the State university of social stratification'r. provid.ed. by pLO.
Ectr{+: social Development and lh:man settleurent Divisi.on. paper on soeial cond'itions in the oceupied Arab territories of the llest Bank and. Gaza. Beirut. May 1977.
.7
8.
Bank,
lesch
19?9 on
(General
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Annex f
page 15
Assistance to
AssembJ-y resolution
15. UNDP (Report of the Inter-Agency Task Force Aprii_
Pal-estinian People to the Inter-Agency Meeting).
33ht+T). Provid.ett by ECIdA.
16. Ui$RI'iA Annual Report of the Director of Health of
Docnment A/3I/I4P/1. Provid.ect by UIIRI^IA.
UNRUA for the year 1979.
17. Irleqt Barlk Education in Government*Schools l-967-]-977.
University Publication. July 1977. provictecl by pLO.
F. S. Ilasru Birseit
/...
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/orieinaf: Arabic/
Eggf o:l the Jordanian Parlianent
for the occu'oied- Idest Bank and a senior official of the Political
Dejpgrlpent of the Palestine Liberation O_rgAnisatj.on a.,
!I.r).r'-6L+'u ,€.-^--"' th€ start of the third. fsraeli invasion, on 5 June 1967, of the
Pal-estinian Arab land. not yet und.er Israel-i occu'oatjon -- r,rhat was known as the
West Bank and. the Gaza Strip - there began a campaign of expelling the Arab
population, d.estroying their homes, seizing their landsu establishing fsraeli
housing projects, factories, public and private establishments, training centres
for the army, military posts, security zones and Israeli settleraents and the
transferring of Jewish immigrants to them from all parts of the rnrorld., within the
framework of the nel-l-,'known and openly d.eclared fsraeli plan to d.rive the
Palestinian Arabs from their country in ord"er to Judaize it and to allow Zionist
inmigrants to take over the property and homes of the l+ million Palestinians,
after they have been d.riven from their homeland and d.ispersed. throughout the worl-d..
I. THE NAMALLAH AREA
At the outset of the fsraeli forces o occupation of the l.lest Bank and the
Gaza Strip in June 1967 , three Arab vil-l-ages to the west of the town of Ramallah,
namelyu Amr^ras, Yalu and Beit }Tuba, were bl-own up and destroyed, although these
villages were Arab and. the lands had long been handed dor,rn by inheritance from
father to son. These three villages had. a total population of 51050, covered an
area of \fr65O dunums and eontained. lr328 houses, four Islamic mosques, six
schools, a large library and valuable antiquities. They were totally d.estroyed
and their population was dispersed. and expeIled" Then they took over the land.s of
Latrun, comprising 21000 dunr.rms, and on the ruins of these Arab villages they
established. six fsraeli settlements: Kfar Buth, Shayelet, I.{oud"i1im, 0aryat
It4ilrehin Rq?ir rlsl and. I{evo lloron. In 1976, the Israeli authorities approved a ) vs rL project for the unification of these settl-ements e so that they would. eonstitute
one large Israeli city, and for a broad paved highr,ray eonnecting then with the
cities of Jerusalem and. Tel Aviv and. with the settlements along the Palestinian
littoral. A network of highways was to run off from this rnain highr,raye connecting
it with nine other Israeli settlements nhich the fsrael-is had also established on
Arab lands in the Ranallah district after tlne 196T r.rar and linking those
settlements with Jerusalem. The settlements in cluestion were Rafet, Our, Givton,
Shilohu Beit Horon, Ramot, Kochav llashahar, Beit Rael and Neve Zuf. The main
highway then passed through the settlenent of Atarot, which the lsraelis established.
a/ tne representative of the Palestine
nap with this report" For technical- reasons
is availabl-e for consultation.
Liberation Organization submitted a
this rnap cou1t1 not be reprod-uced but
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after 1957 near Jerusalem airport, of this project, and extend.ed. as far as Jerusal-em. The purpose as the competent Israeli official stated, was to relieve the pressure of the population d.ensity in the Te1 Aviv area and on the coast, to provide a better place for Israeli inmrigrants to settle in, instead. of TeI Aviv anc Jerusalem, t'o alleviate the density of traffic between Tel Aviv and the eoast, on the one hand-, and Jerusalem on the other and to establish a eoneentration of fsrael-i population in the hill-s overlooking the Palestinian littoral in ord.er to provid.e a better line of d.efence.
The total- area of the Arab land.s in the Ramallah area seized. by the fsraeli authorities llas 7\ rT5O dunums, on which they established. 15 Israeli settlements,
as r'rell as army posts and training zones, entry to which was prohibited.
IT. THE JERUSAIE}.{ AREA
fn,the part of Jerusalem whieh was not und.er rsraeli occupation prior to June 1957, after its occupation and during the period T to 11 iune f9"57, the fsraelis blew up 135 Arab homes in old Jerusalen within the waIlr exDelred their owners and the Arab inhabitants, who numbered 6Jo, and, blewup two rslamic mosques
and. an Arab plastics factory"
on 2T June l-957, the rsraeli l(nesset decided, und.er article 1I (b) of the Israeli Law and" Adninistration Ordinance of l_91+8 to annex the Arab sector of i
Jerusal-em occupied. in 196T to the Israeli sector occupied in 19\8. At the same time,theArabareasurroundingJerusa1em,eomprisingthenunicipatityoi
Jerusal-em and. containing Jerusalem airport ancl the .riu"g"" or Sur sahir, Beit Safafa, Tur, Issawiya, Anata, Ram and. Shaefat and. with a population of frOOO Arabs,
was al-so annexed-. In 1958, the Israeli authorities, acting und.er the Law of Acquisition of Land. for the Publie rnterest, promulgated. under the British manclate j-n 1943, seized- an area of 3,26 d.unums in old Jerusalem eontaining four Arab quarters: l. The Magharba quarter; 2. The Silsila Gate quarter; 3. The Sharaf quarter; h. The Suq al_-Husur quarter. fn these quarters, Arabs owned )p! pieces of real- estate, includ.ing lrOl+8 apartments, \27 commercial warehouses, ! Tslanic
mosques, )+ school-s and 2 Islanic chapels. These quarters were inhabited by
6,000 Arabs. On 30 August t970, issue No. 1,656 ot the fsraeli Official Gazette contained.ad.ecreefortheappropriationofanareaof11,68od'um
in the Jerusat_em area, und.er the 19h3 British Law of Acquisition of Land for the
Publ-ic Interest. This may be broken d.or,rn as foll.ows:
l-. l+,8)+O d.um:ms of the lands of the villages of Beit Hanina and Nabi Samwi1 to the north of Jerusalem;
2" 2,7A0 d.unums of the lands of the village of Beit Safafa to the south of
Jerusalen;
3. 2,d+O d.unums of the lands of the villages of Sur Bahir and Jabal
al-Mukabber to the south of Jerusalem:,
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l+. l'2OO d.unums of the lands of the village of Qalandiya near Jerusalem
sa*irr rn}a/v*4. v t
5. l+70 dum:ncs of the l-ands of the villaee of Ram to the north of Jerusalerc:
6. 120 dunums within the limits of the Arab municipality of Jerusalem:.
T. 100 d.unums in the vicinity of the wal1 of Jerusalem;
Total : l-1,680 d.unums.
0n these lands the Israeli authorities constructed- more than h rOO0 housing
units and established. industrial zones near Jerusalem airport and transferred. to
them factories and. workshops, includ.ing Central Hashbirha, Faraj, Erodat, I''iotsdi"
Papruskalim, Hatsrakhirn, Eshrabatonu Dimox and Haf ratal.
They also took over the Matman A1lah cemetery in Jerusalem and set up a
comrnercial centre and a garage on the site. They then proceeded to buil-d 13
tourist hotel-s, with a total of \,t65 rooms, on the lands which they had seized
from the Arabs in Jerusalem. The fsraelis then took over an area of 6OO d,unums of
At"ab land. in Ash-Sheikh Jarah and the surrounding areas and built a whole large
quarter to trhich they gave the name Eshkol quarter and r.rhich blocleed the glorious
historic views of Jerusalem.
In 1975, the Israeli authorities began constructing a lrall of vast resid.ential
apartment bl-ocks around both parts of the city of Jerusalem and around. the
adJoining areas, and", as the Israelis themselves have said, these buildings are
being constructed. as vast strong defence fortresses.
The total amount of Arab lands seized. by the fsraelis in the Jerusalem area
is 1121297 d"unr-us, which may be broken d.or,m as follows:
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1. The l,ia5;harba quarter
2. Land. of Jabal- a.L."l{ukabber
3. Lands vithin the rcunicipal- limits
4. Land.s of Ash-.Sheikh Jarrah and Scopus
5. Lan'4-s in the Beit ,T:Ianina area
6. Lands in the Qalandiya area
7. Lands to the east of Sharfat
B. Land on l{ount Scopus
9. Lands of lTabi Samlril
10. Ld,nds of Beit Safafa
LI. Lands of the village of Ram
l.'2. Lands of l*ran Al-.-Atrmar
13. Lands of Srata
1\. Land.s of Abu Dis
15. Lancls of As*Sarnmar
16. Land.s in the area to the east of A1-Izriya
up to Khan Al-*Ahmar
17. Lands of Salr,ran
f8. Lands in the Sir area
L26
540
l-,3L6
3,870
l-2,l+70
1,200
1,700
l+lo
h,Bho
2 r7oo
L,800
3,000
5,000
2,000
200
?o,000
1 r000
6o
dunwos
dunums
dunums
clunums
dunums
d.unums
dunums
dunums
dunums
dunums
dunums
clunums
d.unr:ms
dunums
d.unums
d.unums
d"unums
clunums
TotaL: ]-]-2,297 dunums
The Israelis buil-t the following settlenents on these lands:
1. lTeve Ya lacov 2. Atarot
3. Sanhedria \. I4etzpeh
5. I{arale Adonim 6. Talpiot
7. Ranot 8. l,latalat Defna
9. l,laiale Atloninr B
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In ad"d.ition, a number of residential- quarters were buift on the boundaries of'
the municipality of Jerusalem. These include the follotring:
1. The Anatot q_uarter 2" The Febrew University residential
quarter
4l-- . The riaskubia quarter
6. The Al-l'lasanir quarter
fn May 1979, a ne\r Israeli organization, the Zionist Construction Groun,
announced. the establishnent of a nel,r settlement called l{odirin.
TTT. THE ARIHA ARIA
Tn the Ariha area, which is generallv recognized. as coming under the
administration of the City of Jerusalem, the Israelirs took over \3r0OO d-untrms
of Arab l-and. The breakdor.n: is as foll-or,rs:
1. The Ain At-Turaba area to the r,rest of the Dead" Sea 10 ,OOO dunums
2" The Kal-ia area to the south of Ariha 1B,OOO dunu-ms
3. Land"s of A1.-Awja Al*Far,rqa I+,OOO d.unums
l+. Lands of A1-Awja At-Tahta 5,OOO d.unums
,. Land.s to the south of Jiftlik 2,000 dunums
6. Land.s in the Central Jordan Va11ey I+,OOO dunums
Total: h3,ooo dunums
The fsraelis blew up all the houses in A1-Filat between the town of Ariha
and the Jord,an River and established. seven fsraeli settlements in the Ariha
areae namely:
3. The I'4arman A1la quarter
,. The Tel- el*Faras quarter
'l
l.{itzpe Shalem
Nararan
Yitav
Netiv Hagdud
Ct
4"
Almog (rari.a)
I(adesh Bartig
l4n osh i mi m
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Ar:nex ff
raf;e L_l
IV. TI{E BET}ILFJ{]N{ DISIRrCT
1*he rsraeris took over 85,oo0 dunums of Arab Iand in
brealidown is as follolrs:
1. Lands of Al*Firdaws
e " Land"s of Qumran
3. Lands of Beit Fajjar
l+. Lands of Tabat Al_-ltralr
5. Lands of Ad..:Dahisha
6. Lands of Beib Jala
T, Lands of Jabal Ar-.Ras
8. Land.s of At-Talamara
the Bethlehem area.
l+,000 dunums
11000 dunums
1 ,500 clunurns
500 dunums
500 d.unums
5,000 d.unums
505 d.ununrs
72,000 dunums
The
Total: 85,ooo dunrms
They established there military Gilo firing and training zones and two settlements, and Hamuzit.
V. THE IIEBRON DTSTRICT
The Israelis took over 55,650 d.unums of Arab land is as follows:
in Hebron. The breakdown
't
2"
4"
.|
Y.
10.
11.
t2"
J-J.
1l+.
'lq
They built there the town of Qiryat Arba,
cloninating the town of Hebron, and nine other
1" Yattir 2"
3. Takosh lt.
5. Elezar 6.
T. Rosh Tzurim B.
9. Idigdal 0z
Land.s to the east of the town of Hebron
Lands to the north of Hebron
Land.s of Khi11a Jalis
Lands of the vill-age of Beit Amr
Land.s of the village of Ad"-Dahira
Land.s of the villaee of As=Samur
Land.s of Tarkumiya
Lands to the south of Asyun
Lands adjoining the town of Sharqa
Land.s of the village of Aksariya
Lands of the vill-ase of Surif
Land.s of Dora
Land.s of Al-l{ajnuna
Lands of Sarir and A1:,1.{ukhabba
Land.s r,rithin the bound.aries of the nrunicipality
25,750
3 rooo
)v
A ncn \r tv /v
avv
500
?,800
6, ooo
3,000
1,000
200
1,500
300
250
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Annex TT
PAOA T
dunums
dunums
d.unums
dunums
d.unums
dunums
d.unums
dunums
dunums
d.unums
d.unums
d-unums
dunums
d.unums
dununs
Total: 55,650 dunums
adjacent to and strategically
settlements u narnely:
Bedulam
I(far Etzion
Alon Shvot
Efrat
They then annexed. 1,000 d.unums more to the town of Qiryat Arba and built new
resid.ential and ind.ustrial ertensions there, and they occupied the Dabar,riya area
in the town of Hebron and set about building a new Jewish residential quarter there.
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VI. TIIE }IABLUS DISTRTCT
Ttre Tsraelis took over 65,800 d-unums of Arab land in the lTablus district. The
breakdown is as follows:
1. Lands of }lorthern Asira
2, Lands of Kafr Qad"d.r:m
3. Land.s of Talluza in the locality of Kalb
Ash.-Shanaro
3,000 dunums
5 r5OO d.unums
300 dunums
5,000 dunr:ms
3,000 dununs
5 1000 dumrms
7 1000 dummrs
b,ooo d.unums
6rooo dunums
6 r12oo d.ununs
7,000 dunums
3,000 d.unums
3,500 d.unums
3 1000 d.unums
1,000 dunums
2r000 dunums
11000 dum.ims
l,
.7
lc
a
v.
10.
l_1 "
12.
1\"
'lq
t6.
r1lF.7
Lands of the village of Al-l.,lughayyir
Lands of the village of Deir Sharaf
Land.s of the village of l4esha
Lands of the villages of Bardal-a and. Ain el-Beid.a
in the Tubas area
Land of Fasayil
Land in the Damya Brid.ge area
Land.s of the village of Beit Dajan
Land.s of the village of Agraba
Land.s of Al-Buqaiya
Land.s of the village of Dr:ma
Land-s in the Jarzim area
Lands of the village of Tel Haris
Land.s of the village of yasuf
Land.s of the village of Sabastiya
Total: 55,800 dunums
In the }Iablus district they established. 2l+ settlements, two of which have not
yet been given their final names. The others are as follows:
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1.
2.
3.
t,
q
6.
7.
B.
Mehola
t10 t_
Bega"ot
Arganan
Massuah
' a;- -rnalza J!:I
Tomer
lvrevo bnl_l-on
Ramonim
10. Ma-al Ephrain
11. Gitit
].2. Hamra
13. Batoah
- 1. J_+. fl.ar].s
15. Vad.eem
16. Elon Moreh A
L7. Shomron
18. Gi1gal
l-9. lJew Massuah
20. l{ekhora
2I. Ariel
22. Elon l{oreh B
9.
The Israelis are nor^r trying to consolidate a settlement which they establishetl
on Mount Jurzim, which strategically doninates the tor,m of }Tablus, and to turn it
into a tovn called' shekan, iust as previously, in 191+8, they established on the
hi1ls overLooking the Arab tol'm of Nazareth, the tovn of Nasira Elet and near the
Arab town of Acre, the town of TtTew Akko, which formed a kind. of belt around the
Arab town. Sinilarly, in 1968, they set up the town of Qiryat Arba on the hi1ls
overlooking the town of Hebron.
VII. THE TULKANM DISTRICT
fn 19)+8, the Israelis took over more than 90 per cent of the level- lancls
of Tulkarm, which were fertile antl planted with lenon and orange trees, and left
the inhabitants of the Tulkarm area, who nr:mbered. over 150'000, with only the
hiI1y regions and.10 per cent of the level 1ands. Even so, the fsraelis
considered. the existence of the town and district of Tulkarm as a thorn in ttreir
sicle and- something to be got rid of, and.o in the l-!67 va?, even though there were
no nilitary forces fighting the Israeli arny in Tulkarm or in Qalqiliya, whieh
were situated, on the armistice line, it was a part of the Israeli major objective
to occupy these two towns and the surrounding Arab villages and to expel their
inhabitants. Accorilingly, the forces of the fsraeli arny' as they advanced' blew
up and d.estroyecl the houses there. At the same timer over 200 large trucks came'
preced.ed by fsraeli army officers in Jeeps carrying loud-speakers calling on the
inhabitants to save their lives and get in the trucks to be taken to the bridges
across the Jord.an River and, in the words of these officers to "go to King Hussein
in east Jordanrt. Some cleparted. and some stayedo and. the end. result was that the
Israelis blew up more than 5OO .nrat houses.
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Thprr qrr}.e'^uently took over an area of I,OOO d-unums belonging to the Khaduri AgriculturaL College and establ-ished. there a factory for fruits. the packing of citrus They then took over 100 d.unums in the town of Qalqiliya and established. a military centre there ancl 3,OOO dunums in the Qa1qiliya """., where they
established' the settlement of Qarnay-Shomron. They also took over S'OOO dunums in the Jabla area and established there the settlement of Sal-it a colonization
centre on an area of 150 dunrrms in the Nur Shams area to the east of the town of Tu1karm. ln 1979, they established the settlement of Qarnay-shonoron to the south of Tulkarro.
They built five fsraeLi settlements in the Jenin area.
\, .. tvlel_ amt- A
Mei-ami B
Terseleh
Ma]ki Shua
Dotan
These are as follows:
)r
They then established a settlement centre in the Harish area to the east of the vil-lage of Jaba', as well as many zones to which the randor^rners and inhabitants
were forbidd-en entry. The total area of the Arab lands on the l,iest Bank taken over by the fsraelis is more than 1 million d.unums.
VTII. THTI GAZA STRIP
1.
1.
Although the total land area of the Gaza only 5) per cent of which is cultivable, and
and a refugee camp and. has an Arab popul_ation
took over 31000 dunums and established. seven
These settlements are as follows;
Katif
I(atif
l'4orag
Strip is no more than 35Lr00O d.unums, it contains three torrnso 1! villages
or \5OrOOO, the Israelis nevertheless
fsrael-i settlements on that lantt.
I'letzarim
Netzer Hazani
,7 Azoor
1.
1t
4. Kfar Darom
The fsraelis al-so took over 115,OOO dunums and. barred. access to them. A1so, after blowing up 185 houses in the Gaza Stripr the Israelis established a plant for the packing and waxing of eitrus fruit, the fsraeli Karli Plant, three banks, the Leumi Bank of fsrael, the Discount Bank and the llapo'elem Bank, and a number of military centres.
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Th-i+o r.rrAapf. for'lo7Q- the Israel-i Government earmarked. a half a billion lll !uD wuuF\su rvl L7 l7) vrrL
Israeli pound.s for the establishnent of more Tsraeli settlement.s on Arab land on
the l.,lest 3ank, und.er the supervision of Ariel Sharon, and it was d'ecid-ed to
establish 20 Tsraeli settlements on the l,,lest Bank in 1980. The Co-Chairman of
the Settlement Department of the Jewish Agency announced that no fsraeli official
could even think of removing the Jewish settlers from the l^Iest Bank and the Gaza
Strip. He said further that measures were being taken for the iruoigration of
58rObO Jewish fanil-ies from abroad to Palestine and. that they wou1d. be accornmodated
in the \5 settlements which it had been decid.ed were to be built during the next
five years. In preparation for takin€{ over more Arab territory in the lowland's,
the fsraelis have d.ug deep wid.e ditches, large enough for a car to pass through'
between orange and. banana plantations on the pretext of security and had preventedthe
owners of the plantations from irrigating their fand.s. This wi11'
unquestionably, nean that the plants will wither and d.ie for lack of irrigationo
and the fsraelis will then take over the lands in ord.er to establish new
settlements. In early lr{ay 19?9, Hamd.i Khalaf, Basil Al-Husseini and
Al-Haj Khalid. Al--i-o.omi, acting on behalf of owners of plantations covering an area
of 5rOOO d.ununs in the low1and.s, submitted a complaint to the Israeli Military
Governor and asked. permission for them to irrigate their Iands, even by pipelines
if necessary. The Military Governor has so far not responded to this request.
The Israeli authorities have prevented" the Arab citizens fron d.igging artesian
we1ls on their lands without a permit, which is very difficult to obtain here.
The owners of existing wells are forced, by order of the Military Governor, to
install water meters and. are all-owed to irrigate their plantations only with the
amount of their water specified by the fsraeli agricultural offieer and at specific
tines. Natura1ly, the amount a1Iowed is not sufficient to irrigate the plantations
properly, and results are therefore inadeq,uate both quantitativel-y and
qrr"1it.live1y. The owners are suffering great losses. fn order to force them
to leave their land so that they can take it over, the fsraelis often resort to
various fraudulent means, including forgery. The fsraeli Suprerae Court, by its
decision on the fsraeli Government's confiscation of Arab l.ands in the village
of Bettine in Ramallah on the pretext of security, gave the Israeli Government
the 1ega1 right to confiscate 1and. if the purpose was security. The Israeli
authorities find it very easy i'o plead reasons of security, and. they often
confiscate 1and. and claim that the confiscation is for reasons of security, but
the land. is not returned to its owner, vho is offered some compensation for it
if he concurs. The fsraeli occupation authorities use numerous means to gain
control of Arab lands and then establish settl-ements there, on the well-known
Jewish principle of ftabsentee propertytt, which means the expulsion of the
inhabitants and seizure of the land.
Arabs on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip are not al-lowed. to plant trees
on their land. unfess they have a permit, and- such a pernit is hard. to obtain.
The purpose of this is to remove ihe land.ovner's confidence and hope that he will
remain on his land. and plant it with tr:ees that will bear fruit after a number of
year:s, in order to facilitate their seizure of it. They even prevent Arabs
irorn planting even a single tree to replace the tree or trees vhich have died on
their land.
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There have been numerous instances of the fsraelis causing damage or
destruction to Arab water pumps on Arab farms in ord"er to ruin the trees or other
crops through lack of irrigation.
The Israeli Government claims that it is establishing the settlements or some
of them on land which does not belong to the Arab citizens living in the country.
They argue that those land.s were the property of the pred.ecessor State and" that
fsrael, as the suceessor State, automatically owns this 1and. and.u by virtne of
its ovnership, has a right to dispose of this land as it wishes.
f d.o not want to embark here on a refutation of this argument and d.emonstrate
the 1ega1 invalidity of the right which the Israeli Governmentrs cIaim, but, as
a Palestj.nian Arab l-and.ovner and farmer, T shall attempt to d.ispel some of the
deliberate vagueness and obscurity surrounding this issue.
Palestine, like some of the other Arab countries, was formerly ruled by the
Turkish State in the narne of the fslarnic Caliphate. Turkish rule l-asted. from
15f7 to agfl, Und.er Turkish ru1e, a l-and.owner was the person who disposed. of
and cul-tivated the 1and., resid.ed, lived and d.ied there and passed it on by
inheritance from father to son. The landowner paid. the Turkish Government as a
1and. tax 10 per cent of the produce of the 1and. This tax was known as the tithe.
In 1858, the Turkish Government nromulgated. the tapu (lana registration) law
under which all land was to be registered. in the name of its ovner with the new
Department of tapu. The furkish Government began voluntary registration in
Palestine about 18?0. The Turkish Government was in decline, anil there was no
trust between it and the Arab citizens, so that all the Lands were not properly
registered.. The Turkish Government registered vith the Department of tapu all
the previously unregistered lands whose owners registered them in their nanes
and. continued. to d.ispose of them as their property and to pay tithes to the State.
tr"lith the end of Turkish rule and the beginning of British occupation in the
thirties ' the British mand.ate authorities in Palestine began an operation to
survey and classify the land of Palestine and to register it in the or^merrs name,
together with demarcation of the bound.aries and specification of the area to the
last dunum, in preparation for the registration of lands in the owners I names
with the Department of Land Registration (tapu). Since this was a project of
tremend.ous proportions and. required a great d.eal of time, the British mandate
authorities proeeeded. to register the l-and tax in the name of the owner as
registered" in the land tax records issued by the Survey Department in 1935. This
remained. the situation up to the end of the British mand.ate in l-91+8, while the
process of registering the land with the Department of Land Registration proceeded.
s1owly and was never completed,
The registration of land in the name of the Government d.id. definitely not
mean that the Government actually owned. the land. It was merely a formal measure
pending the completion of the lega1 proced.ures for registration. No Government
utilized. as its property any piece of land that was utilized and being cultivated
by a fanner. The land. registered in the name of the State was intended for the
public benefite such as forests, land, wel-1s, rivers and. land. donated as waqf by
ind.ivid.ual-s to sehool-s and mosques.
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Tlra qrrnrrov WaS carried. out in many villages, and in SOme of them parts Of
the land- were registered with the Department of Land. Registration. I^Ihen the
British mandate ended., the other villages had still not been surveyed., owing to
the complicated. nature of such matters because of such factors as d.ivision by
inheritance and objections before the courts.
f shal-l show you some d-ocuments which substantiate this statement and prove
the falsehood of this claim of the Israeli Government, as well as its legal
invalidity. They concerned the ow:ership of the 1and. of an Arab vilLage' my own
native village where my property is and from the fruits of whose soil I and ny
forebears lived for tens of thousands of yeers, before the birth of the Jewish
religion.
In 19)+8, the Israeli forces occupied. !0 per cent of the land of our village
of Ronmana, whieh was outsid.e the portion allocated to Israe1 and the United.
Nations resolution of 19)+T on the partition of Palestine, and in 1967 the
fsraeli authorities took over the rest of Palestine, including this vi11age.
After the 1967 occupation, the fsraelis made an attempt to disguise their
aggressionist nature and made an offer of peace to the Arab citizens who were left
und.er their rule after t967.
fn the settlement of Givat Oz, which was built on the lands of our villageo
the Israeli offieial in charge proposed to some of the Arab lead.ers of the area
friendly and peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Jews. Before he had gone
very far with this proposal, f asked hinr to tell us about himself. He replied
that he had been born in Bulgaria and. had immigrated. to Palestine in 1952. Then
I asked him about the establishment of this settlement, and he replied that the
settlement had been established in L952 and. that he had come to live there in
1954, Then f asked" him who had planted the olive tree whose branches shad.ed his
house, and. he blushed in embarassment when he was unabfe to answer. I told him:
"f planted this tree with my own hands. This land is my 1and. This
settlement was built on my land, and you come to us from Bulgaria to usurp
our land and drive us from it and then you ask for peace.tt
At this point he replied angrily:
"You Arabs have got to untlerstand that the wheel of history turns as time
passes. The wheel has turnecl now, and we are coming to Palestine from
Bulgaria and the other I'r.rropean States and from the Arab States, such as
Egypt, fraqo Morocco, Syria and Yemen. A11 you have to d.o is to turn with
this wheel and go to fraq, Syria or any Arab country you like. They are not
far away from us, and then there wouId. be coexistenee in friend.ship, security
and. peace between the Arab people and the Jewish people. That wou1d. be real
peace. tt
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f then replied.:
"is this peace or destruction, dispersal and aggression.tt
Then all withdrew from the settlement.
Only a few d.ays later T was in an fsraeli prison on tn:mped-up security
charges. I spent 13 nonths in prison, and then they sent me away from my viIIage,
where f myself had seen these irnnigrants establishing two settlements and
exploiting the fruits of the Iand.
Then Moshe Dayan, currently the L{inister for
in a speech which he gave in 19hB at the Tekhnion
"Politieally there is no raore PaLesti.ne. ft
it does not exist and we are here in Israel.
Joshua Hoben Forat said:
"The primary fact is that there can be no
Jewish State without the expuLsion of the
fencing off of the 1and.'l
Foreign Affairs of fsrael, saitl
Institute in Haifa:
,,existed before 19\8, but now
zionism without settlement and. no
Arabs and the confiscation anti
Again, Menachem Begin denies in principle the very existence of the
Palestinian Arab peopleo when he states that these people are nov inhabitants in
the sense of having administrative self-rule und.er lsraeli sovereignty in Jud.ea
and Samaria. That is merely a preparatory step for their expulsion from the land
in orcler to attain Israelirs openly declared goals.
Prisons and prisoners
Statistics compiled since the fsraeli occupation in 196? ana up to the
beginning ot 1979 indicate that the average number of Arab prisoners and
detainees incarcerated. by the Israeli occupation authorities has on no occasion
dropped. below l+rOOO persons. This figure has sometimes been as high as I'OOO or 51000 on the occasion of Arab d.emonstrations against the oecupation or of
Palestinian guerrilla operations in certain parts of the country. These prisoners
are incarcerated und.er inhuman and extremely unhealthy eonditions in approximately
l0 prisons dispersed. throughout the country. Some of these detention centres
are set aside for hideous torture while others are intended for prisoners serving
1ife terms, sentences of 5-]-5 years or terms of less than 5 years while others
are carnFs established. by the Israelis in the southern desert for prisoners
sentenced to hard labour.
These Arab victims are subjeeted by the fsraeli authorities to the most
atrocious kinds of torture and. intimidation such as:
1. Painful beating on the body with sticks and hard instruments.
2, Beating and d.amaging the genital organs of both men and women and
injecting then with hot pepper.
upsid.e d.own by their feet.
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3. Hanging prisoners This type of torture is known
as "the nightrnarett.
\. Applying electric
5. Pulling out nalIs
shocks to the bod.ies of detainees.
with pincers.
Breakins teeth.
I. Filling the mouth with salt.
8. UnLeashi.ng trained police dogs to bite prisoners.
9. Attempting to force detainees to practise pederasty with their colleagues in
d.-etention. If they refuse or are unable to ilo this, they are forced. to beat their
colleagues violently with sticks.
l-0. Bringing the wife, sister or mother of the prisoner to the detention centre
ancl threatening to abuse them sexually if the prisoner does not make the required
concession.
11. Tying the prisone?fs hands behind. his back, blindfolding hin and placing him
in a cel1 for a nr:mber of days during which he is burnt with eigarette stubs on
various parts of his body.
In many cases, detainees and. convicted persons have been afflicted with
chronic illnesses, blindness, paralysis or deafness. In some cases the bones of
their hands or feet have been broken and in others, the victims have been left
unconscious and. finally d.ied. Detainees and convicted persons in these prisons
are kept in d.isgustingly overcrowd.ed conditions in cel1s 150 centimetres long'
80 centimetres wide and 2 metres hieh. There are now \OO-5OO prisoners in the
Maskubiya Prison in Jerusalem which was originally intendeti to acconnod.ate
l!O-2rO detainees. Betr,reen 5OO-7OO prisoners are crowd.etl into the l\Tablus prison
whieh vas intend.ed. to accommodate 2OO persons and celI block No. 6 of this prison,
vhich was intended fcr 20 prisoners, is now ercwd.ed" r,rith 110 prisoners. Ttre Ramle
Central Prison, which was intcndecl to hold 500 prisoners, nov contalns
2rOOO-2r5OO prisoners. The Kfar Yona Prison, intend.ed to hold" 75 prisoners' now
contains 2OO-250 prisoners. The Ashkelon Prison, intended. to hold" 300 prisoners,
is now crowded. with 500-700 prisoners. The Shatta Prison" intended to holct
150 prisoners, now contains LOO-500 prisoners and the temperature in the region
in which this prison is located (the geisan Va11ey) reaches l+0" C in the sunmer.
The Beer-Sheba Prison, which was built by the Israelis after the year 1957 to
accommoclate 5OO prisoners, is now crowded. with 700-11000 prisoners.
The same is true of the prisons at Damoun, Nabi Salih, Maasiyahuo Jalama,
Tell Mond., Neve Tirza, llebron, Bamallah, Jenin, Tulkarm, Bethlehenn Jericho,
Acreo ZikhronYataqov, Had.era, Jaffa, TeI Aviv, Khan Yunis, Rosh Beit' 41 Bassa,
Safed, Afula, Nazareth, Shaimesh, Nahalal, IVahariya, MaJilu, Karkur and the camps
at Ur:am Kilab, Amer and" Al Buyuk,
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The method in which adninistrative detainees are he1d. in custody indicates
a lack of any lega1, proceilura1 or human element of restraint in Tsrael where
the inhabitants can be arrested. in their homes or places of vork or even on the
street without having committed any crime. They are then subJected to the most
hid.eous forms of torture and. thrown into fsraeli prison cells for months and
even years without being ind.icted or brought to trial- on any charge. In some
cases, people have even been deported. from the country.
Such d.eportation of the inhabitants is a d.evice used by fsrael for the purpose
of removing the owners of land., which can then be expropriated. The ed.ucated
el-ite, consisting of persons such as physicians, engineers and skilled technicians,
is also being expelled in order to sabotage the Arab economy on the l^Iest Bank and
the Gaza Strip whose inhabitants wou1d, consequently, be obliged to emigrate in
order to earn a living. The Arab inhabitants living under this tyrannicaloccupation
are foreed. to sell their land antl emigrate for fear that they may be
expelled and. lose their land without compensation,
Over 21000 of the Arab population were expelled from the occupied teruitories
between 196T-1979.
There are no limits to Tsraelrs viol-ation of every international 1aw and
convention and of the prineiples of social justice and hr:nan conduct. Even
houses of worship and holy places have not escaped. their evil attacks, On the
eve of Easter Sunday, 2l April l9TO, Israeli poliee officers occupied the
Orthod.ox Coptic Patriarchate and its ehurches in the Coptic Monastery.
In October of 19?0, the fsraelis attenpted., through the nedir::n of the
Hinafuta Company, to fraudulently seize the French Convent of Notre Da:ne in
Jerusalem from the French Catholic Monastic Ord.er in New York through the American
Zionist Samuel Conran, which forced. His Holiness the Pope to personally intervene
and delegate Archbishop Hanna Kald.ani to make representations on his behalf to
the courts in Jerusalem in order to protect the convent fron Zionist treachery and
spoiliation.
The fsraeli occupation authorities also seized building land belonging to the
Greek Orthod.ox Patriarehate in the neighbourhoocl of the King David Hotel in
JerusaLem.
0n 2\ March 1971 sone Israeli. youths pretend.ing to be tourists entered the
Chureh of the Holy Sepulchre in which they smashed. the oil lamps and cand.les
placed on the Holy Sepulchre r,rhich they trampled under foot. The monks in the
church, who had also been attacked, were able to capture one of the intruders
whom they hand.ed over to the fsraeli police. The latter subsequently announced
that he was an American Jew and no more was said. about this crine.
The Israeli police are occupying the Magharba Gate which provid.es access
through the walL to the Noble Sanctuary (a1 Haram A1 Sharif) in Jerusalem
and have been maintaining a permanent police checkpoint at this Gate sinc e 1967.
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Young Israelis of both sexes have on several occasions entered the court of
the Holy Al-Aqsa l"{osque in Jerusalem where they have dancedn sung, chanted.'
indulged in r.^rild and. indecent behaviour and attacked Mustim worshippers. They
have behaved in a similar manner in the }Toble Sanctuary of Abraham in the town
of Hebron, the greater part of which was taken over by the fsraelis and. converted
into a Jewish synagogue.
On 2l August 1969, a black day in human history, the fsraeli authorities set
fire to the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempted to prevent the Arab population and
the Arab municipal fire engines, which had. hurried to the scene, from carrying
orrt. t.heir. r*rt.w rrf extinguishing the fire in the mosque. This attempted. qsvJ
obstruction was, howevero thwarted by the A.rab population. Christian clergymen
rushed past the fsraeli police forces into the Al-Aqsa Mosque crying and shouting
"the houses of God are being burnt" and Muslims and Christians alike followed
their example and rushed. forward to extinguish the Israeli fire which was
consuming the d.ome of the Holy Al-Aqsa tr4osque. fsrael clairned that the fire
had been caused, by an electrical short circuit but reports by Arab engineers
clearly showed. that the fire had been set by crininal hands. This compelled the
fsraeli Government to claim that a 29-year-old. Australian cal1ed
Dennis Michael l,Iilliam lr{ohano who had entered Israel'four months bef,ore the d'ate
of the fire, had. actually comnitted the crime, had been arrested and would be put
on trial. Shortly after, fsrael announced that he had been released on ground.s
of insanity.
The Palestine Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem was seizerl on the first
d.ay of the fsraeli occupation of the city in t96T and., in violation of articles 17
an6 18 of The Hague Convention, the rarest and most valuable items in this
museum, including the Dead Sea scrolls and the Lachish letters were transferred
bw t.he Tsraet'i authorities to their own museums. These authorities aLso seized vJ
the Temple scrol-I from Mr. Kandors house in Bethlehem.
The archaeolcgical excavations are no less serious than other fsraeli
aggressive actions. Since L96B and. in spi.te of the successive resol-utions adoptedly-
international bodies, the fsraeli authorities have been continuing their
excavations on the pretext of searching for traces of Solomonts Temple. These
excavations were begun in t967 under the houses of the Arab population, und.er
mosques and schools and under the }Tobl-e Sanctuary. Beneath this sanctuary the
fsraeli authorities dug a long and deep tunnel in which they placed a copy of
the Torah and. established. a Jewish synagogue. fn a ceremony narking the
inauguration of this synagogue, the Chief Rabbi made a speech in which he declared
that, "Today we celebrate the inauguration of the synagogue which we have
temporarily established under the Sanetuary. Tomorrow we will celebrate the
destruction of this sanctuary, the establishnent of our greater synagogue and the
reconstruction of our temple on its site, which is our 1and, and none of these
Arab aliens will remain in our country.tt
As a result of the excavations, cracks appeared. in the wa1ls of many
residential houses, mosques, Islamic chapels and schools on which the Israeli
police placed signs forbid.d.ing the passage of pedestrj.ans and. ordering the
evacuation of the inmates on the pretext of protecting them from the danger of
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the col-lapse of these structures. Shortly thereafter, fsraeli engineers prepared.
reports justifying the need to clemolish these crunbling establ-ishments in order
to ensure the safety of the population. Following their dernolition, fsraeli
residential buildings were constructed. to house fsraeli immigrants and the
dispossessed Arabs were driven away to join the long procession of their homeless,
tormented. brothers in search of justice.
The totaL number of Arab residential houses blown up by the Israelis d.uring
the period L96T-I9?9 anounts to 2,875, aistributed as follows:
Number_ of houses
350
L,IT,
tto5
115
q?n
5O
250
z,BT,
District of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho
District of Rama]-lah
District of Hebron
u]-sl'r]-ct' of' r\aolus
District of Tulkarm
District of Jenin
District of Gaza
Total
Even ed.ucation has not escaped. from their malevolence since they have changed.
the ed.ucational eurricul-a which was being followed before their occupation in
ord.er to make the teaching syllabuses more consistent vith their aims and.
d.esires. They have forbid.den the teaching of the Koranic verses urging holy war
in d.efence of religion and the homeland.. Despite all the modern advances nade in
the fieLd. of health care throughout the worldn in this respect the situation in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip is deteriorating and. the total lack of health care
might al-most be preferable to the present deplorable facilities.
At a seninar held in New York in L978, Professor Tsrael Shahak, Professor of
Chemistry at the Hebrew University in fsrael and Chairman of the Human Rights
Cornmittee, made the following conments on the treatment by the Tsraeli Government
of the Arab population suffering under its oceupation:
1. An Arab citizen d.oes not have the right to Join a kibbutz and a young '
lsrael-i lroman was expelled from such a settlement since she wanted to marry an
Arab.
2. Thousand.s of Arabs work inside Israel in fsraeli factories, projects antl other
institutions which d.esperately need this source of rnanpower. However, the fsraeli
authorities forbid these workers to spend. the night in fsrael and, therefore,
they must travel to the l^Iest Bank and. Gaza Strip in the evening, returning the
A/3\/16
English
Annex II
Fage 19
following mornin64. l4any of the workers are unable to make this trip twice a
day and are thus compelled to sleep in fsrael. In the evening, the police forces
can be seen driving those people to the police stations where they are all beaten
by police officers wield.ing sticks. Many fsraeli citizens living close to police
stations have thus been obliged to complain to the Chief of Police that they are
unable to sleep at night d.ue to the screams of Arab workers being tortured and
beaten in the police stations.
3. In March 1978 the fsraeli police aruested 200 Arab students in schools in
Ranallah ancl A1 Bireh from whence they were herd.ed, into a police station.
Professor Shahak said that, when he happened to pass by the poJ-ice station and
observed. this distressing scene, an Israeli police officer approaehed hini and
said t'This is the rough way we treat those who d.o not like ustt, to which the
professor replied ttNo, this is the rough vay you treat those that you do not liker'.
The professor could hardly bel-ieve that this incid.ent had taken place in
Israel and on the West Bank in the year 1978 and. not in Tzarist Russia in 1884
when the Jews were being subJected. to torture merely because they were Jews.
However, Arab students were being subjected. to torture here merely because they
were Arabs. A society which tolerates such acts wifl neet a worse fate than the
Palestinians are presently enduring at the hands of the Israelis.
These are the true facts of our situation and this is what we are enduring
as a result of the destruction, pilIage, robbery and murder brought about by the
sinister d.esigns of the fsraelis and their crimes against our people. They are
launching criminal attacks upon us with the most modern produets of the American
nilitary machine, including clestructive weapons which have been forbid.den by
international Iaw. Menahem Begin, their Prime Minister, is not ashamed to
announce that he will track downo pursue and ki1l the Palestinian people wherever
they are and wherever he can in the name of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Our people now number four million persons of which the overwhelming majority
are highly educated and only want to return to their homelancl and live as free
men in the sane way as the other peoples of the free wor1d. 't^Ie are a hard.
working, constructive and not destructive, people and have helped to d.evelop this
and other regions. We shoul-d not be deprived of the right to sel-f-d.etermination
and to a freeu independent and sovereign life in our homeland..
fn submitting this factual information for your consideration, ve call upon
the international comnunityo through you, to shoulder its responsibilities by
pronptly halting the Zionist invasion, pillage and exploitation of our land and
putting an end to their occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands. In so doing,
we will be serving the cause of peaee based on justice in the Middle East and in
the worlcl as a whole.
Thanking youn
(siened) Naj ib AL-AHI4AD
Political DePartment of the
Palestine Liberation Organization
27 May I9T9
A/i+ /i36
English
Annex II
Page 20
APPEI.IDIX
rsraeli settlements on the ltres! Bank in the period 196?-l4ay 19?9
Name of
]!o " se.ttl-ement Location Area Date of
(in dunurns) establishment Srpe and. affiliation
1 Mehola
Almog
(xaria)
3 Kfar Etzion
\ Argaman
5 Phatza'!El
6 qiryat-Arba
J Rosh Tzurim
B Mevo Horon
9 Yitav
On the land of
Bardala
On the northern
shore of the Dead
Sea
Between Bethlehern
and Hebron
Near the Dam3ra, Briclge
in the Central Jordan
Val1ey
Fazayil area in the
Central Jord.an Va11ey
Near the town of
Hebron
Between Bethlehem
and Hebron
On the 1and.s of
Beit }Iuba
0n the lands of
Al-AwJa north :f
Jericho
Central Jord.an Valley
north of Jericho
7 0c0
IB OOO
1 000
5 000
l+ OoO
I 000
2 000
10 000
2 TOO
1 A67
l-967
L96T
1968
1958
l968
L969
ltg69
r970
Agricultural moshav
containing installations
belonging to Hapo'e1
Hamizrahi
Agricultural Kibbutz
belonging to the Union
of Kibbutz l4ovements
Agriculture and Fishing
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to the
religious kibbutzin
Agricultural moshav
belonging to Herut
Agricultural moshav
belonging to the
i,,{oshav Movement
fnd.ustrial belonging
to Haporel Hanizrahi
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to the
religious kibbutzim
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to Agutlath
Israel
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to the Union
of Kibbutz Movements
Agricultural and
Fishing kibbutz
belonging to the Union
of Kibbutz Movements
10 Gi1ga1 3 300 T9TO
A/3\ /136
English
Annex II
Page 21
No.
Name of
settlement Loeation Area Date of
(in aunums) establishment Type and affiliation
11 it{itzpe
Shalem
12 Massvah
13 Atrot
1It Hamra
L5 Alon Shvot
16 Mekhor:a
LT i{ar al
Ephraim
18 Begatot
19 Gitit
Between Kalia ancl
Ain Hatli
'ilne Jr_rtt].K br]-dge
in the Central
Jordan Valley
On the land.s of
Qalandiya north
of Jerusalem
0n the lands of
Beit Dajan east
of Nablus
Between Bethlehem
and Hebron
On the lands of
Beit Dajan east
of Nablus
On the lands of the
village of Aqraba
east of lVablus
On the lantls of
the village of
Al-Buqaiya east
of Nablus
On the lands of
Aqraba east of
Nablus
Near Beit Hanina
South-east of
Jerusalem
1V
2L
Neve Yaracov
Talpiot
5 000
t-0 000
5 000
1 000
I 500
2 000
2 000
5 000
)+ ooo
10 000
t9TO
1 07c)
L970
L9TT
'l o71
L9TI
L97:-
1 472
1 A72
T9T3
'r 07?
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to the Union
of Kibbutz Movements
Agricultural and
fishing moshav
belonging to the
llorkers of Zion
Industrial
Agricultural and
poultry raising moshav
bel-onging to the
Agricultural Union
l.{unicipal service
centre and religious
school belonging to
Haporel Hamizrahi
Agricultural moshav
belonging to the
Agricultural Union
Regional centre
belonging to the
Moshav Movement
Agricultural moshav
belonging to the
Agricultural- Union
Agricultural moshav
belonging to the
Agriculturaf Union
Herut
Industrial
Residential
^/3\
/536
English
Annex II
Peoo ))
No. Name of
settlement Location Area Date of
(in dunums) establishment $pe and affiliation
22 Gilo
23 Ramot
Mae a]ouf
Defna
Sanhedria
26 Ro'r
27 Maeale
Ad.omin
zo Elazar
29 Takoah
30 Ofra
3f Kochav
Hashahar
32 Magshinim
55 l\etlv
Hagdud
Between Jerusalem
antl Beit Jal-a
On the lands of
Nabi Samwil north
of Jerusalem
East of Jerusalem
North-east of
Jerusalem
Central- Jordan
Val1ey south of
14ehola
Between Jerusalem
and Jericho
Between Hebron
and. Bethl-ehem
Between Hebron
and Bethlehem
North-east of
Ramallah
On the lands of
Deir Jatir and. Kafr
Malik/Ranallah
Near Almog on
the Dead. Sea
Central Jorclan
Valley
h ooo
I0 000
2To
500
70 000
t_ 000
3 000
350
l+ ooo
5 000
'l o7?
L973
r973
r973
r97\
LgTt+
L9T5
I9T5
r975
L97'
r976
Resiclential
Resiclential
Residential
Resid.ential
Agricultural nahal
Large ind,ustrial
belonging to the
Emunim bloc
fndustrial moshav
belonging to Haporel
Hamizrahi
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to Hapotel
Hamizrahi
Agricultural belonging
to the Bnonim bl-oe
Agricultural kibbutz
belonging to the
Union of Kibbutz
IUovements
Agricultural moshav
belonging to the
It{oshav }.rtovement
3 000 r976
nnl /aJ-l ' Il t)rJ,av(,
H nO t r q n
Annex II
Page 23
No.
Name of
settlement Location Area Date of
(in aunuros) establishment Trrnp "nd affr'I -iation
^J1.4 lrlevo bn]-ton
Elon ivioreh
t^ \
I f l9ddlrm ] \ asuu \Irr /
l{aliki
Shua
l\./l or 'rmr { A I
Rarrhqn
lle]. 'am1' \/t-J \/
Reyhan
l4igdal Oz
40 Yattir
41 Kfar Ruth
l^4 Z _Ua' 1r '1'e1
l-
L+ ^j bnayel-et
411 -F adeen
On the l-and.s of
the rrill:oc ,rf
u^u/-n-a- -/ I\a blus
On the land.s of
Kafr Qad"dum/Nablus
On the lands of
-Faqou'a/Jen]-n
On the l-and-s of
llmrr Rarrhen/Ve/hafl
On the land"s of
Ilnrn Revha n /Ya. e ba d
Between Hebron
and Bethlehem
South of Hebron
On the l-ands of
Latrun
On the lands of
Latrun and. fmwas
On the lands of
Tntrttn- Trmvae anfl
Yalu
On the lands of
l{es t ha rrest of
Nablus
North of Jericho
500
500
I C00
5 000
3 0c0
r 5oo
100
5 000
Q nnn
1 000
L9T 6
T97T
L9T7
1 477
L9T7
L9T7
107'l
T9T7
1Q't7
L9T6 Settlement centre
35 1976
1O
3T
3B
39
Settlement centre
hc'l onrri no' l-.o th c
Emonim bloc
Settlenent centre
hel ons'inrr to Tla.nor el
Hamizrahi.
-Agricultural kibbutz
halnnoino tn iha
national hibbutzim
IIosha.v bel ongino' to
the Workers of Zion
Moshav helonp'ins'to
Pan^, al Homf ?rah1
Settlement centre
l_\a I nhor ho tn f ha
EtrIIONlM b-LOC
I\.losha.v be'l onp'inq' to
lha q ori nrr'l trrrr I
Iloshav l'lovement
l\ nc flzrr hp I nn or na tO
the l4oshav l'{ovement
l'4nshtrr hFlnnI-rn/T tO
the llorkers of Zion
Movement
Ha I nhot no Tn T ha
Emoni.m bloc
i ioshav bel onEi nc to
the l.,riorkers of Zion
)+, Ramonim 300 a977
A/3\ /16
rlJlhro:bl + rr uch r!
Annex Tf
lage 2+
lTo. "Dls?uui:a^s!:]E:-rl+rJ Location ,,_o1.11..*-, __::l?_,:t-. _ ,un" and. arruiation f l_n ounums I estaDllsnment
146 shomron on the land.s of 500 rgTT settlement centre
Deir Sharaf/Nablus belonging to Gosh
Emonim
4T Efrat North of Hebron I ooo r97T Agricultural
Etzion bloc
hB Hamuzit South of Bethlehern I OOO I/TT Settlement centre
L+g Kadesh Central- Jord.an Valley 2 OOO L977 Agricultural moshav Bad-tigh north of Jericho
50 Moud.i e im On the land.s of 10 000 I9T7 To convert thern into a
Yalu and fmvas town vith neighbouring
settl-ements
5L Qaryat 0n the tand.s of 5 OO0 L7TT Agricultural
l4ikabin Yal-u and fmwas
52 Rafet on the land-s of fo 0oo L9T7 Agricultural
thA lrr I lqoa At'
Rafat/Ramallah
,3 }Jataran central- Jord.an 1 ooo rgTo Agricultural
Va1ley
,14 Ariel On the lands of I9T9
Saffit and Sikaka/
Nablus
5, Bed.ul-am On the land.s of 1 OOO I9T7 Agricultwal
Beit llmar /Hebron
55 Our On the tand.s of 2 000 I9T,( Agricultural
the rril lssa nf
u^/n ur/fiamal-l.an
5T Tomer ltrorth of Jericho I 0OO I97T Agriculturaf moshav
belonging to the
Illoshav Movement
58 Saf it Between Tulkarm 2 OOO LTTB Agricultural belonging
and Qalgiliya to Herut
/...
^/3\
/16
H:nC tl en
Annex II
Page 25
l\rs-mo nf 1nT\U^ .
<aff | 6hahf Location Area Date of
(in dunums) establishment Tlpe and affiliation
,9 Shil-oh
o/^u l1atoan
o/-I 'f ersef eh
at Linlres
oa^.J ljeIt Horon
5l+ Givr on
o> (4arnay-
bnamron /^\ \AJ
Uest of Ramallah
On the land,s of
Yasuf south of
Nablus
North of Sail_at
Dhahr
On the land.s of the
village of Haris/
Nablus
On the lands of
uur .al-l avqa/I
Ramallah
On the lands of
Ef-Jib /Ramallah
I'a.st of OaT nil irrg $s! \ar! rJ !
r- 500
I 000
500
300
500
2A0
2 000
500
500
5oo
l_ 000
L97B
I o7B
1978
T97B
LgTB
1978
LgTB
1978
IgTB
IgTB
LgTB
IgTB
I O70
300
Agricultural belonging
to frnonim bloc
Settlement centre
Settlement centre
hF I nnol no tn (lnsfi
Emonim
Settlements centre
helonp'ino i.o Clnsl
trnonim
Settlement centre
belonging to Gosh
Bnonim
Settlement centre
be lonp'r no to (instl
Elnonim
Settlement centre
hp I r)n cr no tn (',nc[
Flnonim
Tnd.ustr j-al belonging
to Gosh Emonim
Settlement centre
trelonr"ino to Gosl
I,monim
Settlement centre
hF I .)nr'r ncr tn (lrlsh
Emonim
Settlement centre
a drl nlr I f r1r4 |
oa/o ri].tzpen
/no t be1l fiael-
58 Neve Zuf
09 lJotan
ldest of Jericho
On the l-and.s of
T.na 1rf I lqoa Af-
Bettin/Ramall-ah
On the lands of
Nabi Saleh
On the l-ands of
Qibatiya/Jenin
Central- Jordan Valley
A1 Khan A.l Ahmar
TO
TT
New Massvah
Ma ral-e
Adomim (B)
n /a)t /r.a(, at Ja I )Jv
F:nf ll qh
Annex fI
v20a ^/6/
No. T?T: tt , Location Area Date of settl-ement " (in aunums) establ_ishment T'JV ne anrt au.rflfriltr qia'tion
T2 Elon. /*\ On the lands of Moreh (B) Har"rwara and
Al Rahib/Nablus
T3 Qarnal.*/ -\ Between Qalqiliya Shonron (B) and Tufkarm
'1 070
I q7A
n lal, lc,a(, nl Ja I /Jv
H:nd I l qn
Annex If
Page 27
ISRAELI SETTLEI\{ENTS IN THE GAZA STRTP FROI4 1967 TO MAY 1979
lln Name Location Area Dltc of
in dum.ims cstablishment lype ano al 11r1ar1on
Kfar Darom
2 Azoor
Netzer
Hazani
Netzarim
i[ear Deir
El Bal-ah
Near Beit Hanun
Near Deir
El Balah
District of Nuseitat
between Gaza and Deir
EI Balah
District of Umm
Kil-ab between Rafah
and Khan Yunis
Betveen Rafah and
Khan Yunis
Betveen Rafah and
Khan Yunis
5 Mnres'
6 ratir R
Katif B
4oo
Boo
300
7oo
200
l+OO
rqn
L967
L969
I9TO
1 q72
LgI2
L977
TgTB
Agricultural nahal
hal nnsi no to Hano ! vvrvrrL>rlro el-
Hamizrahi
fndustrial Union of
Kibbutz Movements
Agricultural moshav.
Moshav i'4ovement
A ^--" ^' '
-l *.'.ra'1 n6rILUtrUuI@J.
RolAhorno fn fhA
religious kibbutzim.
/\ o7a
^tt
I f tlTt I
Re'l onoins to thr. Union
of Krbbutz Movements"
nAbarr -inrrerl#rrro'l
Belonoins to Hanoeel-
Hamizrahi
Aori arrl''|-rrral
Belonging to Hapo-el
Hamizrahi
A/3\ /536
English
Annex II
rage izo
RNSIDEiITTAL QUARTERS ESTABLTSJIED BY TjTE ISRAELIS ON ARAB TANDS IN JERUSaln{
AFTER 1957
AREA IN
DUNUI4S
DATE OF
ESTABLISHMENT
Hqhknl llrrrrf6r Ks\Lr evr
Jelrish Quarter
French Hi]-l
Gilo Quarter
Thc. Citadel Quarters
Hebrei'r University and Hadassah 2OO
5oo
LZO
r 500
300
12 000
l.959
1959
1959
1 477
I9T7
I q75
A/3\ /n6
Ensl]-sn
Annex II
Page 29
List of the names of owners and" the area of Falestinian Arab lands taken over hIr fha l<?qal1 ' Duthorities in the villase ovf f ir'r.etaJ idal- Beni Fad,al in the d"istrict of
ItTabl-us on the West Bank for the establ-ishment of an Israeli settlernent consisting
of 320 resid-ential units containing around. 1,000 residential rooms and
appurtances.
No.
la
3
l+
5
6
T
B
9
10
11
t2
l-3
l_4
IO
17
1B
Name
Asaad- Sal-im Mansour
Sal-im Ahmad. Sal-im
Salama Ahraad Salim
Abdul Azi-z }4uhammad Yussuf
Abd-ul Fattah Hussein
Muhammad Hamid. Hamd"an
Rid-ha l'uhammad. Abd. Khateeb
Ahmad. A1 Haj Asaad. I(hateeb
s2 lt h l/llraq Yqhlr9
Fakhri Abdul Hameed. Abd"ul Majeed
Mustafa Auda Ismail
Ismail Auda Ismail
Ibrahim Auda Ismail
l{ustafa Abdul Haleem Mustafa
Ahmad. Abdul Haleem
Muhamnad Abdul Hameed Yussuf
Sulaiman Abd.ul Hameed Yussuf
Abdul-l-ah Abdul- Hal-eem Mustafa
Abd,ul Majeed. Abdul Hameed
Mashhoor l4uhammad Abu lluslih
I{ustafa Ahmad Abu lt{uslih
Salih Abdul- Rahnan Abu i{uslih
Abdul Rahman lluhanmad Abu Muslih
l.4uhanmad Ahrnad llussein
Shawkat Abdul Rahman Al Jabr
Salih Ahnad Salih
Mahmoud. Ahmad- Salih
Qasim it{uharmrad Qasim
Area in clunr.ms
,o
20
'tq
+/
20
20
3'
50
30
35
20 (Harneed)
15
tq L/
L7
)+O (ttateem)
20
30
25
20
t5
2\
20
10
5
-l 5
L2
10
25
15
tq
20
2I
22
23
24
25
26
2T
2B
n /a)' lc.cA
^t J- I )Jv
H:no | 1 qn
Annex fI
Page 30
Irjo.
2q
30
31
32
33
a)r
?s
JO
3T
"A
39
40
4-L
)+2
)r?
)r Il
45
4t)
a1l,7
r+B
Lo
1l
\2
53
5)+
55
>o
q,7
/l
cA
IIame
l'{uharcrnad. Qasirn Jawhar
Nawfal l4uhammad. Nawfal
Hussein Zahir Khalifa
Abdul Rahman l{uharnmad l(hudheir
Hus sein l'4uha^rlnad- ICeud_heir
Muhanmad l(hud.heir l4uhammad
Faiz Hasan l{uhammad
l{uhammad Hamdan Muhammad.
fbrahirn Abd.ul Rahman Shahadeh
Sulaiman Asmar Rizk
Sulaiman Asmar Rizk
l{ustafa Ahnad. Samtin
Ahmad lt4ahrnoud Saadeh
Ismaif Abdul- Aziz l4ahmoud
Hussein Hifzi
Abdul Rahman Abdul- Rahman
Yussuf Salim Saad"ud
Muhammad Salim Saadud
Muhammad. Sal-ih Rabbah
Abdullah Eid l,{uhsin
Muheisin Salman
Abdu Muhsin Ubaid
Sal-ih Muhammad" Muhsin
Sulaiman lr{uharunad. l,{uhsin
Muhammad Yussuf Salaous
Zaal Yussuf Salaous
Mustafa Musa Sal_ous
Hasan Yunus Hasan
Sulaiman l4uhamrnad liammad
Yussuf Saadeh Yussuf
Area in d,umrms
10
tq L/
10
30
20
't5
20
15
20
rR fv
20
t5
l_0
tl
10
20
fE
+/
l_0
20
2\
15
20
2\
EN
10
ta
10
L2
10
- - al
r 9 rva uulf @lD
t/zLr />26
English
Annex IT
Page 31
The total- a'rea of the lands taken over establishment of by the rsrael-i authorities for the a settlement comprising 320 residential- units consisting of three rgoms (cement, with appurtenan""ri. T;;*-i"na-i"tor,gs to the inhabitants of the: village of l4ajdaf Beni Fadal- in the district of Nablus. These agricultural 1ands, situated near Fasayel and knor.m as the area of Ruweiha and Masateeh" are registered in the names of their owners in the cadastral survey.
.JiVrTfi' f$Ay$cN$
GhNERAL
A S S A M B [-Y
Distr.
GENERAL
A/3\ />36 /corr.1
/ trl^ar^mh6r I tJ , (f
I rrvv L/t/
ENGLISH, FRE}trCH, RUSSTAN
AND SPANTSH OI{LY
*hi rtv- forrrth session
l\genda lten1. oa-)
TIUYIAII SETTLEI'{ENTS
Living conditions gf the Pglestinian people
in the occupied" territgries
Report ojl the Secretary-Generaf
Corrigendum
Anncx II, paqe 2, section U" lecond. paragraph, line 5
For 1,000 Arabs read" 100,000 Arabs
79:29L60
--------.-t-------
-^
t: z+iE=
{.,N;TgD NATJONS
Gfih.I ERAL
A S 5 E M B LY
lastr.
GI]T'I!RAI
rv/t>/Il3.J Clq-ff ,l
17 October 1980
ORIGTNA],: EI,]GLISII
Alen(ia ]'l]en i\_L \e/
DIIVXL0P-'{,,'IrT hlD TrITnllIATIOlllti, ECOiirOL'lTC CO-OPInATIOII
Report o" the SecretarY-Gen eralf.
Tn ibs resolution 3\/113 of 1\ Decentrer 1979, the Gen--ra1 Assenbly lecluested
the secretary-General " in colfaboration r,rith the lelevant united llations oTFjans
'.ri - oniit:-pIr-6..ips. n4Fti.- rar'lv i.r-e ll|ited latiors lelief and llorks Agencl'
for Pales'oine Refu.lees in the llear .-ast (Ui'IRIIA) " the rconoroic corurission for
l'iestern Asia (XCflA) aniL the Specr'-a1 Corlrtrittee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affectinq the Hunan Rights of tlre Popr-r-lation of the Occupied Territories, to
-prepare and submit -,.o the lsser.bllr at its thirty-fifth session a comprehensive and
analytical report on the social and- eeononic impact of the Israeli occupat'ion on
the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories'
l. '.re resoLutior. l'sd 5asical-Ly the sane scoDe as Cenera-L Assenl]fy resol'rtions
31/110 or 15 December L975, 32/171 of 19 December 19?7 and 33/110 of
18 December 1978 on the sane subject. Pursuant to resolution 31/u0, the
Secretary-General submitted a report (A/32/228) to the Assenbly at its thirty-second
sessron; pursuant .to resolution 32/17:_" he submitted a second r epott (A"/.33/351i) to
tl,,e Assembly at its thirty-thircl sessioni and pursuant to resolution 33/110, he
subfiitted a further report (A/31+/535 and Corr.].) 'tto the Assembly at its
thirtv-fourth session.
3, In subnittinl: t1'Ie above reports, the representatives of the Sec retary-General
explainecl that' becarse the Secretary-General had no indepentlent sources of
in iorrna.t ion, the relorts ha.d' of necessity' to consist of replies and pertinent
e).cerris froin docunentary -iaterial sllbmitted, by the Governr.ents of nfl-ylt' Israel"
Jordan a[d rue sfrian Are-l) ]enubl ic, as irel-L as by the Palestine l,iberabjon
organization and the relevant united- tJations organs anc'l- slecialized agencles" rn
response to the Secueta-ry-General I s reg-uest for inforination on the subi ect'-matter
of the rer..ort,
11. At the thirtlr-fourth session, after consid-ering the Secretary-General r s report
uo-r]'irt / " '
Iif ihd ^^ndi+i^h. ^f in the oc cupiecl
A/ 3' / 533
Engli sh
Page 2
(A/:\/536 and Corr,f) " the ceneral Assenbly in paragraph 1of its resolution
3L/]13 expressed the vie.,r that it afthough thl report contained rlany relevant f.acts, was not sufficiently analytical. Accordingly. in paragraph 2 of the s ame resolution, the Assembly req_uested the Secretary- General " inter a1ia, to prepare
and submit to the Assembly at its thiTty-fifth session tne-EZifii ensive and analytical report on the sociaf and econonic imDact of livins conditions of the ?atestinian people referred to in p*"gi.prr-r-"i.r". ' aii ii"t.l"i"ri" ""^"" t" co-operate with the Secretary-General in the preparation of the report.
5" so as to enabre the secretarv-General to prepare and subnit ta the thirty-fifth session of the General Assernbly the required 'rcomprehensive and anafytical report'' , and in an effort to ensure a balanced- ard objective expert view, the Secretaxy_
G€neral used the services of three experts, Their narnes and a description of their backgrounds are given in annex fI belov,
6. The experts were to prepaxe the report on the basis of roateriaf available fron the United Nations and. its subsidiary bodies and from the specialized agencies,
and other published and unpublished literature pertaining to the subJect. They
were also to gather infornation throtgh visits to Egypt, Jordan and ihe syrian
Arab Republic and the occupied territories and through discussions vith governnent offieials and others, as well as ',rith representatives of the palestine Liberation
Organi zation.
7. As perrnission to visit the oceupied territories had not been granted by the
Governnent of Tsrael, the experts, in preparing their report, had io rely on
secondary sources of infofination, particularly the reports of nissions of the rnternational Laboux organisation (tLO), the united Nations Educational, scientific and Cultural 0rganization (uWfSCO) and the l.trorld Health Organization (mO) tt.t fr"a visited the territories, reports published by the Palestine Liberation Organi zation a report furnished by the Government of rsrael and, as o in its suggested by that Governrnent note verbale dated lB "{arch 1980" "... information published by journalists,
scholars, scientists, clergymen and tourists vho have visited the territories".
Relevant information vas also received from the Governments cf ngypt, Jordan and the Syrian Arab Relub1ic.
8. The question of the living conditions of the palestinian reople has been a natter of concern in many intergovernmentar bodies and subsidiLy organs of the United Nations, for exampfe of the Palestinian People, t"h eth eco Crnonoisnsitiotene c onn H tuhmea nE Rxeigrchitsse, tohfe t hsep efcniaalli ecnoambmleitt eReights to rnvestigate rsraeli Practices Affecting the l{uman Rights of the population of the Occupied Territories and the Security Council" to mention some. Because of the
consiclerable volume of rnaterial available in the united Nations. as wel,l as other published material in books, periodical-s, journals and the pr€ss, it was agreed that one expert T{oufd rernain irr ller,r york to car"y out the ertensive research required and the other two experts wculd go on mission to gather infornation from united Nations organs and. the specialized agencies in nurope and the r4iddle East
and vou-ld visit Egypt, Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic and the headquarters and units of the Falestinian Liberation Organization at Damascus and Beirut.
Al35/533
English
pa*e 3
g, The t\'{o experts left on mission early in April l-980. They visited' the
headquarteTs of 1JNESCO in Paris and of the ILo and l.lHo at Geneva. In Esrpt '
Jordan and the S1'rian A.rab Republic, they held discussions witlr senior government
officials dealing with natters rel-ated to the occupied territories ' with
?alestinian refugees living in those countries, I'ith persons dePorted from the
occupied territorles and {itb residents of tbe occupied territories -visiting those
counlries " as 1,e11 as vith recent visitors to the occupied territories ' They also
held discussions vith United Nations officials stationed in those countries. The
experts visited valious acadenic and research institutions in the three countries
in o"der to collect from then and- from government sources as nuch d'ata and
published rnaterial as possible pertaining to conditions in the occupied. territories
and in the three countries visited.'
10. In lebanon " the experts visited and had extensive discussions vith officials
from ECI,IA, TINRWA anct UNESCo, as wefl as with several ilepartments and leaders of
the Palestine Liberation organi zaticn and the Instltute of Palestine studies. on
the lray back" they visited UNRWA head.quarters at vienna, and at Geneva they held
ertensive discussions vith the office of the speciaf cornmittee to Investigate
Israeli Practices Affecting the l{uman Rights of the Population of the occupied.
Territories,
11. The tvo experts returned to United Nations Headquarters in nid-May 1980
to draft the report with the expert who had renained. in New York. The principal
docunents consulted are listed in annex fII belov.
]-2. ftle report prepared by the experts is reproduceal as annex I belov'
ANNU( I
CONTEIVTS
I. INTRODUCTION
II. SRIEF' SUMMARY OF FII{IINGS
A. Denographic characteristics
B. Politica]. and administrative framework ' ' '
c. Econoldc framevork
D. Agriculture anal inilustry in the context of human
settlenents growbh and developnent
E. Macro-econornic ind.icators
F. The social fra.nework
G. fuploynent, incone and consr:mption
III. THE HWIAN SEET!ts{4IT SYSTN4 IN THE OCCIJ?ID TERRITORIES
Al 3r/533
English
Annex f
Paragraphs Page
1-3 3
t4-67 h
].56
16-21 7
22-37 9
38-\5 lL
h6-\? 16
LB_51 1?
52-67 18
5B - 119 24
58 - '12 2t+
?3-Br
82-89
g0 - 103
1Ol+ - 115
t-15 - 119
)q
al
55
A.
E.
Tr
The pattern of human settlenents . .
Housing and infrastructule .
InDact of Jewish settlenents .
Heaftb services
EalucationaL services
Social'welfaxe seavices
Appendices
I. Salance of traate in the occupiecl teffitories ' ' '
I1. Extraordinary buttgetB of towns in the west Bank and the Gaza Strip
III. water consumption in Israel
IV, Agricultural production in the West Bank
?A
5v
l+0
4r
43 V. Buildings conpleted antl begun tluring the period 19?3-197?
t,/ 35 / r33
ln651i.sh
Alrnex I
Page 2
CO]{TXT,ITS (continued)
Resources and incone, Itrest Bank
Workers fron the occupietl territories enplolred in tbe territories
aod. in Israel" by occupation, IglZ and. 19?B
VIII. Average daily wage of .workers
44 vr.
VII .
IX. Consumer price index
X. iiousing statistics
4>
)+6
LB
l+9
Ll35 /r33
nnglish
^nnex I
paae 3
r. IIITRODUCTION
1. The previous report' subnitted to the General Assenbly at its thirty-fourth
session (A/3\/n6 ani corr.l), contained information on population and housing'
healtho natural resources - iand and water, emplolrment and conditions of school
build.ings. Durin€! the consideration of that report in tbc Second Conmittee '
observaiions were nade on various points, includinq the need for more details
on the living conditions of the peopte in the occupied territories and fu"ther
analysi s of those conditions.
2. The experts have interpreted the request to the Secretary-General in
resolution 3l+/113 for a comprehensive and analytical report to nean the
consideration of a broader ia.nge of conditions in the occupied telritories, which
deternine the quality of life of the Arab population in the torrns and villages of
the occupied territories. section II of this repolt, sumrnarizing the findings of
the Group of Experts therefore relates to sorne of these conditions " particui-aItly the
pattern or traae an(l- investment, lrhich often determines the road and c ornraunic at ions
'netvorks
among the settlements and the economic, social and physical infrastructure
that t,inds then together. Land and water are important determinants of t'he
location of hunal settfements, while the agricultural and ind.ustrial activities
often provide the stimulus for the groL'th and devefopnent of hunan settlements
and hierarchical interconnexious a-nong them. The compcstion of the population, its
social characteristics and empLoynent pattern, provide the dynamics of improved
livin{ conditions in terms of consumption of goods and services and satisfaction of
h',]man neods in the context of huran settlcnents. Section TII of the report
examines in nore ttetail the hulan settlements systen in the occupied territories'
including conditions of housing and infrastructure, impact of the new Jevish
settlernents, and health, educational and social ttelfal'e sefvices in the framevork
of human settlements.
3. !'o11owing the June 196T war,Israel occupied the folJ.olu/ing territories: the
llest Banh of the Rivel Jordan " including East Jelusalem; the Gaza Strip; the Sinai;
and the Golan Heights. Most of the literature and economic and social data
availlble refer to the Gaza strip and liorthern sinai, ancl the west Bank excluding
East Jr:rusa1em. ),/ Consequently, this report is largely confined to the atove two
aneas. The data Siven in the appendices are not complete, because they do not
include East Jerusalem.
l/ \'lherever the llest Ba,nk is referred to
East Jcrusel-em- Regarding llorthern Sinai see
in the reporL, it e::cludcs
foot-note 3/.
Al 35 /533
Inglish
Annex I
Page 4
IT. BRIEF SUIOIANY OF FINDINGS
lt' rn th' broad context of the the re'ort of Ha.bitat: recorr&endat ions for nationa.I aetion contained. in united Nations conference on Human settlements, held at Vancouver in 1975, 2/ it vould appear that:
(") There is no hunan settl-ements policy that has been ad.opted for the occupied territories to ensure a rational distribution of the pai-estinian people based on social and econonic eonsiderationsi rather, any policy tha.t cloes exist for settlernents in the territories is confined to the nev Jexish settrements that are being established;
(b) The absence of a policy for the development of hrman settlennents in the occupied territories is a consequence of the lack of an over-a1r econornic ancl social developraent policy and planning for the occupied territories, which courd ensure an equitable all0cation of conventionar- resources to the improv€ment of human settleroents;
-b ot-h p("r1iv aTteh ea innds ceocnunruitnya tl,h haat sp ervades the issue of 1and ovnership and tenure, been a deterrent to the inlrovemeni of the envi.onment' of human settlements in the occupiod territories, in particurar, the rural settlenents l,rhich in the West Bank proiride she]-ter for approximatety l0 per cent of the lopulation.
5' As territorie"rsi' l-i nb es seecetino nf? ormrr thbeel oerx,ra" n3in/ avteiorny loitft rheu rnapnr .saentntrienrga,e nt in the occupied devoted to.the resettlement if any at ar1, has been of the-refugees in the r^rest Bank, $ho constitute +o per cent of the population. No public housin6; seems to have been ihitiated conmensuratr rrith the rnagnitude of the need. rn the Gaza strip and Northern Sinai,-l/ the occupying authorities have a policy for resettlement of the refueiees, yet only a fraction of those refugees ha.ve ieen provided vith housing .,-it". Th.r. is little docu.nented- inforrnation on assistance to peoplp in housing, except in the Gaza stri.p, \rh€re plots prepared for buikr-ing are rnade available to refugees, onith cash grants for families to build their own homes. Few, however, have macle use of this facility. l+/ t'to such infornation is avair-able for the west Bank to inalicate assistance to individuals or housing co-operatives or other non-governmental
2/ Sa-ih"" ; , chap. II.
Vanc
and
.7 (, 1\r .r
3/ For r"rant of data for ar-r. the occupied territories, the coverage of this report is lirnited to the Gaza strip, l\Iorthern sinai and the !trest Bank excluding East Jerusafexr' for rhich a.rone docunented data are avair-abre. For the purposes of this report, ilorthern Sina.i refers to the occupied territories as of l-97g and extends from Xl-Arish in the r.rest to the caza Strip in the east, and fron the llediterranean in the north to Ras r.{uhanmad in the south. rt nay be noted that si.nce 25 llay 1979 the occupied part of sinai extends fron a fine east of El-Arish to thF C€ za Strip.
- -u sl"P-
,
#'J{3i'
Annex I
Page 5
agencies; nor is informati on readily available on funds fron outside soul:ces
"hi"h ""u channetl-ed into housing or the irnprovenent of connunity facilities.
6. As regard.s housing in general, both in the caza Strip and the West Sank there
is rnuch overcrolrding in the dlae.l-ling units, to a n0uch higher degree than vtrat is
regarded. as an acceptable fevel, of accomodation. This conclition of ovelcrowding
seems to be vorse in the rural areas and refugee camps than in the toa'ns '
7. As mentionecl in the previous report, in 1967 the infrastructure (roads'
6e.werage, eLectricity etc.) in the occupied territories was better than that of
most countries in the reeion (a/3\/536 and' corr'l" para' 31)' over the years" the
occupied territories have uitnessed a deterioration of this infrastructu"e, as very
fittle bas been done either to iuprove or rnaintain it. Instead., ne1,l| networks have
been established to serve and strengthen the nilitary, econonic and'security links
vith Israel, often to the detrinent of the existing Areb settfements ' The
developrnent of the physical envirorrment and infrastructure of the occupied
territories to meet the needs of the nev Jer^r'ish settlernent s has diverted resources -
physical, natural and financial - fron iroproving the environment of the settlenents
populated by the Palestinian people.
8. The appropriation by the occupying power of over a quarter of the l-and o both
in the l,Iesl Bank and in the Gaza Strip, has meant that less of this resource is
availabLe for use by the Palestinian people for their housing and agricultural
need.s. Sinilarly, th-- diversion of water for the needs of the new Jewish
settlements has adve.rsely affected the traditionaf habitat of the PaLestinian
people. The destruction of houses for rnilitary and security reasons and the
lack of vater resources for comsumption and procl.uction purposes have forced. malry
people to abandon their original land and homes, move into overcrowed conditions
of existing settleuents and seek a living as unskil-1eal labour in the occupied
territories or in Israel. A. consequence of thiS enforced. Ilove&ent has been that
the abandoned land is appropriated by the occupying authority under an existing
lav relating to absenteF proprietorship.
9. As regards services, it woufd appear that environmental health services have
not inproved connensulate vith population inclease. A consequeflCe has bee-n that
gastro-intestinal d.iseases have become a naior cause of nrorbidity and mortality.
The incidence of these diseases ha.s al.so been increasing in the Arab ruraL
settLements, no doubt owing to inadequate potable water and se.vera€e systers '
l-0. According to the }eport of the I,JHO mission which visited the territories flom
? to 21 April 1980" 5/ rhile inmunization programes appear to have satisfactory
j./ I.Iorld l-tealth Organization, 'rlIealth conditions of the Arab population in the
occup-ied Arab territories, including Palestine: report of the Special Colrfiittee
of Experts Appointed to Study the Health Conditions of the Inhabitants of the
Occupied Territori-s" 1a 33/er ) .
Al 35 / 533
English
Annex I
faJ]e rl
coverage, certain preventive rreasures in the field of naternal and child health,
decided upon foflor.ring the visit of a l,rHo specialist, did at not seem to be x€flected the leve1 of th. various units. preventive activities and health checks for
schoof ehi.l-dren ancl uorkells renain weak and in many instances are non-existent. Ilealth education and public information on health problens do not appear to be welf developed.
1l-. Health activities are based on short-term planning without an adequate data
base for ri^terraining tho utilization of services, the attitudes o-t physicians or of the population or for anatysing feft needs in relation to the needs as determined.
btr the doctors. The li.vel of participation of the conmunity in the public health fielcL is very lindted and in soue places non-existent.
12. As r'rill- be seen from the paragraphs dealing with health in s.ction rrr beIow, there is a significant variance in the data available fron different sources r.rith
regard to health services in the occupied territories. The lrHO mission found
inadequacies, particularly in x-ray and other diagnostic servicesl there had been no significant chanco in the nurber of hospitals and beds sinc. 1962, As regards nedical care, the ratio of population to physicians is considerably higher than in thc neighbouring countrjes.
f3' As regards educational services, one significant developnxent has been the
establishment of tirree universi.ties in the llest Bank and one in the Gaza strip
which are private institutions. The experts on mission r,iere told by offi.cials " and rcpresentatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization that they existed. and functioned not b€,.cause of any assistance given by thc occupying power but in spite of discouragement and harassment. There ha.d been an increase in thc number of other educational institutions both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and enrohent had also increased significantly. Hovever, the politicar clinate and acticns of the occupying authorities have not been conducive to providing a learning environr,rent free fror. a sense of insecurity among both leachers ancl students.
14. fn the delivery of social welfare services" the occupying authorities have made
them more accessibfe to the recipients by increasing the nulber of welfare bureaux
and social rqorkers. The number of recipients of services, particurarry financial
assistance, ha-s decreased considerably, partly because of the high level of
e mplolnnent existiql in the oceupied territories and partly because of the rehatrilitative services introduced bl. the occupying authorities vith financial
resources made avai]able by international organizations. A number of l-oca1 velfare
organizations are also involved in delivering services, although it is not clear vhat the relationsbip is between then and the administering auihority, ol what professional ancl financiar c,rnn^r+ ir dn-' +L^-' ge.t from the authorities.
A, De4oeraphic,_chp.r,agqgIls_U\!g
15. At the end of 197?, the population of the r..rest Bank vas 681,zoo ruith a natural increase af 2O.5 per I,OOO, an actual increase of 10.3 per I,OOO and a
Al 35 / 533
I]nglish
Annex T
FaAe 7
net nigration rate of -10.2 per 7,oaA. Q/ Of this population ' 317,5f4 vere
regist.ered as refugees ltith iNFWA, Ba,\6\ or them living in 20 camps, leaving
=g},fl6
inhabitants ( sorne of vhom vere unregistered refugees) Iiving in the tovns
and villages of thre llest Bank. 7/ fhe population of the Gaza Stri! and Northern
Sinai was )+)+1,300, with a natural increase of 15.3 per 1,000' an actual increase
of I2.3 per 1,000 and a net nigration of -3.0 I)3r 1'OOO in l-977' il Of.these'
:6:,ooo irere registered as refugees with uNRI'trA, 2o2,91+L of them living in eight
camps. 8/ The breakdor+n of the population by age groups was as follows:
Polulat ion at the
end of 1977
O-14 years
l.t+-29
30-44
tr:-trS
50+
I,les:b Egrir
l\T nli6r Pa,^6h+. .'a
316 000 )+6. )+
l-B3 l+00 26.9
7? 8oo 11.l+
60 5oo 8.9
l+3 3oo 6.t1
681 ooo 1oo. o
Gaza Stlip and
Northern Sinai
:qs&sa' Ssss$cre.
2O9 7OO
f23 1oo
50 3oo
3T 700
21 100
)+ j+1 300 100. 0
)+T .5
27 .8
11. l+
1.8
As vilt be 6een from the above, almost half the population Lres less than 1\ years o1d'
a fact which ha.s a bearinc on the health and educationaf services'
B. Political anq administ.rative ffq4elrork
16. As occupied territories, the l.lest Bank and the Gaza Strip are subjected to the
political viLl of the occupying auttrorities r,rithout any mecha.nisms for the people
of the terr:itories to inftuence basic policy decisions. The territories a-re
governed under a military adrinstration. Over-alf policy is de.termined by the
Israeli Prime Minist.er and the Cabinet. In practice, howevel ' the Ministly of
Defence plays the most i&portant l'ole j,n rnaking and. executing policy affecting the
occupied territories.
lLl. Thesp occupied areas are divided into districts' each headed by a rnilitary
governor who is responsible to the ni.Iitary comraander. The military governor is
assisted by personnel recruited from the various goverfincnt ministri.es, including
health, education, agricultlrre o labour, trade and tourism" social wPlfare and
6/ Palestine Liberation Organiza.tion, Central Bureau of statistics' Pcls-EEdsn
stati;tical Abstra.ct. !?f9 (Damascus, 1979) " p. 35"
7/ Officia-L Recqtdg of the General Ass"mblv, Tbi4v !94'
Supplenent No. 13 (A/3\/f3), anncx I" table 4.
B/ st,atisticaf Abstracts of Israel. 1978 (Jerusalem, Centra.l Buleau of
qfatr'ctirq- lQ78) r, t6.$.
^E/n3g5l"/i5s3h3
Anhex I
Page B
Justice, and he also has advisers from both the police and foreign affairs roinistries. The budrae.t for the occupied territories is controlled by the nititary governors.
18. The n.unicipalities in the territories a.?e reslonsible for local- affairs except police functions. They are subJect to the over-a11 authority of the nilitary on mF,ttels which affect Israeli national security ard public peace, although instances are not tacking rhere approvar of the rni.litary has to be obtained. beforehand for land use and invesinents, even ffhen the funding has been asgured by outside sources. The second nunicipal erections since the occupation - the first being ln rgTz - were herd in ze or the 2)+ I,Iest Bank towns; in the other t.wo the number of candidates rras equal to the numberl of sFats available. supporters of the Palestine Liberation 0rg,anization won sweep:,.ng victories in the el-ections. The naJoritv of the candidate""leronged t.-fr'i"i". nein groups; the Nationar. Front, which support s the parestine t ireration oie..ri""tion, and the united. Front, which is nore traditionar - of those etected " iiE;;; elected for the first tine and. only 48 had been re-e.r-ected' conpleteiy new councils were elected in Nablus, IIelron, Jericho, Beit JaLa ana Be].t s"rro"r, ,fr... the ltrational Front gaineil control of previousry conservative councirs. The pro-ralestine Liberationa organization mayors ancr councillors of Ranalla, Al-Beira and rulkarm were re-elected r^rith increased nal orities.
19, The WeBt Bank elections had been conducted und_er the terns of a l-955
*u:n:dttF:,r: lt he Jtaowrtl.asnpieaen iflyaitnrs" tthhearte n vuansi cip"r ui""tin"" should be hetd every four years. no direct ba.Iloting for the post of mayor, and the rnterior Minister selected the nayor aiier tne nunicipal elections. After the 1972 el-ections in the west Bank' the israeli M'ritary Governor perldtted. the councils to norninate their mayors.
-a
1976 elections. The former Jordanian 1"iarwii rrir as ipmroecneaeodu reto w paes rfmolirt- owwoemde ni nto t hveote to sts.nd for office for the first ime. and 9/
t?h.a0t' .pThoeli tnicnailli taly authorities had informed candi.dates to the nunicipar- er.ections propaganda coul-il not be resorted to ir.t election campaigns. In EI Bireh' the centraf nrinting rton"u r""
-"uporiea
nilitary for having printed to have been closed dovn by the election campaign Leafleis. In Bethlehem, the holding of ar neeting in a public place -was
bannea fy the authorities, 1E
2r. on 30 April 1976, g=a_legst s reported. a.n article by y. Litani, who en.merateal several instances or int J::JerFic e by rsraeli authoriiies, such as p.o""u"" ro" sorne ca.ndidates to run in the.eLectio"",
"iiurpi " to persuade some ma.yors to
iil.:1.:irlfi:eed list of candid.ates and the ""i"r"ton-or "or. ".naiauies stanaing
9/ A ab neport and. necord, 1-5 Aprit. 1976, p. 239"
!g/ Hai atetz, 6 April- f976.
^/35
/5t3
Eor'-Li I'r
Annex I
page 9
C, Economic framework
22. Following their occupation in June l-95?' the Gaza Strip and the \'tre st Bairk vere
drawn lrogresJivel-y into -a state of interdependency vith the Tsraeli economyu vhich
tras inioriant inplications for their long-tem growth and development ' Irom a
position where there were absolutely no trade or financial connexions prior to
.fune fg5Z, these territories found themselves W Ig77 exportin6l 51 per cent of
their products to rsraef and inporting 91'1 per cent of their require.ments ' The
chance in the compostion in foreign trade can be seen from appendix I belov' In
Telative termsr the exports to Jordan fel-1 from \3'2 per cent of the value of all
""p."t"- f"-iSe6 i" :1.! of the value of exports Ln \977' while at the sare tine the
exports to Israel- rose from )+)+ per cent of the value of
-all
exports in 1958 to
Ll-.] our ccnt in D77. A sirnilar change can be tliscerned in the case of inports'
i"'i"iiir.i"-f"il" l'itpott" frcm Jordan decreasecl frorn ?'3 per cent of the value of
iotri-irport" in iq5g to an insignificant 0.9 pe" cent in 1977, vhile the value of
iil;;; ?ron tsrael increased during the s ame period from ?6'B per cent to
91.1 per cent of the value of imports '
?3. It should be noted that the exports to Israel included those far re-expo"t '
According to infornation obtained from some Gaza businessnen interviewed by
the experts in Cairo and confirned by representatives of the Palestine Liberation
Organi-zation, d.irect exports of proalucts overseas from the occupied teritories
are not al-towed by the occupying authorities and all such exports have to be
channelletl through Israeli trade organizations '
2\. Israelrs donination of the inport trade is clear.Iy indicated by the data'
Most, if not all, of the inports are Israeli nanufactured goods" vhieh have found
a lising d enand in the occupied territories because of growlh in incomes - both
local as welf as through the l-abour enployed in Israel - and remittances from
abroad. With the exception of irnport s from Jordan' al1 overseas import s to the
occupied territories trave to come through the Israeli narket ' rmports fTom Jordan
t a.re" r.gi"tuted a refative decline because of the apptication of Israeli inport
tariffs to goods from that country. Considering that the occupied territories are
the second iargest trading partner with Israel, next to the United states of
Anerica, ttre near n,c,nopol'isiic rofe that rsrael- industrial products bave in the
lrarkets of the occupied territories" the lack of any serious coepetition from
locaIly manufactured p oducts and the steady source of relatively cheap
seni-skiBed ancl unskilled labour for econonic activities in lsrael' thcre is
every reason to believe that the naintenance of these tratling links with the
o""oii"d territories is extremely important for t'he Israeli econorlv'
25. This point vas repeatedly stressed to the experts on mission by the officials
of the Arab Governments and tle representatives of the Palestine Liberat'ion
Organj.zation. In their opinion, the current trad'ing pattern is an inhibiting
factor in the growth and development of the occupied territories' The production
of these territories" as we].l as the pbysical and econonic infrastructure
necessa.ry for such production, are geared tovards the need's and requirements of the
Israeli ."onoory. The inhabitant" oi ttt" occupied territories are denied the
nppo"t""ity to establish overseas markets for their products and to meet their
Al35/;3J
Eng,lish
Annex I
Page 10
il'port recluire L'nts dirFctly fron overseas sources. l'urthermore, they are unable
-:?,::ll"t" il "':"19 narkets uncer their or:n identity. The present
r'1f,11l;41. agaanst th,- devefopment of an indi8enorrs industrial base w"hoici,ha iwtioifrfr " servr,, the needs of the loca.l econony, as well as export needs, and to provide eraployment to those r.rho are" nol,r eompelled to seek employz.rent in Israel and other countrics _ a large-reso'rce of manpower r"hich cannot be used for the devel.pment of the occunied countries thenserves. The occupied territorips are se€n as providing a ca.ptive marhet for Is.rapli goods ard "o"iri".".
?-6' The experts r'rere informed by officials of the Palestinp Liberation organizaticn th*t the occupied te*itories tacked the financiar infrastructure to mobilize sawings and provide funds for investment in productive enterprises and for car:itaf formation ' The branches of rsraeri ianks that had repraced the Jordanian and foxeign banks in the Lrpst Banh after the June :-967 wa.r dii not corulana the sare neasure of conficence of the savers and i.nvestors in the occupied territories. crecit obtaine(t from the banks, vhich is rather rinited and high-cost, is usuarfy for: operating expens.rs. Little is used for capital invFstment, which is usuafly financed fron the current earnings of enterpri-ses or frem rernittances from abload. Most of the investment is private, particulirly in dwellings, sorne of rhi"l., *. constructed by individuals and others by housing co-operatives, which sometimes receive funds fron Arab sources abroad- Funds from neighbouring Arab countries ar- also Lrade avaiLable through various unofficiat channels, fl:re most Tecent case beiirg the support given for the estabrishnent of a cenent factory in the west Bank. ?hesq, funds are administerecl by the n.unicipalities. Ilowever, vaxi.ous derays and clifficu'l-ties are encounte'ed in realizing these investments, not the least of which is approval from the adninistering authorit,ies. soneiimes this ;;plovaJ- is t'tithhel-cl and the projects cannot be carried out. one instance in which such a'pproval was withhefd wes reported to the mission by the Mayor of Harhut, vho stated that he r,ias refused permission to buird a market after a site had been obtained and al]. architecturaf and engineering design= completed and funds oblieated from abroaal. The current situation ana uncertainties about the future exert a strong influence on private and public investment decisions.
27. The nunicipalities continue to make pubric investments in the for.n of nunicipal establishi ents, roads, markets and other constructions, As shoun in appendix II belov, tllese investments arnounted to fI 223,1+36,000 i; lili-Wf S. They were financed from loans fronx the adrninistration and fron the financial resources of the local- inhabitants.
28' rnformation on pubric investments is hor^rever not readily available in the absence of thp capital budgets for the occupied terri.tories.
f. Lano
29' Thc total fand area of the occupied territories is given es approxixxatefy 5'939,000 ,lunr.rns, of r.rhich j,,Tz,OOO a-:e in the l.Iest Bank and 36?,000 in th- Ca.za strip' of this? arr area of 2,Bl+o"ooo aunrrns'rr"a been under cultivation in ]'96r, rr/
^s-ta ,.t1r1s.t r/c sS,! e!iEtical Abgjract o.f lsraef (Jerusalem, Central Bureau 01' 196))" p. 5)+OAl35153"'
Enel i sh
Annex T
Paae 11
but this had alFclineal to 2"1-\O,O0o dunums by 19?!, or ?5 per cent of the land,
cultivated in 1967. yll Tne reasons for this tlecline are not discussed in the
Israeli publicationiavailable to the nission but in its discussions r''ith officials
of the Palestine Liberation Organization and officiafs of the Gover lents of
neighbouring Arab countries the experts rrere told t-nat the decline vas due to
three nain factors. First, l-arge areas had been declared "c.Iosed" areas and
put out of procluction for Eecurity reasons. Seconrlfyn large areas of land hac'l
been alproprieted by the occupying power for the establishment of nev Jewish
settlFments. Third.ly, nany famer$ hed been conpelled to abandon their land,
becausF of difficulties and inpedinents, which all- but nade it impossibLe for then
to continue to cu-ltivate the 1and. Accurate figures are hard to colte by' as these
have not been nad.e public and, furtherurore " 'vhe interpretation of the legal status
of some lands is still in dispute. Hor,lever, it is estinated that by SeFtenber 1979
the occupying authorities had taken possession of approxinately f.5 million d.ununs
in the l^Iest Bank and Gaza Strip, equivalent to approxinatcly 25 per cent of the
total area (A/3\/631, para. ].05).
30. The inpact of Tsraeli occupation on the question of land in the occuaied
territories and its role in neeting the econornic and social needs of the people
have five inportant irrplications; (a) a sense of insecurity in th€ possesEion of
the landi (t) a lack of notivation to mahe l-ong-tertn investm€nts in the land,
arising out of the sense of insecurity; (c) frapentation of holdings beeause. of
the increase of population and decreaae in the quantun of Land available for
cu-ltivation, as wel-l- as for shelter n due to appropriation by the occupying power;
(d) unfair corrrpetition fron IsraeLi subsittized agricul,tural protlucts, conPelling
nany Palestinians to abandon farroing i and (e) the restrictions placeal by the
authorities on the exploitation of vater resources for irrigation by Pafestinian
Alabs.
31. fhe rnission found that the sense of insecurity stenned. frorn the various l-avs
and regulations appli-.d by tbe occupying authorities for requisitioning lancl, the
rnost inportant of which were l the Ottonan Bupire laws of l-858, governing State
]and rbich had been sanctionetl by the Mand.atory Polrer but returnetl to niri status
by the Jordania.n authorities; article L25 of the Eore-rgency ordinances of 1945,
enacted by the Mandatory ?ower, which enabled the author ity to consid.er sone
areas "cl-osedrr for security reasons; the Israeli Absentee Proprietors Law of 1950,
8nd conpulsory purchase. Because land can be taken avay frorn the otmers und.er any
one of the above l-avs or the regulations fra.ned. under then, there hFS been no
notivation for investment to improve either protluctivity or shelte.r, or the
infrastructure of settlemFnts.
2. Waler
32. The queBtion of vater both for agricul-tural end donestic purposes is the
most difficult to resolve " inasmuch as Israel and the occupietl territories
fy' AAriculture in the llest Bank (nama ah" DePartnent of Agriculture, l9?lr),
cited in (lirabLus, 1978), P. 9.
Al35/533
English
Annex I
Page 12
constitute a single naturar anal georogicar region for water The question is collection and fr.ows. conpound.ed by the fact that the paLestinians are not invoLvecl in the alecisions affecting the use of wa,ter in the t..rritories.
33.- The.region has only tr.ro, rather scatce, pernanent sourees of watel-: (r) tir. Jortlan river and its tributary systen, wirictr lan provid€ for about 1,!ooroo0 dr:nrurs of-irrigated rand; ancr- (l) trre ".,bt"tr.rr""n .q.rif.., which at present is providing l-00 aillion cubic metres annuar.r.y to the rlest
-nanr
ano 5oo nilr-ion cubic metres annuaLl-y to rsraeL' rn the coastal plains the over-exproitecl aquifer provides the Gaza Strip agriculture rrith lO0 nitlion
"rrti" ,itr.". !l
3l+. Tahal,.tr{ater Pl-anning. for fsraeL ltd. gives the folloving as the quantity of water uhich can becone availablc for Israeli
Joralan Watey
Return flows, Jordan Basin
Springs in the eastern watershed.
Springs in the vest ern vatershed (ineluaing
the Yarkon Springs )
Ground water
FLootl f.Lows
Beturn flow fron irrigation
Ile-use of <Iomestic and industrial vater
Total-
For domestic and industriel_ use
Availabl,e for irrigation
Millions of gubic gstres
per annum
l+50
5o
150
350
l+50
t_00
100
150
r,800
300
1 ,500
Source: Taha1" (rer aviv- 1955) , p, r,ar.The master pl-an for Israel develoFnent of inigation,,
35' The latest data on rater conaumption in rsr:ael are given in appendix rrr belou. ?wo important consitr-erations arr.se ri.r iul- a"i.. !,irst, since 1!5!, rsrael has been using more than 83 per cent of its provealenevable lrat er reserves. The average of use fron that year to 197? is B9 per cent, with a variabiliiy of less than 5 per ceut, which ind.icates a rairry stitie tevel. This, together with the
L_e x-in !g1tof nV Bivoioahns ,B ul]. " The l{est Bank. Is ft Viable? ( Lexington , },{a.ssachuseEs , I9T5 )lAl3rl533
ff:l"l
Paae 13
high variability of rains in the region, which can reach 23 per cent or Dore, gholts
tha.t the belance of r.rater in the region ls ver"y precarlous and uay hnve reecheal
a critical point.
36. Secondly, since 1969, Israefts total consuDption of weter in domeetLe anC
industrial uges exc"ed.ed the 300 nilLion cublc metreg allottetl in the qaster plan,
a situation that can only becoee vorse vith tire, in ao far as use lncreases with
the inerea.se in population. This is borne out w a stat enent tn the glggloglgg
Judaicg, as follorvs: "Betveen 19!9 and t96B the utlllzatlon of proven water
resources rose from 17 per cent, roaihly fron ].ocal grounat wEtelr to ahost
90 per cent ( inclutling the utiLization of the Yarkon anil Jortlan rl,vers)."
3'1 . Ttre foll,owing table gives sone LnrlLcation of the Fnortnous dlfferenee betwe€n
aater consu[ption leve-ls in Israe]. and the ltest Benk:
Agricultur:e
Intlustry (conbined vith house consumption )
llouse consunlltion
Tot aI
Genera^L rate of consuraption per indivldual
Rete of home consumption per indivlilual
!E€!-g
90
10
100
lh2
13
I6rae1
I 325
95
300
537
B6
l ?20
Sources.: For Israel, I(fDl{A: Israel Journal. of _lqrrelopuent, 1ro, 10 (19??)! ror the lrest Bank, palestrnEEficnli-ffial-riiE6icourffiffi porlcles ln
the l.,lest Bankr: (n. d.. ) , p. lr.
It viI1 be noteal fron the above table that the fsraeLl consulrptlon of lrater for
agricultural- purposes alone is nore than 13 tlnes the total constuptlon Ln the
I'Iest Ba"nk antl for doraestic purposes and intlustry it is alnost lr0 tines thef of the
llest Bank. The nission llas tolil that the Israeli authortt lFs hB.(l takFn a number of steps to ensure that the consuaption of vat Fr by the Paleatlnians ms kept at
those low levels " r,rtlile the consuoption by Iaraell settlenents antl agrl,culture r,us
allowed to rise. The follor,:ing arF exa$ples of actions taken to restrl,ct sat€r
use by the PalFst.inians in the occupled terrltorl,es I
The instalLstion of meters at well-heacls to llnlt the anouDt of uEter that can
be alravn and. the inposltion of fines for exceeding the ll!0lts lnpoeed;
The non-lssuance of perrd.tE to Paleitl,niaas for tllg6lng rreir r.ells for
agricultural purposes in the occupieil territorleB wblt€ severel, bev vplla have
been tlug to provide new Jevish spttleuents anil farns tdth nater!
A/35/ 533
Erglish
Annex I
Page 14
The di.gging of deep we11s by
use of pcr,rerful pr.rmping equipnent,
discharge from the old Arab wel1s
r,rp11s.
the Islael,is near functioning Arab wells and the
resuLting in a severe reduction of the vater or, in some cases, a conplete drying up of these
D.
F ettlements growth a"d
38' Agricultur€ of r'ras and continues to be the nain productive sector in the econony the occulicd te*itories. - Arthough
since 1970' it still emol-oyed, in tgiT, "rf*pir,lo!Zyr .nt in this sector has been falling
in the territories, or ]0.5 pot ""t of a total of 1111,500 enDfoyFd.
report ' a€ricul-t're in the occup"ie."ai : tef.uF/i-t'oAr;i"eosr awtrarsg i nto a a bna crksvraa.redl.i sctaovteer npmreiontr to ll: 196I y*:9 . r^ed.iatelv "rt* irr"-""
""prt r on,
-ir.
range of technofogicaf innovations to raise output ana inc"r"eiiar.s"er irp."r-oinaturoc{divuictye,d a" naa incornes in this sector. considerations telina i,hese actions included the expansion of narkets for rsraeli agro-industrial produetion input s ana iit.-a.r.uropr"nt or products r,rhich were conplenentary to, rather than conpetitive with, agricultural products produced in rsrae]. The product nix was ar.so changed tc encourage the production of crops for inport substitution, as well as for producing i.nput s for rsrael-i processing pr'ants covelnment report ackno*rle' dlgrehsic thh tahte tnr reex ip-eorciei a tohfe t hfiensiesh ed product. The rsraeu. agriculture in the changes has been to rink occupiecl territories more closely to the Israeli econony. 16/ Official-s of the par-estine r,iberation orgenizaiion and residents of the JI;ri*
:a" :c1lo1s:e:" li-:i:n.k i nbteetrwveieewn eadg. riincu lrq.tu*r'e ainn ctl tJreor dan point out that, in seeking to forse occuiied. territories and the israer-i econony' the rsraelis have taken act:'.ons to discourage the prod.uction of certain traditional crols when these \,rourd compete with sinilar products from rsrael. Exanples of such actions include restrictions pIu".o o'the use of water for irrigation purposes by farmfrs prod.ucing competing agricultural- products and
tlhhues d cuonprdinpge- floinfg l othr'ree ri nphriacbeidta nprtosd .ucts on the iarkets of the occupied territories, of the r-atter to selt their produce below cost. As a resul-t of thpse and sinir-ar actions, nany farners have had to a.bandon their traditional- means of livelihood and put ihur""r'rru" out as hired. labour in rsrael. Thusr the tlansfomation of agricultire that has taren pla.ce essentially serves the interests of the rsraeli econony anr' has noi contributed to the over-a'l develoFment of the occupied territories. rt is arso the view of those interviewed that t'he prospects for real aGricurturar- development to serve the interests of the inhabitants of the occupied territorie" ."u fr"ri.."d by the absence of any long-term cteveLotrrnent pr-an and particurarly o.re
* for the agricultural sector.
39. fndustry in the occupied territories can be described as relatively
".^..+{ uratastr.c$s!,a !iq!icaf Abglract of Israe]., I9T8 (Jerusalem, central Bureau of l_9TU ) , p, T8g.
(tJ_e rusUa.le/ mS, ttg9lB* 0o)f, pIs,l a6e. l-, Ministry of Defence, A Twelve:year Sgrveyr !?67_19?9
t:!-/ mia., p. T.
in the cqnt ext of hr:man
ffitj3i'
Page 15
undeveloped. Its conposition and contribution to the national- product have not
changed nuch since before the June 196? var. In 1968 it ernployed 19'700 persons'
or 15.)+ per cent of those enployed., whil-e in Jauary-Septernb et 1979, it enployed
22,BOO, or f5.f peT cent of those employed. 17/ fts contribution to the national
product has remained at axound 7 per cent, lts activities are Largely confined to
craft work in 1ow-productivity, labour-intensive operations, except fo]' beverages
and tobacco manufacture. Manufacturing plants are srdaIl and efiploy 10 persons on
the average, and most of the work is perforned nanua11y. There are only seven
enterprises enploying 100 or more persons, all in the I{est Bank and none in the
caza Strip. af1 ttese "large" firrns had been established before 196?.
l+0. In the West Bank, the rnain industrial branch in terms of revenue earned in
I97T r,tas food, beverages and tobacco, fol]-or,red by textiles and cl"othes' rubber,
plastics and chemical products. There has been an expansion of Production in
textil-es' plastics ancl rubber ' furnitu.re and building naterials, mainly owing to
a system of subcontracting by Israeli firms.
1+1. In the Gaza Strip, the estabfishment of an industrial zone at the Erez
checkpoint near Gaza has been a significant development. Most of the plant s ere
ovned. by Israelis, and. they produce nainly netal good.s, textiles, and wood and
rubber products. The zone provid.es erploynent for a sizeable number of Gaza
c+ ri h s6c i /:l ah+ 6
l+2. Apart from the local demand, indus t.ry in these territories is gearecl to lsraeli
demand, and this has been selective. The maj or itens produc ed or processed for
the Is"ae.Ii market are: cfothing (subcontracts), wood products, ticker and other
types of fi.rrniture ' rroven textiles (carpets)' plastic good,s and buiLding rnaterials '
1+3. The ]ack of appropriate natural resources or a tfaditlonaf branch or skills
in manufacturing in these territories points to the need for an agricultural
oriented ind.ustry, both as an input provider and raw naterial plccesser, Iiowever,
the potential for even such industrial development in the occupied. territolies
is clearfy linitec because of the more efficient and. technol-ogj.cally advanced
industrial production system of rsrael, vhich has a. neax monopolistic advantage in
the markets of the occupied territories. 18/
1+l+. Construction activity is generally an index of capital forrnation.
unfortunately, not much inforrnation is availabl-e on this sector in the publ ished
fi/ For the 1979 figures, see FepoTt of the Direc , International
labour-Conference, sixty-sixth session ( Geneva, InGruational labour Office, 1980),
appendix III, tabie 6; -see also Statistical Abstrac (Jerusalen,
central Bureau of statistics, r9691;l:-U*:-
18/ For firrther informatj-on on the industrial sector' see Arie Bregman
" 1968-1973 (Jerusalem, Bank of Israel'
Resea-rch Department, 197 van Arkadie, Benefits and Durdens:
A
e nndor'rment for International- Peace' 1977
Al35 /533
E:rg]-ish
Annex I
rase -Lo
material concerning the occupied territories. building, both in The data available pertain only to the annuar statistical abstracts and the report furnished by the Government of fsrael. The data are given in append.ix V betow. It woul-d. aprear that most of the building construction has occurred in the private sector both in the llest Bank and the caza strip, mueh of it in residentiai building. There ha.s been a negligible amount of pulfic residenti€r' buildi.ng in the hrest
Sank cons't rwuchteiled tfhoer tdhaeta r efofurg etehse. Gaza strip would reflect the housing that fias being
l+r. Another indicator of capital forration is the investnent naale by the nunicipa.lities in improving the in1'1'u"lructure and eonmunity faeilities, T11e data
-
availabl-e are given in appendix fI befow. The figures for 19TB/?9 show a considerable increase over those tor 19T6/77. This is an outcom€ of'a policy of the Arab league to promote "twinning" of citi"s in the Gulf and. other Arab stat€s and those in the occupied territories. Beginning in late !:g|G, th;;"yo""" sometimes along vith delegations, trom Rarnau-ah, Hebron, Nablus, BethLehem, Gaza and Qalqiliya, among others, visited the neighbouring Arab states to secure resources to irnprove conrnunity facilities in their torms. Negotiiations for such grants and loans arr subJ eet to prior approval of the occupying authorities in respect of the specific proJects ror r.rhictr funds are sought and close supervision in the utilization of such funds.
E. l.{g.cro-economic indicators
146' According to the rsraeri Governnent report, ].9/ the gross national prod.uct in the occupied territories increased at an- average annua.f rate of about 13 per ccnt in real terrns since the occupation, vhile gross national product
?er-capila increased at an average annual rate of 11 per cent in rear terns during the same period. r.Ihile over-arr private consr:mption increased at an average annual- rate of 9 per cent in real terms, private consurnption per capita increased, at an average annual rate of J per cent.
47. The mission was unable to obtain evidence of the existence of any over_al1" developnent plans to provide directlon for systematic economic develoinent and social progress in the occupied territories. The rconomic Develop'eni plan for rsrael, l-97r-l-975 State of Israel w'i thsipne ictsif icparelly-J usntaet et9s6 Tth afrto tnhteie rfrsa,r evwitohr kt hfoer a tdhdei tpiolann o rfe fers to the Jerusalem' East Thus" the rest of the occupied territories vas excfuded fron the pr.an for this period.. Development planning for subsequent periods vas also conducted on the same basis, The absence of any development plan for the rest of the occupied territories is an imped.iment to an oiderty and rational d.evelopnent of the areas to serve the interests first and foremost of the people of those afeas.
19/ State of Israel-, Ministry of Defence, op. cit., p. 3,
E^n/3s-5L /15S 3n3
Annex I
Paee 17
I' . Thq,Slgla1 fr.a4etlork
l+8. The present Palestinian society in the 1^Iest Bank and Gaza Strip is composed
of those living in refug€e canps (285,\05), trrose registered as refugees but
livins in the to'wns and villaEes in the territories (395, 209) and the original
inhabltants ()rl+1,885), "ot" oi vhom have been displaced for various reasons fron
their original 1ands, homes and conmunities. 20/
\9. Over the years, including the period after .lune 1967, many Pa.lestinians of
worhing age, mostLy technically and professionafly qualified persons, have
e.nigrated. at an average of 2O'OO0 persons per year' 21/ in search of gainful
enploynent in the neighhouring Arab states and beyond, because of the lack of
Jobs in the l-ocaI areas, as we11 as in Israel, conmensurate rrith their education
and training. Some have also been deported and others have fled for political
and other reasons, They have not been able to return because of various
restrictions imposed by the occupying power. Young people in seaxcb of higher
education have afso left, mol'e so among the nal"e youth. A situation has therefole
arisen in the occupied. territories in whieh there is a considerable nunber of
Patestinian households without a ma].e head, a situation with grave consequences
for fanily fife and social stability.
50, A further disrupting efement in the social rnifieu of the llest Bank and the
Gaza Strip has been the establisl rent of Jevish settle.ments in strategie locations
in the terlitories. The impostion of ruilitary rule and the presence of an ali.en
culture and religion, compounded by resPntment at occupation, has created an
atmosphere of tension whicb affects not only the social relations betlreen the
Palestinians and the Jewish settfers but sometines also among Palestinians
thenselves - the traditional 6l-ite and the new emerging leadership, the o1d and
the youth, those vorking in the territories and. those who ha.ve accepted. emplolrment
in Israel.
51, Most of the refugees had comF frolo a mral- backcround and vere unaccustomed
to the crovd€cl and pseudo-urban living cond.itions of the camps. They had been
uprooted. fron tbeir socio-cultural- habitat, dispossessed of the only resource
they knew to exploit - land - and their skills in farming vere useless in the camp
setting. They hacl becone the bottom layer of the social structure, doing
unskiLled work wheneyer available" often seasonally, The refugees in the towns and
villages were likewise farm labourers or unskilled workers in conmerce and
industry, often conrpeting with the ].onq-tinle residents for the few available
jobs and sornetiles being resented. The original residents in the tor'ns a:rd
villages vere the most stable group in the society, yet living rrith a sense of
insecurity as to their lega1 and social rights.
20/ Total-s computecl from figu?es in para. 15 above,
{/ Report of the Direetor-General ' International Labour Conference,
si*ty--si"@a1 Labour office, 1980), appendix rrr'
para. 8l+.
A/3i / 533
A.nnex I
rafe -L5
C, fuplo rment, income and consumption
5", According to the in data available, p/ in f96g, unemployment was 1O.g per cent thp \iest Bank and 16,9 per cent in iFe Gaza strip, giving an overal-l unenployment rate of 13.8 per cent for the occupied ierritoiies. ly iSfZ, tlr" rat e r.ras dorvn to 1 , 2 per cent in the llrest Bank anal O .1 per cent in ih. G""" strip' eiving an overall rate of 0.6 per cent, The nission was informed. by repr€sFntatives of the palestine Liberation Organization that the p.in"ip.t- reason for this 1owerin61 of the rate of unenploy:nent vas withdrawal fronx the labour force of nany who would othervise be
-econonicer-1y
fron the territories of active an. emigration territories, able-bodied young men vho, if they had remained in the r+ould have swel_Ied the rankJ of the unenployed.
53. There were" as of Sept ember 1979, 6\3,600 persons of working age, conprising 309,500_men and 33\,OOO won!!. Of tbese, ifB,fOO r,rere in the J-abour forceo conpri sing _lBB, L00 nen and 29,Too women. Tbe pa.rticipation rate i.r-tir. ruuo.r. force was 60,9 rr"r cent for men and g.g p"i--""it for \romen. This represents sore 34.0 per cent of the- working
"g.
pop.rl"tin.r,
"no rate is'_therefore, the overall. paxticipation very 1ov, wiih . "o""ia"""tre disequilibrir:m l-etween tne sexes' Ferr'ale particitation rates are generar.ry 1ow in the region, but the rate for the occupiecl territories is lower than the rates in tt,p other^ countries.
tToh oth::e 1 l9arr €rlaet epsro opfo rptiaornt icoifp ation in econonic activity are mainly *iiri-Lrtrlf. young people in the poputation, the relative imbalance betteen men and voxflen of working ag"^ r" " "e=,-,rt soeial factors influencing or e.nigration and- tradition.l fernale participation in the labour force. As a general rule, a fairly 10lr participation rate inilicates that a large nr:rnber or adults of vorliing age are absent frorn the labour narket and, consequently, that the per capita j.ncone is correspond.ingly Lower. In the case of th; Gaza Strip and the llest Bank (exeluding East Jerusale.m), onLy a. thirct of the popul.ation vas providing the 3oods and services needed. by thp rest.
5)''- or th' empfoyed labour force, those employed in the Gaza strip and l,rest Bark numbered l"L1,6oo" r,lhil,e those working in fsraei numbered 75,100 or 3l+.f per eent.
lilt::l 1978. ana f9?9, those enployel in tneselvo tenitories fe1l froo
)ulyu,:t1u9u0 r oto _r)l,[Jl:'u!oo,o a-n ian creredausceti oonf oi z,6oo, *a tnouo ernployed in rsrael rose from 51400 or f.J per eent.
55- The labour force in the tvo teritories during this period increased by 2,300 persons, rrhile the number of those etrpfoyea fel]- by 2,600. ft woul-d appear, therefore" that ir,9oo persons r,rere seeking L" r""a in need of errployraent cluring the_period. considering that the nunter if persons from these territories enployed in fsrael during the sane peri.od. inlreased by 5rl+00, ii
-"ro -u.-."
that those persons entering the labour nark€t and seeking employnent " as ve"LuLroa
as another 500 already enployed" found
attraction of higtrer vages or the lack
Nurnber
(thousands
)
A/35 /5 33
Xngl.ish
Annex I
Page 19
emplo;nnent in Israel because of the
of grolrth in the territories, 23/
'I O?Q
J6- The trend- in the distribution of e-rnployrnent by place of r,rork is as
follovs: N
L973 r977
P.rcentage
Nulrbgr
(thousands
)
t.rcerlgre.
Number
( thousand
s ) "-.. r
" ".
Pafestinians
tnrkiro i n .
and l^Iest Banh
Israel
),5?.7 BB.1 133 . l+ 68 . j 1l+1. 5 6g .z 1l+1. 5 55.1+
20.6 ]-1. 9 6r.3 31" 5 62.9 30.B 75.r 34.6
ft voukl appear that e-nplolrment in the two territories dropped to a 1ofi in 1973,
ros., by 5 per cent in 1977 and reraained practi.cally the same in 1979. At the
same tine" empfolnrent of Palestinians in Israel had risen by 19?.5 per cent by
f973, rogistering a further rise of 2.6 per cent by 197? and another rise, of
19.4 per cent by f9?9. This Inould see.m to indicate a lack of growth in e-mploynent
in thc occupi::d territories that appears tc stem fToo the economic policies
pursuecl- by the occupying pover,
2l/ Thc figurcs in paragraphs 53-55 have been computpd from !g9g!-g[-tirn
Director-General, Tnternational T,abour Conference, sixty-sixth sescion (Geneva,
fnterr':rticnal labour Office, 1980), appendix III, table 1.
2Ll ci.tie+i-.1 A}\al-?a^+ ^f T<rqal loTA
Director-Genera1, International l,abour Conference"
Internationaf Labour Office, 1980), apnendix IfI,
.p.... ._7_8.3-. .a.-n.7d. =E.e,p94--9!-!b:
sfxty-Slxth SeSSlon (Uen(ava table 1, '
A/ 35 / 533
English
Annex I
lage 20
5"1 , fn so far as the various economic
as ro-t-Lows: l>l
'I O7n
OcSu-
Pied
Terrifsrael
tories
branches are concerned, the trend has been
PerpSnleees
Agriculture
Construction
Other a/
'la??
0ccuhi
6A
Terd-
Israel torieg
to ? ?r ?
tA I rq l
5r.7 6.l+
1,4
Lv.7 + | ,.^.
0ccuniaui
Terr i -
Israel tories
!979_
0ccu-
Israel Ierll- tories
a/ fncludintj coruaerce, restaurants, hotels, transport, storafle, and public
and c ornnun ].ty scrvlces.
Emplo]'raent in agriculture has been fau.ing both in the two territories and in
Tsrael. In ind.ustry, it has been rising in Tsrael- whiLe in the tvo territories it
had risen in 1973 but fallen slightly i.n !977 to rise again in f979. In
constructiono emploJanent has been falling in fsrael, with a slight rise in 1979"
while in the tvo territories it haat faLl-en in 1973 but risen in 1977 and 1979.
It vill be noted that the econonic branch which showed greatest expansion betlteen
1970 and 19?3 was services included in the '?other" category. By 1979, this branch
employed almost half of the workers in the two territories, r,thi].e about one in
every six ?a,l-estinians rnrcrking i.n Israel ras enployed in this branch'
Fepresentaives of the Pal-estine liberation Organization and officials of Arab
Governments consulted. by the nission point out ths-t the disproportionate size of
enployment in this category is due to the fact that the Palestinians are enployed
in menial and lolr-paying jobs formerly being perforrned by Israelis' whil-e the
Israelis nove on to higher-paying Jobs.
58. In vieri of the fact that the annual- Statistical Abstract of fsrael gives data
^'' nrnnl^vr^r+ ih rcy'aal of non-Jews from Vithin the country as ve11 as of pcrsons
from the occurried territories, some interesting observations can be Eade on the
trend of such er'iployment, For instance, in the a.gricultufal sector, uhile the
total of employees dropped in absofute terns by 1n7oo persons betwee-n L970 and 19?7'
the number of non-Jewish emplcyees rose by 3,)+00 persons. In fel-ative terms, the
proportion of non-Jelts increased fron l+2.5 per cent of the total erpl-oyees in 1970
2Lt .l4
_L_L , O
54.3
9.7
38.7
13.8
B.l+
_LO. Z
2r.3
)r <
"
r7.2
30.5
l+ .2
9.1
\6.2
t).+
_LO. +
28.7
-LO.l-
10.1
+) .1
25l Statistical Abstract of_f srael. ]-978 . . . , p. 7B3 ?nd_ Bs!gl!-€-!h.
olrector-cenirar " International l,abour ConFerence, sixty-sixth session ( Geneva'
International Labour Office, 1980), appendix IIf, tables 1+ and 6.
Al35/533
English
Annex f
Paae 21
to 55.4 per cent in 19??. Of these proportions, non-Jers from fsrael fell fron
6e.)r per cent in 1970 to 38.9 per cent in 197?, while those fron the occupipd
territories increased frorn 37.6 per cent to 61.1 per cent.
59. fn industry, vhii-e the tot;al of employees increased. in absofute terms by
47,000 pF'rsons betr,reen f97o arld 197?, the number of non-Jewish employees increased
by ]6,1+00, fn refative terms" the proportion of non-Jer,rs increased from
7.8 per cent in 1970 to 12.5 per cent in f9??. Of these proportions, the number
of non-Jelrs from Israel- decreased from 86,2 per cent in l-9TO to 6O.l+ per cent
in f917 " while those from the occupied territories increased frox0 13.0 per cent
to 39.5 per cent during the sajoe period.
60. fn construction, vhilr' the total employed increased in absolute terms by
23'300 during the period 197 0-:.-97'1 , the m:mber of non-Jews employed increased by
25r90Q. fn relative ternxs, the proportion of non-Jews increased from 31.8 per cent
in 1970 to 47.9 per cent in L9T'1 . Of these proportions, the mrmber of non-Jews
from Israel d.ecreased from 6L.9 per cent in f97O to )+B.O per cent in 19??, while
those fron the occupied territories increased froro 3B.l per cent to
52.0 per eent , $/
61. The trend vould appear to indicate that in the movement of labour in Israel,
as Jewish and non-Jewish employees in Israel move upward s and outwards in the
employnent structure, the vorkers from thc occupied territories move in to fil_1
the places at the bottom of the struct.are as semi-skilled and unskilled fabour,
The educational and voca.tional- training patterns in the occupied territories
reinforce this vier.r, and would seem to confirm that palestinians from the occupied territories are employed nainly on the lor4,er rungs of the occupationa] .l-adder.
62. The occupationaf categoLies of the employecl persons among the palestinian
population are $iven in appendix VIf below. In 1978, agricultural workers and
skilled and unskilted workers in industry, mining, building and transport formed
the bulk of the enployed (72.0 per cent). this proportion has not charged nuch
since 1972 (71.3 per cent). Scientific, professional and adrninistrative workers
forned 10.6 per cent, a decrease fron 11./ per cent in f972, The relative paucity
of Jobs requiring this kind of expertise, as indicated. by the tr€nd, is no doubt one
of the principAL causes of emigration of professionally qualified persons. The
expert s rtere told by officials of the neighbouring countries and representatives
of the Palestine Liberation Organization that the principal reasons for the lack
of enployr0ent opportunities for scientific, professional and id:ninistrative
pprsonnel in the occupied territories vere:
(a) The tach of expansion of the public services and the virtual freeze in
the employnent of certain categories of professional workers in the public sector,
such as teachers and nurses;
42/ Ahe figures have been computed fron Stati.stical Abstract of fsrqgl ...,
1973 to ]9?8.
A/35 / 533
Xnglish
Annex f
Paee 2?
(b) The relati.vely 1ov salaries prrid to professional vorkers such as medical
porsonnel connerec rrith their counterparts in the lsrae-Li public service;
(c) The difficulties faced by somp professionals in acquiring the equipment
nec es s aly for th^ir vork;
(d) The heavy burden of Israeli taxation on individ.ual professionals
working on their oan account,
6. As for incomes, the report furnished by the Goverrutrent of Israel mentions
that the incomes of self-enployed farmers grew at an average annual rate of
some 20.0 1)er cent in the l,/est Bank and 15.O per cent in the Gaza Strip, vith
sinijar incorne grcvlh rates for agricultural enploycps. This incrFase in income
r,ras, accord-ing to the report, nainly rlue to structural changes introduced,
increased. utilization of hi6;her quality production inputs and the closer ties
established betlreen the economies of the occupied territories and Israel. 27/
0+. The trend in r,rage rates of those working in the Caza Strip and l,lest Sank and
those in fsrael, both in current and real terns, can be seen from aplcndix VI
belo1'r,
65. The 1eve1 of r,rages paid to the vorke?s f"om the tvo territories working
within the territories and in Israel has risen significantly in current terms over
the past 10 years. The average, daily vage per uorker rose from 7.9 Israel pounds
in 1970 to 68.O lsrael pounds in 1977 in thr- t.lest Bank, while in the Gaza Strip
and Northern Sinai the average daily wage per worker rose fron 5.! Israel pounds
in 1970 to 55.5 Israel pounds in l-97?. 28/ Wnen the incomes are deflated by the
index of consurer prices, the rise in ti? -Level of incones does not appear as
great as it does at first sight. A revision of the d.ata to take account of
inflation vould indicate that for the \,trest Bank the average real daily wage of
erployees lrorliing there rose frorn 7.31 Israe1 pounds in 1970 to 11.81+ Israel pounds
in I97'l " giving an aver^age annuel increase of under f per cent at 1968 prices.
The increase in real irages for enployees from the West Bank working in Israel vas
very insignificant, The average daily vage for this c&tcgory increased in real
terrns (at 1968 priees) fron tO.9 fsrael pounds in 1970 to only 12.5 fsrael pounds
in 1977, an average annual increase in real \rages of 2 per cent, Thus, the real
wa€les of e.mployees fron the triest Bank workers in Israel remained virtually the
sa.me over the eight-year period.
56. During the early ypars of the occupation, there was a great difference in the
level of wagcs oaid to workers in the occupied territories and thaL paid to those
lrorking in Israel. This gap has nov narror,red considerably. llhile in 1970 wages
paid in the two territories were slightly nore than half the wages paid in Tsrael,
27/ State of Israel, Ministry of lefence, op:_qj!,, p. 5.
2B/ Statistical Abstract of Tsrael, 1978 .,,, Fp. 376 and. TB9.
/...
Nl35 /533
Bnglish
Annex I
Page 23
by 19?8 the former constituted about 60-90 ppr^ cent of the latter according tc
sector. 2Q/ There also seems to .be
some convergence between avel age Israeli
wa€es and average wages paial to workers fron the occupied territorles. In 1970
the average raages paid to r'rorkers fron the occupied territories vorking in
fsrael constituted 59,0 per cent of the avel'age wages paid to Israelis. By 7977 the proportion had increased to 73.0 per cent. 30/ This achievement is '
counterbalanced by the high r^ate of inflation in fsrael, vhich is transrnitted to
the occupied territories because of the close relationship between the tvro
economies. The movement of the consuner price index from 1970 to 1979 is given
in appendix IX below,
67. Increased incomes fron emplo]'ment have partly contributed to higher' 1eve1s
of consumption, fn the !trest Bsnk, between 1968 anA 1978, the value of
agricultural goods consrmed rose, at current prices, from €T 123 nillion to
T3,038 nillion, that of indust.riat goods from 5.I 133 nil-tion to t3,187 mil-lion
and, that of services from fT 99 mi].lion to tI 2,021- mi].lion. In the Gaza Strip,
during the same period" the value of agriculturat products increased from
SI l+7 nilLion to tI 985 miJ-1ion, that of industrial goods from fI 57 million
to tI l-,652 rnillion and that of services f"oix tI l+t rniuion to €I BB1 mi11ion. 31/
The number of households possessing durable goods had a.1so risen considerably
particularly in the case of electrical and gas stoves for heatin6r and rarGes for
cooking' refrigerators, ser,ring machines, television sets, telephones and motor
vehicles, 'S?il Mucb of the increase in consumption can al.so be attributed to the
substantial renittances frcm abroad., vhich in the Gaza Strip had increa.sed from
fI 2 nxi.l-Lion in 19bb to fI 864 million in L977 and in thp Wpst Bank from
tI 17 roillion in 1968 to SI ],572 rniflion in 19??, 33/ Aeain, officia.ls of the
Palestine Liberation Organizetion question the base data on the possession of
durable goods. They believe that the proportions or'ming durable goods befol:e the
occupation vere much higher thah those given in the Israeli statistics,
?2/ S_!p!fqme4_t9 -!bg Report qq lhe Dileq! or- Cs4qre l, rnternational Labour
Conlerence, sixty..sixtn session, (C"-neva - -fntErn-a1-i"naf falour office, L179).. p, 26,
J_qi stClr_E1lSer-_4_S_EtICSt _Clrsrael, 1978 ..., pp. 376 and 789.
t r*.'".,,-.'oo","u"*o,'".,u,-"*,]1..., p. ??1.
32/ Sta1. of Israet, Depa-rtnlenL of Defence, op.cit,, p. 31.
33/ Statistical Abstra.ct of Israel, 1978 ..., pp. 768 and 769.
t.,,
A/35 /r33
Annex I
vage 24
III. THE 1iUI.IA]I SETTLEI,IENT SYSTA1 T1i THE OCCUPII,D TXBRITORINS
A. the pattern of human settlenents
trJ. 'lhe hest tsank cornprises a total area of l+,8e0 kilometres (A/3\/j36 and. Corr.l,
annex 1, paras. 3 and )+) and had a Dopulation of 581 ,200 at the end of L)17, 3U
giving a lopulation density of approximately 1l+1 persons per soruare kilonet"e.
Around 30 per cent of the population l-ive in urban areas; the rest of rhe population,
nanely J0 per cent, l-ive in villages vith populations of from 50 to 5,000 persons
each .
69. The Gaza Stri! and llortb.ern Sinai compri.se an area of 3)+5 square kilonetres I ^ !^r t-^. tA/341536 and corr.l-, annex I, paras. 3 and Ir) lrith a population of U+l-,300 at the
end of 1977, 3)+/ giving a population density ot f
"279
persons per square kil"onetre,
one of the highest in the world. About BO per cent of the population ]ive in urban
areas and refugee canps and the other 20 per cent in small rural settlenents. The principal t orn'ns in this territory are Gaza and Rafah.
70. A significa:rt feature of human settlertents in these two territoxies is the fact
that a large proportion of the population live in refugee camps, a situation
brougbt about by the lrar of 19)+8 and. aggravated by the l_96T hostilities and. other
:actors arisinA from the occupation. In the \,trest Bank, the number of refugees
registered r,rith UlIRliA was l1J"51Ir as of June 1979. 32/ of these, 82,461+ r,rere
. actual-ly living in 20 camps. The nunber of registered refugees constituted.
approximat e1y 46 per cent of the population of tbe hrest Bank at the end of L978" and
since nany refugees are not registered. '"'ith UllnllA, the proportion of refugees in
the tota-l popular,ion of the l.lest Bank is likely to be much higher. Those living in
camps constituted about 12 per cent of the population.
?1, In tbe Gaza Strip, there were 363"005 refugees registered vith Ll{RliA as of
June f979, 0f these, 2C2"9\1 were actually living in eight camps. 35/ Thus
80 per cent of the popufetion of the Gaza Strip rrere refugees and l+5 per cen"t of
rhe population vere actual-Iy livini in refugee camps. The size of the refugee
situation in Gaza is such that it comprises almost the whole of the population, if
the fiSure given for registered- refugees is augmented by the undetermined nrmber of
unregistered refugees.
72, In ad.dition to the indigenous lopulation of these two territories sJrd. the
Gclan Heights, nernr Jewish settlements are being estabfished. in the territories by
the oceupying Power or with its support and by July l?79 79 of these neu settfements
had. been established. in the l^lest Bank, 18 in the Gaza Strip and llorthern Sinai and 2! in the Golan Hei6hts (s/13450/Add.1, annex III).
34/ Statistical Abstract of Israef, 19?8 ... , p. 76j,
35l official Fecords of the Cenera-r As s erob It4r_lE!I!X=[9!ILL_g€!9!,
Supplen:]ent ITo. 13 (A/34/I3), annex 1" table lr.
A/35 /533
t,in sl- 1s n
Annex I
B. Housing and infrastructure
73. The large nr.u0.ber of refugees in tlle occupied teffitories poses a serious
problem in the fi el-d. of housing. Apa"t from the fact that tbe infLux of refusees
into these areas has put consi.derable pressure on existing acconnodation, the
denolition of nany refugee canp units by the occupying authority has exacerbated
the situation. In 1971, about 3,000 refugee shelters had. been denolisheai in the
Gaza Strip. The occupying authority undertook to resettle the displaced falrilies
and. others numbering 30,500. As of 31, December :..9'lB ) ZrBgZ units had been compLeted
and L,260 were und.er construetionl 26,\18 fatrilies were yet to be resettled. In the absence of a visit to the territory, no corurents -36/ can be nade on the quality
of housing provided. by the authorities in the Gaza Strlp. Ilo'weve?, tbe figures
gi.ven in the Statistical- Abstracts of Islael indicate that the average size of the
dwelling units buil-t by the authorities ii lluch sna"ll-er than the average size of
units in Israel or of those built by the private sector in the Gaza Strip.
Approximately 1!,000 houses had been destroyed. by the occupying authority since the
beginning of the occupat ion (a/!t/556 ard Corr.1, annex I, para. 24) and this has
aggravated the housing problem in the occupied. territories.
74. In the llest Santr, despite a consid.erable movement of leople to the toms, no
progra.Ime of public housi.ng see:ns to ha.ve been foruulated. and inpfemented. Ilousing
construction appears to be soJ-e]y in the haDd,s of the private sector. No prografi[re
of publ-ic assistance to facil-itate the productj.on of houses appears to be in
operation. The private sector has produced a creditable anount of housing,
especially since 1975, but this is far below the requirenents,of the population.
7r, Sone indication of the pressure of population on housing can be derived frorn
tables 1-6 in appendix X below. In the caza Strip and Sinai, the proportion of
fa:nil"ies living in housing units of tvo rooms or less feLl frorn 68,5 per cent in
1972 to 53,1+ per cent in 19?l+. It fel"t further to 51.6 per cent in 197?. l{hile
this nay be regarded as sone inprovement in the situation in the Gaza Strip and
Sinai as a vhole, in the refugee camps of that territory the lropoxtion rose fron
52.9 per cent in a972 to 53.8 per cent in f97?.
76. h the tr{est Bank, the proportion of ferilies living in housing units of two
rooms or less fel-1 fron 73.9 per cent ln !972 to 6l+,)+ per cent in 19?l+ and. to
61.1+ per cent in 1977. fn the ruyel a"eas of the llest Banli, the proportion cf
fanilies living in sueh dvelling units fel-I from 69 per cent in 19?)+ to 66,, per cent
in 1977, uhil-e in the tolms it feLl slightl-y from \6.9 per cent to )+5.8 per cenr
during the same period.
77. Although the figures shov some inprovement betneen 19?2 and 197?, t}e degree of
congestion suggested by the 19TT figures can only be described. as severe. The tvo
rooms per housing uni.t which has been taken as a cut-off point represents a very
1or.r stsndard of acconmodat ion. The loed.ian Arab fanil-y in the tr,ro territories
36/ State of Israel, tlinistry of Defence, op.cit., append.ix 18,
Al35 /533
-Einql L 5 n
Annex I
raPe to
consjsts of seven persons. ?hat nur.lber of persorrs living in two rooms Cives ar person/roor,: ratio of 3.5, rr,ni ch is much hig'trer ti:an the ratio for r.rhat may be regarried as an acceptable level- of thir'is acconriodaticn, In the West Bank, about t,,ro oi all f a-milies ',rere living at this 1eve1 or lor,rer o 'rhile in the (iaza str-ip
anci sinai' rilore than hali th.e fanilies were living in such conditions in f.9T-(. irhe situation contrasbs rrith that prevailing anong Jer,rish families in fsraef . r,ess than
30 per cent of Jewish families, vith a typical farnily size of Just over half that, of Arab fanilies, lived in d,.,e11ing units of two roons or less. The pieture of overcror'rcling vllich can be inferred from the farge proportion of paleslinian Are.b fami.lies lir.ing in dr.relling units of two rooms o" 1"s"" is reinforced. by an e:lamination of the clata in tabre J in appendix x berow, vhich gives the proportions of families living at varioul room densities,
78' uhife some ir.prover.ents have t arien pr-ace between 1972 and. :'977, t,,e fever of overcrouding revealed. by the figures is stift verlr high, In 1977, tl.re lowest nedia.n
roorn density vas ?.'1 , obtained from the tolms of the ''{est Bank and tte Gaza strip. fn the Gaza Strip, the median roon d.ensity for the territory- as a r,rhol-e lnas 2.9, uhile it r'ras 2.J in the towns and. 2.9 in the refu6ee canps. The situation vas sinrilar in the West Bank, where in l:977 the med.ian room density vas 2.T for tl:te tolms and 3.2 for the rural areas,
79' rf a person/room ratio of 2.5 is regarded as acceptabr,e o r.rith any ratio higher than that constituting overcror'rd.ing, €nd if it is ass'med that half the famiries in the range 2.o t,o 2,9 are living above this standard and tbe other harf belor"i it, then about 50 per cent of trre families in the caza strip and d3 p;r ""r.t or failiries in the r,4est Bank rnrere living in cond.itions of overcrording r.rith rnany living in ccnditions of very serious overcror"rd.ing during l-9TT.
Bo. The fiSuxes on house size and room d-ensities reveal that the si.tuation is \40rse in rural areas or refugee camps than in the to'rns. Tn the Gaza Strip and Sinai, the overcror,rding is vorse in the ret\rgee camps than in the torms, vhile in the l,,'est
Bank the tol,ms ale better off than the rural areas, It would appear that the rural areas anc'l the refugee canPs act as the roajor areas for the absorption of popul-ations
displaced by r,rar or by psychological or pi:ysical pressure resutting fron the occupation. The stati.stics that are available d.o not permit an evaluation of the
sj tuati.on in individual settlenents that would lrake it possible to assess the direct r"npact of such actions as denor-ition of houses and forced xelocation of rarge po';ulation groups, such as the Bed.ouins. ft is, hor,rever, safe to concluc]e that there is a connexion betveen the higher revers of cong;estion in the refugee canps
ar:iL tjre rural areas and the various actions taken by the administering authorities leading to a di.splacement of families and conmunities,
B1' As nentioned earlier, the private sector in the occupied territories i:as been the nost active i.n house construction. However, the fact that nost buildj.ng naterial-s, vith the exception of quarry stonez a"e in short supply and have to be inported either from Israe] or fron abroad. at a high cost rnakes it difficuft for the private sector to lroduce as much housing as it would lihe. The shortage of building materials is particularry acute in the case of cement, steer rods and
^E/n3F5l /i5s3h3
Annex f
Paae ?7
metal fralles. 37/ Further:.rore, the establishment of an increasing nr.rnber of Je1,/ish
settlements in the occupied territories has reclucetl the supply and increased the
prices of building nxateria.Is for house construction in the occupied territories.
C. ImDact of Jerrish settleoents
82. The question of Jewish settlenents in the occupied territor'ies has engaged. the
attention of nany United llations organs and agencies. In the course of the
discussions vith official-s of Arab Governments and the Palistine Liberation
Organization, it r'ras impressed. on tbe rnission that the problems posed by the
existence and. expansion of those settldrents vere central- to any consideration of
the present situation in the occupied territories, ?he problem has roany dinensions
but the follorring analysis of the irnpact of Jeldsh settlenents is limited to some "
of the effects these settlenents are having on the living conciitions of the
Palestibian people in the occupietl territories and is based on discussions with
representatives of the PaLestine Liberation Organization alld the Goverr,nents of
neighbouring Arab countries, as well as on qritten antl unpublished sources.
83. Since 1967, sone 133 ner Jewish settl-ements have been constructed or are in
the process of being constructed i.n the occupied tcrritories. These settl,enents
are l-ocated. betr,reen s.nd. among existing A-rab settLements, scnetimes, as in East
Jerusalem, surrounding then €nd cutting tben off froe direct contact with other
.Arab settler0ents. This tends to veaken and disr]tpt traditional ties and.
relationships betr.Ieen the Arab settlenents so affected.
Bl+. In pursuaace of the policy of settlement creation, the inhabitants of the
occupied. territories, especiaLLy those liv:ing in the l.Iest Bank and Jerusaleu, are
subjected. to continuous plessure to ernigrate to na-he room fot ne'w JeI^Iish sett]-ers'
\,lith respect to the Golan Heights, the Syrian authorities stated thar. 1.34,000
inhabita.nts had been expeu.ed, leaving only $1999 or about 6 per cent of the
origj.nal population living in the area, This, added to the inposition of Israeli
Law and the Israel-i educational systen0' on the territory, would indicate an attempt
at annexation of the area, 29 Jevish settlenents having been established there to
date.
85. The policy of settl-ement creation is causing drastic and. irreversible changes
in the denographic and spatial coafiguration of the texritories, in violation of the
rights, feelings and. sensibilities of the original inhabitants.
86, A very noti.ceabfe effect of the Jeeisb eett]-ement movement on the living
conditions of the Pal-estinian people tiving in the .occupied territories is the
3?/ Citeti from the report of the Interagency Task !'orce on Assistance to the
Patestinian People, subrdtted. to the Interagency lr{eeting on the Inplenentation of
ceneraL As sembl-y Resolution 33/LIt7, held at Geneva from 30 April to 1 llay 19?9.
^in/3g5li/sr3h3
Annex I
fape 2t1
contribution it makes to the generation of an over-a1l feeling of insecr:rity among them. This feeling of insecufity arises largely fron certain actions of the
occupying Fower, which are basic to the process of settlement creation. Some of
these actions are:
(") The continuing expropriati.on and confiscation not only of privately owned
land but also of rniri land" to which individuals and families, and sometimes
communities, have-definite rights hand.ed doun from generation to generation: it is
estimated that about 27 per cent of the llest Bank and the whole of the Golan
Hei€hts have been seized by the fsraeLi authorities for settlertrent creation oa for
other purposes ; 38/
(b) The demolition of Arab homes for various reasons, folloved by the
creation or expansion of Jevish settlements, as in East JerusaLen and. in Kiryat
Arba;
(c) The destruction af Arab farros n either through defoliation or thxough the
Cestruction of tree crops by bulldozing, cornpelling the Arab owners to leave the
land and thereby rendering it l-iable to confiscation and alienation to Jewish
settlers under the Absentee PToperty Law of 1950 or orders mad.e under the Defence
(rrnergency) Regulations of 19)+8, Some of the land thus alienated ha.s been used to
establish or expand Jewish settlements; on other 1ands, Jer,rish groups have been
permitted to settle on their ovn. This afienation of property owned by the Arab
population and the setfLernent of Jevish groups on it are deeply resented by the
peopfe, who feel insecure and helpless because they have no control over the
processes leading to the transfer of their l.and,. 39il
87. The proliferation of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories has also
1ed to encroachment on the vater resources of existing Arab settl-ements, d.epriving
the'n of a considerabl-e oroportion of their traditional water supplies, not only for
agricu-1tural use but also for domestic uses. A ease in point is the tovn of
Ramallah, which is experiencing serious rater shortages as the ner,i Jevish
settlements and nilitary ca&ps axound it d?aff water from its traditional sources.
Raralfahrs water supp]ies had been cut off by the occupying authority at one point
in orcler to force the town to connect its water supplies to the fsraeli water
system. )+O/ lfhen the woter shortage becomes very severe, the Arab poputation is
sornetimes compelled to leave the settfement, thus starting a process which usua1ly
enc]s in the loss of the land,
38/ Special Unit on Palestinian Rights, Bulfetin No, 2 (tetruary, fgBO),
p. 17.
39_/ ExT ples of these c.ctions are given in the rcport of the S ecretary-C eneral
u^|- rr !v'.r',6-. i*- ^^-r-'+: -*^ ^- fhA Do'l-a+liLnrruia'r ri }nJucvnPfnLle in ihe occltnied territories (A/!+/*6 and Corr"1), annex II, ancl the report of the SpeciaL Cornnittee to
Investiqate Israeli Fraetices Affecting the Er:man Rights of the Population of the
Occupied Territories (A/3\/63f), parasr T9-!05,
.l+0/ Arab Repgrt and Fecord, t-31 October 19??, p, 887 (intervier^r given by the
iUayor o[ Fanallah" Mr. Karim Khalaf).
Al35/533
_E;na,LlS n
Aniex r
Page 2)
88. Ttre proxinity of some of the Jer^rish settlements to Arab settlenents has been a
source of friction, often resulting in violent confrontation between the Arab
inhabitants and the Jewish settlers" for example, betveen those in Hebron anci
Kiryat Arba. The steps taken by the authorities to naintain lav and ord.er, such as
frequent day and night eurfew and secu.rity checks? seriously affect the living
cond-itions, because production suffers, religious obl-igations cannot be discharged
a"rrd social and cultulal contacts are disrupted.
89. one resul-t of the existence of the Jewish settlements in the occupied
territories is the fact that the settlements aJe almost always provided with basic
infrastructure " such as piped water, electricity and road end cornmunication
netvorks, and Arab vill-ages close to these settlements or through which certain
facilities ps.ss can be provided with these arnenities or facilities. However, such
moves by the occupying authority to connect Arab willages to the Israeli
electricity grid. and ffater system are generally viewed by the leadership of the
occupied territories as steps towards annexation" 41/
D. Health services
90. l,iithin the context of human settlenents in the occupied territories" the
impact of the occupation on the health cond,itions of the Palestinian people can be
exa.mine4 in terrns of the quatity of environmental health services avail-able to the
people and the availability and deJ-ivery of preventive and curative health services
to the connunities.
91. Reference has alI'eady been rnacle to the fact that sewelage facilities in the
territories are gene]'ally inad-equate to cope l^tith incTeasing demand and that the
availability of potable water is far flom satisfactoly because of the restrictive
water practices of the occupying authority. The result, accorcling to UNRWA
repo"ts, is that gastro-intestinal- d.iseases are on the increase and constitute a
maJor cause of norbidity and nortafity' pa.Tticu].arly during the sumer months '
Inio::nation on other aspects of environmental health care' such as the control of
aliBease vectors, and on the extent and quality of preventiwe services a].e not
readily avaifable. Data are, however n availabl-e tbat nake some assessment of
curative services possible.
92. There has been no significant change in the mrnber of hospitals in the
occupied territories since 19?)+. )+2/ According to the west Bank xledical
Association, there has been no chJnge between f967 and 197\' The information in
the Israel-i Goverrunent report that new hospitals and medical centres have been
estabLished in the territories would seen to be a refeTence to the operational
sections and. departments that have been added to existing iirstitutions. l+3/
!,!/ r'or information on the wate" situation, see Arab BePort ?nd Fgcor'|"
1-15 SEptenber f977, V. 762; for infomation on the electricity situation' ibid.,
1-I5 August 1977, p. 668.
l+2/ Statistical Abstract of Israel, 19T8..., p' 8oB.
E/ _rEd." p. ff .
Al35/533
Englisl:
Annex I
Page JO
93. I'Iith regard to hospital becls, the rsraeri Govermlent report states that the
number. increased faon 1,351 to l"37l+ between 1!68 and 1!fB in the l{est Bank and fron 947 to 1,070 in the Gaza strip. !+/ This means that the number of beds per
1'000 population vas 2.6 in the Gaza strip and 2.3 in the llest Bank in 1968" wrrire in 1978 the corresponding figures" accorcling to the population data in the rsraeli
Gove"nnent report, were 2,0 for the llest Bank and 2.1+ ior the Gaza Strip. l+!/
These-figures
"epresent
a d-ecl-ine but compa?e sornevhat favourably with conditions in neighbouring countries, with the exception of iebanon " vhere the ratio in was 3.? 1977. However, there seera to be gl-aring discrepanci.es in the figures available.
For instance, a report presented. to the l^Iorld Eealth Assembly at its thirty-second
session by the fsraefi l{inistry of Health ]6/ p,rt" the becl-population ratio fot:
Gaza in f97B at 3.5 beds per 1,000 populati6n " a ratio tfrat- is far higher than that
calculated on the basis of figures on the number of hospital beds and the
population of the territory for 1!f8, The repoyt does not give any figures fol the
west Bank. Hovever " the figures presented to the I,IHO rnission that visited. the
occupiecl territories in April 1980 give the number of bed.s in Gaza strip as ?o? at that date. This gives a bed-population ratio, using the population figure of
4!O,2OO, of only 1.6 per l,OOO popufation.
9l+. The population per physician in the l,Iest Bank is estiroated at l+,319
]n 1976. \/ The ratio for the sane year was 2"358 in the Syrian Arab Republic,
980 i.n Lei;non and 2 ,332 in Jord.an , A" u. ,"u."*" of the avail_ability of health
caxe, the trIest Bank appears to be well below the standaads operating in the
ne:'.ghbouring countries. However, it fares better than these countxies with respect to other health personnel, For exampJ.e, the ratio of qlralified nurses to
1,000 population r"as 0.33 in 7976 in the \.Iest Bank, while in the neighbouring
countries the ratio r,ras fess than 0.3 in 1978, except in Lebanon, where it
was O. 68.
95. Tnfant nortality is reported by the fsraeli Ministry of Health to be
?7,4 per 1"000 in the liest Bank in t97T, It5/ This figure contrasts with that given
in a report by the west Bank Medical Asso-ciation and made availabl-e to the nisiion
by the Palestine Liberation Organi zation, which indicated an over-all rise in
infant mortafity fron 30.? per cent in 1971+ to 38.1 in 1975. The mission also
obtained directly fron UNRWA headquarters at Vienna the figures on infant rnortality
i.n the llest Bank, d.erive{]. frorn studies mad.e by the agency in a number of carnps over
the past 20 years. According to these studies, infant nortality, defined as deaths
44/ rbid., p. )+2.
h/ rria,, p. 17.
)+6/ tiorl.d Health Organization " "Heal-th conditions of the Arab population in
the occupied Axab territories, inelud.ing palestine't (A32/INI'. Doc " 1) , annex.
)r7/ Basecl on figures from the report on health senrices in the West Bank,
Jorclan 1977, presented in Pal-estine Liberation Organization, Central Bureau of
Statistics" Pal-estinian Statistical Abstract, 1979 (Damascus, t979), p. 5\,
Al35/533
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Annex I
of infants befow one year of age per t,OOO live births" decfined from 157 in f96O to 46 in a979" lV
96, One indication that the inhabitants of the occupied territories nay be living
uncler stressful conditions is the fact that the psychiatric hospital in the
territories, located at Bethlehem, with the l-argest nunber of beds in the West
Bank, is the only hospital with an occupancy rate of more than 1OO per cent. \9/
In 1979" 5,186 cases were record-ed there, including 6t), nerr cases but exc-Lucling
cases of depression" vhich, if added, vouLd increase the mr,nber of new cases
to 1,100. 49/ According to the director of the hospital , for every I,OOO patients
seen at the hospital, one r,/ou1d expect about BOO neurotics, IOO epileptics an,1
100 schizophrenics, manic depressives etc" 50/
97, fhe W}{O mission which visited the territories in April 1980 found that " in
general " the health facilities in the occupied territories Ltere not always
adequate. The inadequacy was especially acute in the field of X-ray and other
diagnostic equipment. In namallah hospital, regarded as the best equipped in the
territories,tne nission found that such basic facilities as equiprnent for certain
kincts of bl-ood tests and biocherical analysis vere lacking" Patients f]'om tbis
hospital were refe"red for such tests to Tsraeli hospitals, thus pl-acing a burden
on the hospitalts Limited budget. fn some cases" for exa,lnple, in Nablus and Hebr'on
hospitals, the maintenance of physical plant and equipaent was poor'
98" The VII{O mission also noted. Sreat differences in the provision of health
services in the occupied. territories compared Lrith Israel-. Israeli hospitals had
more up-to-d.ate equiprnent " and. the quality of health care provitled vas much higher.
99. The differences in heafth care provision in the occupied territories and in
fsrael- can perhaps best be appreciated through a comparison between resources
avaifabl-e to a niddle-of-the-l-ine fsraeli hospital- and the resoulces availabl-e to
all the llest Bank governrnent hospitals in L975. The Israeli hospital selected for
the comparison is the Shaare'Sadek hospital,
l+8/ Information received by telex front UIEWA headquarters on 1)+ May 19BO'
l+9/ Wor1d Eealth Organi zation, 'tHeal-th conditions of the Arab population in
the oi-cupied Arab tevritories, including Palestine: report of the Special
Cornmittee of Experts Appointed to Study the Health Conditions of the Inhabitants of
the occupied- Territoriesrr (af:/er), p. g.
tol rbid. , p. 10.
A/35/533
Annex I
Beds
Nu,TSing staff
Paramedical- staff
Non-nedical staff
&nployees per bed
N,rFeac n6r had
Total adnissions
1O77 hrrdop+
bnaare 'DaoeK
h^ani +q l
280
,,AQ
101
2,81
f.09
'11, lnA
tf 105 nrillion
A11 Government hospitals
in the llest Bank
eT3 (9u)
529
76
)6q
O.L
o.d (o"67)
0.28
,4 ^y, -(.o^t | -^ .^^\ \ >t royy )
tI 38 nillion
Ig!g, Figr:res in parentheses are official figures or are computed fron
official figures obtained fron Statistical- Abstract of fsrael, 1978.
1OO. The above information, which was supplied by the West Sank l4ed.icaf
Association, revea-ls a great variation in the l-evef of resources evailable to alf
the West Bank goverrfient hospital-s and one Israeli hospital. According to the
Israeli Ministry of Health report referred to earlier, the budget for health
services in the West Bank for 1978 was tf 132 !0il-1ion, 'which represented a
!O per cent increase over 19??. 51/ Ttrls wou1d mean that the budget for 1977 uas
[1 88 nilIion. A.lthough this figure is nuch higher than the one given by the West
Sank Medical- Association, it is stiu be].o'w the budget uhich the Association says
was allocated to the Shaare I Sadek hospital.
101. The inadequacy of itiagnostic faciLities and. specialists in the occupied
territories often necessitates the referal of patients to Israeli hospitals fox
diagnosis and treatnent. This proced.ure, according to the Palestine Liberation
Organization officials, constitutes a mal or constraint to the improvenent of
health services in the territories, because most of the fees levied by the IeraeLi
hospitals for such diagnosis anil treatment of VJest Bank patients are charged to the
West Bank medica]. budget, and to that extent fewer resources are available for the
improvement of heaLth facilities ancl medical services in the West Bank.
102. The question of paying hospital fees is one which pl-aces a financial, burden on
some of the inhabitants. Free med.ical service was according to the PLo officials
provided in the West Bank prior & f967; now, ttre people have to pay for these
setvices. The authorities have introd.uced. a health insursnce scheme' which bas
been in operation since February I9?8. Accortling to the Israeli Goverrlnent
report, about 5oo,0oo inhabitants of the two territories have joined the schene as
at January 1,980, fl This is somewhs.t less than half the totaL population in those
)_L / rolc.., P. J.
52/ State of Israel, Ministry of Defenee, 9!=_jjl_:, p' fe.
Al35/533
hgli.sh
Annex f
Page 33
territories. For the many rrho have not joined, either because they have an
imperfect unclerstanding of the scheme or because they lack a regular source of
incone, the cost of hospital treatment aJId cane is hi6h in relation to
ind.ividual incomes and. the mission \.'as told that nany of the uninsured founal it
difficult to obtain the free nedical care they had. been accustomed to before the
oceupation.
103. I^lhi1e health care facilities seem to be evenly distributed in a regional
sense, the unavailability of adequate d.i.agnostic facilities and specialist services
in nany of the institutions militates against the provision of ad.equate health
care within a reasonable distance from the homes of the patients.
E. Educational services
L0l+. The level- and t)rpes of ed.ucation available to a cornnunity are relevant to the
living conditions of the people because of the crucial roLe education plays in
the life of the individuaL in terms of his capacit.v to earn anci thereby improve his stand.ard of living, to kee.p himself inforned. anal to enJoy the accumuLated
knowledge and experience of manhind.
105. Ttte systet! of ed.ucation is nuch the same throughout the occupied. territories.
It starts with kindergarten for chil-dren belorv the age of six, folloued by the
elementary or primary school- for children who are nornally between the ages of
six and twelve, who then proceed to the preparatory school for three years.
The primary and preparatory schools form the conpulsory cycle of ed-ucation antl are
fol-lolred by secondary, vocational. and teacher training in6titution6 and institutions of higher learning.
l-06. The educational" institutions are rnanaged by the occupying authority, by
private bod.ies or by UNBWA. In general, the schools fou_ov the Jordanian
curriculun of education in the 'ldest Sanh anal the Egyptian curricul-um in the
Gaza Strip. Ilowever n many books used by the systems have been banned and sections
excised. from others by ord.er of the occupying authority. There are also
restrietions on the inport fron other -Arab countries of books \,ftich are the
pr imary sou?ces for literature in Arabic. Duties are ehsrged on the irnports
of such books and equipnent.
l-07. In the lfest 3ank, the number of educational- institutions increased from
BzI in !961 /68 to l",ooo in 1976/77, an inerease of 21.8 per cent. similarly,
the number of institutions in the Gaza Strip increased from 165 in 1967 /68 to
27O in 19'(6/77, an increase of 38.5 per cent. 53/ Durine the sane period, the
number of educationaL institutions grevr by 33 per cent in the Syrian Arab Repub]-ic,
by 32.5 per cent in lgypt and by 78.6 p€r cent in Jordan. 2V fir" Irest Bank is
thus behind the others in the *ror^rbb of educationa] institutions.
5y Statistical Abstract of Israel, f9?B ..., p. BO?.
5V Calcula.ted fron figures given in 1968-1977 statistical Abstrqc! of the
regionlf the Econonic Corrnission for l]est .
A/ 35 / 533
Enslish
Annex I
faEe J4
1oB. Enrolment lates hal'e increaged. significantly since 1967. A conparison of these
rates with those of neighbouring countries shows, however, that th€ growth in
enrolment in the two territories has Dot kept pace with the rate of growth of
enrolment in neighbouring countries rluring the deca,le ending in 19TT. This is
shown in aFpendix X, table 1" belo'r'. In terms of over-a]-1 grolrth, the llest Bank
and the Gaza Strip were narginally ahead of Egypt only among the neighbouring
countries.
109. While growth in en"oLment rates is one measure of access to education, another
measu?e is the enrolment ratio, lrhich relates the enrofx0ent by various age groups
to the population in those age groups. The statistics that are available d"o not
perx0it direct application of thi.s neasure. The situation can, however, be exanined
indirectly. rn a stu y of erlucation i.n the !trest Banh, it was found that enrol-nent figules in the first grade " that is, the first year of prinary school to the total
population had decreaseal frorn 3.2 per cent in lg58/6g to 2.T per cent in
I9'l\/7r, 22/ In a population vith a high rate of natural increase due largely
to hi €!h fertility, the fal-f in the propoltion of children in the first year of
school in refation to the tota"l population suggests that proportionately fewer
children are entering the school systen despite the growth in nunbers, thus
indicating a potential lovering of the literacy leveL of the population.
110, One neasure of the tiroe and attention vhich a pupil receives from his or her
teacher is the pupil/teacher retio, Comparative fisures for this neasure for
the West Bank 16 il and Jordan 5T/ are given belov;
tg6\/69
1969/7o
r970/T.
r97r/ 72
1977 /78
West Bark
28.0
27.6
)Ao
26.2
27.6
Jordan
35 .1
33. 1
)1. I
32.0
)'t 6
It appears from the above figures that, for most of the periocl 1968/69 b f977/78,
the west Bank fared better than Jordan and that, theoretically" school children in the l"Jest Bank shoufd be better off than their counterpa"ts in Jordan. I{owever, it should be noted that the situation in the West Bank has shown 1ittle iurprovement
since 1!68, while that of Jordan has improveal remarkabJ-v.
_^.ff_/ fatniya Said. Nasru, Ed.ucation in the West Bank Governnent Schools,
1968/69 to :_976/77 (Bir zeit uni"eGIW, 19?Tl;ffi
.56/ K. Mahshi and R. Rihan, Ed.ucation in the west Bank, (nir Zeit University"
lO7ol n lE
2JJ -tne Hashenoite Kingdon of Jorclan, $g&lsticsf Educational ye
1977:78 (Arnnan, l,tinistry of Education, pirffirfre of naucation.af pfannins"
1979), p. 6:.
A/35 /53-i
English
Annex I
Page 35
ili" Altho'gJr uNRl^lA and the occupying authorities vocational training have set up a number of pro€rarnmes, there are few corresponding Job opportunities for those trained in the various skills. According to the fI,o uission report of 1979, approxirnately 3!"000 trainees received diptomas in various sutJects between
]"968 and 197? fron the various vocational training institutions. 58/ However. according to the mission, in one centre only 20 per cent of those-ieceivin,l liplomas r^rere able to obtain jobs in the occupied teruitories after graduation. it was pointed out in the report, however, th;t the Israeli authorities had indicated to the rnission that about )+O per cent of at1 graduates from the vocationaf training centres found Jobs in the occuried terri.tories, vhile
50 per cent founcl jobs in rsrael. The report also gives the inpression that the 1evel of training in these vocational training institutions is not very high, the tra.inees generally being prepared for semi-skill.ed occupations in the rsraeli
economy,
112. Itith regard to higher education, there are three universities in the llest Bank and one in the Gaza Strip, where there had been none before the occupation. These universities have been created. and ere rrm throug,h the initiative of the ]ocal Palestinians theroselves ' with sorne financiaf assistance from Palestinians living abroad.. These universities receive no financial assistance from the occupying authorities and they exist and function in spite of discouragenent and harassment by the authoriti.es. one of the restrictions placed on the vork of the universities is the requirement that the sefection of sludents and the recruitment of staff are
subJect to approval by the nilitary g,overnor. The riniversities a-lso exnerience preat difficulty in obtaining Arabic books and journals. The financial probrens are exacel'bated by the taxes leviecl on books and equipment. The experts were told by a ,croup of educators flon the west Bank that, while rsraeli educationat institutions vere subJect to the same taxes, the amounts paid by them were refr-rnded to them by the Governrnent in the forn of grants; no grants were made to the universities of the trIest Banl< and the caza Strip.
113. rn d'iscussions vith educators from the west Eank, it vas repeatedly pointed out to the experts that the clirnate of occupation was not conducive to the creation of suitable conditions for the educational process. In the first p1ace, because the
economy r'ras under the control of an occupying power arid- pol-itical pover was exercised by the arqy ' the normal eclucational and nanpower planning process to rneet national goals coulal not be und.ertakeu, There were no national p1ani, for whictr
manpower reqrrirernents could be identified, leading to the fornulation of appropriate educational and training strategies to eet the anticipated requirements of the econony and society.
11)r. Secondly' although the occupying authorities had not interfered. directly with t'he general system of education prevailing in the west Bank and caza strip before the occupation, the exlerts nere told trr.i thu banning of certain books and excltlsion of passages fron some others, which were considered inportant by the t'eachers, created a certain fee.ling of fru.tlation and uneasinesi, because the tea'chers found it difficult to hefp their students to appreciate certain aspects of their cuJ.ture and history,
^. . 5y. lgtort gf tbe Directo"-ceneral , fnternational Labour Conference
ilxty-srxth session (ceneva, fnternational Labour Office, 19go), appendix" fTI, Dara. Io^
E/n3g5l/i5sh33
Annex I
Page 36
115. It voultl appear that the occupying authorities, through their actions, have
created and sustsined. a feeling of insecr:rity among teachers and students in alled.
ucational institutions. The experts vere told of con6tsJrt harassnent of students
and staff. fhese hsJassmeDts took tbe forn of frequent arrests, beatings,
adninistrative cletentions and cl-osure of schools. Sometines teachers and students
were transferred, to renote rural areas. Plactical- training for stutlent teachers
in the school-s of the West Bank anat the Gaza Strip vas often disalloved' Those
actions ve"e Justified. by the occupying authorities on grounds of security and
maintensnce of 1av and. older. Hovever, they created conditions which vere quite
detrimental to the tleliverv of educational services.
F. Social wel-fare services :9./
l-l-6. since the occupation, the occupying authority has made efforts to reorganize
the social velfare system in the occupietl territories. TtIe authorities had al-so
organized in-service training for the Arab social- rdorkers to enabl-e them to orient
their thinking antl functioni.ng to new approaches to sociaL casework, group volk
and comuaity organization. These actions have made the services more accessible
to the recipients and have helped. to irprove ttreir quality.
1L?. Rehabilitative services have been introduced to enable intlividuals and fa:nilies
to be sel-f-supporting through productive snall-scale enterprises, for vhictr loans
ane mad.e available throu8h funtls establisheal by the Swectieh organization for
Individual Reliefn CARE and the Catholic Relief Services' Sr:mer camps have been
organized for children from needy farnr'lies and froro institutions, ard special
vocational rehabilitation centres, as tlistinct from nornsl centres, have also been
establlshed.
118, There appear to be a consialerable number of 1oca1 welfa,re organizations
(f35 in the weBt Bank and ? in ttre Gaza Strip) providing such services as comunity
centre activities, homes for the aged, kindergartens, institutions for the deaf
and the mute, sewing courses and da;r-care centres for babies. These activities
at the local 1evel are financed by Arab vomen r s organizations ' the Red Crescent religious and charitable organizations, village organizations and. branches of '
international charitable organizations.
119. The budget for social velfsxe serr-ices has been increased fron eI 5.8 nillion
in 196? to tI 13t.5 niuion ]n t978/79. @! Hov this budset is d.isbursed a.nong
the adninistrative, institutional and direct services is inpossible to deternine
in the absence of rel-evant data. There is al-so no infornation avail-able on vhat
services ttle occupying authority is provialing directl"y and. what propoltion of the
59/ For" further infornation, see Jogn Hooper, "Social work in Israeadminl-
stered te rritoricsi; , EIg.14j---Iq-aSI Journat of -DevelgiIgl' llo. l+
\ J anuary-Jrprrr Jy ty, ,
a^l r,+^+- ^f Td$aat \{ini6+sr af iafanaa Yg:---:ni-i:+' pnnpndirc 27-
A/35/533
English
Annex I
Page 37
budget is given as grants to the neny voluntary organizations active in this fielil. There is not data available of institutions on the range a"nd kind of services provided, the number and a profir-e of the ptopre who are benefitin{ fron the various
services provided. The onry infornation availabr.e is that the numbe" of persons receiving sone fof,m of wetfare assistance in 19?6 vas 3z,Ooo ""a tirt ii igl}/lg the nleber of fanilies receiving financial a.ssistance ,.= B,hrz (t,3tt in tr,e !'Iest Bank ' 7"02r in the caza strip and g0 in the cor"" uerehts).'do7
^htg35li/65h33
,Arlnci I
Pas€ 38
Appeldix I
Bal€nc; of traale in the occupied territorles
Table 1. occq)ieil territories t bslance of tladle
(Mi[ion3 of Israel pourals, cErent prices)
Vest Ba* Gaza Strip
Tradins ps.rtner f,968 r9't7 195B r973 1968 1977
Istael
Total
Jo!tun
Iarael
Totdl
JordaD
Israel
Total
16 59 ,! 85
a25 l+25
106
182
Irports
5
8
2B
T2
\9 66
97 2\3
r0,8
452.7
1250.9
[8. ?
2 \59 .r
2 7\2.8
221+.2
-+14
1 681, ?
L \9L '9
r30.2
\22.O
t rttt
r?6,{
.1
z 261.8
2 438.3
\5.2
-l+2r.9 r \26.3
1 050.6
r.ul
884.7 t 6L2.9
2 638,6
411.4
1r8.8
[ 7a0.9
5 181.1
270.\
-835.9
3 108
2 ,t2.,
20
I7
139
176
39 ',13 rB r? r89 803
2\6 893
\2
tBir
,\2
1t
-58
,r58
)-4+ 2 -rB 2I3
\2 169
19 !0
-32 -50 92 309
'(9 299
I-nports
19 3r
50 3r9
10 351
Ieport surpfus
\ -26
134
121
source: sta.tistical Abstrs.ct or Isra.ef, I9?Q (Jerusslen, central 3uleau of stati6tics' l9?8), p. 1?3 and
kleEG6-en,(Jerusal€n,BsnkofIs!ae1Rese€.rchD€!arLnent197I)'
p. d4.
Teble 2, Occupied territorieEr bal,ance of trade, by coModltie€
(MlUions of Israel Founal6 )
Consodity 1968 19T3 r977
lgricultulal lroduce
Industriel Aoods
Iotal
.A€ricu-Ltur€tr produce
lndustriaL gooils
Totaf
Agricultusf produce
Inalustrial gooals
Total.
Exporte
Irports
I 121+.1
151!,5
2 6*,6
933
4 21+8, t
60 ]'67
258
\25
L6'
728
893
r19
168
B?
!2-
2\6
_E
121
z I J5.o
2
'\2.5
^l3' / 533
&Al.lsh
Annex f
Page 39
Appendix fI
Extraordins,rf,/ budgets of tovns in the West Ban]{ snd the Gaza StriD @
rg'to/77 1976/77 1978 / 79
West Bank
Extraordinary budget expenditure
Road s ana other construction
Estab].ishnents
I{arkets
Other
lnccme
Ioans frou administration and factors
outside the region
crants fron administretion
],oca,I ps"ticipation and other
Gaza S}liD
nxtraordinary erpenditure
fioad.s
Es tab]- i sbrnent s
Obher
Income
l"oans fron adninistration and. factors
outside the region
Grents from Ldninistration
Ioca]. participation and other
2 983 ,
1 394
682
1't2
r 660
10\?
\67
146
22 0a?
1) ?L?
6 967 I 380
2 204
12 038
5 58r
3 99t+
95 005
18 112
\9 a93
2T 7oo
I 121
2 ?15
1502
23 730
5 L32 r, 931
2 663
2\ 739
128 l+31
\6 't67
26 \7\
t 3 8J+[
l+1 3)+6
152 850
oq 12?
l+5 893
26 832
26 398
357
112
220
331
a-L
)rq
4)
3 8r3 I 302
L2 62ll
Source:
of Defence,
1972 erd 1973, and state of Israeil-, Ministry
Jerusaten. J.you.r.
F
o\
FI
d
@
Fo\
il doll rl *ulll
crl
:l
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\0Fo\.-loJ@@L\o@
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F
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Jc - c(nO cO\\t (FnJ \o O' tn !a\ \O .D O .) (\l (.) (n tn tn \Loa \ \Lon \Lon (ol.\\ (F\l \Fo : \rj
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dlii o P'P O)
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Annex I
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Al351533
Englisb
Annex I
Pege 4JAppend.
ix IV
Agricultural" prod.uction in the West Bank
Table 1. Structure of gross agricultural protluction in tbe
West Bank, 1969 erLd. L976
(Percentage )
Cormodity/
Comnodity
Weight at
1968 prices 1tF---rcr6 Current prices 1e-6------f76
Vegetables
Melons
O-Lives
Ci.trus fruit
Other fruits
Total crops
Meat
Mi].k
Eegs
Total l-ivestock
prodrrcts
Forestry artl new
fruit llentations
Tota].
jr.9
]'2.7
D'l
22.6
'7i
}}.8
68.l
19 .0
10.9
ti
?1 0
il
100.0
6.8
10 0
1l+ .5
f0.7
1\.2
66.t1
22.7
8.9
2.O
5J. O
il
100.0
L.y
l-l.u
2.6
l-9 .3
t.t
12 .8
A.r ?
1X I
10 .0
J].J
rl,
100.0
7.7
r I .o
t9,5
9.\
14.5
5g.o
20.5
R.?
1)
JU.O
0.4
r00. 0
Soutce: Economic Comission for Westem Asian Agricul-ture and Developnent t
uo. a-lEF), p. 37.
a/ Not included in the total-.
u\\orio-Jm
rq rlN60\_r\o
9
-il
ol
9I
I
3l
9l
J
.:
a
fr
pl
;l
.l
?t
ril !l 'rqll
;
"i
6l
o r-{ v, J ho
noJF\FoacvtF-Jl<{no
.oo\moo<o..{\o@
{lhooFO
oFl-loJ€o
o\DolNmo
rl .o ..1 o5@
6.to
o F\o 6 (n 0
o(\J<Dlnrt
6oFlo\o\
cn \oc4i!m5.1 mN
c\ lY) co .o
^
o\
m .: .l <\j r.l r4 . . i
Frlo!,i
r.l
€E A^
* _ul _dt ! 'd n
h lq d .r. 4
€ +rl d o i k
o h0 a\ n .a + ,4 d r-{ .{}
a>=o(JO5:::r
r{
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.-l
^/
35l r33
En6lteh
Arner I
q
H
Appenriix V
West Bank
Total building: public building completed public buifding begun
Private building compl-eted
Private building begun
Residential building: public buil-ding conpletect public buil_ding begun
Private buil_ding conpleted
Private building begun
Gaza Strip
Total building:
51 400
,3 7oo
2 306 l+oo
2 783 l+00
1 700
700
1 923 5oo
2 295 7oo
93 500
105 l+00
700 500
9Tr ?oo
B1 ooo
83 2oo
At J)/ ) 5J
English
Annex I
Besidential building:
Publie bu-ilding completed.
Public buil-rling begun
Private build.ing conpleted
Private builtting begur
Public builtling conpleted
Public buil-tting begun
Private building completett
Private buiJ.ding begun
Source : Statistical Abstract of lerqgJ., 19T8, p. "oR
5r2 \oo
8)+2 7oo
(Square netres )
€o'
q9
?"
iit c
o
iil
9t
BI
F
oo.tN.-t(\lAlal
co^oqtF\o60
FFiI(Ff)IFTrIN.t<AoI5J6mFN
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^
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rl Fi rl .1 rl
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o o
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rl
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z.g
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,onat I
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Al 35 / r33
English
Annex I
rage +>
Appendix VIT
ti
anrl in Tsrael, by occupation, 1972 antl 1974
1 0'f D r o"R
Thousands Percentage Thousands Percentage
TO[AI,
University-trainetl and.
technical uorker s
l4ana€eriaI, clerical and
related. vorkers
Sales vorkers
Service vorkers
Agricultural workels
Skill-ed r,rorkers in industry,
nining, building and transport,
and, other skil].ed workers
other ltorkers in industry,
tf,ansport and builtting and.
unskilled volkers
188.8
1\. 9
7.1
19. B
]-2,5
43. 5
3l+.3
100
7.9
3.8
5.6
30. o
23.1
IB.2
2tr.g
-LO. _L
5.\
'rR 2
,3.7
l+2.\
100
l.o
3.0
f0.1
"1 .2
10. I
20. 0
Source: Report of the Direetor Ceneral, International labour conference'
sixty:;T;ff, "e@ou" office, 1980), appendix lrr,
table 3.
A/ 35 / r33
Annex I
fage 4b
Appendix VIfI
Avgrage daily vage of workers
Table 1. Avc"age daily vage per €nployee working in the
occupied teruitorics
Sector ]970 1 q7 l+
( Israel pounds )
I9T7
Ag"iculture
fndustry
Construction
Coxuerce, rest aurants and hotels
Translort e storage, communi cation
Pub1ic and comnunity scrviees
Other
Agriculturc
Industry
Constauction
commercc, restaurants and hotels
Transport, storage, connunication
Publi c and co,ururity serviccs
Other
I,I€st Bank
qA
6.6
'tn ?
.)7.o4
4.7
Gaza Strip.
2r.9
23.0
30. 8
19 .8
??o
23.9
18. I
)O.U
60, o
79.r
6r.9
=t l,
qq?
7.0
3,7
6.2
?o
t?i
D7t
32.9
24.4
cao
z).+
53.9
O L..L
04.)
6?.r
73.2
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, f9T8' p. 789.
A/35/533
Bnglish
Annex I
Page 1+T
TabLe 2. Averagc daily wage per ernployce of the occupicd
territories workins in Israel
Sector 1970 r97\ 1977
( ISraef pounos ,l
Agriculturo
Construction
Othcr
Agriculturc
Construction
0thcr
From the \,trest Sank
9.0 22.7 55'o
10.9 27 .2 69.7
13. o 31. 5 79 ,7
10.5 2l+.)+ 68.0
f 0.7 d+.8 58.2
11.6 3f.2 68.5
l.2.5 33.8 7\.9
11.9 30.9 7r.5
Al3r/533
Engli sh
Annex I
Page \B
Appendix Ix
Consumer price index
-Gtffi760--- rooj--
Territory l-!f0 r97L t972 1973 19?4 L97' t976 1977 rgTB 1070
I,lest Sank 108.1+
Gaza Strip 105.1
125.9 1l+8.1 179.9
r.28.1 155.r tgo.3
256.5 361.\
29\.3 t+52.7
t+22.I 574.2
5r2.5 645.8
863.8 1l+l+7.6
979.6 r 688.6
Note: Dcrived fYola Stetistical Alst-ract of fsrael , 1973 and 1978. The base
hatl bE6-changecl to 100 o@rcs for 19?5 onwards have
bec-n obtaineal by erafting the percenta€e increase rturing the perioat 1976-1979 to
the index number in f975 on base 1958/69 = 100.
Al35/533
!;ngllsh
Annex T
Page 4!
Appendix X
Housing statistics
Table 1. tr'anilies by size of dweDing , 1972
(Pcrccntage of families )
Itrunber of roons
per dwelling tr^Iest Bank Gaza and. Sinai Both territories
h+.
3
1
9.1+
rA .l
37.2
50, {
LL.9
r-y. o
1r3.8
2\. B
lo. )+
r7.7
5Y.o
J1. J
Source: Statistical .Abstract of Israel, 1973, p. 707.
Table 2. Families by size of dwe1Iing, Gaza and sinai, 1974
(Pcrccntage of fa.rnilies )
llurbey of roons
per dvelling Refugee ca.nps
Jrr
'I
20.9
26.2
5+. )
18.1+
29.2
5+.) rtr ),
2\.\
dt.6
17.9
Source: Statisligal Ab"trgg!_sg_I"r*fr_.Uf.2, p. 696,
Table 3. FanoiLies by size of dwelling ' Gaza and Sinai, 197?
(?crcentage of faloilies )
Hurber of roons
per dweDing Refugee canps
4+
3
I
l-9-9
25.3
33.2
20.6
25.o
5J. O 'l? 7
45. J
tq I
J4,5
Source: statistical Als.Egg!_9llr"g!r_U]q " p. 779.
A/35 /533
Annex J
Table 4. Fanilies by size of dr"clling, ilest Bank' l-974
ll'fibcf of rooras
VilLages Tovns Tot aJL.+
3
2I
28. 3
?5.8
29.3
-t t.o
rtr R
20.1r
38. T
)\ '7
Sourcc: Sta;bistical- Abstract of fsrac - 1975, p, 699.
Tab].e 5, Famil-ies by size of dvcIling, Ilest Bank, I9T7
L'rumber of rooms
per d.welling Villages Tota"l-
4+
3
2
1
12.0
2t.5
)'? I
<.1. +
25.9
28 .4
17. 4
2?.9
39.7
t1 7
Source: Statisticaf- Abst@ el-Israclr_:-219 , p. 779.
Table 6, Fanilies by size of dueLling, Israel ' L97T
Number of rooms
na, ,lir^l Iihd Jer+s llon--Jews
3
2
L
19. 8
2\,7
L+.2
r-t,J
35. I
34. 5
12. k
Source: Statistical Ab=!gg9!_ol_Eryelr__L9?i, p. 315,
Al35 /533
ElBltEh
An[ex I
Page 51
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A/3r/533
English
Annex II
ANIIH( ]T
lienbers of the Team of ExDerts
Dr. P. Austin Tetteh (chana)
Ptofessor, Departnent of Planning
Unj.versity of Science anal Technology
Kunasi, Ghana
Dr. Sernaralo E. Bati.z (ttexico )
Chief of technical Services
Direcci6n Genexa]- De Planificaci6n
Departaeento Del Distrito FederaL "
Universitlad Anahuac
Mexico, D,tr'., Mexico
Dr. Dudley l4ada{eta (Sri fant<a )
Fomerly Co-ord.inator of Units
Social- DeveLopnent Branch
Cent"e for Social Developnent and.
Hunanitari an Affairs
Deparfment of International- Economic and
Social Affeirs
Uaited Nations, New York
^/35
/533
Annex IIf
AI']I]EX TII
List of docunents and publications consulted
A. General Assembly
Thirty-second. session, 1!JJ - docurnents subnitted in respect of the following
agenda itens:
ltem 30 - Question of Palestine: report of the Comnittee on the Brercise of
the Inal-ienable Rights of the Palestinian ?eop1e
Iten 50 - United Nations Relief and l,Iorks Agency for Falestine Refugees in
the Near East
Iten 5? - Report of the Special Corlmittee to Investigate Israeli ?ractices
Affecting the Hunan Rights of the Population of the Occupied
Territories
Iten 52 - United Nations Environnent Progranme, particularly d.ocunent A/32/228
thirty-third session, 19?B - docunents submitted in respect of the following
agenda items:
Iten 31 - Question cf Palestine: report of the Conaittee on the Exercise of
the InaJ-ienable Rights of the Pa-testinian People
Iten 5\ - United. Iiations Refief srld. Works Agency for Pg.lestine Refugees in the
i'{ear East
Item 55 - Report of the Special Connittee to Investigate Israeli Prsctices
Affecting the Hunan Ri€hts of the Population of the Occupied
Territories
Item 68 - United Nations Environrnent Paogranme, particularly document A/33/35\
Thirty-fourth session, 1979 - docunents subrcitted in respect of the fo11o\ting
agenda items:
Itern 2\ - Question of Palestine: report of the Comtittee on the Exercise of
the Inalienable Riglrts of the Pal-estinia:: People
Iten 50 - United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East
Iten 51 - Report of the Special Cornaittee to fnvestigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the Human Rights of the PopuJ-aticn of the Occupied
Territories
Iten 6J - Human settlements, verbatim reeords and document A/i.+/536 anal corr,l
At 5)t)53
E:rglish
Annex III
Page 2
B. Security Council
Reports of the Secu.rity Council Connission Establistlett under
Reso.lution U+6 (1979) (5/131+50 and Add.l ana 3/136?9)
C. Reports ertd publications from Unitert Nations orqans and units
Report of the Connissioner-ceneral of the United Nations 8e1ief and. Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, 1 Ju]-y 1!??-30 June 1978:
of the General
Report of the ConnLissioner-GeneraL of the
Agency for PaLestine Refugees in the Near East,
United Nations
1 July 19?8-30
Relief and Works
June l-979 ,
"United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East,
Definitions and statisticsr'" 30 Jure 19?9
United. Nations Relief and Works Agency fo" Palestine Refugees in the Near East-
United Nations Xducational" Scientific and Culturaf Organization, Departnent of
Education, Statistical Yearbook, l-976-1977
United Nations Relief ar.d. Works Agency for Pal-estine Refugees in the lVear East,
Annual Report of the Director of l{ea1th " 1977 antl 19?8
Econornic Coumission for ltrestern Asia
fiDenographic situation of the PeLestinian people" (8 May 1979)
"survey of economic and social developments in tbe ECWA region, 19?0-19?8
(B/ECWA/BO )
"survey of econonic and soci.al developments in the ECIfA region, 1980 (lpril 1980 )
rrspeciel neasures of assistance to the Palestinian wcnnanrl
( E/EcwA/SDHs/CoNF. )+/5 /Rev.2 )
"sociaf and econonic conditions of Palestinian woman inside and. outside the
occupied telritories ( E/ECI.IAISDHS/cotrf . ).r/6 /nev. f )
United l,lations Rel-ief and. Works Aaenc
Palesti.ne Refuaees in ttre llear East
^ft/r3g5li/s5h33
Annex III
Page 3
Statistic€l Abst"act of the Regi on of ESWA, third issue (Beirut, 19BO)
"Social progranmes and data for the ECWA region" (felruary 1980 )
rrDcnographic anal related socio-econotnic tlata sheets for countries of ECI,,tArt,
No. 2 (Beirut, January 1!18)
Coptrittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Right s of the
Palestinian People
fhe Righ! of Return of the PaLestinian People (Unitea Nations publication,
Sales No. E.?8,I.21)
The Right of Self-Detenoination of the Palqstinian People (Unitea Nations
put fi
. the Origins anal Evolution of the Palestinian Problen, part l, f91?-194?
(Unitetl i{ations pub}ication" Sales I\To. 8.78.I.f9)
"Acquisition of 1g;nd in Patestinel' (l-9?9 )
Dse Hamarskj 6ld Library
PaLestine Question: A Select Biblioeraphy (1976)
Cornniss ion on Aunan Rinhts
Beport on the thirty-fifth session, 12 February-16 March L9?9: official
Recortls of the Econonic and SociaL Cowlcil. SuppLenent No. 3 @/L979 /36)
neport on the thirty-sixth session, l+ Fetrualy-lI+ Msrch 19801 offlclaL
Record.s of the Econosic and. SociaL Council. Suppl-enent No. 3 (E/1980/13)
Unitetl Nations Developnent Progra:rnne
I'Imqrlementation of General Assenbly resolution 33/1\? on assistance to the
Palestinian people" (DPl!10 )
Report of the Inte!-Agency Task Force on Assistance to the PaLestinian ?eople
to the fnteragency l.{eeting" 20 Aprif Illp
A/35 /533
Annex lII
Page 4
the Human
tories
Sumaries oJ reports appearing in the press
'Ler.r1t,or-Les lmonl,n_Ly lssues I rom L9 t) To 19 Iy )
Selected records of testimony taken by the
Nines vhile in the resion
ecial Coumittee to fnvesti Israeli
of the
ces Affect
in Israel and the oceuPied
Specia.l Conrnittee at di fferent
United Nations centTe for Hrjman settlements (Habita!)
of ilabitat: United llations Conf on Sett
-11 June ted i'lations lublication" Sales 1To. E.76. TV. T and
corrigendum
Report of the Regional Preparatory Conference for Asia and the Pacific,
Teheran, 1\-19 June 19?5 (A/COl,rF. ?0 /RPC /10 )
Habitat: United lilations Conference on Hrman Settlements " "Global revie'+ of
human settfementsrt (A/coiilF ,7o / A/r)
World Ilousing Survey, 19?\ (unitea i{ations publication " Sales llo. Fr.T5'Iv'B)
D. Reports and publications from the specialized agencies
fnternational Labour Organisation
SuoDlenent to tire Rr
-ernational
Labour
conre Labour office, \919 ) ' annex.
Report of the Directar-Generaf , TnternaLiona] labour Conference, sixty-sirth
session (Geneva, International Labour office, 1980), appendix I11.
"rnplementation of .18 c/resolution 13.1 and 19 c/resolution 15'1 concerning
educational and cultural institutions in the occupied Arab territories: report of
ihe Direct or-General on the mission he sent. to the AIab teruitories occupied blr
fsrael to coLlect on-the-spot infornation on the educationaf and cultural situation"
(ro4 nx/52 )
"Jn,plenentation of "esolutions 18 C/f3.1" 19 C/]5.1 and 20 C/I5'l. ccncernin5
educationa.I and culturaf institutions in the occupied territories: report of the
lri r-.ctor-cenera1" (lOU XX/12 )
^E/n3g5l/isr3h3
Annex lII
Para 5
World Health Organi zation
"Hea-1th conditions of the Arab population in the occupied Arab territories,
inc1uding Palestine; Teport of the Special Connittee of Cperts Appointed to
study the Hea]th conditi.ons of the rnhabitants of the occupied rerritories '' (A33/2r )
I'Health assistance to refugees, ilisplaced. persons anar the Arab population of the oceupied Arab territories in the l"Ii ddle Easl" (A3e/Wp/\)
"col-laboration with the united Nations system: health assist,rce to refugees,
d.isplaced persons and the Arab population of the occupied Arab territories in the
Midd-1e East" (A3e/?6)
''Health cond.itions of the Arab
inclu<ting Palestine,r (A33/I.Ipl1 )
population in the occupietl Arab territories,
I. Reports and publications of Government s
Eevpt
Official statenent of the Govenment of ngypt, entitled ',Negative social
and. econonic effects of the rsraeli occupation on the living eonditions of the
Pal-estinian Arab people in the occupied territories'l
t_ St3.t,e o_l^ l11ael-, Ministry of Defence, A TveLve-year Survey, 196?-19?9
\deIUSaLem, _l,yaro,l
Central Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Abstract of Israel
Y of the Re
Mobilization and Stati cs, July 1979
Rouhi A1-Itratib ,
Cent"al Bank of
Ststistical ilu].letin,
Jordan, Departnent of Research and Studies, Monthly
vol. 15, i'lo. 12 (December I9?9 )
( Central- Agency for Public
Israel
\rrovemDer -Ly ly,
Jordan
The Judaization of JerusaLen (.omlan, A1-Tawfiq press, 19?9)
Territories
^ft/r3g5li/sr3h3
Annex III
rage o
Ministry of, DeveLopment
ulI_t_J_eT.In. .l_y ly \1n AraDlc ,,
anal Reconstruction ' fnfornation and Statistical
, The Statistical Yearbook for the Year. f9?2/1973
1979)
Hea].th ces (March I
Education r979)
(,rury r9T9 )
ts
Department of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook, 1978, No' 29
Ministry of Education, Yearbook of
Yearbook of EalUcationaf Statistics
The Statistical Equcqtional Yearbook " 197?
Hashenite Kingdon of Jordan, report subnitteal to the Security Council
Conmission Established in Accordance with Security Cor.:nci1 Resolution !l+6 (19?9)'
!'Israeli settl-ements in the occupied West Bank, including Arab Jerusalem since 196?"
(May l9l9 )
Royal Scientific Society, Aruoan, Jordan, Econornic Department:
The Five-Iear ects €nd In (october 197? )
The Sisnificance o uruary 19?9 )
dex for
Nuneri c a1 Index for
cs1 dex f
Numerical Inalex for Tourisn (January 1979)
ffit atrq corr',-i
"
ati ons (.rury rg?9)
Nrmeri.cal Inde{ for nlectricity (August 1979)
Syrian Arab Republ"i c
Centra.l Bureau of Statistics, Statistical nt-g!g!r- l9I9-, No. l+05,
J arruary Jyou
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, Statistics Dirrisic'n:
Tlee Annual Statisticaf Butletin, 19?7 (Decenber 19?B)
ro].o. , ry lo tucrooer ry I L
Ibid. , 19?5 (November 1976)
Ibid. , 19?\ (October L975)
A/35 /r33
&rglish
Annex rlf
F. Miscellaneous books and publications
Bri an van Arkadie, BeDefi
es s].n Itlew York, N.Y. , Carnegie Elalowment for
the
Gaza
Internat
^
Ali: BreFEal, Econonic Grorth in the Adninistered Area6, 1968-19?3 (Jerusalem,
l'anK or tsraet, t{esearch Departnent, llf4)
.^_^ |yk of_ Israel,. Reseaxch Department, Ttre Econoqr/ of the Administerecl Areas, gE Lr erusarem. lg (4 )
State of Israel, Ministry of Finance, Econonic planning Authority, Econonic Plans, L9?1-75 a.rd 197\-?8
Mortle chai Nisan" fsrael anrl the Territories; A Stuqy in Control". 196?-19?? (na&at Gan, Turtledoveffi
Edward. W. Said, The Question of palestine (New york, N.y., Tines Books, 19?9)
Statisticqi Abstract of Israel, various years (Jerusalen, statisti-EJJ--.:- Cent"al Bureau of
Vivian A. Bul-t, fhe West Bank - Is It Viable? (Lexington, Massachusetts,
Lexington Books, 1975 )
G, Publications of resear:ch institutions
Cai"o DenoAraptric Centre
(Cairo, 19?2 )
Urbanization antl Migration in some Arab and African Countries (Cairo, 19?3)
hstitute for PaLestine Studies, Beirut, Lebanon
JournaL of Palestine Stud.ies, issuee fron Autum l9?l to Winter I9B0
Fathiya Saicl Nasru, nducation in the West Bank covernment Schools (.fufy f9??)
K. l4ahshi and R. Rihan, Education in ttre West Bank
Central Bureau of Statistics.
A/35 /533
Annex III
fage o
Palestine Liberation Organization
Central Bureau of Statistics, Palestinian Statistical Abstract ' 19?9' No. 1
irlational report of Palestine (undated and unpublished)
The Economie and Sociaf Afternath of the Israeli
Condi ons of th Arabic
Israeli Settlernents on the !trest Bank and Confiscation of land (in Arabic)
Zianist violations of tiuman Rights in the Occupied Teraitories (undated')
Zionist Settlement Movement (r"rndated )
"The Zianist poliey of settlement in the occupied territoriesr? (undated and
unpublished )
"Palestinian children under Israeli occupation" (undated and unpublished)
Various reports issued. by the Occupied Hoseland Affairs Office' Beirut ' Lebanon, on such matters as the Jerusalem Electricity Conpany " educatj-ona1
activiL-ies in the occupied territories 1 water resources, Israeli settlements, the
struggle of the Patestinian r,rorkjng class etc.
The com0ittee for the Defence of Palestinian Human Rights rmder Israeli
Occupation " Beirut, Lebanon: various statements issued regarding student unrest cond.itions of Arab labourers in the occupied territories, education, condition o'f
teachers , settlements
Central Bureau of Statistics, Agricultural Statistical Bulletin for the \'Iest
Bank and Gaza Strip, 1979, vo1. 1.
Palestine lrTat ional Fund, r?llater resources and policies in the West Bankil
fni npoorerhail )
Arab Report and Record.
Bi-nonthly issues, 1976, :-9'17, and 19TB and Arab Report, 1979.
tt. Other Dublications consuLted
Rouhi Al-lQratib, Tbe {uqsi?C.tig4 9! {9rus-C19!q, (-Annan, A1-Tawfiq Press, 1979)
E:rcyc].opedia Judaica
H. H. Avartami, ilest Bank Agriculture: A New Outfook (Nablus, 1978)
:z=/aa^ tE:
UN'IED N4T'ONS
GENf;RAL
ASSEMBLY
Distr.
GXNNNAI
A/ 35 / 533/ Cory "I
20 October lpBO
IIfGLf SH INTII)
SPff,ITSH OI]LY
Thirty-fifih session
Agenaa itern 51 (t)
DEVEI,OPIIEI\]T A]-fD INTENI.IATTONAI, ECOIVOiIJIC CO-OPNRATIOII
Corri{Iendum
The itern shoul-d read Agenda itern 61 (1)
Livin€.col.ditions 9f bhe palesL:inian peoole rn Lne occuored Arab teffitories
Bo-26rBj
UN'IED NAI'ONS =ii=
,t-str.
GENERA],
A/36/260
29 May 1981
ORIGINAL: ENGT,ISH
GENERAL
A S S E M B LY
fhirty-sixth session
Item 69 (k) of the prelininary listx
DEVNLOPI"IENT AISD INTERNATIONAI ECONOI,{IC CO-OPEMTION :
iruMAN SETTLEMENTS
Living conditions of the palestinian people
Report of the Secretary-General
l. In its resolution 3l+/I13 of 1\ Decernber I9Tg, the General Assembly requested. the secretary-General, in coll-aboration with the rerevant united Nations organs
and specialized agencies, particularly the united Nations Rel-ief and works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near nast, the Economic conmi.ssion for western Asia
and the special committee to Tnvestigate rsraeri practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the occupied rerrir:,ories, to prepare anJ submit to the
Assembly at its thirty-fifth session a comprehensive and anal],tica1 report on the social and economic impact of the rsraeli occupation on the living conditions of
the Palestlnian people in the occupied Arab territories.
?. Ar its thirty*fifth session, after considering the secretary-cenerar r s report
(A/35/r33 and corr.I)" whieh had been subrnitted pursuant to the above-mentioned
resolution, the ceneral Assembly, i.n paragraph I of its resolution 35/.15 of
5 December 1980 noted with satisfaction the repo"t of the secretary-Generar on the living conditions of' the Falestinian people in the occupied. Arab territories and" in paragraph L" called upon all states to co-operate with united Nations agencies,
organizations and organs and local- Palestinian authorities to all-eviate the trasic 'I i\finn .^.Aiii^hc ^e +-h.-a- DPoar6l-e+si-.ti^in- ian peonle caused by the Israeli occupation.
Furthermore " the Assenblys in paragraph !, requested the Secretary-General to
submir a comprehensive and anarytical report to the Assemory at its thirty-sixth
session, through the Economic and Social Council- .n thc n.r'.,I'.r"pss martc in f,hs
implementation of the resolution.
3. So as to enable the Secretary-General to prepare and submit the required
Teport to the General Asseubly at its thirty-sixth session, the Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) addressed a note verbale
x A/36/5o
B1-11+3BI
A/36/260
English
Page 2
on ) -bebruary -l9Ul to the Permanent ReDresenlarive of lsrael to UNCHS aL Na,irobr
dra.-'iing the attention of his Governrnent to the above-mentioned resolution. The
rrote requested him to inforro the Executive Director of the action taken or
contemplaced by the Governnenr of Tsrael in response to resolution 35/75. The
attention of the Pemanent Representative was also drar{n to the report of the
Secre t ary -Genera1 (A/31/533 and Corr.]), which, in its annex, referred to severaL
aspects -f the living conditions of the Palesrinian people, inc-Luding the various
{ .-^- i 4e'e-mirino rr ilflllpneind 6 iuihrruF \n1ruroefflu Ji +.v nf Iifa vnrf tehlrev nArurva h rPrv-yns'rrlaLiOn in
e toffns and- villages within the occupied territories.
)+. In a note verbale dated 13 Februa.ry l-9B]" the Permanent Representative of
Tsrael to UNCHS inforned" the Exeeutive Director that the note of 5 I'ebruary had
been received and conveyed to the relevant authorities in Israel and that, as soon
as a reply had been received, it would be conmunicated. to him.
5. In l,lay 1!81, the Executive Directoa addressed notes verbafes to all States,
specifically dTawin€ their attention to paragraph 4 of General Assembly resol-ution
35/7J anA requesting that he be informed of the action taken or contenplated by
then in response bo the resofution. ln his note, the ExecuLive Direcbor indica"ted
that the intention was to submit the required report to the Assembly at its
thlrty-sixth session through the Economic and Social Councit.
6, As the rerort, which r,rill be issued as an addendru to the pr-esenL docunenL,
vill be prepa,red on the basis of the replies from Governments ? it is hoped that
those replies r,riI1 be received. at an early enough date to enabfe the Secaetary-
General bo prepare and submib Lhe reporL to the Cenera-L Asseobly at its thiTty-sixrh
session thrcugh the Econcmic and Social Council.
UNITED
NATIONS
General Assembly Distr.
GENEML
Al37 l23S
15 June 1982
ORIGIML: ENGLISH
Thirty-seventh session
Itern 71 (j) of the prelimitrary list*
DEVEIOPMENT AI{D INTERNATIOML EOOI\OI'{IC (II{PERATION: HUMAN SETTLE}GNTS
Living conditions of the Palestinial people
in the occupied Palestinian territories
Report of the Secretarv-General
I. In its resolution 341L13 of 14 December L979, the General Assenbly requested
the Secretary-@nera1, in collaboration with the relevanE United l{ations organs and
specialized agencies, particularly the United ltations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UXnWA), the Econonic Corunission for Western
esia (nClfA) and the Special Corunittee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting
the Hurnan Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories, to prepare and
subrnit to lhe General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session a comprehensive and
analytical report on the social and economic impact of the Israeli occupation on
the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories.
2. At its thirty-fifth session, afEer considering the Secretary-Generatrs report
G/35/533 and Corr. 1), which had been submitted pursuant to the abovernentioned
resolution, the General Assembly, in paragraph 1 of resolution 35/75 ot,
5 December 1980 took note with satisfaction of rhe report of the Secretary-General
on the living conditions of the Palestin:i.an people in the occupied Arab terriCories
and, in paragraph 4 of the same resotrution, called upon all StaEee to co-operate
with united ltations agencies, organizations and organs and local Paleetinian
authorities to alleviate the tragic living conditions of the Palestinian people
caused by the Israeli occupation, FurEhermore, in paragraph 5 of the resolution,
the Assembly reguested the Secretary-General to submit a co'mprehensive and
analytical report to it at its thirty-sixth sesEion, through the Economic and
Social Council, on lhe progress made in the implernentation of the resolution.
* Al 37 ls0lRev. 1.
82-L6444 3432e ($) 1...
Al 37 / 238
Eng I ish
Page 2
3. At its thirty-sixth session, after considering the Secretary-Generalrs report
G/36/260 and Add. 1-3) which had been submitted p,rrs,rar,t to its resolutior- 357t5,
the Assembly, in paragraph I of resolution 36/73 of 4 Decernber 19g1, took note of
the report of the Secretary-General on the living conditions of the palestinian
People and, in paragraph 6 of the same resolution, requested the Secretary-General
"to prepare a comPrehensive and analytical report on the deteriorating living
conditions of the PalesLinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories and to
subrnit it to the General Assenbly at its thirty-seventh session, through the
Economic and Social Council". In paragraph 7 of tn. resolution, the Assembly also
requested the secretary-General, in preparing the report, t,to consult and
co-oPerace wiEh the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative Palestinian of the people".
4. So as to enable the SecreLary-General to prepare and submit the required
rePort to the General Assernbly at its thirty-seventh session, and in an effort to
ensure a balanced and objective expert view, the Secretary-GeneraI used the services of two experts (see annex II below).
5. The experts were to prepare the reporE on the basis of rnacerial available from the United lbtions and its subsidiary bodies and from the specialized agencies, and other published and unpublished literature pertaining to rhl subject. ift"y or"i. also to gather inforrnation through visits to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian
Republic and the occupied territories and through discussions with government officials and others, as well as with representatives of the palestine Liberation
Orga niza t ion.
6. Since permission to visit the occupied Palestinian territories rdas not granted
by the GovernmenE of Israel, the experts, in preparing their report, had to iely on secondary sources of information, including the ieporis of a nission of the International Labour Organisation (IIO) anl another of the hrorld HeaIth organization (wHO), r^rhich had visited the occupied rerritories in 1981.
7. The question of the living conditions of the Palestinian people has been a matter of concern in rnany intergovernmental bodies and subsidiary organs of the United lrbtions, for example, the Conrnittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable
Rights of the Palestinian People, the Conunission on Hurmn Rights, the Special
Connnittee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the tfurnan Rights oi the Population of the occupied Territories and the Security Council. Because of the
considerable volume of material available in the United I.btions, as well as other
published material in books, periodicals, journals and the press, it was agreed that
one exPert would rernain at United lrbtions Headquarters to carry out the extensive
research required and the other expert would go on mission to iather information
from the relevant United lrhtions prograrunes and the specialized agencies in Europe and rhe Middle East and would also visit Egypt, Jordan, the Syrian araU Republic
and the offices of the Palestine Liberation organization in Beirut and hrnascus.
8. Accordingly, while one of the experts rernained at the United ttrations
Headquarters, the other h,as on mission frorn 8 February to 19 March Lg82, visiting Egypt, Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, where he held discussions with senior
government officials dealing with rnatters related to the occupied palestinian
Al 37 / 238
English
Page 3
territories, with Palestinian refugees living in those countries and with residents
of the occupied territories visiting Ehose countries, as well as with recent
visitors to the occupied territories. He held further discussions with United
l{ations officials sEationed in those countries. Discussions were also held with,
and inforrnation gathered from, the representatives of the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PIr) in Beirut and Darnascus. Inforrnation rdas also collect.ed from
various academic research insCitutions in the neighbouring Arab countries.
g. The expert also visiced the headquarters of, and gathered relevant infomation
and data from, ECWA, the United lbtions Educational, Scientific and Grltural
organization (uNssoJ), w&, ID and uNRl,lA. Various united I'btions reports dealing
with conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories were also reviewed,
Particularly those of the Special Cormuittee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the tfurnan Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories, the
Security Council Corunission established under resolution 446 (1979) and the
Corrnittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The
exPerts reviewed material received from the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United lbtions (fAO), the United lbtions Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), the United libtions Environment Prograrrne (utwp) and the United l,Iations
childrenrs Fund (uNIOEF).
10. The report prepared by the experts is reproduced in annex I below.
ANNEX I
Reoort of the Group of Experts on the Living
Conditions of the Palestinian Peopte in the
Al 37 / 238
English
Annex I
Page I
Paragraphs Page
1-5 2
6-14 Z
15-38 4
15-18 4
L9-26 6
27-29 9
30-38 11
39-65 18
39-51 18
52-57 22
58-61 25
62-63 27
64 29
65 29
66-90 30
66-72 30
73-81 32
82-90 34
Chapter
I.
II.
III.
@NTENTS
INTRODUCTION . o.......... r.... '. o. o.... o.... o.... " ' '
ST MMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o . . . . . o . . . . . o . . . . . . . . .'''
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCII,RE, I"AI{D AllD WATER .......... . ..
A. Land and gettlementS . ....... ...... o o....... o... o
B. l{atgr ... a a. a a.. o.......... t.............. " " t "
C. Physical infrastructure .......o.................
D. Population and housing . r. o.... o...... o. o... .....
EOI|OMIC FACIORS . . . .. . . . . o . . . ... . . . o . o.. . . . . . t . . ... .
A. Employlent ... o.......... o.................. .. ' o '
B. Incomg .. a.a...o...... .. o......4a........oao
C. ConsumptiOo ........ o.... o.. o. o o o. o......... " ' t '
D. Savings . o.................... o o............. o o..
E. Invgstment ....... o...... t. '.... r. ........ " " " o
F. Inflation .................................o.....
SOCIAL AND CULI1rRAL FACIDRS ... o.... o........ o.. o. ...
A. Social and cul,tural environment ................o
B. Hea I lh . o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o . . . . o o . . . ' ' ' t ' ' '
C. Education ....o o....o....... o.....o.... ao........
rv.
V.
Appendices
I. Land recenEly appropriated by the occuPying Power ......... o... o o... 39
II. Congumer price index (1968169 = 1,00) .......o..e...o................ 40
1...
Al 37 / 238
English
Annex I
Page 2
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In resolution 36/73, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to
PrePare and submit to it at its thirty-seventh session, through Ehe Economic and
Social Council, a comprehensive and analytical report on the deteriorating living
conditions of the Palestinian people Living in the occupied Palestinian territories.
A previous report of the Secretary-General, submitted to the Assembly at its
thirty-fifEh session, in response to resolution 34/L13, dealt with the living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories (A/35/533 and
Corr. l) .
2. Accordingly, in the present report, the living conditions of the Palestinian
people in the I'lest Bank of the River Jordan, including East Jerusalem, and the C,aza Strip are examined with a view to determining the extent and scope of deteriorat,ion
in che sociat and economic conditions of the people over the period of occupation.
3. Although data are readily available in officially published documents in
resPect of the l{est Bank and the Gaza Strip, they are less readily available and are
less reliable for East Jerusalem. The analyses in the report are therefore nainly
related to conditions in the l,lest Bank and the C,aza Strip, with some inforrnation,
gathered from'secondary sources, on conditions in East Jerusalem as regards the
social and cultural factors.
4. In the absence of a visit to the occupied Palestinian terricories, it was not
possible for the expert to observe and record infornration and data at first hand.
However, an ILO mission and a WtO mission visited the occupied territories as
recently as 1981, and relevant inforrution contained in thl reports of those
missions has been taken into account in the analysis of ernployment conditions and
the health services prevailing in the territories. Information was also obtained
by the exPert who was on mission in Febnrary and llarch L982, visiting the
neighbouring Arab countries and United lbtions institutions, offices and programneg
in the Middle East and Europe.
5. The present report e:<amines three broad areas affecting the social and
economic conditions in che occupied Palestinian Eerritories. Section III deals
with the physical and infrastructural factors, including housing and comnrnity
facilities; section IV deals with the economic factors; and section V the social
and cultural factors, as well as health and educational aspects.
II. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
6. Employment in the occupied Palestinian territories has been declining since
the occupation. As the economy of the occupied territories has not generated the jobs required to absorb the increase in the labour force, growing numbers of
unskilled workers have sought ernployment in Israel - 34.9 per cent of the total
ernployed in 1979 - while skilled and professionally qualified persons have been
emigrating to neighbouring Arab States and beyond. The absenee from home of
migrant workers and the long daily coruuuting of those working in Israel, have
1...
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adversely affected family and cornnunity life in the territories. Structural
changesin the production and distribution secEors conseguent on the integration of
the -"oto*y wiltr ttrat of Israel have contributed to the decline in employment
opportunities.
7. In spite of the decline in employrnent in Ehe occupied territories themselves,
the incomes of the people in the territories have rised, in both current and real
terrns. This is due to increased emplo)nnent in Israel, sErucEural changes in
production, a rise in wages in the area and a significant increase in remittances
irom abroad. The increaie in incomes has led t,o increased consumption and savings
which rose at a relatively fast rate during the period 1968-1973, with a slowing
down in the period, Lg73-I979. The decline in the growth rate of consumption and in
the proportion of savings \das the effect of accelerated inflation during the period
L973-L979.
8. In the absence of an appropriate institutional structure to rnobilize ar.d invest
eavings, the people in the occupied territories have found their purchasing Power
eroding owing to inflation. Due to lack of incent,ives to save, there has been a
tendency to hoard gold, Jordan dinars and other hard currencies, and most of the
investment has been made in improving private dwellings. There are few
opportunities to invest in income-producing activities because of the existing
econornic structure and the pattern of production and distribution in the industrial,
agricultural and trade sectors. This has an adverse effect on the development of a
viable economy to serve the long-tenn economic and social needs of the Palestinian
people living in the occupied territories.
g. Policies adopted by the occupying Power regarding land and htater usage in the
territories are adversely affecting the living conditions of the Palestinian
conunrnities. The continued appropriation of parcels of culEivable land, often for
the use of existing Israeli sltttetnents or proposed ones, has created a sense of
insecurity and frustration among the Palestinian people. The restrictions on the
use of water by the local people and iEs increasing diversion for use by the new
settlements have adversely-affected the agricultural activities of the Palestinian
commrnities.
1.0. Apart from the abovernentioned eeonomic irnpact, the social and cultural life
of the Palestinian people has also been affected by the various constraints and
rest,rictive actions of the occupying Power, which have been intensified in recent
years. For instance, collective punishment, incarceration without trial,
deportation, and resErictions on freedom of movement, association and expressionr.
.t. r".r," by which the development of national consciousness and cultural identity
among the P;lestinian people living in the territories is restricted. A serious
factor which is affecting peaceful living conditions is the continuing friction
between the local Palestinian coruuunities, on the one hand, and the Israeli
authorities and settlers, on the other. Following the dismissal of the elected
llayors of El. Bireh, llablus and Rarnallah in March \982, clashes broke out in the
Weet Bank, East Jerusalem and the C'aza Strip, leading to injury and loss of life.
11. As far as health is concerned, although certain improvements have been made in
the curative and preventive systems of health care, they have not kePt pace with
Al37 /238
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the increase in population and the need for specialist services and care wichin the
hospital system in the occupied Palestinian territories. Shortages of medical
personnel, nursing staff and technicians are widespread. Diagnostic equipment and
services are often lacking in the principal hospitals, and referrals continue to be
made increasingly to Israeli hospitals for specialist diagnosis and care. There
have been no significant changes over the past tvro years in the health services as
regards the establishment of health units or strengthening of medical staff. About half the population of the territories (the tlest Bank in particular) who have not
joined the health insurance schemes are worse off than before in obcaining health
care and needed medical services.
L2. I{ith respect to education, the number of classes, teachers and students in the
territories has increased since 1968. However, the enrolment ratios for Ehe West
Bank are lagging behind those of the Gaza Strip and neighbouring Arab countries.
The frequent closing down of schools and harassment of students have created an
atmosphere of anxiety and apprehension which hinders the normal educational
development of the students. The application of Military order No. 854 to the
universities has operated to deprive them of academic freedom.
13. As far as housing is concerned, the increase in housing stock since the
occupation has not kept pace with the rate of dilapidation. Even though there have
been marginal inprovements in room densities, the state of overcrowding in the
occupied territories rernains severe.
L4. The high rate of migration from the occupied territories, especially
since L975, tras been attributed to lack of employment opportunities and the
atmosphere of tension and uncertainty resulting frorn the continuing occupation.
For those reasons and because of the prospect of better emplolment opportunities in
the Gulf States, migratory flows from the territories have accelerated. Since
migration generally involves young males of working age, the Eerritories are being
deprived of their most valuable hurnan resource.
IrI. PUYSICAL INFMSTRUCruRE, LAND AND WATER
A. Land and seftlements
15. Land and ltater resources continue to be of the greatesE concern to the
Palestinians since they are critical factors in a detemination of the living
conditions of the people. The total land area of the occupied Palestinian
territories has been given as approxirnately 5r939r000 dunums, of which
51572,000 dununs are in the !{est Bank and 367,000 in the Gaza strip. By
September L979, 115001000 dunums or approxinately 25 per cent of the total land
area had reportedly been expropriated by the Israeli authorities (see
A/34/63L, Para. 105). In the case of Ehe West Bank, the land expropriated had
increased from 27 per cent in 1979 to 34 per cent, or some Lr862r000 dunums, by
t...
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I"larch 1981. a/ Of Ehe land expropriated in the llest Bank, 1l per cent ldas reported
to have been utilized for Lhe building of new Israeli setElemencs. A total of
123 such settlements had reportedly been built in the occupied Palestinian
Eerritories by the middle of 1981: 10 in EasE Jerusalem, 103 in the West Bank and
10 in Ehe Gaza Strip. b/
16. The process of expropriation, in association with ocher factors, has led to a
decline in the amount of land used for agriculture and, to some extent' in
agricultural output of certain cormnodities t.raditionally produced in the occupied
territories. As mentioned in the report submitt.ed to the General Assembly at its
thirty-fifth session (see A/35/533, annex I, para. 28), the toEal land area under
cultivation dectined from 2,8401000 dunums in 1967 to 211401000 dunums in 1974
(i.e., 75 per cenE of the land cultivated in f967). !,Iith Ehe further expropriation
of land since then, it is reasonable fo suppose Ehat the amount of land cultivated
by the Palestinians is srnaller today than it was in L974.
L7, That expropriation of land is widespread and is continuing, adversely
affecting the lives and livelihood of the Palestinian farming population, is
supported by Ehe inforrnation presented to the Special Conrnittee to Investigate
Israeli Practices Affecting the Hurnan Rights of the Population of the Occupied
Tenitories and set, forth in its report to Ehe General Assembly at its thirty-sixth
session A/36/579, paras. 102-118). Most of the land has been seized or
expropriated for the expansion of new Israeli settlements. The effect of these
measures on Palestinian farmers and conrnunities has been a heightened sense of
insecurity and a reluctance ro rnake any long-term investments to improve the land.
18. In addition t.o the direct expropriation of land under existing emergency laws
and Israeli regulations, the expert on mission was inforrned by Arab sources that'
in certain municipalities, the authoriEies have recently started inserting a clause
in building permits to Ehe effect that while the applicant has permission to build
a house on the land, the Land on which the house stands does not belong'Eo him.
There is reason to believe thaE Ehis applies rnainly to urban land, especially when
the authorities believe that the land comes under the category of absentee ownerrs
ProPerty.
a/ Arab Labour Organization, Arab Labour
their effecE on the conditions of Arab Workers in Palestine and other occupied
0ffice, Israeli Settlernents and
Arab
t,errr-t orr.es l'larch
y/ The H,ashernite Kingdom of Jordan, MinisEry of Occupied Territories
Affaiis, A Brief Survey of che Living Conditions of the Palestinian People in the
occupied Territories (Arnrnan, February f982) .
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B. hla ter
19. From the point of view of the Palestinians, the situation with regar{ to rilater
has worsqned. The problem appears intractable in the prevailing circumstances
which do not permit of the adoption of strategies for the developmenE and utilization of water resources for the benefit of the Palestinians.
20. As the occupying Power, Israel is the sole authority for the conservation,
control and use of the water resources in the occupied territories. This question
is complicated by the fact that both Israel and the West Bank share nany sources of
Idater and that sorne of the sources, part,icularly the underground aquifers straddle
the border between the hlest Bank and Israel. Dre to the stratification of the hills dividing Israel and the West Bank and the slope of the strata, much of the rain falling on the hills percolates dorrrnwards and eastwards, issuing as springs in
the West Bank or adding to the aquifers. Some of the aquifers are s.tperimposed on
each other, so that exploitation of the lower aquifers by deep drilling can cause
shortages or drying up of the upper aquifers. c/
2L. The nain sources of water in the occupied territories are wells and springs.
Water from these aources is used for agricultural and domestic purposes. Since
occupation in 1967, the use of only two wells for agricultural purposes has been permitted. In the urban areas of llablus, Kalkiliya, Tirl-karam and Kaffir the use of a few wells is perrnitted. In addition to the ban placed on the digging of new wells, a restriction has been placed on Ehe amount of water that can be diawn from
existing wells, often at the level that was established at the time of occupation,
and meters have been fitted co all wells to ensure that the lirnits placed are not
exceeded. Legal sanctions including fines are imposed on Ehe owners of wells if
the amount of water drawn exceeds the l,irnits
22. The rescrictions placed on the utlllzation of rdater for agricultural use have,
according t.o Palestinian sources, pr€vvrrted the expansion of agricultural
enterprises and, in some cases, have led to the virtual destruction of farms, particularly sraa1l farms which are predorninant in the l^test Bank, because there is
insufficient q,ater to keep crops alive. Data on agricultural output indicate th,at after the initial surge resulting from the introduction of new techiques by the'
Israeli authorities, output of rnany agricultural products declined or rernained at
the same level after L975-I976. d/
9/ See "Review of the economic conditions of the Palestinian people in the
occupied Arab territories'r (TD/B/870), para. 55.
9/ See ttPermanent sovereignty over national resources in the occupied Arab territories: _ repor! 9f the Secretary-General" (A/36/64il, annex, appendix IV, and
the report of the Minister of Health of Israel, presented to the lrtorld Health
Assernbly at its thirty-fourth session (a34/INF.DOC/1), annex.
23.
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Table 1 below illustratee water usage in the West Bank between 1967 and L979t
Table I. I{ater consumpEion in the l{est Bank
(Mi1lions of cubic metres)
Year
1967 I 68
L977178
L978179
Domestic
use from
springg
2.O
2.6
2.2
Domestic
use from
wells
3,4
9.0
10. 3
Domestic
use from
Mekorot
Company a/
0.4
2.L
Agricultural
use from
wells
30.8
30.5
30.0
Agricultural
uge from
springs
37.0
37.0
37.0
Source: Report
Xea I tI-E-o =-emb ly a t i t s
of the Minister of Health of Israel, presenEed to the t{orld
thirty-fourth session (Rl4/INF.Doc/t), annex.
a/ The lerael.i Water Company.
It will be observed that the data preeented by the Minister of Health of Israel
supports the clairn by the Palestinians thet Ehe use of water for agricultural
prrrpo"e" has been re!ericted to pre-1967 levels. The Israeli authorities state
Ltrat ttris has become neceaaary because of the need t,o exploit the !ilater reaourceg
in a rational manner by ensnritg that, in the developmenE of farms, consideration
is given to such factors as the availability of water in the area and to the
rnaiitenance of the balance between water resources and their exploitation in order
to prevent over-exploitation and salinization. As regards permission for the
aigging of new wells, the Israeli authorities state that between 1967 and 1979,
3QJppiications out of 80 were approved for permits to prospect, but not a single
new well was sunk during the period, owing to Ehe high cost involved (see
At36l26O/Add.1, para. Z6). Tt"r. is no inaication, however, that any policy existe
to assist the Palestinian people to meet Ehe high cosEs Ehrough loans, granta or
any other form of financial assistance. On the contrary, as the exPert lrag
iniormed, nany restrictions seem to be placed on the receipt of funds from abroad
for development projecEs, including the improvement of the water supply.
24. In general, the Palestinian population perceives the Israeli authoritiea as
perrnitting qhe israelie far greater use of water for agricul.tural, donestic and
industriai p,trpoees than they do the Palestinians in the occupied territories.
f...
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Available data point to the fact that
than it is in the l{est Bank, as table
water consumption in Israel is much
2 below illuetrates.
higher
Table 2. I{ater consumption
(uiLtions
the ldeet Bank and lerael, L977
cubic metres)
1n
of
Agriculture
Industry
Houeeholds
t{eet Bank
90
LO al
Israel
L,325
95
300
Tota I L 1720
Source: KIDMA; Israel Journal of Development, No. 10 (1977).
a/ Including consumption by industry.
Although there is undoubtedly a need to utilization, conserve wacer through controle on its the fact that the general rate of nater cone.rnpiion per capita in rsrael is almost four times thai in rhe t{est Bank G/35/533, pa""iT7ffrTiaee justification for the view thet the lrater policies of the occupying autirorities
deny to Palestinians the use of water resourcea at the same level as ie permitted
to Israeli citizens. In the circumetances, the linits placed on the coniunption of
nater by Palestinians in the l{est Bank constitute a conEtraint on the agricultural
and industrial development of the occupied territories.
25. The difference in the usage of water in the occupied rerrit,ories and lerael ie
substantial. Additionally, there are clear indications thst the new Israeli
eettlements in the occupied territories are reeeiving preferential treatment. Sorne of che weter policies introduced in the l{est Bank appear to be directly related to
the exploitation of water resources for the benefit of the new settLements. For
instance, the rsraeli l{ater company (Met<orot) received permission ro drill 30 wells
to eerve the new settl.ements eetablished in the occupied territories. The wells
are nonElly drilled into the deep aquifers, thus affecting the upper aquifere
which are the normal source of suppl.y for the Palestinian corununili"". Details of
the output from these wells are not avail.able, but for the period 1976-L977, the
volume of punping from the artesian wells alone in Ehe territoriea rdas officiallv
given as follows:
100
f...
Table 3.
Jordan valley and
eastern foothills
l{estern foothills
and coastal region
Israeli weLls
Volume of pumping from artesian wells'
(Thousands of cubic metres)
lfunber
of wells
119
181
Quantity
of water
L217O0.2
20,3 78.0
L976-L977
Al371238
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Percentage
of total
25.9
43.1
300
T7
3L7
33 r078.0
L4,L44.8
47,223.0
70.0
30.0
100.0
.ry: Yearly report on output of wells .in West Bank, Water Administration,
rc"aeEi-p of Wesr Bank, June 1978 (see also TD/B/870, table 17).
26. Instances have been cited by residents of the occupied terricoriee whereby as
alternatives to permission for sinking wells, the applicants have been offered the
option of purchaiing water from newty established setttements or hooking up to the
,.t.r grids that are being set up to supply the seEtlements. The affected
palestinian coruntrnities hive viglrousfy- relisted these options as affronts to their
sOvereignty over their own natural resources and, as a resultr the econornic
activities of a number of Palestinian farnilies have been reduced to near
subsistence level.
C. Physical infrastructure
27. The level, quality and gr.rantity of physical infrastructure facilities in the
occupied terriioiies have remained low. Major road networks have been constructed
by the Israeli authorities or are in the process of construcEion. However, these
highways have largely been constnrcted to serve Israeli settlements and the
stiateiic p.trpo""" of the occupying authorities. Access roads to about 25 per cent
of all viliagls in the t{est Bank "r,d th" Gaza StriP are lacking. Ttris fact, by
iteelf, if related to the situation in other developing counEries, does not aPPear
to be " *jor deficiency. It can only be regarded as such in the context of the
large surns of money rnade available by the authorities for providing infrastrucEure
facilities, incl.uding roads and drains, to Israeli settlements. In rnany of the
villages of the o"c,rtied territories, even those with access to the rnain highways'
. r""Joroble internri "tre"t system is lacking, and rnany houses in these villages
lack vehicular access.
f...
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28. In a study prepared for EO{A, it haa been observed that modern serrage eystems
are conpletely lacking in the villagee while they are relatively undeveloped in the
citieg. Modern nater eupply and reticulation systems are unavailable for about
75 per cent of the villagee of the t{eet Bank, electriciEy eupply is inadequate and,
in the case of 72 pet cent of the t{eet Bank villages, non-exigtent. g/
29. Table 4 below, compiled from data collected by the Secretary of the t{orld
Courrcil of Churchee, showe the degree to which the rural areas of the occupied
territorieg lack certain basic infraatructural facilities.
Table 4. Distribution of village infrastructure by type and
district in the l{eat Bank and the Gaza Strip
lfumber of
v3Ll3,Ee3
Digtrict
Jerusalem 32
Rarullah
Bethlehen 32
Hebron
Nablue
Tnlkaren 46
Villagee without
e lectricity
Villagee rrithout
a water sygtem
Villages with a
poor connection
to a highway
lfumber Percentage
9 28.0
6 8.6
2L 65.6
19 31.6
37 29.8
7 I5.2
16 25..O
115 26.8
4 19.0
119 26.4
_![rqbe: Percentag lfurnber Percentage
15 46.8 2L
70 43 6L.4 3g
32 69.6
50 79.1
65.6
54.3
23 50.0
53 82.8
72.2
problems
p. L4.
27 84.4 22 68.8
60 39 65.0 40 66.6
L24 106 85.5 ll4 91.9
Jenin
Tota I
I{egt Bank
Caza
429 3L2 72.7 321 74.8
2L 5 23.9 4 19.0
Grand toEal 450 3L7
Source: Bakir
in the West Bank and
70.4 325
Abu{(iehkr "Human eettlements :
Gaza Strip" (EGUA, March 1981),
and eocial dinensione
gl Bakir Abu{ishk, ttHuman settlemente: problems and eocial dinensions in
the l{est Bank and Gaza Striprr, (nCWe,, March 1981), p. 13.
f...
Al 37 1238
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D. PoPulation and housing
30. The population of the occupied Cerritories has increased considerably since
1957 owing lo high fertility and relatively low mortality. In the West Bank, the
popularioi n.a iicreased from 581,700 in t9O8 to 699,600 by the end of L9791 The
popufation in the @za Strip increased from 3551900 in 1968 to 432,60Q in L979'
31. Although the terriEories have registered sizable increases in pogulation-, the
Palestinians state thaE those increases would have been higher had there not been
substantial emigration from the territories owing to the lack of suitable job
opportunities aid deteriorating conditions with respect t,o personal security.
ttrlre is considerable evidence to support the contention that there has been
significant migration from the occupiea territories since 1967 (see table 5 beLow).
Table 5. Popul.ation changes in the occupied territories
A. l{est Bank
L967
1968
L969
1970
t972
L974
L975
L976
L977
1978
L979
L967
1968
1969
1970
t972
L974
L975
L976
L977
1978
L979
(1)
l'Iatural
increase
( thousands )
3.0
1r. 7
L2.3
13.7
16. 8
18.1
18.6
20.3
20.5
18.6
20.9
(2)
Actua 1
increase
( thousands )
-10.2
-4.0
13.5
8.7
11.7
15.4
3.5
5.8
10. 3
9.2
9.2
(3)
Annual ltate
of increase
(percentage)
-L.7
-0.7
2.3
1.5
1.9
2.4
0.5
0.9
1.5
1.4
1.3
-2.3
-6.6
1.8
1..5
2.0
2.8
2.4
2.5
2.9
2.O
2.9
(4) = (2)-(1)
Difference
( thousands )
-L3.2
-L5.7
L.2
-5.0
-5. I
-2.7
-15.1
-L4.5
-10.2
-9.4
-11.7
B. Gaza Strip and NorEh Sinai
3.3
7.4
9.2
8.8
11.5
L3.2
13. 8
14.8
15, 3
14.1
16. r
-8.8
-25.O
6,3
5.5
7.6
11.3
10.0
10. 5
L2.3
8.9
L2.4
11. 1
32.4
2.9
3.3
3.9
1.9
3.8
4.3
3.0
5.2
3.7
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1980 (Jerusal.em, Central &rreau of
Statistics, 198
/...
Al 37 / 238
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32. In table 5, the amounc of natural increase and the amount of actual increase
for most of the years between 1967 and 1979 are compared. The difference for each
year ftly be taken as an estirnate of migration for that year. In column (3), ttre
annual rate of actual increase is much lower than the rate for the region and is
much lower than the average annu:rl rate of population increase for such
neighbouring countries as Jordan (3.6 per cent) and the Syrian Arab
Republic (3.3 per cent). !/
33. It will be observed from the table that in the case of the lrlest Bank,
emigration from the territory involved an average of less than 5r000 persons a year
between 1970 and 1974. From 1975, the volume of emigration increased considerably,
involving an average of more than I2r000 persons a year. In the C,aza Strip, the
volume of eruigration has been fairly steady, involving about 3r500 persons
annually. the selective nature of emigration, involving mainly rnales in Ehe
working age groups rnay be deduced from Eable 6 below.
Table 6. Population of the West Bank and the C,aza Strip
by age group and sex, 1979
( Thousands )
Age group
0-L4
15 29 30 44
45 64
65 and over
Tota I
Ferna les Ma les Tota 1
L34.7
L57.9
80.0
64.0
19.7
567.3
270.7
169. I
54.L
52.3
19. 3
565. 5
5L6.4
327.0
134.1
116. 3
39.0
1,132.8
and Statistics, Statistical Year
Source3 Report of the Minister of Health of Israel, presented to the World
Health Assembly at its thirty-fourth session (A34/INF.DOC/1), annex, tables II and
XXIV.
The table shows low male-fenale sex ratios for the age groups 30-44 and 45-64,
indicating a preponderance of fernales which can be attributed to the outrnigrat.ion
of rnales from these age groups. Thus the incidence of migration, as rnay be
expected, seems to fal1 heavily on males in the working-age groups. Another
indication of the incidence of migration can be obtained from changes in the age
!/ Central Agency for Public Mobilization
Book, (Arab Republic of Egyptr July 1980).
Al37 /238
English
Annex I
Page 13
structure of the population during the period. In the I'Iest Bank, the ProPortion of
the population in the age group 3C-.44 fell from 13.6 per cenE in 1968 to
11.7 per cent in L979; while in the Gaza Strip, the proportion of the population in
that age group fell from 13.7 per cent in 1968 to 12.0 per cent in L979.
34. Although the population of the occupied territories has increased considerably
since 1967 no institutional arrangements have been created at the official level Eo
ensure adequate provision of housing for Ehe increase in population Eo alleviate
Ehe prevalent overcrowding, or to ensure replacements for dernolished or dilapidated
housing. In the West Bank there are no public housing schemes, or any publicly
supported financial institutions for the development of housing. In the Gaza Strip
a number of housing units have been built by the authorities in public housing
projects which "are primarily for rehabilitation of refugees and goverrutrent
employees". gl Four thousand housing units have been completed for these PurPoses
since L967, ind 11500 new roons have been added to existing shelters. h/
35. In spite of the efforts of individuals, self-help and co-operative societies
in housing construction, the number of housing units produced since the occupation
does not appear to be anywhere near the number required. The extent to which new
housing construction has failed co meet the needs of an increasing population
living in dwellings with a high dilapidation rate is demonstrated in table 7
below. It can be observed from the figures thaE in the l,test Bank there was a
decline in housing units of 7.1 per cenL between 1967 and L977 while in the C'aza
Strip and North Sinai the decline was 1.3 per cent during the same period.
gl Report of the Minister of Health of Israel, presented to the l{orld Health
Assembly at its thirty-fourth session (e3+/INF/Doc/1), p. 15, table IX.
Lt rbid.
/...
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Al 37 I 238
Englieh
Annex I
Page 15
36. Tab1es 8 and 9 below give the percentate distribution of families according
to roolrr deneity at different Points of time during the occupation.
Table 8. Dietribution of farnilies according to room density in
EaEt Jerusatem, the l{est Bank and the Gaza Strip,
L967, L97L, 1975
(Percentage)
Persons
Der room
-
I
I - 1.99
2 - 2.99
3 or more
Persons
Der room
-
Tota I
Less than I
1.0
1.1 - 1.9
2.O - 2.9
3.0 - 3.9
4.O - 4.9
5.0 - 5.9
5 and over
Average number
per household
Median housing
density
Eaet Jerugalem
L967 1971 L975 L967
3.3 3.5
19.1. L9.7
2L.l 22.4
56,4 54.4
Gaza Strip
L967 L97L L975
2.L 2.6 3.6
19.0 19.6 2L.2
26.5 27.3 28.0
52.4 50.5 47 .2
!{est Bank
9.5
27.5
20.9
42.L
L975
3.7
20.3
23.5
52.5
9.7 9.9
28.0 28.0
2L.9 23.O
40.4 38.6
.9g: Bakir Abu{(ishkr.-ttHurun settl.ements: problems and social dimeneions
in ttril$E Bank and Gaza Srriprr. (nOlA, !{arch 1981) table 4.
Table 9'. Distribution of families by number of persone Per
room in the t{est Bank and the Caza Strip, L979
(Percencage)
Gaza and North Sinai
Refugee
camDs
-
100.0
( 3.5)
g.g
L4.7
3L.2
20.8
L2.O
( 5.8)
(3.1)
6.5
2,7
Vi I lages
100.0
4.4
8.0
11.4
25.9
20.8
13.3
8.1
8.1
6.8
3.0
Tota I
100.0 100.0
( 5.5) 4.7
8.5 8. I
18.1 13.0
26.2 25.7
17.3 20.4
10.9 13.0
( 5. 21.) 7 .5
( 7.3) 7 .6
6.7 6.8
1.00.0
(4.6)
(5.7)
16.8
30.3
19.8
L2.2
(5.3)
(5.3)
7.4
2.8
Tota I
100.0
4.3
7.4
15.4
30.4
20.4
L2.3
5.5
4.3
7.O
2.8 2.6 2.9
!ggg: StatisEical Abstract of Israel' l'980 ...; p.688.
&t Figuree in parenthesis are baeed on estirmtes or have a high relative
sampling error.
Al37 / 238
English
Annex I
Page 16
In all the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, there was a decline of
8.4 per cent in the housing stock between 1967 and L977. It is not surprising that
roorn densities are as high as revealed in tables 8 and 9. There have been some
rnarginal improvements in housing density since L967, but the over-all state of
overcrowding persisEs. If three or more persons Eo a room is regarded as
overcrowding, then more than half the families of the occupied lerritories are
living in euch conditions.
37. Apart from che shortage of houeing units relative to the population, the
provieion of basic facilitiee within housing units also seerus to be inadequate.
Table l0 below gives the distribution of eelected basic home facilitiee in 1967 and
L974. t{hile there hae been some improvement in the situation since L974, the most
recent data on thie subject is that provided by the Minister of Health of Israel in
his report to the the World Health Assenbly at its thirty-fourth session (Wtp
document A34/INF.DOC/1, annex). According to that report, in the t{est Bank the
proportion of homes with electricity increased from 48 per cent in 1975 to
74.2 per cent in 1978, while in the Gaza Strip it increased from 36.7 per cent in
1975 to 75.0 per cent during the period L977-L978 falling to 58 per cent in 1979.
No reason ie given in the report for the decline between 1978 and L979. No einilar
inforrmtion ie given in Ehe report about, the poeseseion of bathrooma or toilets
after L974, although infornation ie given with regard to such goods as
refrigeratora, television sets, radioe and electrical or gas cooking ranges, the
posseseion of which has grorrn between 1975 and L979. It nay be assumed that the
eituation with regard to toilete, bathrooms and kitchens has not improved
significantly since 1974.
f...
Al37 1238
English
Annex I
Page 17
Tabl.e 10. Selected basic housing facilities
in the occupied territoriee
( Percentage of farailiee having the facility inaicated)
Facilitv
Toilet
None
Kitchen
None
Shared
Water GIt
Tap in courtyard
Tap in dwelling
Electricitv
None
Bathroom
None
Weet Bank
L974
C,aza Strip
L967 L967 L974
L4.4
54.0
2.3
27.8
9.9
N.A.
2L.L
35.9
2.9
33.0
L7.L
23.5
52.5
76.3
29,O
43.7
4.7
27.9
27.3
N.A
61. I
79.7
2L.O
L7.6
14.0
30.0
6. 15
13.9
76.L
82.3
64.3
81. 7
Sourcei For 1967 figures, see Bakir Abu{(ishk, "Hu"'an eettlemenEs: problems
and social dimensions in the t{eet Bank and Gaza Striprr (nOle, March 1981), and for
1974 figures, see Statietical Abgtract of Israel, 1975... p.697.
38. From informtion provided by Governmente of Arab States and the PIO, it seems
that the official housing policy in the l{eet Bank and, to a leoser extent, in the
C,aza Strip, is not merely one of ttbenign neglectrt but, in rnay inetances, one of
poeitive obetruction of effort,s of individuals to build houses. Brilding permits
are difficult to obtain and, in some casea, applications have been pending for as
long as two years. It is stated that Palestinians, in desperation, have resorted
to 6uildir,g [.o,re"s without the required pemit and Ehat these houses are demolished
by the aut[oritiea as unauthorized. Such demolition, which does nothing to
alleviate the acute houcing shortage, has been carried out in addition to the
punitive dernolition of 1r259 houses carried out by the end of 1980. l\rthermore,
aifficutties are placed in the way of charitable and eelf-help organizations which
utilize funds from abroad for development projects, including housing projects.
For example, according to rePorts compiled from the Israeli Press as at
12 October 198L by th- Special Cormittee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting
the ltrrun Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories' several l{est Bank
1...
Al37 | 238
English
Annex I
Page 18
towns and societies were facing problems owing to the ban imposed by the military
authoritiea on funds coming from abroad. This Led to the freezing of eeveral.
development projeccs. In addition, the military administration was reported to
have iesued an order prohibiting the expansion or construction of buildinge in
refugee camPs. Thus it appears that the rninimL housing construction in the tfest
Bank since the occupation has taken pl.ace in spite of several difficulcieg
encountered from the authorities and, aecording to one source, has been possible
largely through remittances from Palestinians living abroad which, in 1980,
amounted to $uS 200 million. i/
IV. E@ISMIC FACIORS
A. Emplovment
39. Ibta from various sourcea indicare that emplo)nnent in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip hae declined during the period of occupation, in spite of an increese in
the population as a whole - from 9661600 in 1957 to 111321300 in 1979 - and in the
working-age population - frorn 4911200 in 1967 to 6431600 in 1979. In 1969, the
number of people working in Ehe occupied terriEoriea t aa 1511000. fy 1974 the
nurnber had declined to 1411700 and by 1979 ro 1381000. j/
40. The decline in the number of enployed persons can be attributed partLy to the
emigration of a considerable nurnber from the occupied territories, estirnated at an
annuil average of 2Or000. E/ There is no doubt that'rpull'r factors in the fom of
well.-paid jobs in the Srlf region play some part in the migratory process.
However, it was impreseed on the expert by severaL Arab governmental
representatives, PD officiale and residents of the territorieg who met the expert,
that the enigration is a direct result of the unsatisfactory living conditions in
the territories, in addition to the lack of employrnent opportunities for educated
and skilled people in the economy of the territories, particularl.y recenBl.y
qualified young people. The expert nas also informed that there i.t" p"."licaffy
no job oPPortunities in the professional, nanagement and technical fielde and rnany
engineers, doctors, architects and similarly qualified persons were often inpelled
to accept jobe nuch below their level of competence and experience.
Ll Minietry of occupied Territories, Hasemite Kingdo'r:n of Jordan, Living .!g!f1 Conditions of the Palestinian People in the occupied Territoriee (Amnan,
Jordan, February L98D.
il Arie Bregrnan, Economic Growth in the Adminietered Ar"."--199tfZl
(Jeruealen, Bank of tsra ct of
Ierael. 1980 ...
Yl Report of the Director-General, International Iabour Conference, eixty:sixt;1I.abouroffice,19so),appendixI'II,
para.84.
1...
Al37 /238
English
Annex I
Page 19
41. Another reason for the decline in employment is that, because of the
competition of products from Israe1 and the new lsraeli settlemenEs established in
the terriEories, which have unrestricted entry into the ruarkets of the occupied
t,erriEories, indigenous producers have found it uneconomical to pursue their
traditional income-producing activi.ties particularly in agriculture and, as an
alternative, have had to seek wage employment prinarily in Israel. This became
possible with the opening up of the Israeli unskilled labour rnarket to workers from
the occupied territories mainly in construction, indusrry (processing) and
agriculture (seasonal and migrant).
42. The sharpest decline in emplolrment r.ras in agriculture, from 641000 in 1969
(42 pet cent of the employed) to 38,600 in 1979 (28 per cent of the employed).
This has been attributed by the occupying authorities to the structural changes and
the new technol.ogy chat lrere introduced irrnediately after the occupation. It would
appear Ehat the changes were directed towards eliminating those crops which posed a
threaE to production in Israel - melons and pumpkins in particular. Imports
substitution crops were promoted and new ones introduced for which there was a
denand for exporE to and for processing in Israel. The new technology and
eguipment, including loans from the rnilitary administration to purchase them, have
been rnade available prirnarily for such crops, while the production of traditional
croPs has been largely overlooked. As a result, those fanners who were engaged in
producing traditional crops on snall holdings of up ro 20 dunums or were farming
rnarginal.ly productive land experienced a severe decline in their earnings and have
had to abandon farming which not only met their food needs and provided cash
incomes, but was also a way of life for both the fanily and Ehe corununity.
43. It is not uncomon for these farmers to seek employment in Israel, leaving the
family farm to be tended by the fernale members, children and the elderly. In other
instances, they have had to seek employment in nearby Israeli settlements, such
employment enabling them to avoid to a great extent the restrictions that accompany
employment in Israel itself, for example, recruitmenE through the labour bureaux or
"in an organized fashion". Available data indicate that in 1.969, 64rOO0 persons
were employed in agriculture in the occupied territories, while 2r000 Palestinians
were employed in the agricultural sector in Israel. 1/ By L974, the figures hrere
47,700 in the occupied Eerritories and 13r1OO in Israel. m/ By L979, the figures
had declined to 38r600 in the occupied territories and 10;900 in Israel. n/
44. In industry, Ehere rdas some growth in employment in the occupied territories,
from 19,000 persons in 1969 to 23,100 persons in 1979, while empl.oyment in Israeli
ll Arie Bregnan, op. cit. r p. 32.
m/ Statistical Abstract of lerael. L975
Statistics, I975), p.707.
!/
(Jerusalem, CentraL Bureau of
Statistical Abstract of Israel 1980 .o.1 p.696.
Ll 37 I 238
English
Annex I
Page 2O
industry of people from Ehe occupied territories increased from 2,000 in 1969 to
161900 in L979. o/ The growth in emplo)rment in this sector can be attributed
paitly to the gr6wth in incomes in the occupied territories resulting from
increasing emplolrment in lsrael, but largely to the jobbing orders executed for
Israeli firms in such rna.nufacturing sub-sectors as wood and wood products' PaPer
and paper product.s, metal fabrication, textiles and garment rnanufacture.
45. In construction, the number of persons employed in 1969 was 13,000, which fell
to 8,800 in L974. From 1975 the number rose, reachinS 13,900 by L979. Two
contributory factors to this increase would appear to be the significant increase
in privat.e remittances from abroad which were generally invested in improvements to
private housing and the assistance that, despite restrictions' was flowing from
Arab countries into public projects.
46. In the clerical, sales and service sectors, taking the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip together, the number of persons employed increased by 1r000 betrdeen L974 and
LgTg', frorn 40,400 to 41,400 (from 19.0 per cent to 19.4 per cent of the total
number of persons employed in boEh the occupied territories and Israel. Z/ It is
not possibie to determine from the published data wheEher this increase occurred in
the lerritories or in Israel. The expert on mission was informed Ehat there had
been a significant decrease in tourist services. Apart from tourists from Arab
countries, the tourist trade in general has been organized and serviced by Israeli
firms. According to Arab sources, small-scale conrnercial, industrial and service
enterprises, which provide rnany job opportunities in the clerical, sales and
servite sectors, are hindered from expanding because of high taxation, bureaucratic
regulations, interminable delays in licensing and unfair competition from Israeli
esiablishnents which are subsidized by the Government. One example cited was that
of bakeries: mosE of fhe bakeries operated by Palestinians have been compelled to
close down because of unfair competition from the government-subsidized Israeli
bakeries.
47. Employment has been falling, in both absolute and proportionate terms, in the
professional, academic and administrative categories, as is evident from table 1l
below.
o/ Ibid.
L/ Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1975
lsrael. 1980 .. .
... and SLatistical Abstract o!
Al 37 / 238
English
Annex I
Page 2L
Table 11. Employment in the professional, academic
and adminisErative categories
Year Gaza Strip I,lest Bank
Number
employed
( thousands)
Percentage of
tota 1 employed
Number
employed
( thousands )
Percentage of
total employed
L974
L979
5.8
5.2
11.8
11.0
8.6
8.3
8.0
6.6
Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1975 ... and Statiscical
Israel. 1980 ...
48. The enplo)rment situation in the occupied territories obviously constitutes a
push factor-for the people in the areas to seek employment in Israel. This,
however, has proved to be a mixed blessing. Although such employment has helped to
eliminaie unemployment and has provided an income for the worker and his family, it
entails rnany hard"t ip" and insecurities. The worker is debarred from residing in
Israel. He has to commrte daily from his home in the territories to his place of
work, which often takes two to four hours. He is subjected to inspection at
various checkpoints, and has to leave Israeli territory at the end of his day of
work. If he is found remaining there after his hours of work, he can be subjected
to various penalties and loss of employment. The Palestinian's wages are lower
than those paid to his counterparts in the Israeli labour force; yet he is subject
to the same taxes and deductions. It was mentioned to Che exPert mission that
inspections at the checkpoints and other conErols in connexion with conmuting to
and from work have become more strict in recent years.
49. In spite of those hardships, the number of Palestinians working in Israel has
increased over the years of occupation, from 121000 in 1969 to 741100 in 1979, or
from 7.4 per cent of the total ernployed in 1969 to 34.9 per cent in L9_79. g/ .These
figures tlf". to workers who "re lng.ged through official channels. In addition,
there are a considerable number of persons who seek ernployment, on their own or are
engaged through unauthorized agents or contractors. It is extremely difficult to
"""""" this number which, accoiding to various sources, including officials of the
gl Arie Bregrnan,
Source3 RustriffiF
1980 ...r p.696.
op. cit. , p. 32, and Statist.ical Abstract of Israel,
Al 37 | 238
English
Annex I
Page 22
PI{) and knowledgeable persons in the territories, would amount to more than a
quarter of those recorded as recnrited through the official bureaux. In addition,
there is the growing number of Palestinians who, on their own behalf, are seeking
employment in the newly established settlements, a number not easy to quantify.
The working conditions of these "i1lega1lytr engaged workers are said to be much
worse than those of workers engaged through official channels.
50. Most of the Palestinians working in Israel are employed at the lower leve1s of
the emPlolnnent sEructure in jobs which are poorly paid, being nanual and unskilled
work. The largest number are employed in construction: 11r000 in 1970, rising to
341000 in 1979 - almost half the number of Palestinians employed in Israel. The
number working in agriculture atmost doubled during the period, while in the
category of rrothertt employment, the number increased six times as mrch and in
industry almost seven times. Table 12 below illustrates the pattern.
Table 12.
Cons truc tion
1 1.21
35.99
34.L7
Indus try
2.40
12.07
16.93
Agriculture
5.0
13. 1
11.0
1980 ...
Palestinians from the l'Iest Bank and the
Gaza Strip ernployed in Israel
Year
L970
I974
t979
Other
1.99
7.54
12. 0
Tota 1
20.6
68.7
74.L
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel
51. The workers employed in Israel have no job security. They are engaged on
short-term work permits, and the continuity of their jobs largely depends on
fluctuations in the Israeli economy. They are the first to be laid off in times of
recession and the lasE to be engaged in tirnes of economic recovery. They are not
entitled to unemployment benefits. It was mentioned to the mission that, very often
skilled workers seek unskilled jobs, because of the lack of suitable opportunities
conmensurate h,ith their ski1ls either in Che occupied territories or in Israel.
B. lncome
52. Incomes of the people in the occupied territories have risen significantly
since L967. This can be attribuEed to emplolrment in Israel and the reorientation
of production in the occupied territories to meet Ehe requirements of the Israeli
economy with ernphasis on agricultural conrnodities which have a dernand for export
and for indusErial processing in Israel. l.lages in the occupied territories have
also risen relative to wages paid in Israel for compa.rable occupations in
agriculture, industry and services. A considerable increase in private remittances
from Palestinians working in Jordan, the neighbouring Arab States and other
countries has contributed significantly to the incomes in the occupied
Al 37 / 238
English
Annex I
Page 23
territories. Although incomes in current Eerms have shown gains since L967 ' they
have to be discounted in ter:ns of the accelerating inflationary trends in the
Israeli econony, which have a direct inpact on inconer consumPtion and savings, as
is evident from the analyses that follow.
53. Earnings through employment in Israel constituted 5.8 per cent of the gross
nationl product (Glw) of the territories in L969, at factor prices. By 1974, the
proporti;n had increased to 30 Per cent and by L979 to 34.5 per cent. Representing
rorl tn.r, a third of GNP, these earnings, togeEher with Ehe considerable private
remittances from abroad, have had a mrltipli'er effect in the constnrction,
rnanufacturing and service sectors of the occupied territories. Income from
empLoyment in Israel is, of course, dependent on the levet of activity in the
fsraeii economy itself, particularly in those sectors which employ the rnajority of
workers from the o"".tpi.b territorils. Fears have been expressed t'hat in the event
of a recession or a ch"tge of existing poLiclr a fall-off in the number of
Palestinians employed in Israel could have severe rePercussions on the economy of
the occupied terrigories. However, according to the inforrnation conveyed by the
Ieraeli authorities to the IIO mission in l,larch 1981, this did not seem to have
occurred to any significant extent, although at that time the economy of Israel was
going through " p"iioa of economic recession, galloping inflation and rising
unerryloynent. g/
54. In the production sectors, agrieulture is predoninant in the economy of the
occupied teriitories. Income originating in agriculture amounted to
[I 149.9 mil.lion in L967168 (at
",rtr"r,t
prices). It rose to f,I 996.8 nillion in
Lg73l74 and ro gI 51191.3 rnillion Ln L978/79. sl Wtren viewing this increase' one
has to take into account variations in the output of crops due to weather and
rainfall, which are important factors in the l{est Bank where much of the
cultivaCion is on unirrigated Land. Variations in price based on supply and dernand
and changee in the value of the Israeli pound due to inflation and devaluation are
other variables that have to be taken into account. Fluctuations in outPut and
value are mogt evident in the olive crop (al.most excl.usively in the l{est Bank), as
illustrated by table 13, below:
ll Report of thg DirectorGeneral, Ilt_er-national Labour Conference,
sixty:sevena1I,abouroffice,1981),appendixIII,
para. 18.
zl
Ierae I .
Statistical Alstract of Israel, 1975 1eE6- ... and Statistical Abstract of
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Year
L967 | 68
L9731 74
L975177
L977 / 78
L978/79
Table 13:
Output
(thousands of tons)
28
110
L7
85
2L
Output and value of olives
Value
(mi1lions of Israeli pounds)
19.6
308.0
135.0
L,275.O
1r056.8
Value per ton (Israeli pounds)
700
2,800
8,000
15,000
50,323
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel L975 ...8nd Statistical Abstract of
Israel. 1980
55. There are nany obstacles in the way of enlarging the agricultural base with a
view to increasing output and income. As mentioned earlier in the present report,
the progressive loss of cultivable land through seizure and appropriation by the
occupying auEhoritiee, the restrictions on the uge of water by Palestinian rural
coumrnities, together with the virtual prohibition of sinking new wells, and the
cornpetition from sirnilar crops produced by IeraeLi fanners and enterpises both in
Israel itself and in the new settlements in the occupied territories on a more
cost-efficient basis have all cornbined to lirnit the potentialities of the local
fatmers to increase their output and incomes. Furthennore, the rising cost of
purchaeed inputs, the increasing rdages for hired labour and accelerating inflation
are eroding the purchasing power of the income earned by Palestinian farmerg.
56. The average daily wage in the l{est Bank rose from EI 7.9 in 1970 to ET 25.3
Lt L974 and i,I 181.7 in 1979. In the Gaza Strip, it rose from lI 6.5 in 1970 and
ET 27.2 in L974 and to EI 199.2 Ln L979. t/ These rises in current terns have to
be viened in relation to the consumer priEe index for those yeare (see table 14
below and appendix II).
Table 14. Consumer price
L970
108.4
L05.1
index 0968/ 69 = 100)
L974
256.5
294.3
L979
I,618.8
L,824.7
l{est Bank
Gaza Strip
9/ rbid.
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A revision of the data to take account of inflation would indieate that for Ehe
!{est Bank, the average daily wage of employees rose from fI 7.3 in 1970 to fI 9.9
in L974 and to [I 11.2 Ln L979, at L968169 prices. In the Gaza Strip, it rose from
EI 6.1 in 1970 to [,I 9.2 La L974 and to f,I 10.9, also at. L968/69 priees. It would
appear, therefore, that in Ehe period L970-L974 ldages, in real terms' rose in the
l{est Bank by 35 per cent and in the period 1974-L979, by 13 per cent. In the Gaza
Strip, they rose by 50 per cent in the period 1970-1974 and by 18.4 Per cent in the
period 1974-L979, in real t,erms.
57. Private transfers fromabroad, that is, from Palestinians working in Jordan,
the neighbouring Arab States and other countries, rose significantly during the
period under review. These transfers amounted to lI 108 rnillion in 1968, rising to
EI 160 rnillion in 1973 and to f,I 2,036 rnillion in 1979. The very sharp increase
between 1973 and 1979 reflects partly the large number of Palestinians who had
sought employment abroad and partly the progressive devaluation of the IsraeLi
pound and the resuLting fa11 in its value vis-l-vis foreign currencies.
C. Consumption
58. Levele of consumption expenditure, savings and investment are indicative of
the standard of living of the people. However, the rnacro-indicators which are
nornally used do not reveal the real distribution of consumption, savings or
investment among the various social groups and geographical locations.
Nevertheless, they give a fair idea of the t,rend in these factors conEributing to
standards of living.
59. The growth of incomes among the people in the occupied Palestinian
territories, through rising wages in Ehe territories themselves, emplolnnent in
IsraeL and private remitEances from abroad, has, no doubt, contributed to the
higher leve1s that are observable in consumption. Table 15 below illustrates Ehe
trend.
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Table 15. Private
(uillions of
consumpt ion epxenditure
Israeli pounds)
1968 r973
L42 547 359 1, 145
L42 294
359 531
38.6
27.7
100.0
At current pricee
Gaza Strip
I{eet Bank
Ar 1968 prices
Gaza Strip
!{est Bank
L979
6,9O7
18, 148
405
937
Source: See source note Co table 1.4.
60. It will. be obeerved that, at 1968 prices, in the first period, L968-1973,
consumption expenditure in the C'aza Strip increased by 107 per cent or an annual
average of 2L.4 per cent, while in the second period, 1973-1979, it rose at a
slower rate, namely, 37.7 pet cent or an annual average of 7.5 per cent.
Comparable figures for the West Bank are, for the first period, 75.7 per cent or an
annual average of I5.1 per cent and, for the second period, 48.5 per cent or an
annual average of 9.7 per cent. The slower growth in coneumption in the second
period ie, no doubt, prirnarily due to the escalation of prices of both agricultural
and induetrial goods, as well ae in the price of services as a resul.t of
accelerating inflation during the period.
61. The proportions of the domestic private coneumption expenditure spent on
agricultural goods, industrial goods and services over the period of occupation are
shown in table 16 below:
Table 1.6. Domeetic private consumption expenditure
(including net coneumption by non-regidents)
Agricultural goods
Industrial goods
Services
Percentage
1958 L973 T7 15
43.9
22.6
100.0
43.O
24.2
100.0
Source: See source note to table 14.
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The data indicaLe that there rdas no significant change in the consumption Pattern
over the period; there was a slight downward trend in the consumption of
agricultural goods. Consumption of industrial. goods increased by about 5 per cent
in the period 1968-1973, but felL during the period I973-L979. Consumption of
services decreased in Ehe first period by about 5 per cent and increased in the
second period by 1.6 per cent. Higher consumption of industrial goode,
particularly household and personal durable goods, is indicative of a rising
standard of Living. AvaiLable data bear this out in respect of the occupied
territories where the largest increaae occurred in the purchase of gas and electric
stoves and ranges for cooking, electric refrigerators, television sets and tape
recorders. u/
D. Savings
62. Savings constitute the difference between private disposable income fron all
sources and private consumption. Relevant data are shown in table 17 below.
Table 17. Rate of consumption and saving
llest Bank and Gaza Strip
1968 L973 L979
Gross disposabLe private income
from al.1 sourceg
(rnillions of Israeli pounds)
Private consumption (millions of Israeli pounds)
567 2,L57 31, L9l
501 L,692 25,055
Rate of consumption (percentage)
Rate of saving (percentage)
!g=S: see
data indicate that
fell off close to
100.0 100.0 100.0
source note to table 14.
the rate of savings almost doubled between 1968 and L973'
tlro percentage points between 1973 and L979. Nevertheless,
88.4
11.6
78.4
2L.6
80.3
L9.7
The
but
ul rbid.
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it would appear that by 1979 the people in Ehe occupied terriEories hrere saving a
higher proportion of their disposable privaEe income than in 1968. llhen viewing
this increased rate of saving over the period of occupation, it should be borne in
rnind that private transfers from abroad, namely, remittances from Pal.estinians
working in Jordan, the neighbouring Arab countries and beyond, increased
significantly during this period. It would be reasonable to conclude that during
the period 1968-1973, more was being saved from Ehe incomes accruing to the people
in the occupied territories, while in the period L973-L979, less was being saved in
spite of the significant increase in remitEances from abroad. The erosion of
purchasing power of the Israeli pound and a disincentive to save because of rapid
inflation could be cited as contributory causes of this situation.
63. There is more speculation than fact as to what is being done with savings.
Owing to uncertainties about the political future of the territories and the
absence of a cormrercial banking system to mobilize savings and invest in
income-producing enterprises, there has been a tendency to hoard. Savings in gold
or Jordan dinars which are legal tender in the l{est Bank, are much more stable than
the Israeli pound and are convertible into other currencies. Those who do have
their savings in Israeli pounds have witnessed a progressive loss in their value
over the past fen years because of the high rate of inflation and periodic
devaluation of the Israel.i pound relative to the Jordan dinar and other hard
currencies. For instance, the exchange rate between the Israeli pound and the
Jordan dinar for the years 1971 to 1978 is shown in table 18 below.
Table 18. F.:<change rat.e between the Israeli pound and
the Jordan dinar, L97L'L978
Annual devaluation of
lfumber of Israeli pounds in the Israeli pound
Year one Jordan dinar a/ (percentage)
L97L
L972
L973
L974
L975
L976
L977
L978
10, 5
L2.6
13.4
L7,2
20.5
29.r
32.0
54.8
19.7
6.6
28.0
19. 8
4L.9
9.8
7L.3
a/ Based on quarterly averages, recorded by the Karsou Exchange Office,
I'tabtui (see TD/n/alo, table 35).
A conseguetrce of this situation is that in the absence of opportunities to invest
savings and earn a return, the Palestinian people have found that Eheir savings
have dwindled in purchasing polrer over the years.
1...
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E. Investnent
64. The lack of a consnercial banking system has inhibited investments by the
people of the occupied territ,ories in productive enterprises. There is a
reluctance on their part to obtain investment funds from the Israeli bank branches
that have been escablished in the territories. Loans granted by these banks are
subject to the approval of the Military Government, and they are usually given for
operational activities, rnainly for agricultural projects promoted by the Israeli
authorities, and to manufacturing establishnents which undertake subcontracts for
Israeli fir:rns. Agricultural and rnanufacturing enterprises producing for the locaI
rnarket rely mostly on profits and remitlances from abroad for their operating and
investment needs. Even here, there is some reluctance to expand production and
improve qr.rality because of the keen competition from similar items produced by
Israeli firms and marketed without restrictions in the l{est Bank and the Gaza
Strip. More recently, local producers have had Eo compete with products from the
new Israel.i seEtlements which enjoy the same privileges as firms in Israel.
Consequently, rnany sna1l producers and enlrepreneurs in the occupied territories
have ceased from investing in their enterprises. Some of them have had to abandon
their traditional sources of earning a livelihood, their conditions of living have
deteriorated and they have had to seek employment which gives them less income than
otherwise.
F. Inflation
65. The impact of inflation on the living conditions of the people in the occupied
territories has been referred to above in connexion wich consumption, savings and
investments. The close economic links that have been established between the
occupied territories and Israel have rnade the forrner highly susceptible to
fluctuations in the Israeli economy, particularly its inflaEionary trends. In the
first period of occupation up to 1973, inflation in the West Bank and the C,aza Strip, taken as a whole, was in the neighbourhood of 20 per cent annually. In 1974
and 1975, it accelerated to around 49 per cent annually, dropping to an average of
22 per cent in 1976 when there was a recession in Israel. In L977, the rate of
inflation inereased to 37 per cent; in 1978 to 46.6 per cent; and in 1979 to
70.3 per cent (see appendix II below). Available data indicate that the rate of
inflation in the occupied territories rose faster than it did in Israel, so that
the living conditions in the territories rdere more adversely affected. Those who,
because of their circumstances, had to have their resources in Israeli currency
which was progressively losing its purchasing porder, have been affected more
adversely than those who were in a position to have their resources in Jordan
dinars, boEh currencies being legal tender in the l.Iest Bank. Lack of detailed
income data for various social groups in the occupied territories makes it
difficult to identify those who were affected most seriously. It would be
reasonable to assume, however, that persons already employed in the territories at
the time of occupation and persons who had to seek alternative employment within
the territories as a result of the changing economic and occupational structures
would have been affect,ed the most because of che lag in increase in wages and the
higher inflationary rate in the territories relative to rhat in Israel.
1...
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V. SOCIAL AND CULI]IJRAL FACIORS
A. Social and cultural env-lgcnmenll
66. The living conditione of the people in the occupied territories have been
profoundly affected by the constraints and restrictions imposed by the occupying
-Po*er as iegards their eocial activities, outloook, aspirations -and cultural
developmentl Instances of actions deerimental to the growth and development of a
natio;l identity among the Palestiniane in the territories have been documented
and reported to ,rarious bodies of the united Nations system. v/ An attempt is nade
it ttr"'present ""p"ii Eo rnarshall some of these instances sucEintly with a view to
focusin! attention on their inpact on the social and cultural life of the people in
the occupied territories.
67. First and foremost should be mentioned the deep sense of insecurity that has
spread throughout the Palestinian population in the territories' The Defense
(ilo"ie"""y) iegulations, L945, undlr-which they live, and the regulations imposed
by th- riiitary adminisEration have tended to deprive the people of their rights to
land, water and other resourcea and facilities which could be preserved and
deveioped for their own advancement. As mentioned earlier, more than one quarter
of the land, public and privately owned, has been taken over by the occupying
Power, and water reaources have Leen tapped for the benefit of the new Israeli
settlernents in the territories, often at the exPense of the requiremenEs of
existing Palestinian villages. Deetruction of dwellings has taken place under-Ehe
"r"tg"r,iy laws. Coll.ectivE punishmenE has been imposed on tohtns and villages in
the iake- of public demonstrations and acts of violence. Imprisonment and
incarceration without trial have taken place and deportation has been resorted to
for political and other reasons. Restrictions have been placed on freedom of
assotiation and expreesions of non-violent protest, sueh as closing of trading
establishments, displaying the colours of the flag adopted by the Palestinians and
gatherings for refiiiols prrtpo""". All these actions have had a negative effect on
EUe "pirlt of the pitestinians in the territories as far as development and
progregs are concerned.
68. The incidence of such restrictive actions seemed to increage after the
rmrnicipal elections of L976, when representatives, including mayors, from the
National Front which
",1ppori"
the PII) came to the forefront of nunicipal politics'
v/ See, for e:<ample, reports of the Special Cornrnittee to Investigate Israeli
practices Affecting the }fuinan iigttt" of the Population of the occupied Territories;
reports of the SecJrity Council dornnission established under resolution 446 (1979);
reports to the governing bodies of uMS@, the IIn and l{llc; reports of the
Setretary-General subrniited Eo the General Assenbly on'such subjects as living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories, pemanent
sovereignty over national resolrcls in the occupied Arab terriLories and the
situation in the I'tiddle East.
1...
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the highest form of repreeentative government in the occupied territories. Thet
these actions continue and with much more freguency and inteneity is evident from
the information gathered and documented in the most recent report of the Special
Corrnittee to Investigate Ieraeli Practices Affecting the Hurnan Rights of the
Population of the occupied Territoriee (A/36/579). In 1980 and 1i81, actions taken for rrnational securityrr reaaons, included evacuat,ion of families from their homes in East Jenrsalem, Beit Ikea and lhbi-Sarmil and the demolition and sealing of
houees and comnercial premiees in the districts of Jenin, Nablue, the C"aza Strip,
Ranallah, Hebron and other torrns. Hundreds of citrus trees along the Deir El Balah
road were uprooted, caueing an annual loes of 400 tone of produce. The Jericho
rnunicipality was forbidden to implement any town proj""t,rl.tho.tt the approval of
the Military Government. Curfews were impLsed on .r"iio,r" towns, vilLaies and
refugee camPs, sometirnes extending into violence. days following individual acts of More recently, in March 1982, tire dismissal of the elected Mayors of Al Bineh, lbblus and Ranallah gave rise to wideepread clashee between thl
Paleetinian people and the Israeli authorities resulting in some cases in loss of
I ife.
69. Instances of restrictions to freedom of movement aleo appear to have increased in recent yearso There were nany occasions when rnayore and notaUtee were refueed pennission to cro88 the borders to Jordan and to Egypt or to travel beyond. Caza residents were refused perrnission to cross the Alla;by Bridge into Jordan as from
19 Novenber 1980 for an undetermined period. Restric-ting iiaividuale to their
towns of reeidence or their homes nas corrnon. The Militiry Government of the west
Bank issued some 33 orders in a brief period restricting mayors, rnunicipal
councilors and other-public figures to their tolrns of residlnce (A/36/sis,
Para. 278), In one instance, a group of 28 schoolgirls from Helhul were ordered to
rernain at nilitary headquarters along with their parents from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily for a period of one month. nestrictions of movement were imposed on a number of editors of Arab nelrspapere in the occupied territories and the movement of a Jenin religious leader was restricted for a period of six monthg.
70. The increaeing number of Israeli settlements in the lJest Bank and the Gaza Strip is poeing a real threat to peaceful conditions of living for the palestinian
people in the territories. Apart fron the economic consequenies in so far as the production of these settlements competes with indigenous agriculture and industry,
the cloee proxinity of some of the settl.ements to Palestinian villages and towng has given rige to friction between the settlers and the local people. In some cases, Palestinian far:mere have been prevented from cultivating their fields on the
grounds that the land belongs to a nearby settlement. Houses belonging to local
peopLe have been occupied illega1ly. Land belonging to Palestinian-farmers hae
been seized by settlere from nearby eettlements.- Tiere is widespread belief among the Paleetinians that theee incidents are often overlooked by thl occupying authorities, condoned in some instancea and supported in othlrs.
7L. There is evidence which has been reported in newepapers and documented by the PIo, and which lras also conveyed to the expert on missio" Uy residents of the
occupied territoriee vigiting neighbouring Arab countries, ihat social and religious activities are being progressiv-ly curtailed ae a deterrent to political
1...
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or rrsubversivett activities which undermine rrnational securityrr. Restrictions on
the activities of social clubs and organizations include scrutiny and approval of
those elecEed to their governing bodies or directorships. Clubs are asked to elect
new officers acceptable to the authorities; otherwise they are closed. Banning the
formation of new clubs and associations for cultural and social purposes is
cormon. Library associations, theatre clubs and literaty regazines are often
subject to control. Scripts of plays have Lo be approved by the adminisErative
authorities and journals of folklore are subject to censorship. It was also
mentioned that religious sermons on Fridays have often to be presented beforehand
to Ehe authorities for approval.. Development of a cultural consciousness among the
Palestinians living in the territories has been adversely affected by the banning
of the distribution of a number of books recently published in Egypt, Jordan and
Lebanon.
72. SociaI and cultural condiEions have deterioraLed sharply for the Arab
population of East Jerusalem. They are subject t,o Israeli law, jurisdiction and
administration, including taxes and language requirements. Social, cultural and
sports activities among the Arab residents are being actively discouraged. The
Jordanian educational system which prevailed before 1967 has been replaced by the
Israeli syatem. The circulation of certain Arabic books has been prohibited as has
the entry of certain books and publications dealing with Arab culture and history.
Censorship of the Arab press is mrch more strict than that of the Israeli prese,
particularly because of the wide circulation of the Arab daily newsPaPers published
in East Jerusalem in other parts of the occupied territoriee.
B. Health
73. In a report to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session (see
Al36l26}lAdd.1), the Government of Israel stated that, as from 1957' the
administration undertook a wide-ranging prograrme of improvementa to the health
services in the occupied territories. The prograrme included Ehe introduction of
advanced medical technology and expertise provided by Ieraeli nedical teams;
expansion of existing training facilities for local Arab teams; the establishment
of new hospitals, medical centres, nursing schools and paramedical schools; the
introduction of new equipment; expansion of iumrnization prograrunes, the
establishment of schooL health services; the installation of running water and the
establishment of mother and child health care centres. According to the report'
health insurance schemes were also introduced, a cornpulsory scheme for
adninistrative workerg and occupied territory residents working in Israel, and a
voluntary scheme for all other residents. Around 6001000 residents, about hslf the
population of the occupied territories, are reported to have joined the schemes.
74. In the absence of a visit to the occupied territories, it is difficult to
aaseaa the inpact of these measures on the living conditions of the people in the
territories. As regards hospitals, available data w/ indicate that since 1974 the
yl Statistical Abstract of Israel 1980 ...
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nuraber of hospital.s in the Gaza Strip has been reduced from seven (eix of which are
goverrurental) to six, the reduction being in respect of one of the governmental
hoepitals. In the t{est Bank, the number of hospitals has been increaeed fron 16 (eight of thern governmental) to 17, the additional hospitaL being a governmental
one. There rras an overalt reduction in the number of hoepital beds in the
goverrunental hoepitals in the Gaza Strip and a negligible increase in the tfest Bank
between 1974 and L979, in spite of an increase in population in the territories and
in the number of hospitalized patients.
75, Ae regards equipment, in a report nade available to the experts 1/ mention ie
rnade of widespread shortages of modern equipment at the principal hoapitale in the
lfeet Bank. These shortages include monitoring equip'rnent in intensiverare units,
incubators for babies born prermturely, X-ray equipment, advanced laboratory
equipnent for diagnoeis, and operating and sterilization equipment.
76. Ae regards specialist eervices, the head of the West Bank Medical Aseociation,
in a report entitled t[edical eervices in the occupied Weet Bank'r, a/ hae asserted
thet there are deficienciee in such medical fields as paediatrics, pathology and
radiology. Shortages are experienced among nurses and paramedical pereonnel. The
lack of an adequate suppLy of X-ray technicians, physiotherapists, blood-bank
technicians and pharrnacists was deeply af fecting the efficient del.ivery of heal.th
services.
77. The inadequacy of services in the rnain hospitals in the l{est Benk has
conpelled local physicians to refer an increasing number of Arab patients to
hospitals in Israel. In such cases, the patient is charged one third of the cost
and the renaining two thirde ie charged to the West Bank budget for health
services. These chargee for l{est Bank patient care in Israeli hospitals, which ie
on the increaser are mentioned aa one of the obstaclee to the improvement and
development of the health services in the l{est Bank.
78. The worst off among the population in the occupied territories in tenrs of
health care are those who have not joined the health insurance echenee - about half
the population - because they are not qualified to join the conpulsory gcheme or
because of an irnperfect understanding of the scheme or becauge they lack a regular
source of income. firey find the costs of medical care too high in relation to
their resources and nany of them find it difficult to obtain the kind of free
rnedieal treatment they were accustomed to before the occupation.
79. Some of the ehort,conings in the health system mentioned above were observed
and comnented on by the Special Corunittee of E:rperts of the tforld Health
x/ "The deficiency of medical instruments in tlest Bank hospitalsrr, report by
the Conunittee for the Defense of Pal.estinian Human Rights under leraeli Occupation,
Lebanon, 1979 (rnineo).
y/ Reproduced by the Corunittee for the Defense of Palestinian Human Rights
under Ieraeli Occupation, Lebanon, 29 March 1979 (mimeo).
f.r.
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Organization which visited the oecupied territories in April I98L. 3l . Particular
mention has been made of the shortaie of essent,ial equipment and Eechnicians in the
laboratories 1rhich were being established in the health districts under a recent
policy of decentralization of these services. The hospitals in the territories
,0"t. L"p"riencing shortages of physicians and nurses who, because of poor work
conditions and Sy, n "r"-leaving
the territories in eearch of employnent in the
neighbouring AraU countries. AnoCher reaaon for phyeicians leaving was given as
the lack of opportunities for post-graduate training which for budgetary reasons
was not being ruade available t; the;. Shortages of drugs were widespread. A11
these shortcomings add to the feeling of frustration in the occupied territories on
natters pertaining to health care.
80. According to the WIXC Special CormiCtee, some improvements had been nade in the
infrastructure for the delivery of health services and in the supply of equiPment.
Yet, much more had to be done in order to serve the needs of the growing
population. liedical care in the occuPied territories was stiLl dependent on
Israeli facilities for a nunber of specialist eervices. According to the
Cornnittee, there had been no significant changes during the past tno years in the
health seivices with regard to the establishnent of health units or strengthening
of medical staff. The i'ystem of centralization in planning for health gervices was
noE conducive to cormunily participation in the public health effort and left the
local medical authorities v-ry little room for initiative. The health budget did
not allow for desirable developrnents in the heal.th services. Extrabudgetary
resources from non-governmental and philanthropic institutione and gssociations or
the corunrnity were often refused by the Israeli authorities.
81. The Corrnittee observed that services provided through the rnaternal and child
health centres rilere adequately organized, and the immrnization Progranme uas
pursued in all the t.tritoriei. Developments were also observed in environmental
sanitation, particularly through the conetrucEion of sewage treatment pLants and in
the supply of drinking water which, in general, was good and had been extended to
cover a- t"rger propotiion of the residents through individual connexions.
C. Education
AZ. Education is an important element in the living conditions of a people since
it not only provides thl opportunity and mechanism for self-improvement but also
rnakes po""iUi" upward occu'Stional mobility, an increase in a personre ability to
earn and the entrancement oi t i" standard oi tivir,g. In dealing wich education as a
component of living conditions, it is not enough to consider the existence, levels
and distribution oi educational institutionsl the individualts access to the tyPe
of education relevant to his needs and the over-a11 conditions under which
education is provided should also be considered.
Zl See t{I{O, "Report of
the health conditions of the
the Special Conunittee of Experts appointed t9 lludy
intrabilants of the occupied territories' (A34lL7) '
1...
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83. The system of education is basically the same in all the occupied
territories. It starts with t<inaergarten for children under the age of six,
followed by elementary or prirnary school for chiLdren between the ages of six and
12r who then proceed to preparatory school, normally for three years. The prinary
and preparatory.schools form the compulsory cycle of education and are followed by
secondary, vocational and teacher training institutions and institucions of higher
learning.
84. The educational inetitutions are rnanaged by the government, private bodies or
UNRWA. As far as practicable, the schools folLow the Jordanian curriculum in the
I'Iest Bank and the Egyptian curriculum in the Gaza Strip. However, books used by
the schools are subject to Israeli censorship. Some books have been banned by the
authorities and others have been reprinted, the sections considered offensive by
the Israeli authorities being eliminated.
85. There has been a considerable increase in educational institutions in the territories since L967. In the l{est Bank and the C,aza Strip the number of
educational institutions increased from 1,091 in L967/68 ro 1r366 in 1979/80 and,
according t,o an Israeli official report, the number of classrooms increased by
80 per cent, from 61187 in 1967/68 to 11,187 in 1979/80, while the average number of pupils in a class rernained stable at around 36 (see Al36/260/Add,1, p. 18,
Para. 72). However, from 1967 Eo 1977 enrolment rates in the l{est Bank and the
Gaza StriP ttere somewhat behind those of neighbouring countries. Data are not
available for evah.ntion of the situation since L977; but from indirect data on
enrolment of refugee pupils one can infer Ehat while the sitr.ration has improved in
the Gaza Strip, the situation in the West Bank does not appear to have kept pace nith that in the neighbouring territories.
86.' The enrolrnenE ratio which relates the enrolment in each age group to the population in that age group is a good measure of the extent to wtrictr-persons who are eligible for education are attending school. The proportions in ttre first year of the compulsory cycle give a good indication of the enrolment ratio generally
because the higher the enrolment ratio of first-year entrants into the educational
s-ystem, the higher the enrolment ratio for succeeding years at al.l ages. Although direct information on the enrolment ratio in the occipiea territories is not available, such inforrnation has been compiled by UI{RWA with respect to refugee
students in all the areas in which UI{RWA operates. If it is assumed thaE
educational trends among the refugee population reflects the trends in the host
countries then the infonnation given in table 19 below can be regarded as reflecting the Erends in enrolment ratios in the various countries and territories. The table shows the enrolment ratios at age six for refugee children in the @za Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. It
will be observed that these ratios are very high for boys and, in the case of Gaza
and the Syrian Arab Republic, almost all the sixlear-olds are in school. The West
Bank has the lowest enrolment ratio at year six. Flrrthermore, this ratio declined
between L9771 78 and 1979/80. In 1980/81 ir picked up to a high of 65.8 per cenr
which is only about two thirds of the ratios for the Gaza Strip and the Syrian Arab Republic. Ttre enrolment ratios for girls are compared with those of other
developing countries. But the ratio for the hrest Bank is nmch less than that for
/...
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Engl ish
Annex I
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the other countries and the C,aza Strip. Furthermore, the low ratio aPPears to be
stable with a noticeable decline between L979/80 and 1980/81' The l'Iest Bank, which
has the lowest enrolment ratios in 1977/78, is the only one of the four
neighbouring countries and territories wifh declining enrolment ratios. The
decline in the ratios in Lebanon since L979/80 rnay be attributed t,o the unstable
political and military situation in that country. In all four countries and
territories the population of school children who are girls rose from about one
quarter in the 1950s to almost half in 1980/81. This achievement seems Eo be
co*ooq to all the countries and territories in Ehe region and may be a reflecEion
of a greater awareness of the inPortance of education in socieEy.
Table 19. FirsE-year primary school enrolment raEios
for refugee children in selected countries,
L977/ 78 ro 1980/8r
Year
L977/78
L97 8/ 79
L979 / 80
19 80/ 81
L977 / 78
L978/ 7e
L979/ 80
1980/81
Gaza
98.3
95.7
99.2
99.4
96.3
94.0
94.9
98.2
66.7
7 6.2
80. 0
82.8
60.7
70.0
82.9
84.0
94. I
93.6
82.4
7 6.7
93. 3
96.1
81.8
7L.2
West Bank
64.3
63.7
63. 0
60.8
60.2
60.2
60. 5
58.9
Girls
Svrian Arab Republic
Bovs
Jordan Lebanon
97.3
98.5
99.6
99.5
96.4
98.9
98.4
95.6
Source: UNRWA StatisEical Ye4lBoc\, Lg77/78, I978/79, L979/80 and 1980/81
editions.
87. From informat,ion supplied Eo the IIO mission which visited Israel and the
occupied territories in March 1981, it appears that, considerable efforEs are being
made by the authorities !o provide opportuniEies for vocational training. The
26 vocational training centies (18 on Ehe WesE Bank and eight in Gaza) have
Al 37 1238
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Annex I
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provided training for over 401000 people. g/ According to the mission' the role
or tt. rraining E"iii.", which had'beln toJrovide unemployed adulte with basic
;;rili"g-pri""ip"iii-"iit a view to enploymlnt in the constnrction sector in
Israelr-naa changed- Ln 1972 and at preient, *prograrutes are rnainly directed at
young ieopte who-do not wish to continue their academic education aC s.econdary
level and concentrate on the acquiaition of manufacturing skillstr. !!/ In.general,
it appears the vocationsl training centres provide trainilg rminly for semi-skilled
jobs in industry and construction. Infor:nation received fron Arab sources
lmphasizes the point that the training which ie given ie Largely geared Eowards
meeting the needs of the Israeli econoq/. Moet of thoee who co:nplete the training
progr.rroee therefore find jobe in Israel or elge migrate to the Arab Gulf
"o.tttri.s.
In a visit to lwo training centres in 1981, the IIO mission found that
only a small percentage of persone completing these courses (between 5 per cent and
20 ier cent) rnanaged or atEenpted to find emplo)nnent loca,lly. The mission
concluded that be;idee the polential long-term Lenefits from acquisition of skilLs
in jobs outside the occupied territoriesrrr the training aystem' as at Present
organized, does not serve the real development needs of the oceupied territories.
beiause iL is not based on a planned roatch of nanpower needs and resources". cc/
EE. l{ith regard to higher education, there are three univeJeities in the West Bank
and an Institute of lelamic Religious Studieg in Gaza. They are supported by
private foundations and individuals and receive PracticalLy no assistance from the
bovernment. They cater for Arab students not only from the occupied territories
but al.so from Isiael itself. The universities have long been experiencing numerous
problems with the adminietering authoritieg. These Persistent problems, however,
i""r to have inteneified within the past fer yeare, especially with resPect to
Bir-Zeit University. The rnain reason for thie appeare to be Israeli Military
Order 854 of 8Ch July 1980, r'an order concertring the law of Education and Culture
t[o. (16) of Lg64 - Amendment (.ludea and saruria) No. (s54) of 1960rr. This order
placed all the educational institutions, including the universities in the occupied
lerritories, under the sbsolute control of the nilitary authorities. By this order
all institutions of higher education, nhether in exigtence at the date of the order
or not, have to obtain-a pernit fron the Military Governor in order to oPerate and
all teachere have to be cleared by the Military Governor and his office before they
can obtain employment in the Univereity or continue in such emplo)rment. In
addition, all- foieign studente, including students from the C'aza Strip, have to
obtain permite to enable them to attend the universities.
89. The haraeament of etudente is not confined to the inetitutions of higher
learning. l.bny secondary schools geem to be subjected to similar harassment. In
aal Report of thg DirestoT-Gegera,l, International Labour Conference,
sixtyEeve our Office, Geneva, 1981), p. 31.
bbl gig.
ccl E.
Al 37 I 238
English
Annex I
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1980/8f, 12 echools were shut down by the nilitary authorities for varioua periode
and three of Ehese, Prince Hassan Secondary School at Bir Zeit, Abu Diss Science
College and Ossana Bin Munkiz School at Hebron were shut down permanently.
90. tJhile progress has been achieved in the numbers of echoolo, claases and
teachers, as well as in enrolment, the freguent closure of schools and
universities, the continual harassment of staff and etudents and the restrictions
on the academic freedom of the univereities have created an atmosphere of fear,
uncertainty and helplessness, unconducive to the proper and effective conduct of
teaching and learning.
f...
Appendix I
Land reeentlv appropriated bv the occupving ,Power
Ila te
August 1980
August 1980
August 1980
Septenber 1980
November 1980
October 1980
Decernber 1980
December 1.980
Decenber 1980
December 1980
February 1981
February 1981
February 1981
February 1.981
February 1.981
February 1981
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Annex I
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400
(lana exproPriated)
850
50
2, 500
50
(lana confiscated)
1r000
60
45
7,000
1r500
(lana confiscated)
6,000
8r000
11,000 (decl.ared
rrstate landtt before
acquisition)
Amount of land confiscated
Location
Deir El tlatab
Deir-Jarir
Ram.rn
l,lardah
Qatana
Beit Sahur
Ketel lLaris
Sirir
Si lwad
Ein Yabaad
Tarqumiya
Betunia, Ajaiby, Ajadira, Rafat
Jenin
Salfit
Trrbas
Abu Dis
Sourcei 'rReport of the
Affecting the ttuimn Righte of
Al 361 579), paras. 102-118.
Special Corunittee to Investi.gate Israeli Practices
ttre roputation of the occupied Territoriee"
f...
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Aooendix 1l
Consuner price index (1968/69 o 100)
Territorv 1970 1971 L972 L973 L974 L975 L976 L977 1978 L979
tfeet Bank 108.4 L25.9 148.1 179.9 256.5 367.4 470.5 640.0 962.7 1618.{
Gaza Strip 105.1 12E.1 155.1 190. 3 294.3 452.7 533.8 74L.L I 058.6 L 824.',
Israel 106.1 118.8 134.1 160.9 224.8 313.1 4LL.2 553.5 833.5 1 486.1
Source: Corryiled frou Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1975 ... 8rd
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Annex II
Plage I
ANI{EX II
Mepbers of the Tean of Experts
Dr. P. Aratin Tetteh (Gtrena)
Profeeeor, Department of Planning
University of Science and Technology
Kurnsi, Ghana
Dr. lhrdley Madawela (Sri lanka)
Formerly Co-ordinator of Units
Social Developnent Branch
centre for social Development and Hursnitarian Af faire
Department of rnternational Econonic and social Affairr
United llatione, lbw york
UNITED
NATIONS AE
General Assembly
Economic and Social Council
Distr.
GENERAL
A/38/278
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ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Thirty-eighth session
Item 78 (h) of the preliminary list*
DEIlELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL ECONClolIC
CO-OPERATION: HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Second regular session of 1983
Item 15 of the provisional
agenda**
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN
THE FIELD OF HUMAN
SETTLEMENTS
Living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territories
Report of the Secretary-General
1. In its resolution 34/113 of 14 December 1979, the Gener~l Assembly requested
the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the relevant United Nations organs and
specialized agencies, particularly the united Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNFWA) , the Economic Commission for Western
Asia (ECWA) and the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting
the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories, to prepare and
submit to the Assembly at its thirty-fifth session a comprehensive and analytical
report on the social and economic impact of the Israeli occupation on the living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories.
2. At its thirty-fifth session, after considering the Secretary-General's report
(A/35/533 and Corr.l), which had been submitted pursuant to the above-mentioned
resolution, the General Assembly, in paragraph 1 of resolution 35/75 of
5 December 1980, took note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General
on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories
and, in paragraph 4 of the same resolution, called upon all States to co-operate
with United Nations agencies, organizations and organs and local Palestinian
* A/38/50/Rev.1.
** E/1983/100.
83-16597 0791t (E) / ...
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authorities to alleviate the tragic living conditions of the Palestinian people
caused by the Israeli occupation. Furthermore, in paragraph 5 of the resolution,
the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive and
analytical report to it at its thirty-sixth session, through the Economic and
Social Council, on the progress made in the implementation of the resolution.
3. At its thirty-sixth session, after considering the Secretary-General's report
(A/36/260 and Add. 1-3) , which had been submitted pursuant to its resolution 35/75,
the General Assembly, in paragraph 1 of resolution 36/73 of 4 December 1981, took
note of the report of the Secretary-General on the living conditions of the
Palestinian people and, in paragraph 6 of the same resolution, requested the
Secretary-General "to prepare a comprehensive and analytical report on the
deteriorating living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territories and to submit it to the General Assembly at its
thirty-seventh session through the Economic and Social Council".
4. At its thirty-seventh session, after considering the Secretary-General's
report (A/37/238), which had been submitted pursuant to its resolution 36/73, the
Assembly, in paragraph 1 of resolution 37/222 of 20 December 1982, took note of the
report of the Secretary-General on the living conditions of the Palestinian people
in the occupied Palestinian territories and, in paragraph 8 of the same resolution,
requested the Secretary-General "to prepare and submit to the General Assembly at
its thirty-eighth session, through the Ec·onomic and Social Council, a comprehensive
report on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territories".
5. So as to enable the Secretary-General to prepare and submit the required
report to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session, and in an effort to
ensure a balanced and objective expert view, the Secretary-General used the
services of a team of three experts: Mr. Dudley Madawela, formerly Co-ordinator of
Units, Social Development Branch, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian
Affairs, Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, united Nations,
New York, Mr. Harald Kristiansen, Senior Research Officer, Norwegian Building
Research Institute, Oslo, Norway; and Mr. Edward Balassanian, archite~t, urban
designer and city planner, New York.
6. The experts were to prepare the report on the basis of material available from
the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies and from the specialized agencies, and
other published and unpublished literature pertaining to the sUbject. They were
also to gather information through visits to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian
Arab Republic and the occupied territories and through discussions with government
officials and others, as well as with representatives of the Palestine Liberation
Organization.
7. Since permission to visit the occupied Palestinian territories was not granted
by the Government of Israel, the experts, in preparing their report, had to rely on
secondary sources of information. Accordingly, from 11 February to 24 March 1983,
the experts visited and had discussions with the relevant government officials of
Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. Further discussions were held
/ ...
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with United Nations officials stationed in those countries. Discussions were also
held with the relevant officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization in
Damascus and Amman. Meetings were also held with five profeSsors, who had been
expelled from the universities in the West Bank in OCtober 1982, the former Mayor
of Halhul, the former Mayor of East Jerusalem, the head of the PLO Palestinian
Fund, and with Palestinians now living outside the occupied territories, who had
information on conditions within the territories either through recent visits there
or from relatives living there. The experts also visited the King Hussein Bridge
in order to obtain a first-hand view of conditions and procedures for crossing the
Bridge and interviewed at random some of those crossing into Jorda~
8. The experts also visited the headquarters of, and gathered relevant
information and data from ECWA, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNIWA, the lLO, UNESCO, and WHO.
various United Nations reports dealing with conditions in the occupied Palestinian
territories were also reviewed, particularly those of the Special Committee to
Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the
OCcupied Territories, the Security Council Commission established under resolution
446 (1979), of 22 March 1979, on the situation in the occupied Arab territories and
the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
A substantial amount of relevant material and information was gathered from those
sources, which supplemented other information and data available in published
documents of various other organizations of the United Nations system that were
made available to the experts and material published in books, periodicals and the
popular press, as indicated in the various footnotes contained in the report
prepared by the experts.
9. The report prepared by the team of experts is reproduced in the annex below.
I ...
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ANNEX
Report of the Team of Experts on the living conditions of the Palestinian
people in the occupied Palestinian Territories
Chapter paragraphs
I. INTRODOCTION · . 1 - 5 6
U. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6 - 19 7
IU. PHYSICAL FACTORS: HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND
AND S~LEMENTS, AND WATER ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 20 - 43 9
Housing ••••••••••••••..••••••••• • ,'"... . •••••••• •• •• ••• •• 20 27 9
B.
C.
D.
Infrastructure ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 28 - 32
Land and settlements ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 33 - 38
Water ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.• 39 - 43
12
13
15
IV. ECONCMIC FACTORS ........................................... 44 - 97 18
A. Economic framework ..................................... 44 - 48 18
B. Population and employment ••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••• 49 - 53 19
C. Income ................................................. 54 19
D. Aggregate income, gross domestic product and gross
national product •••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 55 - 59 20
E. Disposable private income and wage-income 60 - 66 21
F. Capital formation •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 67 - 68
Consumption and savings •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 69 - 72
24
25
H.
I.
Taxation
Monetary
· .
situation •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
73 - 77
78 - 81
27
29
J. Sectoral structure of the economy •••••••••••••••••••••• 82 30
Sectoral structure of employment ••••••••••••••••••••••• 83 - 84 31
L. Agriculture . . 85 - 90 32
M. Industry · . 91 - 96 36
/ ...
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ANNEX (continued)
Chapter
N. Other sectors· ..
paragraphs
97 37
V. sex: IAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS .. 98 134 38
A. Social and cultural conditions ................................................ 98 111 38
B. Education .......................................................................................... 112 124 41
C. Health •.••..•.•...••..•..• '•••••••••••••••..••..•.••••• 125 - 134
APPENDICES
44
I.
11.
111.
Houses demolished, 1967~1981 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Population growth in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) and
the Gaza Strip, 1979-1981 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Employed persons by economic branch in the occupied territories and
51
52
in Israel ........................ •'. S3
IV. Employed persons of the occupied territories by selected economic
branch and place of work ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 54
V. Education in the occupied Palestinian territories .. . 55
VI. COnsumer price index, West Bank and Gaza Strip ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 56
VII. Wage-income by sectors and location of employment, 1981 •••••••••••••••• 57
I ...
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I. INTRODUCTION
1. The present report has been prepared in pursuance of General Assembly
resolution 37/222, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to prepare
and submit to it at its thirty-eighth session, through the Economic and SOcial
Council, a comprehensive report on the living conditions of the Palestinian people
in the occupied Palestinian territories. It is a follow-up to the comprehensive
and analytical report submitted to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session
(A/37/238), pursuant to its resolution 36/73 of 4 December 1981 on the "living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories".
2. Considering that the occupied Palestinian territories comprise the west Bank
of the River Jordan, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, the experts have
endeavoured to collect available data pertaining to the two territories. However,
data in respect of East Jerusalem have been difficult to collect, because of the
practice of the Israeli authorities of including them in the overall data for
Israel. Consequently, information on East Jerusalem contained in the present
report has been drawn from indirect secondary sources, including the Palestine
Liberation Organization, the former mayor of East Jerusalem and the mayor of
Halhul, and other West Bank residents knowledgeable about the situation in East
Jerusalem. The bulk of the analysis in the report is mainly concerned with
conditions in the west Bank and the Gaza Strip.
3. In the absence of a visit to the occupied territories, it was not possible for
the experts on mission to gather first-hand information on conditions there,
particularly on such aspects as the condition of housing and public facilities, the
state of the agricultural and industrial sectors, the practical aspects of
education and the utilization of health-care services. However, much relevant
information and data were gathered during the visit to the neighbouring Arab
countries and United Nations institutions, offices and programmes in the Middle
East and at Vienna, Geneva, Paris and New York.
4. The present report analyses the changes that have occurred in those areas
which have affected the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territories. Chapter II gives a brief summary of findings.
Chapter III deals with physical factors, namely, housing and physical
infrastructure, land and water and chapter IV examines selected economic factors
which affect living conditions. Chapter V deals with social and cultural factors
recapitulating, in the process, information and findings pertinent to the issue
under consideration contained in other reports submitted to bodies of the United
Nations system, particularly the report of the Special Committee to Investigate
Israeli Practices Affecting the HUman Rights of the Population of the Occupied
Territories to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session (A/37/485l, the
report of the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation to the
International Labour Conference at its sixty-eighth session in 1982, and the report
of the WHO Special Committee of Experts appointed to study the health conditions of
the inhabitants of the occupied territories submitted to the World Health Assembly
at its thirty-fifth session in 1982. !I
/ ...
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5. In the preparation of the present report, the experts relied as much as
possible on pUblished sources, which were supplemented by interviews with people
knOWledgeable about the situation in the occupied territories. COnclusions in the
summary of findings (chapter 11) are documented and substantiated in the main body
of the report.
11. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
6. The shortages of basic facilities in the occupied territories are quite
evident from the data available. The number of new dwelling units built since 1968
is not adequate to alleviate the deterioration and dilapidation of existing housing
or to meet the housing needs of the population.
7. Measures reported by the occupying authorities with regard to the provision of
infrastruotural facilities are not commensurate with the growing needs of the
Palestinian communities in the occupied territories. There is a tendency to
segregate services provided to Israeli settlements and Palestinian towns and
villages in certain sectors, such as postal services, telecommunications,
agriculture and industry. There is pressure on the Palestinian communities to
obtain other services, such as water and electricity, from a common network serving
the Israeli settlements as well as Israel.
8. There is continual expropriation of land by the occupying authorities, and
Israeli settlers have taken possession of blocks of private land adjacent to the
settlements.
9. These expropriations have reduced the land available to the Palestinian
residents to earn a living and improve their living conditions. The increase in
the establishment of Israeli settlements and their location on the periphery of
Arab towns and villages have become an obstacle to the growth and expansion of the
latter.
10. The economy of the occupied territories, as measured by the real rate of gross
domestic and gross national products, has improved. However, it continues to be
handicapped by lack of long-term planning and programming designed to generate
development for the benefit of the indigenous population. The trend so far has
been towards further integration of the economy with that of Israel, thus exposing
it to the high rate of inflation characteristic of the Israeli economy.
11. The disposable private income and the GNP per capita have increased in real
terms, although the distribution of the income is not known. private consumption
as a percentage of gross disposable private income has risen, and the percentage of
savings has declined. As there are restrictions affecting investment opportunities,
disposable income is channelled into the consumption and purchase of durable goodS.
12. capital formation has been low compared to that occurring in Israel and
Jorda~ Conditions existing in the productive sectors, combined with the unsettled
socio-economic and political situation attributed to the occupation, has made
capital investment risky for the local Arab residents. The only type of investment
of any significance has been in improvements to existing private housing and, to a
lesser extent in new houses.
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13. The level of taxation is proving a burden to the Arab population, particularly
in the application of certain elements of the Israeli tax system which are not in
consonance with the underdeveloped nature of the economy of the occupied
territories.
14. Local employment has been falling in the agricultural and industrial sectors
and rising in all other sectors, led hy the construction industry. More workers
from the territories are commuting to Israel for emp+oyment, where their conditions
of employment have not shown any appreciable improvement from past years. That
almost two thirds of the actively engaged labour force is in one way or another
working in and for the Israeli economy is a deterrent to initiating employment
opportunities within the territories that would serve indigenous economic interests.
15. Agriculture in the occupied territories continues to be hindered by loss of
land through continuing expropriation by the occupying authorities, lack of capital
for improving production methods and shrinkage in markets. The agricultural
sub-sectors which are expanding are the growing of vegetables and melons, the
former finding a principal market in Israel. Melons are exported chiefly to
Jordan. Further growth in those two sub-sectors will depend on the availability of
irrigable land and increased allocation of water resources for agriculture, which
at present is severely restricted.
16. The structure of industry has not shown any significant change over the years
of occupation. It is dominated by small enterprises and a high proportion of those
establishments are in sub-sectors which execute orders for Israeli enterprises,
particularly textiles and clothing, leather, wood and metal products. The
industrial sector is handicapped by lack of capita+ for improvements in buildings
and equipment, difficulties in importing new technology, export restrictions and
competition from Israeli products.
17. Social and cultural conditions of the Palestinians living in the occupied
territories have continued to deteriorate. The traditional family pattern is
breaking down owing to pressures caused by incomes which are inadequate to meet
escalating costs-of-living due to high inflation. The daily living activities of
the Arab residents have been disrupted by frequent curfews, the ever-present
possibility of confrontation with Israeli settlers in the occupied territories and
restrictions in movement, association and expression. Culturally, they are
deprived of many books and periodicals in the Arabic language. There have been a
number of instances when actions by the Israeli settlers have interfered with their
freedom of worship in such places as the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the
AI-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
18. In education, although facilities at the school level have been keeping pace
with increased enrolment, the content of education does not seem to be progressing
along the lines that curricula are being developed in Jordan and Egypt. Many
books, particularly in literature and the social sciences, are revised for or
barred from use in the educational system in the occupied territories, which
follows the Jordanian system in the west Bank and the Egyptian system in the Gaza
Strip. The universities in the West Bank have had many setbacks during the past
few years, including the dismissal and deportation of professors and new
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regulations affecting financial support from abroad. The closing of the
universities in the wake of demonstrations and the frequent arrest and
interrogation of students suspected of participating in them, together with the
inability to obtain books and periodicals needed for research, have interfered with
the quality of education provided by the universities.
19. As regards health, the availability of hospital beds has not kept pace with
the growth in population or the number of people seeking hospital care. Reporting
of health data does not follow a uniform pattern for the occupied territories. New
services have continued to be introduced in the hospitals in keeping with the
policy of decentralizing specialist services to the district hospitals. Other
measures and services related to environmental health, immunization and maternal
and child care are being provided by an adequate network of clinics and health
centres. The efficiency of the health care system continues to be hampered by
limitations in equipment, qualified staff and distribution of drugs. Some of these
shortcomings have been remedied to some extent through inputs from international
organizations and local voluntary associations as well as the Red Crescent SOciety.
Ill. PHYSICAL FACTORS' HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE,
LAND AND SETTLEMENTS, AND WATER
A. Housing
20. There has been no significant change in the housing conditions within the
occupied territories since the last report of the Secretary-General, submitted to
the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session (A/37/238, annex I, paras. 34 to
38). The main findings of that report are summarized below:
(a) Supply of new housing disproportionate to popUlation growth,
(b) A lack of institutional means of providing housing to the poorl
(c) A decline of housing stock,
(d) Overcrowded housing,
(e) A shortage of basic utilities and sanitary facilities in houses,
(f) Bureaucratic obstacles in transfer of funds for housing from abroad.
21. With respect to basic housing facilities, table 10 of the report of the
Secretary-General (A/37/238, annex, p. 17) can be updated as follows:
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Table 1. Selected basic housing facilities in the occupied territories
(Percentage of families having the facility indicated)
Facility West Bank Gaza Strip
.ill.l .!2..?! ill! .ill.l .!2.2! 1981
Toilet
None 14.4 21.2 14.7 29.0 21.0 2.2
Kitchen
None 24.0 35.9 25.5 43.7 17.5 3.6
Shared 2.3 3.1 1.3 4.7 14.1 16.3
illlli.
Tap in courtyard 9.9 17. o· 20.4 27.3 61.5 44
Tap in dwelling NA. 23.5 44.9 NA. 13.9 51.(
Electr icity
None 76.1 54.2 18.4 8Ll 65.5 11.5
Bathroom
None 82.3 76.3 49.3 79.7 81.7 38.8
Source: For 1967 figures, see Bakir Abu-Kishk, "Human settlements: problems
and social dimensions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip" (ECWA, March 1981), p. 7,
and for 1974 and 1981 figures, see Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982 (Jerusalem,
Central Bureau of Statistics, 1982), pp. 746 and 747.
22. Table XXVII/3l of the Statistical Abstract of Israel 1982, entitled "Area of
buildings, by initiating sector and purpose", shows no activity by the public
sector in residential construction since 1978 in the Gaza Strip and, since 1968, in
the West Bank. However, according to the report prepared by the Office of
H.R.H. the Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan •••• the Israeli
Government has heavily subsidized settlement housing, which makes apartments there
at least two thirds cheaper than their equivalent in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem". B/
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23. Total residential construction, by initiating sector, is as follows:
Table 2. Residential buildings completed, by initiating sector, 1967-1981
(In thousands of square metres)
Private
Public
Total
West Bank
3,318.2
36.1
3,354.3
Gaza and northern Sinai
1,256.8
52.7
1,309.5
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982 ••• , p. 766.
24. The table below compares the increase in the number of households with the
increase in dwelling unit~·
Table 3. Comparison of the increase in the number of households with
the increase in the number of dwelling units, 1967-1981
Population increase, 1967-1981
Average family size, 1981
Number of families increased, 1967-1981
Total residential construction, 1967-1981
Average size of dwelling units, 1979-1981
Number of dwelling units increased, 1967-1981
West Bank Gaza Strip
125,600 95,700
6.9 6.6
18,203 14,500
3,354,300m2 1,309,500m2
116. 5m2 132m2
28,792 9,920
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982 (Jerusalem, Central Bureau of
Statistics, 1982), table XXVII/I, p. 7331 table XXVII/14, p. 7441 and
table XXVII/32, p. 7671 and table 2 of the present report.
25. It will be observed that construction activities in the category of
residential buildings in the Gaza Strip is 4,580 units short of satisfying even the
need of population growth. In the West Bank, after satisfying population growth,
construction over the past 14 years has only contributed a total of 10,589 units
(less than 800 units per year) to decrease residential density and/or to upgrade
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the housing standard. To illustrate further the insignificance of the present
level of construction activities in alleviating the problem of substandard housing,
it should be mentioned that by one estimate the current housing stock of the
occupied territories is about 200,000 units, of which 70 per cent (140,000 units)
is substandard and must be replaced. si
26. While there are few dwelling units in the refugee camps that may be considered
adequate, housing structures have been improved by r~fugee residents in the
following successive steps~
(a) Wood frame and corrugated sheet-metal walls and roof,
(b) Cement-block walls and corrugated sheet-metal roof,
(c) Cement-block walls nd reinforced-concrete roof,
(d) Second floor addition.
27. In the Gaza Strip, the occupying authorities have only replaced those houses
which have been demolished because of the construction of security roads through
refugee camps (a total of about 1,000 units). According to Palestinian sources,
however, Israeli authorities have developed plans for several housing complexes
outside and adjacent to the camps where they have subdivided the land into small
residential parcels and offered them to the Palestinians under the following
condi tions.·
(a) Recipient must be a refugee-camp dweller,
(b) He must vacate his camp residence,
(c) The camp dwelling has to be demolished and never reconstructed,
(d) Recipient has to pay the price of the new parcel, however, he receives a
99-year lease and not an ownership title.
Punitive demolition of housing by Israeli authorities has further reduced the
number of dwelling units. The number of houses demolished from 1967 to 1981 is
given in appendix I below.
B. Infrastructure
28. Although progress has been reported in the provision of infrastructural
services to the residents of the occupied territories in the supply of electric
power, telecommunications and public transport, EV the reported progress is in no
measure commensurate with the needs of the residents of the area.
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29. According to the report of the Government of Israel, electric power consumed
in the West Bank was six times greater in 1981 than in 1968, and the increase was
even higher in the Gaza Strip. However, according to the same report, 3 per cent
of urban households and 27 per cent of rural households in the West Bank, and
11 per cent of the households in the Gaza Strip were still without electricity. ~
30. According to a report by Meron Benvenisti, former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem,
Israeli authorities in the process of locating and designing Jewish settlements in
the West Bank, make sure "that the location of the settlements in fact restricts
the physical expansion of adjacent Arab villages and farms as well as controls the
high ground for security purposes". Moreover, one of the principles of designing
road networks in the occupied territories is that "areas of Arab population should
be circ wnvented, i. e., avoided'l. y
31. According to the same source, Israeli planning and infrastructure is based on
the concept of complete spatial separation between Jewish and Arab areas, and so
far the following sections have already been either completely, or partially,
separated:
Postal services
Telecommunications
Water
Roads
Electr icity
Industry
Agricultural
marketing
School busing
Vehicle licensing
(separated)
(separated)
(partially separated)
(partially separated)
(partially separated)
(separated, including differential tax and
incentive systems)
(separated)
(separated)
(separated) !31
32. The report prepared by the Office of H.R.H. the Crown Prince of the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan points to a highly disproportionate investment policy by the
Government of Israel for Jewish and Palestinian localities of the occupied
territories. !y
C. Land and settlements
33. Agricultural land and water resources in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
provide the major sources of livelihood, and therefore are of deep concern to the
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Palestinian people in the occupied territories. As mentioned in the previous
report of the Secretary-General (A/37/238, annex I, para. 15), by September 1979
25 per cent of the total land area of the West Bank (1,500,000 dunums, equivalent
to 1,500 km2 ) had been expropriated by the Israeli authorities. Of the
expropriated land, 11 per cent was reported to have been allocated to a total
of 123 Israeli settlements. Since then the amount of expropriated land has risen
to 44 per cent of the total land (2,452,975 dunums, equivalent to 2,453 km2), and
by February 1983 the number of Israeli settlements in occupied territories had
risen to 139. l!
34. Distribution of cultivatable land in the occupied territories and type of
their cUltivation is as follows:
Table 4. Land resources of the occupied territories and
distribution in each region, 1980
(In thousands of dunums)
Total Total Under Under dry
~e1 cultivatable irrigation farming
West Bank 5,755 1,853 87. 5 1,765.5
Gaza Strip 369 193 102 91
Total 6,124 2,040 189.5 1,856.5
Source: P. G. Sadler and B. Abu-Kishk, "Options for development: Palestine,
Part I" (unpublished), pp. 30 and 31.
~: 1 dunum: 1,000 m2 : 0.25 acre (approx.)
eI These figures include grazing land, forests and idle land. The gazing
land was estimated as 1.85 million dunums.
35. The practices of expropriation and confiscation of land by Israeli
authorities, combined with their practices with regard to the use of water
resources (see below) , have resulted in a significant decline in the agricultural
activities of Palestinians in the occupied territories. various sources differ on
the estimate of the total cultivated land appropriated for Jewish settlements.
However, there seems to be a consensus that, since 1967, the decline of the amount
of land cultivated by Arab citizens has been very significant. iI
36. categories used by the Israeli authorities for expropriation of land in the
occupied territories up to 1979 have been listed and discussed by the former Deputy
Mayor of Jerusalen in a report presented to the American Enterprise Institute.
Those categories have been classified as follows: 11
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(a) "Absentee" property in respect of which the Israeli authorities act as
custodianl
(b) "Registered State Domain", the occupying authority (Israel) replaces the
previous Government, Jordan or the JOrdanian Kingl
(c) "Land requisitioned for military purposes", land remains under private
ownership. The Military Government pays for the use of the land. According to
Benvenisti, many settlements have been built on these lands,
(d) Lands closed for military purposesl
(e) "Jewish lands", lands owned by Jews prior to 1948 and administered by
the JOrdanian custodian of enemy propertYI
(f) Lands purchased by Jewish bodies (organizations) I
(g) Lands expropriated for public purposes.
37. Since 1970, Israeli authorities have adopted a new policy based on the old
Turkish Land Code, whereby any vacant land, such as mountains, rocky places, stoney
fields and grazing grounds, under certain circumstances can be considered ~
(dead) land, and anyone who is in need of such land can, with the permission of the
official, cultivate it on the condition that the ultimate ownership shall belong to
the SUltan, to whom the Government of Israel considers itself to be a
successor. 11 In 1968, the Military Government had already "temporarilY halted"
all title settlement procedures (Military Order No. 291). At that time only one
third of the occupied territories were "settled" by definition and entered into the
Land Registry, According to Raja Shehadeh, mI Israeli authorities by means of the
above-mentioned two instruments (the turkish Law and Military Order NO. 291) can
virtually expropriate any piece of property they wish.
38. The report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli practices Affecting
the Human Rights of the Population of the occupied Territories submitted to the
General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session contains several references pointing
to a distinct and comprehensive policy adopted by the Government of Israel for
changing the ethnic, religious and racial composition of the population of the
occupied territories to such an extent that, for all practical purposes, the
Palestinians find themselves standing on much weaker and unstable ground in any
future dispute and claim over territorial sovereignty (A/37/485, chap, IV,
sect. 4), The evidence presented is mostly direct quotations from statements by
high-ranking Israeli officials reported by either Israeli or international news
media and agencies. !y
D. \i!l!!.
39. A report prepared by the Government of Israel, a shortened version of which
was submitted to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session
(A/37/347 and Oorr.l, annex), contains information on improvements in exploitation
and distribution of water resources in "Judea-Samaria and the Gaza District", 21
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40. Under the heading 'Waterworks", the following activities were mentioned:
(a) Three large wells were dug near Herodion, which increased the supply of
water from 150 cubic metres per hour in 1970 to 700 cubic metres per hour,
(b) The Ramallah region received 70 per cent of its water needs from the
Israeli systemI
(c) Two new wells supplied five times more water to Jenin compared with 1970,
(d) In Nablus, a 200 cubic rnetre-per-bour well sUbstantially alleviated the
water shortage I
(e) Two new east-west pipelines in "Samaria" tl est Bank) were laid to supply
water to dozens of villages. The connection to initial villages was planned for
the current year,
(f) A 30 kilometre pipeline was being laid in the western Hebron Hill region
(southern West Bank) to supply water to 10 villages. £I
41. With regard to water, the Palestinians object to the policies and practices of
the occupying authorities related to the development of water resources by
Palestinians and its distributio~ These objections can be classified in the
following groups:
(a) Legal obstacles and problems of ownership of water resources/
(b) Inequitable treatment of Jewish and Palestinian residents of the area
with respect to water distribution and usage.
42. Examples and evidence in supp~rt of the above objections are as follows:
(a) Legal obstacles. Jordanian Law No. 31 on supervision of water,
promulgated in 1953, required the approval of the manager of the Department of
Irrigation and Water for any irrigation scheme. This was amended by Israeli
Military Order No. 158, which provides that installations for drilling subterranean
water (wells etc.) require a licence from the Area COmmander. The licence ~as to
be obtained for setting up, assembling or possessing and/or operating a water
installation. This has brought existing water operations within the jurisdiction
of the Area COmmander, who could, at his discretion, approve or disapprove water
usage from existing installations. The Area COmmander may refuse to grant a
licence without showing cause and may decide to cancel any licence or to amend it
or to make it conditional. si A method similar to that discussed above with regard
to land own~rship and transactions has been adopted for water rights, according to
Raja Shehadeh, who concludes as follows:
"The Custodian has claimed the wells and shares in water rights owned by
non-residents. A prohibition similar to that for transactions in land is
placed over the water rights making it illegal to transfer them without prior
permissio~" !I
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(b) Inequitable treatment. On the grounds of conserving water resources,
which are indeed extremely crucial for the region in general and the West Bank and
Gaza Strip in particular, Israeli authorities have devised various restrictive
regulations and practices, such as licensing, metering etc. However, there are
scores of instances cited by Palestinians which point to the discriminatory
application of those regulations in favour of Jewish settlements and to the
detriment of Palestinians. For example, permission was refused to complete a
well-digging project in the Saljet area of Nablus, and later Israeli authorities
themselves completed it, but pumped the water to the Jewish settlement of
Alqan~!I Since 1967, Israeli authorities have thwarted a number of attempts by
the Ramallah water Board to create an autonomous water-supply system sufficient to
meet the area's needs. At the time of the occupation, the Government of Jordan was
nearing completion of a project to increase the water supply to Ramallah by digging
new wells 12 ~iles to the west of Shibteen. With the occupation, the Israeli
authorities ordered the termination of that project. In the meantime, the Israeli
settlement of Kfar Shuba has received permission to bore new wells for its own
use. !!
43. According to Meron Benvenisti,
"The impact of Israeli settlements on West Bank water is a function of the
amount of land irrigated by the settlers and not of the actual number of
settler~ Indeed the settlements today are 2-3 per cent of the West Bank
population and use 20 per cent of the total water consumption of the area.
Yet 96 per cent of this amount is for irrigation." ~
Other statistics obtained from Israeli sources indicate that in 1977-1978 there
were 314 Arab-owned artesian wells in the West Bank which discharged 33 million
cubic metres of water, whereas 17 wells drilled by the Israeli Water Company to
serve Israeli settlements discharged 14.1 million cubic metres of water. In other
words, 17 Israeli wells discharged 30 per cent of the total water, whereas
bureaucratic measures and economic factors prevented Palestinians from boring and
utilizing similar wells. ~ As was stated in the previous report of the
Secretary-General, only 30 out of 80 applications by Palestinians for permission to
dig wells were approved (A/37/238, annex, para. 23). However, because of the high
cost involved, amounting to a quarter of a million dollars per bore, ~ not even a
single well was dug. There is no evidence that economic assistance programmes to
enable Palestinians to overcome those extremely high costs have been devised by the
occupying authorities. At the same time, there are various prohibitive measures
restricting the transfer of funds from abroad for development purposes, including
water development projects. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities are approving and
financing water-development projects for the Jewish settlements in the occupied
territories.
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IV. ECONCMIC FACTORS
A. Economic framework
44. A stUdy of economic structure of the occupied territories necessitates some
understanding of the environment in Which the economic activities are taking
place. The main feature of this environment is the systematic effort of the
occupying authorities to integrate the economy of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
with that of Israel through such measures as monetary and taxation policies,
employment, production in agriculture and industry and trade practices. The
policies adopted and implemented by Israel have resulted in a high level of
economic dependency of the occupied territories on the Israeli economy, including
its inflationary trends, thus preventing the generation of conditions which, in the
long run, could benefit the indigenous population.
45. The lack of economic planning and programming is another feature of the
economic life of the occupied territories. This has especially had an adverse
effect on the development of an economic infrastructure that could sustain a
process of self-generating growth in the territories. In a self-perpetuating
manner, the paucity of opportunities for higher education and training in technical
fields and in agriculture has become a constraint to future planning, programming
and implementation capabilities.
46. Moreover, the Palestinians have no control Over the monetary and fiscal
policies of the territories. They have no decision-making power on public
expenditures and, therefore, are unable to influence the decisions or to monitor
economic trends. This applies even to the local authorities whose bUdgets have to
be approved by the occupying authorities.
47. In addition to the general characteristics of the economy of the occupied
territories, some technical problems make a meaningful analysis of this economy
more difficult, among which are the following:
(a) Inaccessibility to the civilian budget for the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip, which is subsumed in the budget for the Military Administration and
considered classified and not available for public scrutinYI
(b) Non-availability of data on economic activities in East Jerusalem,
(c) Non-availability of any data and information, besides the revenues and
expenditures, on the economic role of the municipalities, the highest form of
self-government in the occupied territories,
(d) Unreliability of data and estimates used from Statistical Abstract of
Israel, 1982, the introductory note of which speaks of caution in this regard.
48. Under the circumstances described above, the best that can be attempted is to
examine selected elements of the economy of the occupied territories, excluding
East Jerusalem, and observe their behaviour over a span chosen for the present
report as a follow-up to the previous reports in order to determine the degree of
change that has occurred.
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B. Population and employment
49. The population of the occupied Palestinian territories continues to rise,
although at a lower rate than in previous years. In the.West Bank (excluding East
Jerusalem), it rose from 699,600 at the end of 1979 to 707,300 at the end of 1981.
In the Gaza Strip, it rose from 431,500 at the end of 1979 to 451,600 at the end of
1981. The actual increases have been less than in previous years. In the West
Bank, the actual increase in 1980 was 3,500 (natural increase: 20,600) and in
1981, 4,200 (natural increase: 20,000). In the Gaza Strip, the actual increase in
1980 was 10,500 (natural increase: 15,600) and, in 1981, 9,600 (natural increase:
15,000) (see appendix II below).
50. The difference between natural increase and actual increase is an indication
of the level of emigration. Thus, in the West Bank, emigration amounted to 17,100
persons in 1980 and 15,800 in 1981. In the Gaza Strip, it amounted to 5,100
persons in 1980 and 5,400 in 1981. Those levels are much higher than in previous
years, particularly in the cae of the West Bank (see appendix 11 below and
A/37/238, table 5).
51. According to the report of the Director-General of the International Labour
Organization to the International Labour Conference at its sixty-eighth session in
1982, a significant characteristic of employment in the occupied Palestinian
territories is that about one third of the labour force works in Israel. ~
52. Those Arab workers from the occupied territories employed in Israel continue
to be disadvantaged in many ways with respect to their conditions of work in
comparison with similar categories of Israeli workers. Employment is subject to a
work permit, which has been extended up to six months for jobs in the industrial
sector, which benefits only about 18 per cent of the employed persons in Israel.
There seem to be special problems in extending this privilege to those working in
construction and agriculture (66 per cent of those employed) because of the
seasonal or temporary nature of the work.
53. With regard to the trade union movement' in the occupied territories, the ILO
mission which visited the territories in November/December 1981 made the
observation that on the whole, the "movement does not seem to be very developed and
its capacity to defend the workers' interest is still limited." 11 Only three
trade unions were registered in the West Bank during 1981/82.
c. Income
54. There are generally two sources of private income for the people of the
occupied territories: (a) income generated from economic activities of people
living in these territories, and (b) income generated outside the territories by
those Palestinians living and working abroad and remitting their incomes to their
families back home. Both types of income are reflected in the national accounting
for the territories. On the basis of available data, the following analysis to a
degree of disaggregation feasible, are made on: gross domestic and gross national
product, disposable private income and wage-income and income generation by various
economic sector&
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D. Aggregate income, gross domestic product and gross
national product
55. Data for the gross domestic product (GDP) and the gross national product (GNP)
and their percentage changes over years 1975-1981 are shown in table 5 below:
Table 5. Gross domestic product and gross qationa1 product
(In millions of Israeli shekels at 1968 prices)
Aver-
1968 ~ 1976 .!222 1978 !22.2. 1980 l2!!. age !!/
Gaza Strip: GDP 13.1 22.9 25.8 27.2 27.3 30.7 29.7 30.5
(12.7) Y (5.4) (0.4) (12.5) (-3.3) (2.7) (4.9)
GNP 13.1 34.0 38.4 40.4 42.3 47.1 46.4 48.5
(12. 9) (5.2) (4.7) (11.3) (-1. 5) (4. 5) (6.1)
West Bank.' GDP 33.3 65.6 77.4 74.8 89.2 83.7 106.6 98.9
(18.0) (-3.4) (19.3) (-6.2) (27.4) (-7.2) (7.1)
GNP 34.4 88.3 101.5 99.8 116.5 113.2 135.6 127.6
(14.9) (-1. 7) (16.7) (-2. 8) (19.8) (-5.9) (6.3)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
y All figures in parenthesis show percentage change over previous year.
!!/ Average annual growth rate 1975-1981.
56. The percentage annual changes in gross national product per capita for both
territories follow the Same fluctuation as was observed for the GDP and the GNP. The
average annual growth rates of the GNP per capita for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
over the period 1975-1981, are 4.7 and 5.1 per cent, respectively.
57. On the average, both territories have enjoyed a reasonable rate of growth, well
above the population growth rate, over the six-year period from 1975 to 1981. The GDP
and GNP of the Gaza Strip grew at average annual rates of 4.9 and 6.1 per cent
respectively, and those of the West Bank rose at 7.1 and 6.3 per cent.
58. The Gross National Product per capita at 1978 prices and the percentage annual
changes for 1975-1981 are shown in Table 6 be1ow~
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Table 6. Gross national product per capita
(At 1968 prices)
~ .!ill .!ill. 1122 l12! .ill.2. 1980 1981
Gaza Strip 36.4 81.9 90.2 92.5 94.3 107.2 105.8 108.0
(lO.l) !I (2.5) (1.9) (13.7) (-1.3) (2.l)
West Bank 59.5 132.6 150.9 146.5 167.7 160.8 191.2 178.4
(13.8) (-2.9) (14.5) (-4.l) (l8.9) (-6.7)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I All figures in parentheses show percentage change over previous year.
59. The percentage annual changes in gross national product per capita for both
territories follow the s.me fluctuation as was obcerved for the GDP and GNP. The
average annual growth rates of the GNP per capita for the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank over the period 1975-1981 are 4.7 and 5.1 per cent, respectively.
~ Dipposable privata income and wage-income
60. Data on gross disposable private income from domestic sources, transfers to
private persons from abroad, gross disposable private income from all sources and
the rates of their variations over the three-year period from 1979 to 1981 are
shown in the table 7 below:
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Table 7. Disposable private income for the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank
(In millions of Israeli shekels at 1968 prices)
Gross national product
(At factor prices)
46.2
Gaza
44.4 47.0
(-3.9) !I (5.9)
108.6
West Bank
131.6
(21.2)
125.0
(-5. 0)
Transfers from Government 0.5
and local authorities
Less income tax and transfers 2.7
to the Government.
Gross disposable private 43.5
income from domestic sources
Transfers to private 3.1
persons from abroad
Gross disposable private 46.6
income from all sources
0.5
(0.0)
2.5
(-7.4)
42.4
(-2.5)
4.7
(51.6)
47.1
(1.1)
0.6
(20.0)
44.9
(5.9)
5.1
(8.5)
50.0
(6.2)
0.8
4.3
105.2
7.4
112.6
0.9
(12.5)
4.4
(2.3)
128.1
(21.8)
6.8
(-8. 1)
134.9
(19.8)
1.0
(11.1)
4.9
(11.4)
121.1
(-5.5)
7.0
(2. 9)
128.0
(-5.1)
Source: Derived from Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I All figures in parentheses show percentage change over the previous year.
61. The gross disposable private income from all sources and from domestic sources
has increased over the three-year period. The transfers to private persons from
abroad have fluctuated in an inverse relation to the increase or decline of the
gross disposable private income from domestic sources.
62. Wages constitute a high proportion of the aggregate income in the occupied
territories. They include wages earned by workers in the territories as well as by
those employed in Israel - about 35 per cent of the actively engaged labour force.
Daily wage rates for workers in the territories and those employed in Israel,
in 1981, are given below:
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Table 8. Daily wages of employees working in the territories
and in Israel by selected economic sector, 1981
(In Israeli shekels)
Branch In Gaza Strip In West Bank In Israel
Agriculture 75.7 70.6
Mining and manufacture 85.0 89.2
Construction 112.9 122.0
Conunerce, restaurants and hotels 86.1 92.1 )
)
Transport, storage and communications 100.3 92.3 )
)
Public and community services 126.7 108.4 )
)
Other 74.9 80.8 )
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
76.7
99.4
120.4
103.5 !I
!I An average for the four sectors, as the published data do not give
figures separately.
63. An approximation of income thrugh wages can be computed by relating these
rates to the numbers employed in the various sectors in the territories and in
Israel (see appendix VII below) and assuming a work-year of 240 days in the case of
Israel and 300 days in the territories. !I
64. The total wage income based on this computation (see appendix IV below) in the
occupied territories approximated IS 5.8 billion in 1981, or 35.4 per cent of the
combined gross national product (at factor prices) of the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip. Of this, almost IS 2 billion or 33.7 per cent was contributed through
wages earned by the workers from occupied territories working in Israel. The
significance of this phenomenon is that if, for one reason or another, employment
in Israel ceases to exist, the economy of the occupied territories will be
seriously affected.
65. The data concerning the sectoral composition of national income are not
available. The only sector for which some data exist is agriculture. A summary of
the income generated in this sector is shown in table 9 below:
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Table 9. Output, purchased inputs and income originating
in agriculture
(In millions of Israeli shekels at current prices)
Gaza West Bank
1978/79 y 1979/80 1980/81 1978/79 1979/80 1980/81
Output-Grand Total 192.3 392.7 953.3 536.7 1,716.4 3,107.2
(100.0) !¥ (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)
Purchased inputs 52.2 120.6 290.4 95.7 226.8 611. 0
(27. 1) (30.7) (3 O. 5) (17.8) (13.2) (19. 7)
Income originating 140.1 272.1 662.9 441.0 1,489.6 2,496.2
in agriculture (72.9) (69.3) (69. 5) (82.2) (86.8) (80.3)
Source: Derived from Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
Y All figures in parentheses show percentage of OUtput-Grand Total in each
year.
!¥ Agricultural Year: 1 October-30 September.
66. The income originating in agriculture constitutes 72.9 per cent of the total
output of this sector for Gaza and 82.2 per cent for the West Bank in 1978/79, and
has decreased for both territories over the three-year period, ending up at 69.5
and 80.3 per cent in 1980/81 for the two territories, respectively.
F. Capital formation
67. Gross domestic capital formation in Israel, Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank as percentages of gross national product· for the years 1968 and 1975
through 1981 is shown in table 10 below:
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Table 10. Gross domestic capital formation as percentages
0f gross national product
~ ~ ~ !ill. l2.ll 1979 ~ 1981
Israel y 23.6 32.7 28.1 25.0 27.9 28.2 24.7 NA
Jordan y 16.2 25.7 27.7 31.6 31.6 33.5 32.6 NA
Gaza Strip !?I 8.4 19.7 21.4 20.5 20.8 20.8 18.8 19.6
West Bank !?I 7.3 18.2 20.4 20.7 24.8 23.1 29.4 19.9
y Derived from International Financial Statistics, International Monetary
Fund, 1982.
!?I Derived from Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
68. Although the rate of capital formation in the occupied territories is high
relative to those of many developing countries, nevertheless it is low in relation
to the rates for Jordan and Israel. The contribution of Government to the
development budget in capital investment is minimal. In 1980, the Government's
input in the development budget amounted only to IS 50 million, or 11 per cent of
the total. !!I Capital formation has occurred in the housing sector through
investment of private savings.
G. Consumption and savings
69. private consumption expenditure in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as shown
in table 11, has risen, at current prices, from IS 2,395.5 million in 1979 to
IS 6,012.7 million in 1980 and to IS 13,903.5 million in 1981. In terms of
1968 prices, the percentage increases have been 3.8 per cent in 1980 and
4.9 per cent in 1981 for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank combined.
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Table 11. Private conswnption expenditure
(In millions of Israeli shekels)
At current prices
Gaza Strip
West Bank
Total
1979
694.3
1 701.2
2 395.5
1980
1 716.3
4 296.4
6 012.7
1981
4 052.4
9 851.1
13 903.5
At 1968 pr ices
Gaza Strip
Percentage change
West Bank
Percentage change
Total
Percentage change
38.7 39.0 40.5
(0.7) (3.8)
92.7 97.4 102.6
(5.1) (5.3) --- - -
131.4 136.4 143.1
(3.8) (4.9)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
70. The pattern of conswnption expenditure for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
are shown in table 12 below:
Table 12. Domestic private consumption expenditure in agricultural
and industrial goods, and services as percentage of total
for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Gaza West Bank
1979 ll!!.Q !ll! 1979 !ill. 1981
AgriCUltural goods 24.3 23.0 26.8 27.2 35.3 35.4
Industrial goods 50.0 48.2 42.7 37.5 37.8 34.9
Services 25.7 28.8 30.5 25.3 26.9 29.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Derived from Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
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71. Domestic private consumption expenditure on agricultural and industrial goods
has decreased for both territories. while the same type of expenditure on services
has increased over the three-year period 1979-1981.
72. As can be seen from table 13. the rate of consumption for the two territories
combined has dropped from 78.5 per cent in 1979 to 77.0 per cent in 1980. to rise
again in 1981 to 81.4 per cent. Correspondingly. the rate of private savings has
risen from 21.5 per cent in 1979 to 23.0 per cent in 1980 and dropped to
18.6 per cent in 1981.
Table 13. Consumption and savings in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
(In millions of Israeli shekels)
Gross disposable private income
from all sources
Private consumption
Savings
Percentage
Rate of consumption
Rate of saving
1979
3 052.1
2 395.5
656.6
78.5
21.5
100.0
1980
7 804.3
6 012.7
1 791. 6
77.0
23.0
100.0
1981
17 084.3
13 903.5
3 180.8
81.4
18.6
100.0
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel. 1982.
H. Taxation
73. No comprehensive account of the taxation system in the occupied territories
exists. Information from various sources indicates that the Jordanian system of
taxation on properties and buildings. on income and on land still prevails. and it
has been modified to conform to the Israeli tax system. However. new taxes have
been imposed. the most significant of which is the value-added tax.
74. The only detailed account of taxation exists for the West Bank. as is shown in
table 14 below:
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Table 14. Incane and taxation of towns in the West Bank
(In thousands of Israeli shekels)
Budget years
Income-Grand Total
Taxes and fees - Total
Property tax
Fuel tax
From fees
Vegetables and fruit fees
Slaughtering fees
Industry, craft and building licenses
Other fees
1980/81 1981/82
178 511 337 709
(100.0) 100.0
22 639 52 725
(12.7) !I (15.6) !I
7 423 19 458
(32.8) !!I (36.9)
2 457 4 845
(10.8) !!I (9.2)
12 759 28 432
(56.4) !!I (53.9)
8 118 15 859
(63.6) El (55.8)
659 1 597
(5.2) El (5.6)
659 6 285
(5.2) El (22.1)
1 907 4 682
(15.0) El (16.5)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I Taxes and fees-total as percentage of incane-grand total.
!!I As percentages of taxes and fees-total.
El As percentages of "from fees".
75. The total amount of taxes and fees collected, as a percentage of the total
income of towns in the West Bank, has been 12.7 and 15.6 for the budget years of
1980/81 and 1981/82, respectively.
76. The property tax constitutes 32.8 per cent of the IS 22.6 million in taxes and
fees collected in 1980/81 and has risen to 36.9 per cent of the total of
IS 52.7 million collected in 1981/82.
77. The different type of fees charged by the occupying authorities make the bulk
of the total taxes and fees at 56.4 per cent in 1980/81 and 53.9 per cent in
1981/82.
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I. Monetary situation
7~ One significant result of the predominant trading activities between the
occupied territories and Israel and the wages earned by the workers from the west
Bank and Gaza Strip employed in Israel as well as those working in the territories
on subcontract for Israeli enterprises, has been the virtual integration of the two
economies, with the Israeli shekel as the main monetary unit of exchange. The
Jordanian dinar continues to be legal tender in the West Bank and a preferred
currency for holding by the residents owing to depreciation of the Israeli shekel,
but its influence is diminishing with the reduction of trade with Jordan and other
countries since 1981.
79. The table below illustrates the changes in the value of the Israeli shekel and
the Jordanian dinar in SDR value since 1973.
Table 15. Monetary exchange rates in SDR value !I
Year
end
Israeli shekels
per SDR
Jordanian
dinars per
SDR
Israeli shekels
per one Jordanian
dinar
Annual devaluation
of Israeli shekels
related to Jordanian
dinars
%
1973 0.507 0.397 1.277
1974 0.735 0.386 1.904
1975 0.831 0.388 2.142
1976 1.017 0.388 2.621
1977 1.869 0.388 4.817
1978 2.477 0.388 6.384
1979 4.657 0.388 12.003
1980 9.627 0.388 24.812
1981 18.163 0.388 46.812
9.0
49.1
12.5
22.4
83.8
32.5
88.0
106.7
88.7
Source: International Financial Statistics, International Monetary Fund, 1982.
!I
exchange
rates.
SDR is a calculated "dollar" value taking into account the changes in
rate regimes, that is, from the par value period of floating exchange
80. There has been a further fall in the value of the Israeli shekel subsequent to
1981. EB/ At the same time, the inflation in the Israeli economy of more than
100 per cent per annum during the past few years has further eroded the value of
the shekel. The mere recovery of the real value of money on loan or in savings
would require an annual interest rate of more than 100 per cent, causing all
transactions in business, production credits, investments and savings a hazardous
undertaking.
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81. Branches of Israeli banks aealing mainly in Israeli shekels constitute the
monetary market in the occupiea territories ana continue to proviae the creait
requirements of the Palestinian entrepreneurs. However, they have not been
utilizea to any great extent, except for current transactions with Israel.
J. Sectoral structure of the economy
82. The lack of aata about the sectoral activities of the occupiea territories
aoes not allow any meaningful analysis of the prevailing conaitions.
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K. Sectora1 structure of employment
83. The data on employment by sector available for the West Bank and Gaza Strip
are shown in table 16.
Table 16. Employment by sector
Gaza West Bank
diff. diff.
1979 1980 1981 81-79 1979 1980 1981 81-79
Total - '000 79.6' 80.9 82.5 2.9 132.8 134.8 133.4 0.6
- percentages ) (10 0.0) (100.0) (100.0) -2.0 (100.0) (100.0) (100. 0)
Agriculture, forestry 16.2 15.0 14.2 -2.0 33.6 35.3 32.2 -1.4
and fishing (20. 4)!I (18.5) (17.3) (25.3) (26.2) (24.1)
Industry (mining and 15.8 15.8 14.2 -1.6 24.3 22.8 21.9 -2.4
manufacturing (19. 8) (19. 5) (17.2) , (18.3) (16. 9) (16.4)
Construction (b1dg. 18.3 18.7 21.9 3.6 30.0 30.5 32.0 2.0
of public works) (23.0) (23.1) (26. 5) (22. 6) (22.6) (24. 0)
Commerce, restaurants 10.0 11.3 11.7 1.7 16.9 17.1 16.6 -0.3
and hotels (12.5) (14.0) (14.2) (12. 7) (12.7) (12.5)
Transport, storage 5.1 5.3 5.6 0.5 5.8 6.1 6.5 0.7
and cornme rc e (6.4) (6.6) ,(6.8) (4. 4) (4.5) (4.9)
Public and community 9.6 10.5 10.6 1.0 17.0 17.9 19.0 2.0
services (12.1) (13.0) (12.8) (12.8) (13.3) (14.2)
Other 4.6 4.3 4.3 -0.3 5.2 5.1 5.2 0.0
(5.8) (5.3) (5. 2) (3. 9) (3.8) (3. 9)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I All figures in parentheses show percentages of tbe total for each year.
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84. There is a marked resemblance between the sectoral structure of employment in
the Gaza and the West Bank. The importance of both territories' agricultural
sector as a primary employer of the labour force is diminishing. From 1979 to
1981, the share of that sector in employment was reduced by 3.1 and 2.4 percentage
points for the Gaza and the West Bank, respectively. The industrial sector also
lost its share of employment within the same period by 2.6 per cent for the Gaza
Strip and 1.9 per cent for the West Bank. The rest of the sectors raised their
share of employment, construction leading with 3.5 per cent for the Gaza and
1.4 per cent for the West Bank. All the changes show further reliance of the
territories' economy on the economic life of Israel, a~ the employment
opportunities decline in the vital sectors of the economy, that is, agricultural
and industry, non-productive and services sector tend to employ a higher percentage
of the labour force.
L. Agr iculture
85. Table 17 summarizes the activities of the agricultural sector in broad
categories.·
Table 17. Output in agriculture
(in millions of Israeli shekels)
Gaza West Bank
1978/79 1979/80 1980/81 1978/79 1979/80 1980/81
output - Grand total 192.3 392.7 953.3 536.7 1,716.4 3,107.2
(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)
Crops - total 144.8 294.9 693.4 326.3 1,277.7 1,886.8
(75.3) !I (75. 1) (72. 7) (6 O. 8) (74.4) (60.7)
Livestock and live- 47.5 97.8 259.9 210.4 438.7 1,220.4
stock products (24.7) (24.9) (27.3) (39.2) (25.6) (39. 3)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I All figures in parentheses show percentages of the output-Grand total for
each agricultural year.
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86. The percentage of crop production to the total output of the agricultural
sector has decreased over the three--agricultural-calendar-year period for the Gaza
Strip, but it rose for the West Bank in 1979/80 by 13.6 per cent to the
74.4 percentage level, to fall back again to almost the same percentage in
1918/79. In the livestock and livestock products, there has been a reciprocal
trend, that is, an increased share in the total output for the Gaza strip and
keeping to almost the same level of 39.2 and 39.3 percentage points for 1978/79 and
1980/81 for the West Ban~ Crop production, even with its declining percentage in
1980/81, still constitutes an output more than 2.6 times the output derived from
livestock and livestock products for the Gaza Strip. The same proportion for the
West Bank is only 1.5 times the output.
87. Agriculture in the West Bank is characterized bY a high proportion of small
farms, mainly for dry farming, amounting to about 1.77 million dunums with only
about 88,000 dunums under irrigatio~ In the Gaza Strip, of the total cultivatable
land amounting to about 193,000 dunums, about 102,000 dunums are under irrigation
devoted mostly to citrus cultivatio~ Data on agricultural output in the two
territories during the years 1978/1979 to 1980/1981 are given in the table below:
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Table 18. Agricultural production in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
(Thousand tons)
Gaza West Bank
1978/79 1979/80 1980/81 1978/79 1979/80 1980/81
Field crops 33.2 42.5 41.2
(28.0) !I (-3.0)
Vegetables and 51.4 60.0 72.3 140.9 145.4 159.5
potatoes (16.7) (2 0.5) (3.2) (9. 7)
Melons and 3.6 4.3 4.6 8.0 19.6 42.7
pumpkins (19. 4) (7.0) (145.0) (117.9)
Olives 21.1 120.0 45.0
(468.7) (-62.5)
Ci trus 192.2 171.5 179.3 79.1 74.3 73.5
(-10.8) (4.5) (-6.1) (-1. 0)
Other fruit 18.9 21.4 20.8 87.0 85.9 105.9
(13.2) (-2.8) {-I. 3) (23.3)
Meat 4.8 5.6 6.2 23.5 23.1 25.7
(16.7) (10.7) {-I. 7) (11. 3)
Milk 15.5 14.7 13.9 39.4 36.7 38.8
(-5.2) (-5.4) (-6.8) (5. 7)
Fish 1.5 1.2 1.4
(-20) (16.7)
Eggs (million) 47.5 42.8 45.6 44.5 44.5 50.0
(-9.9) (6.5) (0.0) (12.4)
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
!I All figures in parentheses show percentage change over previous year.
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88. Agricultural production over the three-year period has shown a considerable
degree of fluctuation most possibly owing to climatic conditions. As most of the
farm products are cultivated under dry farming conditions, weather conditions play
an important role in productivity. On the other hand, those crops grown largely on
irrigated land, namely, vegetables and melons, show significant increases in output.
89. More than 43 per cent of the vegetable crop of 1980/81 was exported to the
Israeli market for processing or export. The main market for melons and pumpkins
is Jordan, to which almost 48 per cent of the crop of 1980/81 was exported. The
flow of trade in the supply of fruit and vegetables' in the West Bank in 1980/81 is
given in table 19 below:
Table 19. Supply of fruit and vegetables in the West Bank
by source and disposal, 1980/81
(thousand tons)
Disposal Source
Israel Local Local
and con- product-
Gaza export Jordan sumption Gaza Israel ion Total
TOTAL 5.3 99.3 103.3 262.5 26.9 61.9 381.6 470;4
Fruit
(exc!.
olives) 5.1 23.5 65.5 115.0 7.5 22.2 179.4 209.1
Vegetables 0.2 68.8 18.7 114.4 19.0 23.6 159.5 202.1
Melons and
pumpkins 7.0 19.1 33.1 0.4 16.1 42.7 59.2
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
90. The agricultural sector in the territories continues to operate under many
disadvantages, inclUding loss of cultivatable land through confiscation and
"closure" for military and other purposes, restrictions in the use of water for
agricultural purposes, shortage of capital for investment, and inability of Arab
farms to compete with Israeli enterprises, including the settlements in the
occupied territories. Export constraints have further diminished the profitability
of agriculture in the occupied territories.
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M. Industry
91. OWing to lack of data comparable to that available in the agricultural sector,
the type of analysis in the industrial sector would be different from what was
chosen in analysing the structure of the agricultural sector.
92. The structure of industry has not shown any significant change over the years
of occupation. It is still characterized by small firms, low capitalization, low
level of technology and a preponderance of manually operated machinery and
equipment. There has been a sharp drop in the number of establishments in the West
Bank, from 4,029 in 1969 to 2,206 in 1979. ccl The distribution of establishments
by groups and level of employment is shown ~ table. 20 below_
Table 20. Distribution of establishments in the West Bank
by major groups and level of employment, 1979
Distribution by level of employment
Major groups Total 1 2-3 4-7 8-10 11-20 21+
(persons)
Food, beverages and tobacco 232 85 61 65 7 6 8
Textiles and clothing 484 132 170 107 26 40 10
Leather and its products 234 62 117 52 2 1
Wood and its products 437 160 205 59 7 6
Rubber, plastic and chemical 51 6 14 II 5 3 12
Non-metallic minerals 1'22 4 32 63 II 10 2
Basic metals and metal products 419 57 236 117 3 4 2
Other industrial products 227 79 85 44 10 6 3
Total 2,206 585 920 518 71 76 37
Source: E/EO'IA/UN lOOM P• 1 (1981), p. 18, table 7.
93. The data indicate that most of the enterprises are small-scale establishments;
68 per cent of the establishments employ one to three persons, while another
23 per cent employ four to seven persons. The number of establishments employing
more than 21 persons is less than 2 per cent. The structure is not very different
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in the Gaza Strip. Of the 1,334 establishments there in 1979, 62.1 per cent
employed three or fewer persons, while another 25.7 per cent employed four to seven
persons. The number of establishments employing more than 21 was 2.2 per cent. ~
94. Taking both territories together, it is observed that enterprises engaged in
production of textiles and clothing, wood and its products, basic metals and metal
products, and leather and its products dominate the industrial structure.
Establishments engaged in food, beverages and tobacco mainly supply the local
market with some specialized items, such as soap and processed olive oil for export
to Jordan. However, exports to Jordan, and through it to other Arab countries, are
limited by the requirement that the raw material used in the manufacture should
originate in the occupied territories. This requirement creates serious problems,
since, according to the ECHA/UNIDO survey undertaken in 1980, between 70 per cent
and 100 per cent of all raw materials used in manufacturing processes in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip are imported from or through Israel, except in the food,
beverages, printing and pUblishing industries in the West Bank. The Gaza Strip
relies most heavily on raw materials imported from Israel because of the extreme
scarcity of local raw materials. ~
95. Industrialists in the occupied territories face the problem of mobilizing
adequate finances to improve their establishments and to modernize production
methods. Most of them have had to rely On private initiative or partnership
financing. Only about 3 per cent of the establishments in the random sample
undertaken in the ECHA/UNIDO survey had obtained loans from banks. !!I
96. Apart from the problem of financing, other problems faced by industrialists in
the occupied territories include difficulty in obtaining permits to import
manufacturing equipment from abroad because of delays or refusals by the occupying
authorities to issue such permits. Furthermore, the authorities are reluctant to
permit the establishment of new facilities. It was reported that permission to
build a cement factory, a factory for batteries and another for the extraction of
citrus juice had been refused. A recent PLO economic report mentioned that the
purchase of a private, Israeli-owned eXisting juice-extracting unit to process
unsold oranges had been refused. 2S/
N. Other sectors
97. As in other production sectors, there is no long-term planning and programming
to reorganize and vitalize the industrial sectors to respond to the demand for
industrial products by residents of the occupied territories or to develop an
export market for the products. This situation is likely to prevail as long as the
indigenous leadership in the industrial sector is excluded from directing
industrial development and as long as no local institutions are available to meet
the technological, commercial and financial needs of those sectors.
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v. sa:IAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS
A. SOcial and cultural conditions
98. Policies and practices of the occupying Power embodied in various military
orders, amounting to more than 975 since the occupation, have brought about many
changes in the life style of the Palestinian families living in the occupied
territories. Restrictions in the use of water for agricultural purposes and the
frequent expropriation of land, both private and public, have evoked a sense of
deep insecurity and a disincentive to pursue the traditional rural-agricultural
mode of life. Some family members have had to seek wage employment, particularly
in the Israeli economy or in nearby Israeli settlements, while others have obtained
employment in the Gulf States and other countries.
99. Where the wage earners live in the family household, as is customary in
Palestinian society, their contributions towards the upkeep of the home, together
with remittances from abroad, have enabled the head of the household to retain his
land mainly as a means of family security rather than a productive asset. Where
there is no outside income to support the family household, the head has had to
seek employment himself, thereby neglecting the family farm. Sometines he has had
to sell the land. Since 1979, this has been facilitated through the policy of the
occupying Power which legalizes the purchase of private land in the occupied
territories by Israeli firms and individuals. For instance, it was reported that
15,000 dunums of Arab land in the West Bank had been purchased by an Israeli
company for the construction of Israeli housing (A/37/485, para. 178).
100. Actions amounting to harassment of farmers by Israeli settlers have become
much more frequent in recent years. It is due, in part, to the establishment of
more settlements and the "thickening" of existing settlements. That those
settlements are being established On the periphery of Arab towns and villages has
given rise to more friction in day-to-day relationships between the Arab residents
and the settlers and very often to physical confrontation in public places.
Instances have been reported where settlers have taken over land belonging to local
villagers, as in the village of Beit Awwa (A/37/485, para. 136). Settlers from the
Shilo settlement have fenced off 500 dunums belonging to the village of
Quryut. hh/ Eight-hundred dunums have been claimed by Adumin settlers from the
residents of Rumein and Anatra villages (A/37/485, para. 143).
101. Cases of individual harassment have frequently been reported. Palestinian
farmers have been threatened or molested while working on their land by settlers
who claimed the land belonged to the settlements. Fruit trees on private land have
been uprooted or destroyed. Armed settlers have tried to take over houses
inhabited by Arabs, have attacked residents and have sometimes kidnapped them,
particularly students and young people, on the grounds that they had participated
in demonstrations (A/37/485, paras. 136, 138, 139 and 141).
102. Those confrontations have become more serious, following the formation of
Israeli settlers and civil administration employees into paramilitary units to
assist the security forces in maintaining law and order in the occupied
territories. Members of those units, along with security forces, have used
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firearms, wounding and sometimes killing Arab residents participating in
demonstrations. That has been justified by the occupying authorities as being in
compliance with Zahal directives, which authorize such shooting in case of danger
of life. ii/
103. The Arab residents of the occupied palestinian territories continue to be
restricted in their movements, more so since the escalation of demonstrations
against the occupation, in general, and against specific policies and actions of
the occupying authorities, in particular. The frequent curfews imposed on Arab
towns, villages and refugee camps disrupt the daily aotivities of the people in
commerce and business, travel to work, including work-places in Israel, attendance
at school and performance of religious duties. Most affected by those curfews were
the residents of Ramallay, El Bireh, Halhul and the refugee camps of A-Dahaysha and
Askar and Balata.
104. Movement of individuals representative of the Arab leadership in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip continues to be restricted by their confinement to their towns or
places of residence or by the Government's refusal to issue travel permits. The
editors of the newspapers Al Fajr, Asha'b and Attalia were placed under house
arrest and not allowed to leave their towns of residence.
105. New regulations and,procedures have been introduced with regard to crossing
the bridges between the West Bank and Jordan, which have made it more difficult for
the Arab residents of the occupied territories and their relatives living and
working abroad to maintain communication and family relationships. As at
June 1982, West Bank residents could no longer fill in the required forms
themselves, attach a revenue stamp and travel to the bridge. Fees for crossing the
bridges have been increased to 15 Jordanian dinars for an adult to cross from the
West Bank into Jordan and 5 JD for a child. There is a further "service" charge of
5 JD for an adUlt, and a charge of 1 to 3 JD is made on luggage. The fee for a
person crossing from Jordan into the West Bank is 20 JD and the fees have to be
paid in Jordanian dinars or other hard currencies. If the person leaving the West
Bank is under 26 years of age, he cannot return before nine months, on the
assumption that he is a student. Those above 26 years of age are allowed to stay
out of the occupied territories up to three years, whereas previously it waS
one year. A Palestinian who exceeds the three-year limit even by a day, is
disqualified from returning to the occupied territories.
106. Relatives living abroad who want to visit their families in the occupied
territories have to uwait a permit, which the family has to obtain beforehand from
the occupying authorities. On arrival at the bridge, the person, whether visiting
or residing in the territories, is subject to a number of physical examinations.
Contents of suitcases are electronically examined. A person can take in only
1,000 JD and anything above that amount would be confiscated unless prior approval
had been obtained. On entering the occupied territories, the person cannot leave
until a week has elapsed, otherwise, special permission has to be obtained to leave
the territories. It should also be noted that there is no telephone communication
or mail service between Jordan and the occupied territories. All this information
was gathered from travellers crossing the King Hussein Bridge during the experts'
visit there on I March 1983 and from the personal experiences of relatives living
in Jordan who had occasion to visit their families in the occupied territories.
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107. The truckers of produce from the occupied territories, who were interviewed by
the experts on mission at the King Hussein Bridge on 1 March 1983, mentioned the
various disadvantages under which they operated. They have to use pre-1967 trucks,
as those are registered under Jordanian law. Yet they have to obtain Israeli
operating licences, which have to be removed on entry into Jorda~ Any new trucks
purchased cannot be used for transport of goods into Jordan. The trucker has to
pay a number of fees every time he crosses the bridge and everytime he returns to
the West Bank, his truck is sUbjected to inspection, for which he has to pay a
fee. He has to return to the territories within 24 hours and, if he overstays that
period, his truck is subjected to a thorough inspection, which can immobilize his
use of the truck for up to a week. The extra taxes and fees he has to pay, all in
Jordanian dinars, add to the delivery costs of the produce.
108. Other instances of haraSSment, which have been reported both in the Israeli
press and in Arabic newspapers, include parents who are punished for actions by
their children; whole communities which are punished for individual acts of
protest, arbitrary arrest and removal for interrogation, demolition of houses for
alleged terrorist activities, punishment by expulsion; arrest, interrogation,
release on bail and then rearrest as a deterrent to participation in demonstrations.
109. The flow of information to residents of the occupied territories has been
further curtailed through new regulations governing censorship. The Arab
newspapers, Al Fajr, A~ and Al Quds, had received new orders from the Military
Administration requesting them to submit to its censorship all articles and
photographic materials before publication. The order was to be in force until the
end of 1982. It has not been possible to ascertain if this order is still in
force. The Civil Administration, which was established in the latter part of 1981,
has, on a number of occasions, prevented the distribution in the West Bank of the
three East Jerusalem Arabic daily newspapers. Asha'b was confiscated for 43 days.
Al Fajr (English edition) was heavily censored. About 50 per cent of the articles
submitted were totally censored, although some of them had been quoted from the
Israeli dailies (A/37/485, para. 100).
110. The prerogative of self-determination in matters of local concern, heretofore
exercised by the Arab population of the occupied territories through their elected
municipal councils, has been severely eroded by the dismissal of mayors and the
dissolution of certain councils and the ever-present fear that similar action might
be taken against other mayors and councils, if they decided to pursue policies
which were at variance with those of the occupying authorities. The appointment of
village leagues, which have no popular base, ~nd the support given to those leagues
by the occupying authorities have tended to diminish further the role of the
elected bodies to make decisions for advancing the development and well-being of
the indigenous population of the occupied territories.
Ill. Recent events, particularly involving the Israeli settlers in the occupied
territories, have caused serious concern among the Arab population about their
freedom of worship and development of their culture in consonance with current
trends in the Arab countries. There has been constant interference with religious
worship, for example, at the Tomb of the Patriachs in Hebron, where Israeli
settlers from Kiryat Atba tried to gain entrance on numerous occasions. Incidents
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occurred at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, where Israelis have tried to
break i~ In another instance, a student tried to set fire to the Mosque, he was
arrested by the Israeli Police. Kiryat Arba Yeshiva students burst into the Temple
Mount area and tried to bold prayers there (A/37/485, paras. 133, 134, 140 and
142). The firing that occurred at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in April 1982 is well known.
The latest incident, which was reported in The London Times of 12 March 1983,
involved 40 heavily armed Jewish militants, among whom were some from the Israeli
military forces, who attempted to establish a symbolic settlement on the Temple
Mount, which is regarded as one of the holiest Islamic Shrines after Mecca and
Medina.
B. Education
112. School attendance in the occupied territories continues to increase in keeping
with the population increase in the school-going age groups. In the West Bank
(excluding East Jerusalem), the number of pupils increased by 14,598 in the
two year period, 1979/80 to 1981/82, an annual average of 7,299 pupils. To
accommodate this increase, the number of schools has increased by 24. The number
of classes has increased by 464. There has been a slight increase in the average
number of pupils per class, which was around 35 in 1981/82, both in the Government
and UNBWA schools. The average per class in the other private institutions had
been less1 namely 28. In the Gaza Strip, the number of pupils increased by 10,892
in the same two year period, an annual average of 5,446 pupils. The number of
institutions increased during the period by 26 of which 19 were UNFWA
institutions. The number of classes increased by 242. The average number of
pupils per class was around. 40 in government schools and 45 in the UNFWA schools.
Because of the large refugee population residing in the Gaza Strip, UNBWA plays a
major role in the educational system there. iiI
113. The educational system follows the normal structure of 6 years of primary and
3 years of preparatory education (both compulsory), followed by secondary,
vocational, teacher training and/or university education. The curricula continue
to be those in use at the time of the occupation, namely, the Jordanian one in the
West Bank and the Egyptian one in the Gaza Strip. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli
educational system and curriculum have been adopted in the education of the Arab
pupils.
114. The Ministry of Education of the Jordanian Government continues to have an
interest in the state of education in the west Bank and keeps abreast of
developments. Approximately 2,000 teachers who had been appointed before the
occupation, continue to be paid by the Jordanian Government, although it has no
administrative control over the system. The high school diploma issued by the
Military Administration of the occupied territories is replaced by one from the
Jordanian Ministry of Education.
115. It is the view of the Jordanian Ministry of Education officials, who met with
the experts on mission, that although the structure of education in the West Bank
remains the same as prior to the occupation, the content of education is in a state
of stagnation. Developments which have occurred in the Jordanian system are not
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reflected in the system in the West Bank. There was constant interference in
attempts to revise the curriculum to incorporate changes in Arab culture and
society. Books which are recommended for use in classes are closely scrutinized,
modified, revised and reprinted by the occupying authorities. The revisions often
distort facts as they relate to the students' understanding and perception of their
socio-cultural background and heritage. Most affected by this practice are books
in literature and in the social sciences. Teachers who try to remedy these
shortcomings and attempt to create nationalistic sentiments in the students are
sUbjected to transfers, dismissals and other punitive measures including arrest,
detention and fines. There have been also occasions when pupils expressing such
sentiments have been arrested, incarcerated or transferred to other schools.
School attendance and fulfilment of course requirements have been seriously
affected in those localities, including the refugee camps in which UNIWA imparts
education, where curfews have been imposed for various reasons.
116. University education has been subjected to further pressures during the last
few years, which have affected the quality of the education imparted. Two military
orders which directly affect the universities are Order No. 854 of 8 July 1980 and
Order No. 973 of 9 June 1982. The most significant event arising from the
application of Order No. 854 has been the expulsion, in OCtober 1982, of
28 professors of Palestinian origin teaching in the various universities in the
West Bank for refusing, as a matter of principle, to sign a "pledge" not to support
any "terrorist organization". Twenty-one of them have been from the Al Najah
University. Seven professors of foreign nationality were debarred from lecturing
for the same reason. The result was a reduction in the number of elective
courses. Other consequences were a reduction in the required hours for a course
and larger attendance in classes. Frequent closing of the universities has
aggravated the situation. For example, the Bir Zeit university was closed from
19 February to 19 April 19821 Bethlehem university from 13 June to 5 July 1982 and
Al Najah University from 14 to 23 January 1983. ~
117. The security forces of the occupying authorities have continued to put up road
blocks at the entrances to universities. Soldiers have entered the university
premises on occasion and searched student dormitories, confiscating books, reviews
and posters. On other occasions students have been arrested and detained for
varying periods of time (A/37/485, para. 94).
118. The universities are subjected to other forms of control under Order NO. 854
as well as administrative directives, the more significant of which are the need to
renew annually the licence to operate the university and to obtain the Military
Administration's approval of the annual budget. No books can be ordered directly
from abroad. They have to be obtained through booksellers in Israel, and they have
to be approved by the Military Administration. In the process, many books and
periodicals, mostly in literature, history, culture and related sUbjects, which are
essential for research, have been banned, although they are available in the
Israeli universities and libraries. In the view of the professors expelled from
Al Najah University, some of whom met with the experts on mission in Amman, those
actions by the occupying authorities have seriously undermined the scope and
quality of university teaching in the West Bank and affected the standard of
education achieved by the student body, comprising approximately 10,000.
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119. Military Order No. 973 of 9 June 1983 pertaining to the transfer of funds to
the occupied territories has created difficulties for the universities, whose
resources are from private donations, to be financially viable. By that Order, any
money coming from abroad, and this would include donations to the universities,
requires a permit to be issued at the discretion of the Head of the Civil
Administratio~ A provision in the Order (para. 3 (b») stipulates that a "permit
will not be granted unless the bringing in of money to the 'region' is intended for
remittance to the Fund established by Order No. 974 also of 9 June 1982, entitled,
Order with regard to the Region Development Fund. The purpose of the Fund is
stated to be to give grants or loans for development programmes in the "region" and
for the relief of the populatio~ The "region" is defined as "Israel and any other
Region occupied by the Israel Defence Forces".
120. In the view of the former professors and university officials, the
implications of the provisions of these two orders, in so far as the universities
are concerned, are that any donations from abroad, most of which come from other
Arab countries to the universities, are beyond the control of the university
authorities, who have no assurance that the Fund will disburse the donations for
the purpose for which they were intended.
121. With regard to vocational training, the lLO mission, which has access to the
occupied territories, has been evaluating the quantitative and qualitative aspects
of the programme during the past few years. It should be mentioned that UNEWA is
actively involved in it, and th~re are significant inputs to it from the United
Nations system, notably UNDP, UNICEF, the lLO, UNESCO, UNIDO and WHO in the form of
equipment and fellowships.
122. UNFNA operates vocational training centres, two in the West Bank (Kalandia
Vocational Training Centre and Ramallah Women's Training Centre) and one in Gaza
(Vocational Training Centre). Courses are said to be designed for the acquisition
of skills in designing, producing, assembling, servicing or repairing manufactured
products and in business and office practice, land surveying, paramedical skills
etc. The training is available to refugee children. !!I
123. The Israeli authorities have stated that the programme sponsored by them for
non-refugee youth has been expanded to include new fields, such as draftsmanship,
accounting, office work and cosmetic training, in addition to such trades as
carpentry, construction, metal-working, sewing and embroidery and dressmaking,
which formed the bulk of vocational training in previous years (A/37/347 and
Corr.l, annex, p. 5). According to information supplied to the ILO mission by the
occupying authorities, new courses have been introduced in manufacturing skills,
and special vocational training programmes have been introduced for youths 14 and
15 years of age who continue to pursue academic studies, courses are offered in
vocational skills during school holidays. !!V
124. In its evaluation of the programme, the lLO mission has observed that:
"The training courses still tend to be short and the level of skills they
provide does not seem to have risen significantly. Moreover, the training
centres operate in close liaison with the placement offices in the occupied
territories, essentially so as to meet the demand for labour from employers in
Israel." !!!!I
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During a visit to the biggest vocational training centre in Gaza, the 110 mission
observed that 80 per cent of the graduates worked in Israel. On a visit to a
training centre in the 111 est Bank, it was observed that almost half of the graduates
worked in the Arab countries of the Gulf, while the other half worked in Israel and
the occupied territories. ~
c. Health
125. It is a complex task to analyse the nature and scope of a health-care system
that would meet the needs of a given population at a given time, because of such
variables as demographic structure, stage of socio-economic development,
orientation of the people to health care, utilization of the services provided and
the availability of trained manpower to deliver those services, among others. In
the case of the occupied Palestinian territories, the World Health Assembly has
received in recent years annual reports on the health conditions of the inhabitants
of the occupied territories from various sources, in response to its resolutions
beginning with WHA 26.56 of 23 May 1973. Three reports were submitted to the World
Health Assembly at its thirty-fifth session in 1982, namely, the report of the
Special Committee of Experts appointed to study the health c~nditions of the
inhabitants of the occupied territories (A35/16), a report by the Palestine
Liberation Organization (A35/INF.Oo.::./3) and a report by the Ministry of Health of
Israel (A35/INF.DOC./4). Additionally, the annual Statistical Abstract of Israel
gives data on hospitals and hospitalization.
126. Statistical data pertaining to hospitals in the occupied territories of the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip are as follows,
Table 21
West Bank Gaza Strip
1979 1980 1981 1979 1980 1981
Hospitals (total) 17 17 17 6 7 7
of which,
governmental 9 9 9 5 6 6
Actual beds (tota 1) 1,406 1,311 1,363 890 928 904
of which.·
in governmental
hospitals 970 970 970 815 853 858
Hospitalized patients 64,019 65,011 65,302 51,948 53,230 55,378
OCcupancy (percentage) 83.0 81.4 79.2 66.7 66.1 64.0
Surgical operations 14,604 14,454 14,085 13,750 12,973 13,294
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
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127. In the Gaza Strip, the number of hospital beds increased slightlY from 1979 to
1980, only to decrease in 1981. In the West Bank, there was a sharp drop from 1979
to 1980, with a modest increase in 1981. The variance in bed availability has been
attributed by the Israel Ministry of Health to be the temporary closure of certain
sections in the voluntary hospitals in the West Bank. £SI There are
inconsistencies in the data given in the report of the Ministry of Health of Israel
and in the annual Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982. For instance, the total
number of beds in the five governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip is 845 in the
report of the Ministry of Health, ggI while the data above gives it as 858 in
1981. The nine governmental hospitals in the West Bank are reported as having 650
beds, !!I while the data above indicates 970.
128. An added constraint to analysing meaningfully the health-care data is that
their compilation and presentation by the Israel Ministry of Health vary for the
two territories. The WHO Special Committee of Experts has noted that "the
statistical data are extremely contradictory, depending on the source". ~ It has
been reported that in the Gaza Strip, a monthly and an annual medical bulletin have
been published since 1981, while in the West Bank, only an annual report has been
preparedI a new monthly information system is in the course of preparation.!1I It
is to be hoped that the information will be presented in a uniform manner so as to
make the data of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip comparable, and that more
information will be provided on the data pertaining to the voluntary hospitals,
which constitute almost half of the institutions and provide almost 29 per cent of
the beds available in that territory. It will also be useful to know how the
services of the voluntarY hospitals are integrated into a total health-care system
for the West Bank.
129. As regards services provided by the hospitals, the Israel Ministry of Health
report mentions a number of new services introduced since 1967. Since 1979, the
following new services have been set up in the hospitals in the occupied
territories:
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Table 22
Hospital
west Bank
Nablus
Ramallah
Be it Jallah
Hebron
Rafidia
Gaza Strip
Shifa
Khan Unis
Ophthalmic Hospital
Services
Coronary care Unit
Oncology clinic
Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
Ear, nose and throat
X-ray
Neonatal unit
Physiotherapy
Gynaecology/obstetrics
OFbthalmology
Dermatology
Intensive care unit
Ear. nose and throat
Maxillofacial surgery
Burn unit
Bacteriology Laboratory
Intensive coronary unit
Library and lecture hall
Psychiatry
Psychiatric outpatient department
1980
1981
1981
1979
1979
1980
1979
1979
1979
1981
1980
1980
1980
1981
1981
1981
1981
1979
1980
SOurce, Report by the Ministry of Health of Israel transmitted to members of
the World Health Assembly under the symbol A35/INF. DOC./4.
130. This expansion of services seems to be in keeping with the policy of the
occupying authorities to decentralize activities and services to the level of
district hospitals and peripheral health centres. However. according to the
WHO Special Committee of Experts. limitation of equipment and qualified staff
to deliver these services make it necessary for an increasing number of patients
from the occupied territories to be referred to Israeli hospitals. Other measures
and services related to environmental health. immunization and maternal and child
care are provided through a network of clinics and health centres.
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131. The WHO Special Committee of Experts, during its visit to the territories in
April 1982, observed that there had not been any fundamental change in the health
infrastructure during the previous year. uu/ Medical and surgical equipment
supplied during the year, particularly the more sophisticated items, included many
given by international organizations and local charitable organizations. All new
equipment installed at the Ramallah hospital had been financed by local charitable
organizations. A new dialysis unit and an echocardiograph installed at the Hebron
hospital were provided by UNDP.
132. Inadequacies were observed by the Special Committee of Experts at various
hospitals. Taking Ramallah and Nablus hospitals, which according to the Israeli
authorities serve as regional as well as district hospitals, vv/ shortcomings
included cardiology and radiology services and equipment, shortage of drugs and
lack of adequate staff. Other problems at hospitals include ambulance services,
lack of co-ordination at the central level in drug distribution, and difficulties
in recruiting teaching staff. It was mentioned to the WHO Special Committee of
Experts by the local doctors and mayors that "substantial funds could be mobilized
immediately to develop medical services and public health infrastructure that was
lacking, but that the requests submitted to the Israelis had been
unsuccessful". ww/ Refusal of a request submitted to the Israeli authorities by a
local association in Hebron to build a hospital is cited as a specific example.
133. The number of hospital beds has not shown a real significant increase during
the last 10 years, in spite of the growth in popUlation. The organization of teams
of specialists and adequate resources to respond to the basic health needs of the
people is a feature that is lacking in the planning and delivery of health care
services in the occupied territories. There is no systematic programme of
education for health and nutrition. Sanitation is far from satisfactory, although
the Israel Ministry of Health has reported that many improvements have been made in
the towns and villages of the occupied territories, particularly the Gaza Strip.
134. There are significant inputs to the health care system in the occupied
territories by UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and by local organizationrs and the Red Crescent
Society. This has become necessary because of the low level of budgetary resources
allocated to the system. A significant shortcoming would appear to be a lack of
planning for the health needs of the population in association with local medical
professionals, leaders and community organizations. Community participation at the
present time appears to be only at the level of implementing projects and
programmes already formulated by the Israeli authorities or the provision of
physical facilities for services which have been predetermined, rather than at the
formulation stage.
Notes
~/ A35/16.
B/ The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ministry of OCcupied Territories
Affairs, The OCcupation ••• Israeli Colonization of Arab Lands (revised edition)
(Amman, January 1983), p. 10.
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sf P. G. sadler and B. Abu-Kishk, "Options for development: palestine,
Part I" (unpublished), p. 68.
21 "Living conditions in JUdea-Samaria and the Gaza District", summary of
the report prepared by the Government of Israel, submitted to the General Assembly
at its thirty-seventh session (A/37/347 and Corr.l, annex), pp. 2-4.
!/ Ibid., p. 2.
!/ Meron Benvenisti, "The West Bank and Gaza Data Base Project: pilot Study
Report", presented to the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., 1982
(unpublished), p. 55.
si
!!I
Y
Affairs,
February
~., p. 67.
The OCcupation ••• , CP. cit., p. 9.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ministry of OCcupied Territories
"Palestinian living conditions in the Arab territory" (Amman,
1982 to February 1983) (unofficial translation), paras. 2 and 3.
jj See, for example, Showkat Mahmoud, West Bank Water and Agriculture under
Israeli OCcupation (Ministry of OCcupied Territories Affairs, Amman,
November 1982), p. 2 (31.6 per cent between 1967 and 1979), and Emile Sahliyeh,
'West Bank industrial and agricultural development: the basic problems", Journal
of Palestinian Studies, No. 42 (winter, 1982), p. 64 (27.3 per cent between 1967
and 1973).
~ Meron Benvenisti, op. cit., pp. 29-31.
y Ibid., p. 32.
!y Raja Shehadeh, "The West Bank and the rule of law", The International
Commission of Jurists and Law in the Service of Man (Geneva, 1980), pp. 59-62.
B! The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, cp. cit., p. 9.
s! Israeli terminology for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
0p.
l?!
ci t. ,
"Living conditions in Judea-samaria and the Gaza District",
p. 10.
si Janet Abu-Lughod, "Israeli settlements in occupied Arab lands~ from
conquest to colony", Palestinian Rights: Affirmation and Denial,
Ibrahim Abu-Lughad, ed. (Medina Press, Wilmette, Illinois, 1983), pp. 135-336.
!I Raja Shehadeh, op. cit., p. 62.
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Turkaya Ataov, "The Israeli use of Palestinian waters", Palestinian
Affirmation and Denial, op. cit., p. 153.
Ibid., p. 154.
Meron Benvenisti, op. cit., p. 25.
Raja Shehadeh, op cit., p. 66.
See Al37/347 and Corr. 1, annex, p. 9.
31 International Labour Conference, Sixty-eighth Session, 1982, Report of
the Director-General, appendix 11, para. 7.
xl .!2!2., para. 31.
~ For Israel~ 8 months of work in agriculture and construction and
12 months in industry and other branches, giving an average of 10 months or 40
weeks of 6 days each wee~ For the territories~ 50 weeks of 6 days each wee~
!!I Heron Benvenisti, cp. cit., p. 16.
~ For instance, the Jordanian Times of 28 February 1983 quoted the
Jordanian dinar at 113.46 Israeli shekels.
££/ See "The industrial and economic trends in the west Bank and Gaza Strip",
(E/EOfA/UNIDO/lfP.l, tables 5 and 7).
dd/ !EM., table 15.
1lI .!.2.!.!!., p. 37.
!!I !EM., p. 33.
~ Report from the Economic Department of the Palestine Liberation
Organization, 10 March 1983, p. 29.
!!!!I Al Fajr Weekly, 8-14 January 1982.
W Jerusalem Post, 16 May 1983, and Al Fajr weekly, 28 May-3 June 1982.
1iI Figures derived from the data in appendix V below.
~ Hashemite Kingdom of JOrdan, Report of the Ministry of Occupied
Territories Affairs, February 1982 to February 1983, anneX 8.
!!I tllmWA/UNESCO Department of Education, 1980-81 Report, p.31.
!!!!!I International Labour Conference, op. cit., para. 23.
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nn llli., para. 24.
eel World Health Organization, "Health and health services in Judaea,
Samaria, Gaza and Sinai, 1981-1982", a report by the Ministry of Health of Israel
to the Thirty-fifth World Health Assembly, Geneva, March 1982 (A35/INF. DOC./4),
annex, table 41.
gsI llli., table 14.
E!..! ~., table 41.
!!I World Health Organization, "Report of the Special Committee of Experts
appointed to study the health conditions of the inhabitants of the occupied
terri tories" (A35/l6), para. 2.1.
tt/ World Health Organization, A35/INF. DOC./4, annex, p. 17.
uu/ See World Health Organization, A35/16.
'!:!./ See World Health Organization, A35/INF. DOC./4, annex, p. 70.
~ See World Health Organization, A35/l6, para. 3.3.
I ...
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APPENDIX I
HOuses demolished, 1967-1981
.!!!!. Number
1967 130
1968 140
1969 301
1970 191
1971 231
1972 35
1973 34
1974 61
1975 77
1976 24
1977 1
1978 2
1979 8
1980 24
1981 32
TOTAL 1 291
1 263 on the West Bank
28 on the Gaza Strip
Sourcel Ministry of the Occupied Territories Affairs, Amman, JOrdan.
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APPENDIX II
Population growth in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem)
and Gaza Strip, 1979-1981
('1tIousands)
End of Number of Actual Natura1.
year persons increase increase Difference
West Bank
1979 699.6 9.2 20.9 -11.7
1980 703.1 3.5 20.6 -17.1
1981 707.3 4.2 20.0 -15.8
Gaza Strip
1979 431.5 12.4 16.1 -3.7
1980 442.0 10.5 15.6 -5.1
1981 451.6 9.6 15.0 -5.4
SOurce, Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1981 and llli (Jerusalem, Central
Bureau of Statistics, 1981 and 1982).
/ ...
APPENDIX III
Employed persons by economic branch in the occupied
territories and in Israel
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1979 1980 1981
west Bank
Total (thousands) 133.4 134.8 132.8
Percentages
100.0 100.0 100.0
1. Agriculture, forestry and fishing 25.3 26.2 24.1
2. Industry, mining, manufacturing 18.3 16.9 16.4
3. Construction 22.6 22.6 24.0
4. Commerce, restaurants, hotels 12.7 12.7 12.5
5. Transport, storage, communications 4.4 4.5 4.9
6. Public and community services 12.8 13.3 14.2
7. Other 3.9 3.8 3.9
Gaza strip
Total (thousands) 79.6 80.9 82.5
Percentages
100.0 100.0 100.0
1. Agriculture, forestry. fishing 20.4 18.5 17.3
2. Industry, mining. manufacturing 19.8 19.5 17.2
3. Construction 23.0 23.1 26.5
4. Commerce, restaurants, hotels 12.5 14.0 14.2
5. Transport, storage, communications 6.4 6.6 6.8
6. Public and community services 12.1 13.0 12.8
7. Other 5.8 5.3 5.2
source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
APPENDIX IV ;;?~.t:~
OGOG f-Jw
mf-'\.OO::>
1-'. ('0_
Employed persons of the occupied territories by selected VI m W.f\)
.r=-::>_--:l
economic branch and place of work --'CD
--'
In Israel In the occupied territories
Other Con- Total other Con- Total
ear branches struction Industry Agriculture • 1000 branches struction Industry Agriculture • 1000
West Ban!
1979 18.1 47.7 23.9 10.3 100.0 39.8 40.8 11. 8 15.9 31. 5 100.0 92.5
"_980 19.0 50.1 21.0 9.9 100.0 40.6 40.9 10.7 15.2 33.2 100.0 94.3
~981 19.9 52.7 18.1 9.3 100.0 39.9 41.9 11. 9 15.7 30.5 100.0 93.5
Gaza Str ip
1979 14.0 44.3 21.6 20.1 100.0 34.3 53.7 7.0 18.2 21.1 100.0 45.5
1980 16.8 44.0 20.9 18.3 100.0 34.5 55.3 7.3 18.6 18.8 100.0 46.3
1981 15.9 49.5 18.4 16.2 100.0 35.9 57.1 8.4 16.5 18.0 100.0 46.6
~: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
:--
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APPENDIX V
Education in the occupied Palestinian territories
Academic year
1979/80 1981/82
West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem)
Number of institutions 1 012 1 036
Number of classes 7 457 7 921
Nwnber of pupils 253 826 268 424
Gaza Strip
Nwnber of institutions 281 307
Number of classes 3 455 3 697
Nwnber of pupils 142 113 153 005
Academic Year 1981/82
Insti tutions Classes Pupils
West Bank
Government 802 6 069 208 867
UNHi/A 93 1 058 37 267
Other 141 794 22 290
1 036 7 921 268 424
Gaza Strip
Government 112 1 749 68 852
UNHi/A 157 1 791 79 493
Other 38 157 4 660
ID 3"6'9'7 153 005
Source: statistical Abstract of Israel, 1981 and ~.
/ ...
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APPENDIX VI
COnsumer price index, West Bank and Gaza Strip
West Bank Gaza Strip
Year percentage increase Percentage increase
1975 = 100
1979 440.6 402.9
1980 1 054.5 139.4 1 031. 0 155.9
1981 2 257.5 114.1 2 160.5 109.6
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
/ ...
• ,
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APPENDIX VII
Wage-income by sectors and location of employment, 1981
GAZA STRIP
Number
'000
Agriculture 5.8
Indus try 6. 6
Construction 17.8
Other 5.7
Total (per day)
Number
'000
Agriculture 3.7
Industry 7.2
Construction 21.0
Other 8. n
Total (per day)
In Israel
Daily wage
(Israeli Total
shekels) IS '000
76.7 444.9
99.4 656.0
120.4 2 143.1
103.5 590.0
3 834.0
WEST BANK
In Israel
Daily wage
(Israeli Total
shekels) IS '000
76.7 284.0
99.4 715.7
120.0 2 520.0
103.5 828.0
4 347.7
In Gaza Strip
Daily wage
Number (Israeli Total
'000 shekels) IS '000
8.4 75.0 635.9
7.7 85.0 654.5
3.9 112.0 436.8
26.6 100.5 Y 2 673.3
4 400.5
In West Bank
Daily wage
Number (Israeli Total
'000 shekels) IS '000
28.5 70.6 2 012.1
14.7 89.2 1 311.2
11.1 122.0 1 354.2
39.2 97.4 Y 3 818.1
8 495.6
~: Wage-income In Israeli shekels
West Bank: Employment in Israel 4 347 700 (daily) x 240 days = 1 043 448 000
Employment in West Bank 8 495 600 (daily) x 300 days = 2 548 680 000
...__ . ._- -.- West Bank subtotal 3 592 128 000
Gaza Strip: Employment in Israel 3 834 000 (daily) x 240 days = 920 160 000
Employment in Gaza 4 400 500 (daily) x 300 days = 1 320 150 000
Gaza subtotal 2 240 310 000
West Bank and Gaza TOTAL 5 832 438 000
Source: Derived from Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1982.
y Weighted average for commerce, transport, public and community services
and other.
AE UNITED
NATIONS
@ General Assembly
Economic and Social Council
Distr.
GENERAL
A/39/ 233
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25 l4ay 19 84
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
G-T]NEFAL ASSEMBLY
Thrrty-eighth session
Ilem 80 (j) of the preliminary list*
DEiTELOPI'4INT AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOIIIC
CO-OPERATION3 HUMAN SETTLEIIENTS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
second reg ular
Ilem 15 of the
agenda**
INTERNATIONAI
THE FIELD OF
SETTLEI4ENTS
sessi.on ot 19 8{
provisional
CO-OPEFETION IN
HUMAN
Report of Che Secretarv-General
L The General Assenbly, at' lts thirty-erghth session, considered the
Secretary-General I s report on the l-iving conditions of the Palestinian people j.n
the occupr.ed Palestrnran terrrtbries (A/38/27 8-E/ L983/17) , whrch had been subnieted
pursuant to its resoLution 37/222 of 20 Decenber 1982. On 19 Decenber 1983 it
adopte(r resolution 38/166, tn paragraph I of, whrch it requested the
Secretary-General
"to prepare and subnj.t to the ceneral Assetnbly at its thirty-ninth session,
through the lconomr.c ano Socral- Councll, a conprehensrve report on the current
and future impact of the Israeli settlenenes on the Iiving conditions of the
Palestlnran people in the ocrcupied Palestintan territories, including a
conparison between the lj.ving condj.Cions of the latter ahd those of the
residents ot the Israeli sebtlemenls".
2. So as to enable the Secre tary-ceneraL to prepare and submit the required
report to the General Assenbly at its thirty-nrnth session, and in an effort to
ensure a balanced and objective expert view, the Secre tary-ceneral used the
A/39/sO.
Econom.ic and Social Council decision I984/LOI.
terrrtor ies
84-13684 42O4e lE,
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Page 2
services of three consultants: Dudley Madaldela, formerly Co-ordinator of Units'
SociaL DeveLopment Branch, Centre for Socia]- Developnent and Hunanitarian Affairs,
Department of International Econonic and Social Affairs of the United Nalions
Secretarlati llduard Ealassanran, architect, urban deaigner ano city planneri and
Mirtha Halin, economist. The consultants srere requested to prepare the report on
the basj.s of naterial available fron the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies
and fron the specialized agencies' and olher publlshed and unPublished literature
pertar.ning to the subject. They h'ere also to gather information through visits to
bgypt, ,Jordan, the Syrj.an Arab Republic and the occupred territories, and through
or,scussrons with goverrulent offic].als and oehers. as well as with representatives
of the Palestine Lrberation Organization.
3. srnce perrnrssion to visit the occupied terriCorres was not granted by the
Govelnnent of Israel, the consultants. in preparing their repor!, had to rely on
secondary sources of infortEtion. From 22 .fanuary to 28 February l-984' the
consullants vrsited and had discusstons with the relevant goverrunent off rci.als ot
!;gl4)t, ,lordan and the syrtan Arab RePublic' Further discussions nere held with the
Unrted Nations officiaLs stati,oned ln Ehose counCries. Discussions were also held
with the relevant off j.cials of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Damascus
and Anman. Meetings were held with the former Minister of Arig af and HoIy Places'
the former l"layors of Jerusal,en' Ealhul and ttebron, former p{ofessors fron the West
Bank, and wich Palestinians who had recently visited the occupred territorl'es or
who had knowledge ot recent developments in those terrilories.
4. The consultants also visrted the headquarters of. and gathered relevant
infornation and data from the following bodies: lcononic connission for western
Asia (ECWA) r United Nations conference on Trade and DeveloPment (UNCTAD), office of
the United Nations High corunissioner for Refugees (UNCHS), United Nations Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near Easf (UNRWA), International
Labour Organrsation (IIO), Unj.ted Nations Educational, sciehti'f ic and Cultural
Organization (uNESco) and the world Health Organizati.on (nHO). Various United
Natrons reports deaLing rrith conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories
lrere also revier.red, particularly those of the Special Comnittee to fhvestigate
Israeli Practices Affecting the Hunan Rrghts of the Population of the OccuPied
Territories, the securrty council corunission established under resolulion
44a; (1979) oi 22 March 1979 on lhe sj.tuation in the occupied Alab Cerritorres, and
the Committee on the llxercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestj.nian people.
A substantial. anount ot relevant naterral and intornatLon was gathered tron those
sources' which supplernented other information and data available in publj.shed
documents ot various other organrzations of the Unlted Nati.ons syslen that were
nade available to the experts and material publi.shed in books, Periodicals and lhe
popular pressr as indicated in the various footnotes contaj.ned in the report
prepared by lhe consultants.
5. The repor! prepared by the three consuLeants is reproduced j.n the annex below.
A/39/ 233
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ANNEX
coNtElils
I. INTRODUCTION
I I . SUMIvIARY OF FI NDINGS
III. SITTLIMINT TRTJNDS ...
A. Overview
ts. Plan fornuratlon ....
C. Ihvestment in the settlenent progralm€
IV. IMPACT OF ISRAELI SETTLNMENTS ON IAND AND WAI'ER RESOURCES '
HOUSING, PUBLIC AIENITIES' AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES...
A. Inpact on growth and expansion of Paleatinian
towns and villages
B. Irnpac t on water resources ....'
C. Inpact on hous ing
V. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ISRAELI SETTI,EMENTS
A. Inpact on Production and trade
B. Inpact on labour and €n[)loynent
c. Inpact on money and finance
D. Aggregate inpact .
VI. II'IPACT OF ISRAELI SETTI,EMENTS ON THE SOCIAL LIFE
AND RTJLIGIOUS PRACIIC};S OF T}1I; PALT$TINIANS ..
IMPACT OF ISRAELI SETTI,EMENTS OTI TIIE JUDICIAI, AND
I€CAI GOVTRNqENT SYSI'F.I.4S IN T}Tb OCCUPIED TTJRRITORIES ....
Paraqraphs Paqe
r- 7 5
a-24 6
25-43 9
25-32 9
33-37 L2
38 - 43 13
44-65 14
44 - 50 14
51 -54 L7
ss-65 19
57 - LO6 23
67-78 23
79-88 32
89-98 37
99 - 106 38
r07 - 120 43
47
VII. I2r - 126
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CONTENTS (continued)
APPEATDIC!.S
I. Settlements in the viest Bank and caza, wiCh projections
to the year 2010
A. Settletnents established fron lgOZ to 1983
B. seltlenents planned for establishnent fron ].9B3 to 1986
Land confiscaled during the period February 1983 to February I9g4 ..
Houses delplished in the West Bank ahd the caza Strip by the
occ upyrng authorities as a punitrve rneasure, 1967-1992
Page
II.
I II.
57
57
60
63
65
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I. I I\IRODIJCl tON
1. llhe present report has been prepared in response to General Assenbly
resolutron 3A/L66 ot 19 Decernber 1983, in whrch the Assenbly requested the
Secretary-General to prepare and suhmit to it at its thirty-ninth session, through
the lj.;onornrc ano Socral Oouncrr, a cor[prehensive report on the current and future
lnpac t of the IsraeLi sett.Lemenls on the living conditrons of the Palestinran
people rn the occupied Palestrnian territories, including a comParrson betr.reen the
Lrvrng condatrons of the latter and those ot the resrdents of the Israelr
settlements.
2. Whrle the previous repores on this guestion subnrcted to the General Assembly
ItV34/536 and corr.lr A/35/533 and corr.Lr A/37/23s, A/38/ 27 8-E/ L983l77) dealt with
the livihg conditions of the Palestinian beople in the occupied Palestinian
lerrrtorres under the general condi,tions of occupation' this report, 1n corlPlrance
erth the Assembiyrs request, focuses and examines the direct impact of the Israelr
settler0ents on the livihq conditions of the Palestinians in the occupj.ed
terrrtories, In thrs context sorne of the overall poli.cies and practices of the
occ upyi. ng Power have had to be exanined j.n order to deternine this impact.
3. As in previous reports' the occupied Palestinian terrigories are defined as
the l{est Bank, rnc],udrng East Jerusalen, and Gaza. In view ot the fact that data
on Last Jerusalen are not publrshed separate.Ly by the Israeli authoritres, as is
done tor the West Bank and Gaza. the consultants have had to rely on rnformation
conveyed to then by persons knonledgeable of the conditions there, including lhe
tormer Minj.ster of Ahgaf and Ho.Ly Places and lhe fornler Mayor of Jerusalem,
4. A natter of particular difficulty in preparj.ng this report was the gatherj'ng
ot rntornaclon on the Irvrng condrtlons rn the Israell settlenents for purPoses of,
conll)arlng chen wtth lhose in PalestinJ,an communi,lies. since 1t ['as not Possible to
gather frrEt-hand rntornatlon, lhe consultants have had to rely on secondary
sources of infornation obtained through interviews and frorn publj.shed naterial and
have had Eo arrtve at some generaa concrusrons. These have been rncruded ln the
respectj.ve chapters and seclions dealr.ng lrigh lhe current and tuture inPact of, the
Israelr settlements on che lrvrng condi.tlons ot the Palestr.nrans in the occupred
!er rr tof r es.
5. Section II of the report contains a sumnary of findings whrch are documented
and substantraEed rn Che body of lhe report, Section III gives an overvrehr of
Israeli settlenent trends and plans, I'lost of the infornatron h,as gathered froln the
reports ot the special Conunittee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the
Hunan Rrghts of the Population of the Occupred Territories, news items aPPearing rn
the popular press and intornation supplied by the Palestrne Lrberation
Organlzation. Although tbe press reports are generally quoted frorn the Israeli
newspapers. the sane information did appear in the Arab newspapers in the occuPred
territories, particularl,y AI Fajr. Asharb and AL Quds. virtua]'ly aII of the Press
reports were extracted from the reports of the Special Conmittee !o Investlgate
Israeli Practices Affecting the Hunan Rights of the Population ot the occuPled
'fer ritortes.
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6. Section fV exanines the sj.Cuation as it affects the growth and expanslon of
Palestinian towns and villages, water resources and housrng. Section V describes
the inpact of the fsraeli settlenents on the econony of th€ occupied territories,
section VI, the inpact on the social life and religious practrces of the
PalesCinians, and section vlf, the impact on the judicial and local government
systens in the territories. In each of these aspects of 1iving, the future inpact
has been assessed on the basis of a continuation of current poli.cies and practices. An empj.rical corrparison of lhe Iiving conditions of the Palestrnians in
the occuPied terrj.tories with those of the Israel.i residents in lhe settlenents has
aaso been included under each ot the aspects.
'1 . Ih the preparatron of this report, the consultants relied as nuch as possible
on published sources vrhich were supplenented by interviews vrith people
knowLedgeable of the condiEions in the occupied territories. The consultants wi6h
to place on record ther.r appreciatron ot the co-operatron oftered them by ninisters
and officials of the covernments of the Arab Republi.c of EgypE and the Hashenite
Krngdorn of Jordan, off iciaJ.s ot the cbvernnent ot the syrian Arab kepublic,
leplesentatives and officials of the Palestine Liberation Organrzation, individuals
in Ajrunan who are cl-osely in touch vrith current .deveLopments in the occ upied
terlrtorles, and officials of the speciatized agencies and other organizalions of
lhe United Nations system,
lI. SU!4I,IARY OF FIIIDfNGS
8. According to ilordanian sources, at the end ot i983 the State of Israel had
expropriated 2,607,9OI dunums (260,790 hectares) or 47.4 per cent of the West Bank
territory, while aqcording to some Israeli sources, Israel controls at. present
between 50 and 60 per cent of the land in the occupied territories. Of the
expropriated land, 26 per cent. has been all@ated to Israeli settlenents.
Estinales based on Israe.l,j. and paLestinian data indicate that by now alnost a]-l of
the Jordan Valley's potentially cultivabLe land has been expropriated for the
fsraeli settlenents,
9. fsrael continues to establish settlements j.n a manner that Iirnits and,/or
lmPairs the expansion and growth of Palestinian towns and villages. As a net'
devel-opment, as has been done in East ,Jerusalem, fsrael has rnitiated tbe
escablishment of an urban settlenent in the centre of Hebron, l.he Government of
Israel has also announced a plan known as the .8€n porat plan., a najor feature of
whrch j.s to rel(rate residents of Palestj.nian refugee c aunps to nerv residential
quarters in various }ocations.
J.0. The inpact of Israel-i settlenents on vrater resources is a funclion of the
anount ot exproprj.ated cultivab_te land rather than the number of settlers, As a
general ruLe 100,000 people consume 6 nillion cubic netres of rrater per year for
donestic purposes, whereas an agricultural settl,enent containi.hg about 30Cl f,amilies
(1,200 people) farning 2,500 dunulns (250 hectares) of sultivable land uses
2.4 miUion cubic netres of water per year for irrigation purposes.
Y,"Z!'fii'
English
Page 7
11. Water resources of the Gaza are in a critical siguation. But in the west Bank
annual precipitation suppLies elght times more than lhe Present water requirements
of,th€ area. However, lsraeJ-j, authoricres, by cornbining the need of Israel proper
with that of the vlest Bank, have declared lrater resources in the west Bank at a
critical stage as we1L. As a consequence they are inposing a series ot restrictive
measures oh the indigenous population ot the area, such as naintaining the usage of
ltater at 196? levels. On the other hand, preferential treatment has been reported
to be practised by the occupying authorities in supplying rvater to Israell settl.els.
L2. There is an overall annual dec],ine in residential construction in towns and
villages of the occupied territories in spite ot a 24 per cent increase in towns in
Gaza. New construction of housing barely covers the need resulting trom lhe
natural increase of the population. consequentLy, since 1967 the housing industry
has contributed virtually nothing towards anelioration of dilapidated and
substandard housing.
13. There has been no pub].ic]y subsidized and,/or initialed 1ol, income housing for
nany years. Punitive denolieion of houses continues at an accelerated rate. In
addition, a nerd punitive tneasure of sealing houses or roons nith concrete is being
applied by the occupying authorities.
14. Absehce of construction to replace dilapidated and substandard housing, along
with the restriclive policies ot the oceupying authorities as regarda buj.Iding
permits and transfer of funds from abroad, is expected to worsen the already
serious housing conditions. The virtually stand-stilL state of public housihg, and
the non-existerre of fi.nancial neasures to assist low income fanilies to acquire
proper housing are added dinensj.ons to the above-rnentioned problem,
15. Indications at the present tine are that the Israeli Goverhment v,'ilL contj.nue
to fol-row the policy ot establishing settl.enents in lhe occupied territories and
settling rnore Israelis in then. to a projected ninimum of 100,000 by 1987
and I90,000 by 2010. These nunbers exclude Israelis in East Jerusalen and other
Palestinian locali.ties incolporated into the City irunediately after the 196? war.
16. 'the policies designed to pronoeer protect and develop the settlements have a
dj,rect economic effect in that they dimrnish the arpunt of land and nater resources
avarlable to the Palestiniahs. The j.ncreasing control exercised by the o€upation
authorities over what agricultural products can be produced and where, the
restrrctions on induscrj,a.l, production, the control of flErketi'ng that linits ahd
directs exchange over the "open bridges" to Jordan ano "open border" with Israel,
and the negaEive ef,fecc on investnent caused by the absence of a tinanclal system,
the restrictions on building, the continuous devaluation of the Israeli shekel, and
the general feeling of insecurity' are factors that contribute to inportant
structural changes in the economy of the occupied territories. These changes can
be surunarized as! dininished inportance of the agricultural sector nithout a
corresponding development of an industrial baset rel-ative lack of opportunities for
enploynent in the occup ied territories, with consequent daily corunuting to Israel
by the Pal-estinian labour force; increased concentration of Palestinian labour in
the buiLding tradesi reorientation of production towards goods that can be sold to
and through Israel, nhj,Ie Palestinian consumption is met by increased inports fronl
A/39/233
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rsraeli deveropnent of a chronic trade deficit for the terri.tories that is not
baranced by lhe earnings of rorkers or lhe surprus trade with ,fordan, and is partLy offset only by renittances from palestinians abroad.
L7. The econonic policres of the occ upying power have, therefore, creaced a , artuation of total dependence of the econorny of the West Bank and caza by controlring production to and reducing the capacity to create jobs in aucb a rnanner as dimrnish the potential for econ6rnic aevi:.oprn-ent. The growth of incone that is
rePorted staeisticalLy hides the tno fact6 of rack of indi.genous deveLopnent and econonic dependency. The persistence of a dual currency systen in the l{est Bank provides an outlet for palestinian savinjs, ehich are not invested in ghe territories, to a safe haven in .tordan. Dinars are also hoarded as protectlon
against the inflation characteristic of the rsraeri econorny. This duar system a1so provides Israel rrith a useful rneans to acquire hard currency.
18. under a 'ysten that appears to be designed to attract rsraelig to settrements
ahd to conpel palestinians to leave the territoriee, Chere is a rrride difference in
the access to earning opportunitj.es that each group enjoys. While the settlers are often on the goverrunent payrolt or ln private or public ehterpri€es, the Paleatinians are hinctered frorn t{orking their rand, and if highry educaced, have no access to elplolrment, unless they enigrate or join the ranks of connuting nanual Iabourers. In producCion, the settlers are subsidized. and enjoy aasured markets at guaranteed prices, while palestinians are impeded by restrictions, regulations,
and direct controls, and have no access to credit, ].€t alone subsidies.
19. The settlers enjoy aII the benefits of full citizenship, including those of
the NatlonaL lnsurance Scheme, vrhile the pal-estinians erorking in Israe1 are denied
such benefits on the grounds of non-residence in rsraer, arthough they are furl contributors to that system. The settrers enjoy a standard of riving superior to that of the Parestlnians by the design of the settrenents and the at'enities they offer, while Palestrnians are forbidden to inprove thei.r houses and gardens and discouraged from investing in industry. The lwo groups rive under ryidery disparate conditions. The firat are able to look forward Co growth and develqrmentl the
second are fearful of total dispossession, which they believe !o be the aim of the occupying Por{er.
20- The increasing nun rer of rsraeris who are Dovlhg into the settlements that are being estabrished is affecting adversery the sociar rife of the palestinians rn the
occupied territories and disrupting their daily'acgivities. The current pol icy of estabrishing rsraeli settLenents in crose proxinity co parestinian popuralecl towns
and vil-Iages has given rise to lllore frequent interaction between the settrers and the Palestinians. Hordever, the interaction has been predoninantly one of conflict
and confroneation often reading to viorence. I'he settlers form a privileged class
i,n the occupied territories, have the support of the adnini.sterj,ng authorities and the Goverrunent, are permitted to carry firearns and often get involved in
nalntaining law and order.
Zri The intervention of the setrrers in the day-to-day life of the palestrnr.ans ih
the occup ied territori.es has included interference with farrning actj.vities,
obtaining ' rrith the support of the administration, land from the villages f,or
A'/39/233
b/1984/79
Eng l ish
Paqe 9
terri.torial expansion of their setclenents and for provision of infrastructure to
thent diaruption of classes and school activities because of alleged stone-throwing
incrdents by studentsi confrontation in places of religious h'orshiP and, rnore
recenlIy ' violent acts intended to danage or destroy such places. The latter has
been attribuged to terrorist groups. The Palestinian aesidenCs of some of the
refugee canps have been subjected to frequeht harassment, partly because of the
resrsEance ot the c anp dwellers to a plan by the IsraeLi Governmen! to rerocate
then efsenhere.
22. The occupi.ed territories are subject to two different judicial and locaf
gover nent systens. A seParate systen of local government operates for the Israeli
settlements ehich, all|Jng other privileges, have powers fo! pl-anning and developnent
of a.l-.]- the areas which are beyond the existing territorial boundaries of the
Palestinian towns and villages. Israeli law is extended to the setllers' while the
Palestrnlans are subject to nrlitary la!t; and lustice is dispensed to the Israeli
settlers through Israeli courts' white the Palestinians are subject Eo the
jurisdiction of military courts, ghe judgenent of which cannot be aPpealed'
23- The faci-Iities avarlable to the Israeli settlers to neet their educational and
health needs' appear !o be superio! to lhose avaj.lable to the Palestinians in the
territories. thi systens available to the settlers are of the same high standard
and quality as those in Israet. In contrast, the facilities and services avai'Lable
to the Paleslinians are below average and not cor nensurate with the increase in
population and advances in the educationaf and medical sciences'
24. While the Israeli settlers are quite free to pursue their social and cultural
inlerests and activities vtithin the terri.tories without any hindrances, the
Palestinians are subjected Lo frequent curfews whrch restrict their acEj'vities'
security checks carried out by nilitary Personnel, the police. and the settlers at
any tine of the day or night are routine happenrngs'
rI r. SETTLEI{LNT TRLNDS
A. Ove rvie$
25. The t.rends in the establrshnent
occupied after June l-967 can roughly
of Israeli seltfenents in the
be divided j.nto three Phases,
Arab terrrtories
name ly :
(a) 1967 to
(b) -i9 7I to
(c) 1977 to
'lhese periods do
consj.dering that
the influence of
Goverrunents. The
pol icy.
L970.,
1977 when the Labour Governnent rrras ln power i
the presenc during the tenure of the Likuo (bverrunent'
not forn distinct phases buE rather a continuous Process,
the Labour c-verrunent itas tn poner during the first tlro Phases and
the NationaL Religious Party has been continuous in both
diff,erences lre nore in erolrhasis than in radi'cal changes rn
N39/ 233
E,/1984./79
lnglish
Page 10
26. In the tirst phase, 1957 to Lg7O. aithough there does not seen to have been an inj.tral declaratj.on of pol-icy, the Defence ltinistry undertook the establishnent of nl-llEary outposts, conmon].y known as "nahals,,, in straEegi.c areas, as security
neasures and for the purpose of naintarning Iaw and order in the territortes.
Nanals were established in the Jordan VaUey - three in 1968 (Mehola, (alia and
Araganan) i one in 1969 (Patazael) i and four in 1970 (ci].gal, ltassua, yitav and
Maele Bfravrn). A nahal outpost was a]-so established i.n the caza (Kfar Darom -
L970). !/ Meanwhite, the Ministry of Housing and Construction undertook the
construction of urban residentia]- units r.rj.Chin the Arab area incorporated in the city of Jerusalen, nafieLy the Arab sector of Jerusa,Iem and the surrounding Arab
viLlages of Sour Baher, Biet Safafa, Eltour, Elatrm, E] Assaweh and Anata as hrell as the area arouhd the airport. Uni,ts nere being constlucted, particularly in the
Jewish Quarter of the Old City, Ramat. Eshkol and French HLII. Z/ private groups ot
rs.raeris were arso active in estabrishing a presence in the occupied territories.
Thus, a former .fewish settrement at Kfar Etz\on, which had been abandoned atter the
1948 war, was re-established by the children of the original settlers, and a reLigious group irlegally estabrished a settlement at Kiryat Arbara, a suburb of Hebron. one crvilran setttenen! was established in 1969 in the .Ltzion Block north of Hebron (Rosh Tzurin) and one i.n 1970 (ALon shvot). A religious co-operative,
(mashav), tlevo Horon, i{as arso estabrished in the r,atrun salient in .ranuarv 1970.
27. On the whole, the establishnent of Israeli sectlenents during this pertod
appears to have folloned the All-on plan, presented by the then Deputy prime
Minister. Mr. Yigal AlLon, to lhe covernment on 13 July 1967, which included fixing the ,Jordan Rlver as Israel's ,'secure border', wj.th Jordani holoing 20 kilometres a strip of 15 to wide i.n the .lordan Valley which would include the iirst ridge of
mountalns west of the Vauey, holding the eastern slo{res of l,tt. Hebron and the
./udaean Desert to the Dead sea, and making minor border adjustments in places like
Latrun and the Etzion B1ock. 3,/
28. By Lhe beginning of the second phase in 1971, there was growrng evidence of an
emerging policy on settlenent. The press nade reference to the existence of a Ministerial Conmittee for the settlement of the occupied territories, and
announcenenCs to that eff,ect nere nade by Israeli covernnent ministers and readers. g/ white settlernents during this period were established in th€ priority
areas outlined in the Atlon plan, other considerations appear to have influenced the shaping of poricy, as was indicated in a statenent in the Knesset made on
19 'fuly 1972 by Mr. rsraer carili, l4ini.ster r.rithout portfol-io and chairman of the !'linisteriaL connittee for settlenent. He rvas quoted as saying that the rsraeri
Government had put no area out of bounds for J€wish settl,enents and lhae the only
limj.tations to Israeli settlemeht i.n the €cupied territories grere noral ones, and that setttement policy was not dj.ctated by security alone but historical right as nell, if not nore so. 5/
29. Further indications given by rsraeri ministers as to the trends in settrenent policy incl'uded a statement nade by l4r. Moshe Dayan that the west tsank was part. of
the fatherrand and rsraeris had the right to settle there on a permanent basrs rn
accordance h,ith covernment poricy decisions. V During the period 19Tr-1976.
settlements were establi.shed as follows: in the Jordan varley, 7t Bethelen, It
Nablus, ]-i Ranallah, Ii caza, 2i and East .ferusalem, l0 (see appendix I-A), The
A/ 39 / 233
L)/ L9 84 / 79
English
Page lll
gettlements in the East .lerusalen area were established according to a naster PIan
drawn up in t97I for the construction of aPproximately 2]-,000 residential units' 7
30. with the election of the Likud ciovernnent in ear.l-y f977, settlernent trends in
the occupied territoriea were influenced by certain decisions taken by the
covernment,particularlyto'.thicken'tandstrengthenalreadyestabLishedsettlements
and to accelerate the Pace of establishing new ones' g/ while continuing to
establish settl-enents tn the priorigy areas deterninea by the Labour Goverrunent ' the
Likud cover nent opened nev areas for settlement' which included the northern west
tsank' the eestern slopes of the Jerusalern hiLls and the vicj'nities of Palestinlan
lorrns ' such as Rarnallah, Nablus arld Jenin. Not on]'y was tbe G'overrunent to establish
settlenents in these areas, but also Private grouPs, notabLy the Gush Enunin' 9'l
some of the conslderatrons which led to this expansion were articulated fron tine
to time by Goverrulent minlsters and other leadersi for exanpte' l4r' AIieI Sharon'
Minister of Agriculture and chailman of the Mrnisterial comnittee for settlenent,
on 3 July 1978 stated that settlements had been Iocated on the northern West Bank
"partly lo outflank the 300,000 palestinians who straddle the former Armistice Line"
(N33/356, para. E2). on 18 ,tanuary 1979, he stated that "'fenish setElenent ia
netesiary eist of Nablus in order to protect a Proposed approach road to the Jordan
valley fron the coastal Plains" (A/347f;.I, Para' 5?)' He waa also rePorted to have
stated during a cabinet di.scussion on the macter that "'Jews had every Iight to
rebuild therr homes in the centre of Hebron, especially a! sites Iike the Hadassa
hospital where Jewish title is indisPutable'r. L9/ 14'' Drobles, co-Chairnan of the
Jerrish Agency's settrenent Departnent, staled on I8 May 1979 at a press confererrce
that the Seate of Israel mus! for political and other reasons develop the entire
region of "Judea and sanaria" (west Bank) (N34/63r, Para' 49)
'
and referring to
naial outposts established in the fiscal year L982/83 | he said that they were
designed io curb "iuegal spread of Arabs in vital areas" (A./37/485' Para' 209) '
31. Durlng the perloal 1977 Lo 1983' settlenent3 were established as follofls:
.lordan valley' 17t East .Ierusalem' Ili Gaza' IIi Hebron, 15i Bethlehem' 8i
Ramallah' I7t Nablus' 2Ii and .fenin' 5 (see append j'x I-A)'
32. In a survey of the activities of his l'linistry' the Minister of Science and
Development, Mr. Yuval Ne'enan, who is also the Acting chairman of the \toint
comnittee on settlenent of the Government of Israel and lhe llorld zionist
organizationr seated on 13 March 1984 that
uthere isnrt enough settrenent ... There lsnrt enough - no!-:o- lu"h in terms
of the nurdrer - but the problem is rate, since we are establishing
settlements, but unfortunately they took J-ike settlenents set up by the
pre-stale Jewish co[ununity, when there was no state yet' r ]'ould hoPe that at
the tin|e when this is being done by Ehe state, there would not be 15 housing
unrts at the beginning, lul fOO ana ZOO.'. If you look at ny survey and see
where lhe 48 selt.Lenents have been established in the last years' you will
find that settlemenes not in accordance wi.t'h the rAllon Planr can be counted
on one hand ... only srx or seven of the settlenents we established were
outside the (pararneiers of the) pLan. of course, if you Put the Allon Plan tn
a narrower corrrdor, then nany nore settlements are outside the plan"' fy
A/39/233
E/1984,/79
Eng.]-ish
Page l-?
B. plan fornu I at ion
33. 'According to the infornation gaChered by the soufces, consultants fron secondary formulation of settlenent plans is done by various bodies, notabLy the l'linj.stries directly concerned lrtth ;ettlement, for exanpte, the Ministries of
lu?r:gl:alintrl:z.a, Eron Hrso uaslrsnog aancdti vDeelyfe nce. The Settlenent Departnen! of the t{ortd ?ionist engaged in settlement planning, and in one lnsc,ance, the Gush Enunim a.l-so had produced a naster p],an. However, final approval lies with the Ministerial conunittee for settrement an; the rsraeri covernment cabinet. The I'tinisterial Comni.ttee is conposed of seven ninisters of covernnent and an equal nunber of nernbers of the world zionist organizition. !L/ The Irtinisterial Conmietee as well as the Settlenent Department of the World Zionist Organization announce fron tine to tirne various plans which have been formuLated by each body, scmetlnes short-tern and at other times. Iong-term.
34' rh its planning, the settlenent Deparcnent of the worrd zionist organization, lrhich is said to be identicar lrith the settlement Departmen! of the Jewiah Agency vthich has responsi.bil j,ty for settlemenc within Israel proper (A,/33,/356) r can draw on Ehe experience i'n estabtisbing settr-enents within rsrael during the period from 1948 to 1967' The Planning is on a regional basis and conprises rural settlements, rural service qentres and regional t.owns, as for example in the Lakhish regron within Israel 13/ Evidence of this approach is conralned 1n a report in the I'la'ari'v of 3 l"hrch r-9?4 that prans had been drawn up for the estabrishment rn the Gaza Strip of 6 noshavin and 3 kibbutzin ar-ong with a nunicipal centre. The regronaL centre of Aton shvut for the Etzion tslock of settle;ents l,l,/ ana Iita'aLeh Ephra j.n as a service centre f or settlers in the Jordan ValGy !N,z are further exanples of the regi.onal planning approach.
35. Since 19?7, coincidj.ng with the election of the Likud covernment, the settl-enent Department of the world zionist organization appears to have becorne nore actrve i.n forrnulating its oh,n plans, which Thus the Jerusaren post of rg January rg77 "aenide thseu olr3a",cat retotz c oovf er1a3u nJeann! uaap-ptr orvga7.?L. reporLed a ro-ur-vffi-pTan by the sutir"^."tJ"pJr.^"rra ro estabr-ish 56 rural settlements, incLuding 27 in the occupied territories. A five-year project for establrshing 59 settr.enents in the weit Bank was put forwarar in rg80 by the Settlenent Departrnent of the World Zionj.st Organization. Thirty of them had already been estabrished since 19?g and zo weie io oe reaoy by 1983. rril Another
g]3n-yas-put forward by the sertlenen! DeparlnenE to establish ?0 settlenenEg r'!4 L' rr eacn year) between rgg0 and 19g5, They vrere to be rocaged in proxirnity to other estab.l-ished settlenents around Hebron, Ma'a1eh Adunin, Jerusalem, and Jenin ar€a and the Jordan valley. !Z/ In a new deveLoprnent, a comnittee of experts drann from various ministries of covernnent (Defence, Housing and constructlon, Labour ahd social services) and representatives of tna sattt.nent Department of the world zionist organization have drawn up a naster pran to estabrish Gueh Enunr.n settlenents in the west tsank (15 according to Al Iitihad). I8l
36: In the survey of the activities of his Ministry of Science and Developnent referred to ear1j,er, the Minister, Mr. yuval Joint comnittee Ne I eman nentioned tha! since 19g2, the on sett]-enent had decided on the estabrishnent of 4g settlements of wh.rch I were to be i.n the .'Samaria,' nountains, Z in western ,,Sanariar,, Z in the
y,1?ffi|,
EngIish
Page 13
itordan vaueyi 5 in the ,terusalen-Etz ion tslock areai 2 on the Hebron Plateaui 9 in
the Yattir regiont 3 in Gaza, and 3 In the Arava, the other 4 being in GaIiIee- of
these, 43 t{ere either populated or started to be buj'lt. In 1984 and 1985 sorne
12 new settlenents trere to be established by the Settlement Division of the World
zionlst Organization. Some of these Hould be arny outpoats converted into civilr'an
aettlenents, "exploiting infrastructure constructed as part of defense activitiesr"
some rrould be settlenents in ehtirely netr areas. I9l
37. According to infornation provided bY the DeParttnent of occupied Honeland
Affairs of the Palestine Lib€ration organizati.on ( aPPenal ix II-B), Plans have b€en
formulated to establish another 72 setclements during the period 1983-1987,
distributed as follo({ss .lordan va11ey, 4i tsethlehem, 9i Nablus' 33i Hebron, 10,
Ramallah, 7t unspecified, 9.
C. lnvestnent in the settlenent proqratr,ne
38. It, is difficult to deternine precisely the nagnitude of resources expended in
the establiahnent of the Israeli settlements, particutarly because the resources
are nade avaitable from various 6ources, as the analysis belotr indicates. It tould
alpear that funds for the initial establishment, as weII as oPerations and
naintenance are included in the budgets of various nlnistries of Government,
notably those concerneal with agricuLture, houslng and defence, the last for the
establishment of nilitary outposts (nahals) r rniny of vthich have been converted
subsequently to civilian aettlements. The World U ionist Organi.zatj.on, through its
Settlenent Department, channels subslantial resources not onLy touarda the
establishnent of the setttenents, but also for Procuring settlers and naintenance
of outposta. 3gl The .lerish National Fund expends resources on buying and
reclaining land, and the Israeli Land Authority also Purchases land for settlelnent
purposes. 2I,/ According to th; infornalion gathered by the consultants' the Parent
bodies of various novements, such as Moshav and Kibbutz, and religious groups often
bear part of the costs of oPeracions and rnaintenance during Che inltial stag€s of
developing the settlements affiliated with thern. The resources invested Here in
settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as lrel.l as the Golan Heights
and, up to 1979, j.n the Sinai.
39. There is no record readily available of the reaources expended during the
initial years of the settlement [ovenent, apart from a report aPPearing in the
Uararetz of lO Februaly 1975 which nentioned Israeli pounds (I€) 800 nillion as the
anount q)ent on the settlem€nts since 1967' Another tePort i.n the qEelg of
I February L9?? rnentioned a decision of the Ministerj.al Connittee on Settlenent to
allocate I€ 225 million for estab.Lishing 25 settletnents, 17 of which were to be
built in the occr4)ied territorres.
40. l'1or€ precise infornation began to be released to the public nith the advent of
the Lj.kud Governnent in 19?7. speaking as the Charrman of the Ministerial
Com[iEtee on settlement, Mr, Sharon had said that the committee "intends to spend
Ie log n1lIion, one third of the development budget on new sitestrt as re!'orted in
the :Iwlen_!9st of 6 March 1978. A repors appearing in the B:gIglg of
6,June 19?8 mentioned that the Minister of Housing and Construction had budgeted
A/39/233
E/1984/19
lngL rsh
Page 14
I€ 80 nluion for constructions in neh, settlenents in the northern region of the
West Bank, out of a gtobal provision of I€ I70 nillj.on earmarked for settlenents.
The Israeli Goverrunen! budget for L978,/79 had the follovring breakdolrn for
setglements (A/33/356. para. 50):
I€ 2.5 billion for nev, settlenents and extension of existing ones
I€ 830 miUion for the Housing l4inistry
I€ 600 mitlion for the Agricultural Mihistry.
41, The declsion of the covernnent of Israel on 16 september 1979 to authorize the
purchase of ]-and in the West Bank and caza by Israel-i citizens and corporations
opened the door for private investnent to floo ingo lhe settlement novement, and so did the progranme of "Build your Oh,n Hone,', sponsored by the ,Jewi.ah Agency, rrbich
provided attractive incentives to prospective settlers.
42. By 1980, the expenditure on settlements rdaa increasing rapidly both because of
the accelerated programne of establishing them and also the fall in value of the
Israeli pound, It was reported that the Goverrunent was to invest at least
I€ 7.5 brlrion during the fiscal year 1980 in th€! occupied territories. A budget
of I€ 3 biuion had been allocated by the World zionist Organization Settlenent
Deparlnent to the developrnent of .103 settlements in the occupied territories
lU35/425, paras. 93 and 94),
43. Concernj.ng the fiscal yar L984/A5, the Jerusalen post of 2? October I9g3
reported tha! the !'j,nance llinister, Mr. yigal Cbhen-Orgad, had stated at the
Knesset Finance coruDittee meeting on 26 october that the expenditure on settlenents
Ln the occupied Palestinian territorres and lhe C.olan Heights for the fiscal year
L984/85 lrould be Israet j. shekels (Is) 35 biUion (pounds changed into shekets
in 1981).
IV. ,IPACT OF ISIIAE.LI SETTII]MENTS ON LAND AND WATER RESOURCES,
HOUSING, PUBI,IC AMNNITIES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
A. Inpact on grorth and expansion of pal.estinian towns and villageg
44. Palestinian comunities inhabiting the !{est Bank and caza are basically
agricutural. To them Che basic elenents of Land and water are of vital
i.nportance. The Ministry of occupied rerricories Affarrs of the coverrunent of
{tordan reports that up to January 1984, the State of Israel had taken pogsession of
2,607,90I dununs (260,790 hectares) of l{est Bank territory, vrhich constitures
47.4 per cent. of the total area. According to the sane source, 26 per cent of this
land has been allocated to the 165 fsraeli settlements created by the end of
,Iuly 1983. 22/ According to the WashingCon post, some Israeli sources have
estinated rsraeri control.l.ed land in the west Bank at over 50 to 60 per cenc of ita
total area. 2a/ Ihe example of the Jordan Valley can serve as an ilLuslration of
the nagni.tude of Israeli expropriaCion of palestinian lands. Elisha Efrat, an
Israe.]-i geographer, states that "!he Jordan Vauey is estinated to contain
,\,,/39/233
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Elng 1i sh
Page 15
16,500 acres (66,7?5 dunums or 6,677 hectares) of cultivable land unevenly
distributed along the l-ength of the valley. U sy his calculacion, on the basis
of 7.5 acres (30 dununs) ot land per agricultural unit, and apProxi.nately
80 agricultural unlts per settlenent, the Jordan ValLey could suPport between
18 and 25 Israeli settlenents. '4i The nost recent account of the Departnent of
Occupied HorneLand Affairs of the Palestine Liberation organization shorvs that by
the end ot 1983 IsraeL had established 31 settlenents of various types in the
,Jordan vaIley (see appendix I-A).
45. According to Elisha Efrat, the criteria for Locating Israeli settlements in
the occupled territories are to use the least surtable agricuftural land, to avoj.d
densely pq)ulated Palestinian localities and to refrain frorn impairing the grovtlh
of Palestrnlan vrlrages. :16,/ Hovteve r. according to Meron BenvenLstr (ex-Deputy
l'tayor of 'Jerusalem) the main criteria for planning and locating Israeli settlemenls
are as follovrs:
(a) Abolishing the independent ptanning poriers of Palestinian village
councils and district planning connissions, and vesting all planning powers in lhe
Hlgher Planning council, a body conposed of Israeli officials onLy, 4/
(b) Circunventing Patestinian villages, 39.,/
(c) r-ocating settlenents so that they restrict expansion of adjacent
Palestinian viltages and f,annst 29/
(d) segregating public services betneen Palestinian and Israelj.
settlenentst 30/
(e) Iocating Israeli settlements on higher ground for a nilitarily nore
secure and superior positioni 3I/
(f) Restricting fueure sPatial expansion of Palestinian tonhs and vil-l'ages by
Liniting their maximum built-uP area by restrictive land use regulations, and
desj.gnating the remaining spaces either "special areas" (i.e. al].ocated or Planned
to be allocated t'or Iaraeli settlemenEs) or agrlcultural land' natural reserveg or
areas for future planningi !?,/
(9) creating extremely wide building Iines on either sides of naih roads
(100 and I5o metres) in order to obstruct traditional exPansion of Palestiniah
housing along main arteries. fil
46. A very recent development in Israeli settlenents I policy is Locating Israeli
seetlenents inside denseLy populated Palestinian urban cenlres. The lvlinistry of
the Occq)ied Territorles Affairs of Jordan reports lhat the Goverrunent of Israel,
j.n spite of the strong oPPosition of the local poPulation, has initiated a plan of
establishing an urban sectlernebt in the niddle of lhe city of Hebron in lhe
west Bank at the location of the central vegetable narket which nas burnt down
during Israeli-iq)osed curfew hours. 34,/
^E//3L99/8243/739
EngIish
Page 16
47. Accordlng to recent press reporta, "the rsraeli authorities are considering a plan drarrn up by a conrnittee chaired by Minister lrordechat porat for the
resettlenent of Palestini.an refugees living rn ca|Ips in th€ West Bank,,. S,/ A
najor obJective of this plan which is known as the o8en porat plan'r, is to dernolish
aome of the canpa and construct proper housing i.n specified locations, in order to
relocate the refugees to ner{ and adequate living quarters. Sone Igraeli newspapers
have announced that the United Nationa Relief and Works Agency for palestine
Refug ees in the Near East (uNRvtA) triu be lnvolved in this project. !p/ In a statenent to che press, on 14 Decernber 1993, the coruIli6s i.oner-ceneral of uNIltyA nade clarifiations to Ehe effect that:
(a) T NRWA has not been associated Hith the plan and does not envisage being
involved in 1ts execution t
(b) The agency will not oppose voluntary acceptance of the npve to new
quarters by the refugees, but rritl strongly object to any co€rcive attenpt to rnake
refugees conFly with any particular attenpt,
(c) The agency i{ill expect to continue providlng its services to relocated
refugees, since their slatus and eligibtlity as refugees tvill not be affected by the rpve. But reLocating installations, such aa schools and clinics, irill require
addiCional funding. g,/ Palestinian sources consider the sBen porat plann another
atternpt by the covernment of Israel in Che dir€celon ot dj.sperslng palestinians
within the occr4ried territories rrith the objective of creating a more honpgeneous
nosa i.c of Jewish settlemenes and palestinian comnunities in th€ region, and
diamantrihg the catlps which bave become stronghol,ds of paleatinian resistance
against assinilation and erosion of palestinian national ldentity. !9.,/
48, The future j.r|I)act of the Israeti settlernents on the growth and expansion of
Palestinian towns and vr'l1ages in the ooc upied territoriea rrill be deternined by
the nurnber of settrenents that nul be established in the comlng years and the
lncrease in the Israe]i popuLation living in then, According to the data coq)iled tv th€ Department of occupied uqnerand Affairs of the palestine r,iberation
Organization fron Israeli sources, sotne 78 new settlenenta wiII be e€tablished
durrng the period t983-1987 (see appendix f-B). At preseht, approxinatefy
35,000 Israelis are said to be 11vin9 j.n the settlenents, and accarding to
government plahs 100,000 are expected to live j.n Cbern by I98? h,ith a projected
figure of 190,000 by the year 2OIO. 22!/
49. considering that investment resources are being provided on an increasing
scale for the settlenent movement (see paras, 38-43 above), and Israeli fafiilies
are incllned to move into the settrementa becauae of the inproveal quarity of life
in then and cheaper prices of houses, .j!,]q/ tfre target for 1987 appears to be a possibility' and that for 2010 a nore ne-eburous one. According to one esti.nate, ily during the period 1985-1994, the natural increase of the Palestinian population in
the territories ia exp€cted to be approxinatety 685,000. over lhe next decade the
above-nentioned increase in the nunber of IsraeLi settlers, plus the natural groffth of the Pareslinian popuration, even vrithout considering lhe conceivable return of a portion of Palestinian refugees, is expected to double the existing populatioh of
the territories. This means that, even at. the present unacceptable standards,
A/39/233
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Pag e 17
there rill1 be a doubling of the need for lrater, cultivabLe land' housing. public
anenities and services, infrastructural facllities etc.
50. Previous polici,es and Practices of the (bverrment of rsrael in exproPriatrng
land for the settlements ih the occupied territories indicate that to accomnodate
an additional 65,000 to 155'000 Israeli settLers lrj.lhin the next 26 years t,ill
require further expropriaeion of large quantieies of land not only for Providing
the settlenents with the necessary infrastructure but also for their expansion.
This would mean that Pal-estinian towns and villages eill not have enough land for
their future grovrch and expansion to acconnodale the increase in the Palestinian
population projected above.
B, Ilr['act on water resources
5I. According to Meron .Benveni.stj.,
"The inpact of Israeli settlements on west Bank water is a function of the
amount of land irrigated by !h€ settLers and not of the actual nurnber of
settlers. Indeed, Israeli settlers today are 2-3 per cenc of the west Bank
population and use 20 per cent of the tolal ltaLer consunption of the area'
Yet 96 per cent of this anpunt is for irrigation". !)/
The supply of rraler in tshe West Bank and Gaza is estinated to be apProxinately
800 niLlion cubic netres (m3) ana 50 rnj-U-ion .3 p.. y.u, respectively' The
annual consunption of vrater for agricgltural and donestic uses in each of lhese tto
regions is estimaled at I0O ni]-lion n5 per year. This neans that nhil-e the
annuat supply of water in the .West Bank is eight tines nore than its consunPtron,
Gaza consumes about double the anbunt of nater available t'rom annual
precipitation. !l/ The fotloyring table presents water resources and their
allocation to donestic and agricultural uses.
52. whrLe the situation in caza is very serious and requires innediate renecly to
prevene rapid drop of undergound water level belov, the red line' increase of
salinity, and intrusion of sea lrater into the land, the suPply of tater in the
West Bank is nore than adequate for the present and the future needs of a nuch
1arger population and extended agricultural activities. 44/ Ho'rtever, Israeli
sources, by oefining the region to be served by the available water resources of
the West Bank as the area belneen the MediLerranian Sea and the .tordan River, Hhich
includes the State of Israel, arrive at the folloiring opposite picture and
conclusions !
"The scarcily of water in the region bet\,reen the l{editerranian Sea and the
.tordan River has resulted in a situation where all the najor groundwater
aquifers at€ already fuUy exploited. In the Gaza strip and in the western
and northeastern basins of Judea and Sanaria, the groundltater aquifers are
already overexploited, Exploitation of lrager resources must end in .tudea and
Sanaria and decrease in the Gaza Slrip. According to Plesent forecasts of
demographic and econornic developmen!, there vtill be a water deficit by the end
of lhe century of 200-400 mrltj.on mJ p.r y*"r in these two areas.'' j!
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Page lU
Table I3 l{ater resourees and their allocation to donestic and
irriqation uses: 198 2
Allocation
Land under Available of waterirrigation
nater (nil-l-ion n'.)_
PopuLation (thousand (nillion Irriga- Domes-
(thousands) dununs) n3) tion a/ t.rc b,/ Total
Annua.I
def ic it
or
surplus
(miIlion
m-,
West Bank
Gaza Strrp
74A
4'l6
87. s
J.0 2
800
50 Lo2
I5
9,5
.1-02.5 +697 .5
i.lr. 5 -61.5
Sourcesi
l'or populatlon figures, Stacisticel Abstlact of Israel, l9B3i
I'or I'Palestinred;n d unoer rrrrgatlon, Uniteci Nattons Conterence on Trade and ljeveloplEnt, optr.ons ror deve.Lopnent" (,!'D/B/96O), reporr prepared by P. c. Sadler
and ts. Abu [ishk. II lrhy 1983, p. l-8i for available water, p. I9t
l'or calcul-ating altocated water tor 1rr1gatron, }j].].sha Bfrat, ',Spatiat
Palterns ot Jewlsh and Arab settlenents in Judea and Sanarra", rn ljanre.l- J. Elazar,
eo.' Judea, Samaria and Gaza3 Vrews on the present and l.uture (washrngton, D.c.,
tunerican lnterprise Instltute, I9A2) , p. 22t
I'or calculating all-ocated water for domestrc use, Meron tsenvenrstr, The
Eest Bank and Gaza, Data Base Project (vtashington, D.C,, American EnEerprise
Instrtute, 1982), p. 23,
a/ At -1,000 m',/yr,/dunum.
p/ At 20 m3lyrlperson.
53. Reasons for the above-nentioned conclusion of fsraelr sources, whrch are drawn
rn splte ot the trgures presented Ln the precedlng tabLe, is beyond the scope of
thrs report. this conclusion, hohrever, has resulted in restrictrve measures
rll[)osed by the occupylng authorrtles in terns of linj.ti.ng the usage of lrater by the
Palest.inian population to the naximun level used in 1967. 4,9-/ l''hLch has had a
olrect and detrrnent.al rmpact upon the trvrng condttLons or the Patesti.nran
People. A! the same tine, Israelr seEtlements are being createq in lncreasrng
nutdbers every year. bach Israell aErrcuLturar settlement consunes an average of
2.4 million mr of waLer per year. 47/ "DriIIing of irrigation wells has been
severeJ,y restrrcteo rn rhe l{est Bank srnce 1967, whrie che Israelr Watser Corpany
was given pernission, to driu. 30 new wells there. Since 1967, only tlro neh, vr,ells
tor agrrcultural use have been pernitted to the (Palestinian) people of the
West Bank". 48l
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Paie Iu
54. As vre seated before, I6rae1 considers the wes! Bank aquifers as serving Israe1
and the west Bank, and according to the previous quotation, in paragraph 52, the
na]pr aquiters in this area are already fuuy exploited and even in sor e areas
overexpl.oited. For all pralj.cal purposes, therefore, the fact seens to be that the
aquifers ot the West Bank, instead of serving a populaCion of 748,001, PalesLinians
and 35,000 rsraelj. settlers, also serve a sighificant portion of over 3 nillion
fsraelis within Israel proper. If this practice continues, the need created by tbe
future increase of Israeli settlers and the natural growth of population in the
West Eank alone. rvill surpass the capacity of the !{est Bank vrater resources.
C. Inpact on hous ing
55. According to figures presented in the @, the anount ot residential- buiLding conpLeted du{ing I98I in the West tsank towns and
villages declined by 15.4 and 4.I per cent respecti\rely cornpared with 1980. In
Gaza' residentral construction in the towns had increased by 23.9 per cent, h,hiLe
decreasing by 5.8 per cent in th€ villages. The cornbined figures of West Bank and
Gaza show a decline of I.2 per c€nt j.n tovrns and 4.3 per cent ih villages, This is
illustrated i.n the table below.
Table 2: Area of residential and non-residential buildinqs
con{rleted in 1980 and l98I
(thousands of n2)
West Bank Gaza Strip Total
1980 1981
change
(percentage)
r980
Change
(Percen-
I98I tage) 1980
Change
(percen-
198I tage)
Tota]-
To'rrns
V].iJ'ages
589.0 534.3
27I.7 229.8
3\7.4 304.5
772.7 -2.6
420.7 -L.2
352 -4.3
-I5. 4
-4 .1
204.5 238.4 +16.6 79 3.5
r54.I I90.9 +23.9 425.8
50.4 47.5 -5. I 367.8
Source: Statistical Abstract of Israel, 1983, table XXltIl/36, p. 798.
56. The above-nentioned dectine becane nore significant in che Light of the fact
that by one estinate there are 200,000 residential units in the West Bank of tthich
7u per cent (14U,00C unitsl need to be replaced because of either d:.lapidatlon or
unaccePtable standards. !2/ In terms of square metres of construction on the basis
of 120 m2 per dnelling unit, this neans 16,800,000 m2 of needed residentiaJ.
constructlon.
57. As rras sgated ln the report of the Secre tary-ceneral to the General Assenbly
at rts thlrty-eighth sessi.on lA/38/ 278-A/L983/77 , annex, para. 24), there has been
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a srgnificant discrepancy in the anount of residentj.al construction in relation to
total housing need, which is comprised of need created by population growth plus
replacenent of dilapidated and substandard housing. The folloning table updates
the figures presented in the above-mentioned repor C on the supply of housing in
relation to housing need in the occupied terri.tories. It can be readily observed
that the hous.ing industry over the 15 years since the L967 occupation, after
satisfying the housihg need of 38.589 units resulting fron population growth, has
only contributed a total of 6,72I units (an average of 450 units per year) tonards
replacing the estinated 140,000 dilapidated and substandard units.
'Iable 33 cotl|}rar ison of supply of housj. g v,/rth housinq need in Ehe
lqlestinian rerg!94€E!_f9!f:f9!?
West Bank Gaza Strip Total
Population increase, L967-!9BZ,A/
Average family size, L9g2 D/
Number ot tanr.Iies, lncrease, I967-L9A2
Number of families living in substandard
and dilapj.dated housing, I9B2 c/
Total housing need, 1982
Toeal residential construction conp.l-eted,
1967-1982 E/ {rInz)
Average size of drreuing units cofipleted,
19 79-1981 g/ G^2)
TotaL nunber of dwelling units, increase,
196 7-I9 82
3 888 800 .1 615 800
161 600
6.7
24 rL9
116.6
33 069
95 500
6.6
L4 4'tO 38 589
L32
L2 24I
I40 000
I78 589
45 3I0
. Sources: Statistr.cal Abstract of Israel, 1983: g,/ tabte XXVII/jt
q,/ table xxvll/t4r 5!/ tabte Xxvrr/33, g,/ rable Xxvrr,,/:a;
9/ United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, "Pa.LesLines options
for developrnenttt |TD,/B/96O), report prepared by p. G. Sadter and ts. Abu Kisnx,
11 May 1983, p. 4L,
58. The long-term impac t of the occupying authorities' Iack of attention to
resrdentrar construction in parti.curar and consbruction activiti.es 1n general,
could be expected to further aggravace the shortages in housing units ind pubJ-ic buildings in the fuCure. The same could be sard of the restrlctlve praclrces of
the occupying authorities in terms of adninistrative obstacres to issuing building
pernits !9./ ana transf,ers of funds frorn abroad. 5V
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59. There has been no activi.ty j.n resi.dential conslruction by the public sector
since 1968 in the Weat Bank and since I9Z8 in caza. 52,/ This means that the
occupyi,ng authorrties have not taken any measures coHards helping lov.,€r income
groups of the local population to acquire adequate housing since those dates. At
the sane tlne, virtually aII ot the IsraeLi settlers enjoy sone kind of direct or
indirec! subsrdy rn the form of long-term Low rnterest governneht loans, and
government provision of publl.c anenilies, and intrastructural facilities, lvhich
further decreases cost of Che housrng etc. !)/
60. l'he contrast in housing and coffnunity facrlrties is nost apparent in occup ied
Arab rterusalem, While nen apartment conplexes have been built in and around it
with all modern amenities, paved roads and cpen spaces, little or no irnprovement
has been nade to the housing and intrastructure in the Arab sector of the city.
This neglect is said !o extend to nunicipal servi.ces also, such as garbage
collection, street cleaning and public l-ighting. vthe re other urban aettlenents
have been established, such as Ariel, Maraaleh Aduntrn, Maraaleh Etrain and Kiryat
Arba'a, the same high standards as in Jerusalern would have been applied, as is
evident in the demoli.shed settler0ent of yanit in northern Sinai.
61. So far as the standard of housing is concerned, there are many indications,
and rt i6 r€asonable to a6sume, that the houses in the Israeli settlements are
conslructed and equipped at a rnuch higher standard than those occupied by the
Palestrnians. Assurning Chat alt new house construction in the selllenents includes
such facilities as kitchen, bathroon. !oile!, runhing water and electricity, an
assessnent of the Lack ot these fac j.J'it'ies in palestinian homes in the occup red
territories can be rnade fron the table belon, extracted fron the statistical
Abstracr ot Israel 19 83.
lable 4. Eousehofd tacilities in the ttest Bank and caza, I98I
(percentages)
West tsank
Total vill-ages Towns
Ret u9 ee
Total ca[ps Tovrns
Kitchen exclusively
for household
No bathroon
No toilet
Running water in
dI^,eJ.l rng
Elect.ricity round
the c]'ock
39.7 63.1
83.9 89.2
49,3
44.9
50. 6
65.8
59.6
2L.5
29,3
26.9
86,4
26.2
2.4
79.0
95.8
80.I 85.5 77.4
38.8
2.2
51. 4
88.5
48. 9 30. 3
r.0 r.7
s9!!9! : stat ist icai Abstlggg_9lElgglr.Jgl, tabf e xxvl I/3 6.
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62, Israeli rural settlements go through various stages of development, such as
tenporary acconmodation in the nahals to prefabricated buildings and ultillEtely to
pernanent structures of houses with public buildings, electricity, water supply,
approach roads and other arnenities. Conunenting on th€ facilities available in the
settlernents, l,tr. Nafez Nazzal, in his article on 'rl,ind tenure, the sett.l-ements and
peacerr rn the book, A Palestinian Aqenda for the West Bank and Gaza' 1L,/ writes
that the houses are air-condrtioned, and those situated in the ,fordan VaLley are
equrpped wj.th a ponerful apparatus capable of deating krith the heat of the valley.
Each house, or in sotne cases every pair of houses, has access to a huge arrconditioned
shelter, dug in the ground and overtopped by boulders, which is
connected by a paved way to the front of each house. ttor{s of electric larq)s
crlss-cross each settlenent and surround Che tence. The settlements ale flood-lit
in the night. Inside the settlenent there is a central area covered by grass which
requj,res considerable amounts of nater to keep it green. Comnunity services, such
as ki.tcheh, cl-ubs and di.ning roons are air-conditioned,
63. The Israeli regional planning concept ot rural settlements, rural service
centres and regional tovrns has been applied vrith advantage to provide the basic
necessj.ties and services to the Israeli settlers. Ho$ever, no such Planning
approach has been applied to improve the living conditions of the PaLestinian
residehts. Palestinian conununities have been Iimited by various regulations flotll
undertaking nelr constructions whether private or public, and rnunicipalities have
been restricted fron inproving services or provldlng nen faciLiti.es. Uahy
restriclions have been placed on improving water aervice and electricity supply,
whrle the neighbouring setglements have been provided generously lrith these
anenrttes.
64. The inpac t ot the above-mentioned discrepancy and differing standards in
housing conditions of, Israeli settlers and Arab populatlon ia expected'to have
far-reaching effects of deprivation, frustration and antagonism of the local
inhabitants of th€ area against the f sraeli-.terrish population in the neighbouring
settlenents. Sone of the violent incidents betvreen Israelis and palestinians,
recoEded in the reports of the Special Conmittee to Investigate fsraeli Practices
Affecting the Hunan Rights of the population of the Occupied Territories, E/ can
be reasonably assurned to have been parlly due to the frustration resulting fron
preferentiaL treatnent of Israeli settlers.
65, The occupying authorities are continuing their practices of demolishihg houses
and therefore Punishing the families of those suspected or convicted of cotruni tt i ng
vrolent acts or engaging in demonstrations, stone throrring etc. against Israeli
settlers and authorities, Appendrx III presents the number or- houses demoliiahed
by Israeli authoritie€ frorn 1967 to 1982. It can be observed from this table' that
srnce 1977' when such demolition was reduced to one, there has been a marked
increase of up to 55 units in L982. The total nunber of houses denplished for
punrtrve reasons over the 16-year perj.od of occupation has been I,346 units, 28 of
which were denoli.shed ih caza.
66. Accordr.ng to info.rnatioh sr4rplied to the consullants by palestinian sources
and confirmed by news reports in Israeli papers, 56l in addition to denplishing
houses, Israelr aulhorities have devised a new nethod of punishment, by whlch the
house' or the nain roon of lhe house of the fanily whose rnember is accused of stone
throwing, i6 sealed off with concrete instead of being denoli.shed.
u 39/233
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V. ECONOMIC I!{PACI' OF ISRAIiLI SETTI,E;I4EIiTS
A. Inpact on production and trade
57. The noat irmediate and direct consequences of the acceleralion of Israeli
3ettlenent in the occupied territories are on oh'nership and use of land. These, in
Lurn' ilpoae radical shanges j.n Che econqny of the territories, the central
:haracteristic of trhi.ch has been the Predominance of agriculture. ExproPriatlon
rnd confiscation, by their nature, Iinit the land area accessible to Palestrnian
c-arners, q/ arii the associated control of lrater resources by Israel g,/ directly
iffects the utilization and productivity of this land.
i8. other measures aaloPted by the occuPying Polder j.h resPonae to tbe requlrernenEs
f its oon econony, and to its political and security considerations, further
:estrict the freedon of Palestinian farners in the use of their land and inpede the
Independent developtnent of the agricultural sector. Exatq)les of such neasures are:
(a) opening of roads to connect settlements aJrong themselves and with IaraeL
rhrough agricultural land, 39/ ana the naintenance of 'safety' zones along them,
rhere Pal-eatinians are not al-lowed to plant or build, lig,/
(b) Restrictions on the use of grazing Land, 9L/
(c) Linitations on the areas cultivated nith speciflc Products or in sPecif ic
,eographical areas, e.g. restrictlon on Planti.ng of citrus fruit trees in the liest
rank, @/ and its prohlbi.tion in Gaza, 63/ restrictions on Plantj.ng of tonatoes and
ggplanc in the .tiftlik reglon (Jordan Vauey) t $!,/ and on a].l crops in the Ghor
/atley (West Bank) where the pattern of production is to b€ deternined by the
.urhoritiesi !9/
(d) Prohibition of overnigbt stays in the Ghor valley by Palestinian
.gricultural workers residing elserrhere, so as to discourage their work in this
tea, t9/
(e) Prevention of the establishment of agricultural co-oPeratives by
alestinian farners, and of their access to agricultural credit trorn East Bank
nstitutions. gf.,/
9. Related to Che pol iclr of "open borders" between Israel and the Lerritories'
hich has been naintained ai'nce 1969' g-/ che agricultural sector has been
e-oriented in response to the need of the Palestinian farmer to emPhasize those
ropa that can be sold in Israel, and de-enPhaslze those which, iven if for local
onsulPtionr are produced nore cheaPly in Israel. In their endeavours to use
arket opportunitles in Israel, Palestinian farmers have beneflted fron access to
sraeli lechnology, but a great part of technical progress, Particularly in the
econd half of the nineteen seventies, haa been due also to technicaf and financial
id from .tordan and charitabLe organizationst or it has been inicative of
evelopments in .lordan. The obstacle to faster groldth of agricuLture, it has been
baerved, Iies j.n Israeli land and vrater policies !9,/ whictr are associated with the
ettletnent thrust. Use ot- irrigation by Palescinian f,arners i.s ]'inited. Thus,
ields vary according to rarnfall, particularly in the West Bank.
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70. The cbntribution of agriculture to the GNp of the territories tends te
fructuate year to year in uniaon with the ftuctuations output, in the value of agricultural ehich reapond, in turn, to the volurne of rain, Ilowever, a dininutj.on of thrs contribution between the periods L96g to 1974 and l9z5 to 1980 can be observed in the l{est Bank, and a dorenward trend is evident in caza, as shoirn in table 5.
Thus the rerative ilportance of the agricurturar sector has clearly alecliheal.
71- &ployment in agriculture has decreased in boch territories, a€ evidencecr ln
tabre 6. Given the increaae in value ot agricultural product, i! would seen that labour productivity has increased. Thrs is corroborated by the gronth in value
added per trorker ot 6.9 per cent in caza and 8 per cent in the t{est tsank b€Eween
1975 and L98I. 70/
72. The labou! freed by increased productivity in agriculture has not been
absorbed in the tnduatrral sector ot the terrrtorres but, as will be drEcu€sed later, has had to find ernployment in Israel..
73. rhvestnent rn industry has been aevereJ-y llr0iced by a number ot tactors: zv
(a) Lack of an indi.genous financial systetn rrhtch rrould provide producers rrith
credr,t, specralized knowledge, and advicei
(b) Uncertahty, both policical and financj,al, the lagter being the
con6equence ot the hrgh rates of infrat.j.oh ln rsraer, and the continued devaluation of the fsraeli shekel,
(c) Lack of participation by parestinians in major econolnic poL icy deci.sions that affect thern, whlch resurt.s in lack of protection tor thei.r lndustries,
Particularly agai.nst corq)etiti.on from IsraeLrs far more developed induEtrles,
n-il-i.t ar(yd ) goInvePrnorrnte nlitc ensing of industrial nachinery, under the authorlly of the t
(e) Building licences, the fees for which are high for tbe level of capitalization ot Palestj.nian industries, and the process lengthy,
(f) Restrictions on the use of, water and prohibition on the sinki.ng of new we11s. Wher€ new industry is prohibiled in or near towns or cities, and weII
sinking is restricted elsewhere, lack of h'ater becones an inpedinent to ner
induscry t
(s) I'axes and custorDg duties. The Jordanian income tax of 25 per cent and
Socral- Eervrce tax of I2.5 per cent. bave been reEained. In addition, a value adoed tax of 8 per cent was Lntroduced in 1975, raised to 12 per cent in 1977 and to
J.5 per ceht in 1981. Custons dutres are hi.dden in the prrces charged by the Israeli lnporters through uhom inports are to be made, and an addltional value
added tax on the transaction wrth the rlq)orter must be borne by the frnaL buyer.
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Table 5. Contribution of the agricultural sector to gross natlonal product
in the West Bank and caza, 1968-1980
(l4illions of Israeli pounds in current Drices)
West Bank
Contribution
Va1ue ot of
a9rrcuICuraI agrrculture
product (perceneage)
cohtribution
Value ot of
agricultural agriculture
product (percentage)
1968 330. 0
1969 420.0
L970 481.0
L97L 722,0
L972 I 118.0
1973 .t 305.0
L974 2 257.0
r.97s 3133.0
1976 4 705.0
L977 6 280.5
t9?8 l-1 560,0
L979 20 080. r
1980 5L 920.9
115.0
153.0
14]..0
203.0
307.0
340.0
796.0
ILJ.V
r 243. 0
I 380. I
3 090.4
4 430.2
t5 r80.7
128. 0
r54, 0
206.0
288. 0
450.0
671. 0
96r.0
r 428. 0
2 t78. O
3133.0
5 068.0
l-0 045. 0
21 457 .0
34. I
36.4
29 .3
28.1
27 .4
26.O
35.2
22.7
26.4
21.9
26.7
22.O
29.2
36.0
41.0
54.0
73.0
106.0
134.0
L76.O
297.O
485.0
685.0
997.0
L 487.0
24, L
26,6
26.2
25.3
23. s
18. 3
20.7
22.2
21. a
1v. b
r4.8
12.3
Source: David Xahan, Agriculture and Water in the ltese Bank and Gaza
(Jerusalem, West Bank Data Base Project, 1983), table 5, p. 16.
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English
Page 25
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A/39/233
s/L984/79
English
Page 27
74. Under the condit.rons described above, lhe induslrial seclor of the territorles
renains one of snal]- enterprises (98 per ceng of then enploy I0 or fewer vJorkers)
concentrated in the folLoning occupations: reparr trades, 13 per centi quarrying
and,cenent block and trle nanufacturrng, l.L per cent, carpentry and crafts,
15 per centi and seh'ing and garment nanufacturing, 20.5 per cent. llost tirms are
operatrng at around 50 per cent capacity. 72/ rhe combined industrial value added
in the West Bank and Gaza equals about one per cent of the value added in Israeli
industry. 73/ t4ost firns are onner-financed and cannot offeE enplol.rnent and nage
conditions conpegrtrve wj.th lhose in IsraeL. Those in sevring and garment
manufacCuring perform finishing work ufiCer subcontract for Israeli firms utilizing
very lov-Paid fena.l-e labouri thus, they contrj.bute very Little to industrial value
added in the terr itori es.
75. The agricuttural and industrial activities of the settlers, in contrast, are
Pronoted and subsidized by the (bverru0ent of Israef. The extensive use of
irrigation by the settlers has been described in section IV, section B. The high
degree of protection of Israelj. goods is well documented, as is the use of price
guarantees for agricultural products. 4/ tn additlon, the recent settlement drive
is conplenented by an indusCr iali zation plan for the West Bank which is designed to
attract rnduatry and Israeli labour to this "hinterlando, according to nhich there
wj.Il be by the year 2015, over 85,000 Jeuish r.,orkers in Israeli West Bank industry
and only about 23,000 PaLestinian workers. The plan proposes the largest fsraelr
rndustrra]. concentrations to be located riithin the nost densely populated regiona
of the West Bank and hear the najor Israeli population areas. 75/
76. Israel exercises total- control ot trade b€tvreen the occup ied territories and
the rest of the norld, including Israel. The territories have become an important
nErket for lsrae1i products, whlle exports ot their products are restrlcted. In
the case of agriculcural products, restrictions to their exportation to Israel
protect Israeli products fron conpetj.tion. lS-/ At the sane time, Israeli
restrictive policies do not pernit the developnent of alternative industriaL
exports. 77/ an]us the "open bordersl policy has operated in one drrection. On the
other hand, a policy of "open bridges" (those cohnecting lhe Wes! Bank nj.th Jordan,
across the Jordan River) has also been applied, Iri.th linitations. On the exPort
side. the Arab boycott of Israeli products has restricted industrial exports to
.lordan, mostly originating in the l{est Bank, as local industrj.es have had to buy
their ihputs from or through Israel. LV On the inport side, restrictions,
Iicences and dulies, and lhe adninistrative and security controls illE)osed have
discouraged glowth. Trade with the rest of the norld has not developed, as it has
to be channe.Lled through Israeli agenls, and is thus subject to Israel-i control and
direction. Tables 7 and 8 illustrate the pattern of trade that has evolved under
these conditions for the West Bank and Gaza, respectively.
77. It. is apparent from tabl,es 7 and 8 that, in all years since 197I, the
territories have had a negative trade balance. Most inportantly' the balance
vis-a-vis Israel - a country with which trade },as practically ni.l- before the
occupation - has been hot only hegative, but cohsistently larger than the total
trade deficit. Thus the surplus achieved in the trade with Jordan only partly
oftsets the persistent defrcit wtth the rest of the vorld and nith Israel. Net
transfers by Palestinians living abroad paid 2L Eo 28 per cent of the West Bank
trade deficit and 39 to 44 per cen! of tha! of caza betneen 1980 and 1982. 3A1
A/39/233
E/ L984t/79
English
Page 28
78. Israel becane very quickly (by fgZI, rrhere the frgures rn table 9 st.art) the nalor trading partner ot the Cerritories. 80/ According to tabJ-e 9, roughly
50 Per cent of West Bank and 80 per cent of c."u exports for Israe].' 1921-1980 went to whi,le 79.8 to 87.8 per cent of West liank rrports and 84.9 per cent to
9L per cent of those of caza origj.nated in Israel. fndustrial products
consti.tuted, in alt years, over 80 per cent ot totaL itrports of boeh territories
fron Israel. The territoriea have becone Ehe nost inportant matket for Israeli
products after that of the United States.
A/ 39 /233
E/r98\/Tg
Enel i sh
Pa.ge 29
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E/r9B\/79
English
Page 31
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E/L984/79
Englrsh
Page 32
B. Inpact on labour and enployment
79. Israel has utilized increasing numbers of workera fron ttte occupied terrj.tories. While in L970 on1y lI.9 per cent of palestinian workers were erqrJ-oyed in Israelr the percentage had increased to 32.4 by f975 and 35.5 by 1982, and
enPiolznent in the uerritorles declt ned fron 88.I per cent in 1970 to 64.5 per cent in 1982 (see table I0). The doninan! feaeure in the alistribution of patestinian
labour in Israel has been the overlrhe.hrng irportance ot the construction sector,
where, according to IIO, 9y there is "a disproportionate conceneration of workers
from rural area6'. It nould seen that the marked reduction in agricultural
elPloyment in the occupied territories provides a poo]. for enployment in I6raeL,
mostly in cohstruction, but increasj.ngly also in the induserial sector, where by
Che end of the nineteen seventles, it accounted for about 5 per cent of the total
rnrpower. !_2,/
80. It is also lo be noted that enploynent of Palestinians 1n Israe]' rose fastest
uP to 1973, when the country enjoyed a booming econony, and declined fron 1r.975 to 1977, foLlowing the general recession in Israel, suggesting the contribution
tnade by Palestinian Iabour to the expansion of the Israelr econony, and its role as
"buffer" in lime of recession. I! rnay be noted ln thls regaral that durlng the
recessron years of J.973 to 197b, I€raeli unelploynent increased insignif icantly -
from 2.6 per cent in 1973 to 3.6 in 1976 - corq)ared with unenployment during the
l9ti5-L967 recession, 83,/ whrch was 3.6 per cent rll 1965 anct I0.4 per cent in 1967.
81. Thus' the Land and hrater poLicles associated Hith the settleneht policl', oy
reducrng agrrculturaL enplo].ment in the territories, have modified not only tbe
structure of enployment therein, but, it has been cl.ained, the class structure of
Palestinian society, aa a large porti.on of those engaged in agriculture have been
transformed into rrage-labourr that is, into an industrial prolecariat q_V which,
however r i.s not utilized tor ihdustr la1i zationt this is iq)eded by ocEupat ion
policies on ]-and and $ater, agricultural production, industrial productlon and
trade, as dlscussed above. The figures in table I1 seem to confirn thl€ claim.
The increased employment in Israel has not gone into agriculture and, in the
territorj.es, ihe declining toCal of elployed norkers concentratea nDre and lrpre in
conatruction, industry and services, a shift that could be attributable to
settlement construction, and subcontracting for Israeli industry.
82. It has also been observed that thls is "proletariani zation vrithout
urbanization', 85/ as workers have to return to their hond€ in caza and the We€t
Bank every day, According to table IZ, rpre than 80 per cent do so.
83. As table 12 shows, the majority of palestinian workers are young. OnIy
15 per cent of then have recerved no schooling, the najorj.ty, 54.4 per ceht, have
attended beti{een one and eight years of school. and a sizeable group, 30.5 per cent
of the total, have rDore lhan 9 years of education.
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lab1e .1,0. llnploynent of riorkers frotn Lhe occupied territorj.es,
bv place of work, 1970-1982
Year
enp loyed
( thousands)
Ery)Ioyed in the
occup ied ter rilor ies
(thousands) (percentage)
unptoyed in Israel
(thousands) (percentage)
197 0
1971
L97 2
1973
L97 4
19 75
L976
L977
L978
L9 79
r980
1981
1982
r7 6.5
188.7
194.7
2IO.4
204.9
205.8
204.4
210. 9
2L2.1
2I5.7
2L5.9
222.'t
L52,7
L42.7
13 6. 3
I33, 4
I4I. 7
I38.6
I40. 9
141.4
L42.7
138. 0
140. 6
140.I
143. 6
88. r
80.6
68. s
67 .3
68.5
69.2
67 .3
65. r
65.2
64.9
{t4. 5
20.6
33. I
52.4
61.3
bu. /
66.3
64. 9
63. 0
68.2
74.L
75.L
75.8
79.r
ll. 9
t9.4
27.8
3l-, 5
32.7
32.4
3t,5
30.8
34,9
34.8
35.1
35.5
Source: For all years, except l97I and 1973, Seatistical Abstract of Israel.
r.983.
For years l97I and L978, United Nati.ons conference on Trade and Developnent,
"Palestine: opt.ions for developmenxtt pD/3/96O'1, report by P. c. Sadler and B.
Abu Kishk, ll l.,tay 1983, table I.7, p. 9.
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Table lL. Enployment of h,orkers from the occupied terrrtorles, by
selected econornic branch an9 place of rrrork, 1970-1982
(Percentage)
Enployed in the occupred territories
Year Agr rculture Induscry Construction (percenlage) (chousands)
l9 70
19 71
L972
L973
L974
r97 5
1976
1977
19 78
L9'19
1980
r98I
L982
L970
19 7t
1972
r973
1974
r97 5
19 76
L977
L97a
L9? 9
1980
r981
19a2
38.7
36.8
33. 5
JI. J
33.8
31.8
3r. 4
30.5
29. 5
28. O
24. 4
26.3
27 .6
24.4
22.3
19.3
t9. I
L4. 3
15. 4
L6.2
I6, 8
.L4. I
r3. 7
12.7
I2. I
r3. I
13. 6
r3. 9
15. I
14. 0
.l-4 . 5
14. 4
14 ,2
15, 2
r6, 8
15, 3
16, 0
15. 5
].L. 6
.t4.I
r7.1
18.1
I7. 5
r8.4
19.7
2r.3
zz.6
?o, e
18.2
L7.7
8,4
5.6
6.2
6.4
6.2
T.J
4.2
9.1
9.5
r0 .1
9.6
r0, ?
9.9
54.3
52.3
49. 5
>L. T
52.5
54 .4
50.3
45.3
44.8
47.4
5r.0
52.8
39.1
43. 8
46.4
46.O
46, 4
46.0
46.2
45.5
45.I
45.7
47.O
47.O
9.7
10.6
10.3
I0.9
r0.9
12.9
I4. 6
L6.2
16. 2
r8. 0
I8. I
I6. 7
I00.0
100. 0
r00.0
100. 0
r00. 0
t00.0
r00.0
r00.0
100.0
100. 0
r00. 0
100.0
r00. o
100. 0
L00. 0
r00. 0
L00. 0
100. 0
r00. 0
I00. 0
l-00. 0
100.0
100. 0
r00. 0
r00.0
r00.0
L52.7
136.3
133. 4
141.7
138.5
L40.9
141.4
r42.7
r38.0
r40.6
r40.1
143.6
20.6
33.8
52.4
61.3
68.7
66.3
64.9
63. 0
64.2
74.L
75.1
7 5.A
79.r
En€loyed in Is r ael
lgre: !'or all years except 1971 and t978, Sgatistical Abstract of Israel,
1983.
For years I97I and 1978, Unrted Nations Oonference on Trad€ and Development, fflaJ-estine; oplrons ior oeveJ-opment't. gD/b/gb|), by P. c. sad.ter anq
B. Abu Kishk, l.l lrlay 1983, table I.B, p. 10.
Table 12.
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l,
Number
(thouEands)
Percentage
Aqe
L4-24
25-34
35-54
55 up
Yeara of schooling
0
l-6
7-8
9up
Frequencv of returninq hone
Blrery day
once a rveek
Other
Toeal 70.1
29. L
r8,9
I8.I
4.0
10.5
27.O
11.2
4!-1
41.5
27.O
25.8
). t
r00. o
15.0
38.5
16.0
30.5
TotaI 70. r 100. 0
56.4
9.5
4.2
80. 5
13. 5
6.0
Total 70.t
@s statistt cal ADErls!:t cJ IISSL_!9.g3..
r00. o
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84. The participation of Palestinian labour in the economy of Israe.L has b€en
aLded by Lsraell trarnlng in the West Bank and caza, aimed at skill developnent
Primarlly rn industrial and lrahsport trades, !9/ ana by the estabtrshment ot "a
dense network of enploynent offices in the occupied territories to whicb Israeli
employers are required to apply for hirlng workers, cotnpulsory registering of
workers and rssurng of a work permit for a given job, and paynent of wages and
social benetrts through the paynent divlsi.on of the enplol.rnent service,'. 87,/
a5, It. has been pointed out by I]. that lhere are defrciencies in vocational
tral,n1ng at interrnediate level, and a ',lack of planned actron based oh the needs ot'
the Local economy", a8/ The consuLtants were inforned by officials of Ehe Ministry
of bducation of .lordan, as well as by Bgyptian authorities and representatrves of
the Palestine Liberation Organization that the occupyj.ng authorities not only have not iniliated action in thj.s direccron, but have so far denied several requests by
Palestinians to be aLLoeed to introduce applied sciences and technolog ical training
progralnmes in Palesti.nian universities. in the curricula of rrhich the hunanities
and socral sciences are dominant. 89/ In 1980, only 1l9 .university graduates rere
enPloyed in West Bank industry, according to Meron Benvenisti. Thus the higb
enr.gratlon raCe of the hr.ghly educated. 90,/
86. II,o has also reported that ithe residency requirenent for entitlement to
certar,n benefrts under the Natronal Insurance Lavr (old age and survivorsr benefils,
invalidity benefits, child allowances, unemplolment benefits), excludes
non-resrdent workers from coverage even though they are required to contribute to
the schene". !1/ that "the special system under t{hich wages and social benefrta are
pald not drrect.ly by the employer but through the ery)Ioyment service neans that
payments tend to be held vp", !2/ and that concentration of workers from the
occupred terrrtorj.es ].n the constructlon sector means that they suffer most from
the dlsadvantages of self-enployment and subcontracting and "from the high accident
rate rihrch is p.revaLent in the sector. 93/
47. The phenomenon ot "rrlega]',, workers - those hired outsrde the system set up by
IsraeL - is described as "intractable,' by IL. 94,/ This organizati.on refers to a
1983 .ferusalen PosC survey of r.rorkers from caza, the findings of whlch rvere that
14,000 of the 22,000 "lIIegat" workers are pa1d through lhe payments division of
the emproynent servicei that there was a "hard core', of 8,000 '.r11e9a1,, workers rrho
were contracted by the day or the hour and viho spent the night at their place of
work, also "it1egalJ-y"1 and that hiring children was also a practice. W flo
reports the eslimate of "il.legal" norkers of ghe covernment of Israel to be
25 pe! cent of the Palestinian Iabour force enployed in Israel, while Histadrut
(the General l'ederation of Labour in Israel) estimates the nunber to be 25,000 to
30'000 workers, or about 33 per centi and, sinilarly, the coverrunent of .Tordan
esclmates it to be 27,000 workers, If this last figure is accepted and added to
those in table 5 (rdhich does not include ,,illegal,' workers), for l98l and 1992, the
percentage of the Palestrnlan labour force erq)loyed in fsrael rises to
43 per cent. 96/
88. ith respect to wages. most sources agree that the average wage for rdorkers
tron Ebe territories has remained at about 50 per cent of that for Israeli workers
in the sane occupatrons, 21/ but the gap betneen wages rn Israel and in lhe
lerritorres has alnost disappeared. According to II.o, 98/ increased dernand for
A/ 3e / 233
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thrs labour in Israel has resulted in a rate of grordth of darly renuneration' in
real terns, of 5 per cent b€tween 1970 and I98L.
C. Impact on noney and.finance
89. One aspect where the economy of the occupied territories has not been rendered
totally dependent on that ot Israel is the nonetary system. After 1967, Israel
closed all comnercial banks,
'rhi.ch
were integrated with Egyptian banks in Gaza and
?ith .Jordan bank.s in the West tsank, and replaced then by Israeli banks. But, at.
the sane time, Israel allowed the continued circu].ation of the Jordanian dinar in
order Co facrlitate recovery and trade with .fordan. Consequently, Israeli banks
have not been ab.Le to establish themselves strongly, and a dual nonetary system
perststs, where the Israelr shekel j.s the prinary means of exchange, but the
stronger and nore stable drnar is lhe reserve ot value. Possibly because of the
strong preference of Palestini.ans to hold dj.nars, a nunber of measures have been
j.ntroduced to control lhe anounts taken into lhe Wes! Bank, such as Military
Order 973, which linits the flori of funds and transfers to the occup ied
territori.es. 99/ A new measure to discourage rilthdrawals frofir Palesti.nian bank
accounts is a 3 per cent tax on such withdrawals. I00,/
90. 'lhere also seems to be a tendency tor savlngs to be held outslde the West
Bank, in ,Jordanian banks, and Co be j.nvested in ,fordanian rea]- estate. An informal
money na.rket also exists, consisting of exchange agencies that act as
j,ntermediaries with the banks in AI nan, accepting checks against accounts in those
banks. lov
91. The systen ot taxation in existence before the occupalion nas kept by Israel
in the territories. However, the increased consumption of Israeli goixis means that
the consumer pays the taxes thaC affect those goods as wel1 as Israeli import
duties. Thus the increased demand by Palestinians of Israeli goods not only
enlarges the narket for those goods and thus contributes to the growth of the
Israell economy i it also contributes to the Israeli f i.scus. Of greater inportance,
norkers ale subject to payroll deductions, which are sizeable, although they do not
receive the corresponding benefies. As ot Jahuary 1983 for caza and February for
tshe West Bank, the Jordanian income tax was replaced by an fsraeli one. For
purposes of estlmatr,ng the tax base, resrdents had to dec.l-are at1 theit property,
roovable and inunovabte, including furnlture and jewelry, and their sons' properties
insr.de and ourside the territories. !92/
92. In contrast, residents of most settLements are granted a reduction of
7 per cent in incone tax up to a certain tncone. purchase taxes, ghe Land Regj,stry
aax and capital gains taxes on sa.Le of, property do not apply to them in the Vlest
Bank. 'rhey are, hor{ever, entitLed to all the benefits of the trational Insurarrce
system bV an extra-Iegal arrangenent. I03/
93. According to Meron Benvenistj., public investment cones fron two budgets: the
military governmentrs civilian budget, r{hich depends on that of Israel's Ministry
of Defense and serves the Arab popu.l-atj.on, and the budgets of the civllian Israeli
ninistries, lrhich serve the Jewtsh populalion, that is. the secBlenents. 104/ The
lnvestnent share of the mi.Iitary budge! was 1I per cent in 1980. 105,/
A/39,/233
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94. In additj.on, there is a civil adninistratj.on, l!li/ ana tvo levels of local
govelnnent: the Local councils in charge of settlenents I affai'rs' and municiPal
councrls in charge of local Palestinian affairs. Both have jurisdictron over
qtrestions rel-atj.ng to roads, water, electricity, ga6' sewage' crafts and
industries, health, cleanliness, public places, parks etc., !of_/ but no infornation
was avarl-abte on the leve1s or proportioil of their expenditures in any ot these
aspects.
95. The crvrl,ian adninistration receives funds fron lhr€e 6ources: (a) from the
Goverrunent ot Israel, 28 Per centi (b) t rotn income tax paid by Palestinians vJorklhg
rn lhe terrrtories, value added cax, indirect taxes and fees, 47 per cenct and
(c) from the "Deductj.on Fund", 25 per cent. I08/ The Palestinian nunicj'palities
dePend on incone fron goverrunent sources, yrhich has declined from 36.8 to
I7.l per cent of the totat resources between L969/7O and \979/80' on taxes (nEinly
sales and property) , and on transfers fron the Arab world which by L980 constituted
close to 50 per cent of therr resources. I09,/
96. The Deduction Fund is constituted by the deductions laken by the emplolmenC
selvice from the wages of Palestinj.ans norking i.n Israel, estinated at about
30 per cent of the eage biU. since Palestinj.ans are not eligible for benefits
fron the national insurance systen, the Fund is supposed !o be utilized for
development - i.e. investment - in the occupied territories. Howeter, the Eund is
not direcl]y transterred to Ehe cr.vili.an administration, as Provided by Israeli
ravr' but to the Chref Accountant (IsraeLrs Treasury), trho has, on the average,
transterred betrdeen 55 and 80 per cent of the tota.L to the civrlian admrni.stration
and kept the rest for use j.n Israel. Il0,/
97. The property tax payable tp the Palestinian municj.Pallties is not collected by
then, but by the l'lrnistry of i'rnance, and a]-l funds thus collecled are kept in
trust for the rnunicipal ities. A percentage is distributed to them according to
decrsions of che Councrl of Mrnisters upon the recorunendation ot the Minlstry of
the Int.erior, and sone of these funds nay be allocated to other Purposes. Ily
98, Wrth respect to adninistration of finances, Iaraeli local councils have total
discretion without i.nterference, includj.ng appointnent of their oen accountants.
Paiestin.ran munr.crpal counci..Ls are subject to regulatrons Published by the Ministry
of the Interior, rrith the agreenent ot the Counctl of ltlinisters, and the
accountants lrho inspec! their finances are selected by the council of
Ministers. U2l
D. A99regate inpact
99. The growch of gross donestic product and gross nati.onal product is portrayed
in tables .L3 and 14. Even after deflation, the constant price figures sholv an
uPlrard trend, nore pronounced in the WesC Bank than in Gaza. ReaL GNP per caPita
also greh' at retatively hrgh raees, at least, up to 1980 when the raee of groflth
starled to faII. It cannot be ascertained, however, irhether these figures rePorted
by Israeli statistics incLude the Product generated in the Israelj. settlements, or
refer only to the Palestinian economy.
Al39/233
rh98\/79
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Page 39
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a/ L984/79
EngI i.sh
Page 41
100. The contribution to cNP nade by labour earnj.ngs abroad (i.e. Israel) stood
about 24 per cent throughout the 1976-1982 peri.od for the West Bank, and between
33 and 39 per cent for caza. II3/ Thj,s underscores the importance of these
earnings in the growth of cNP and in the increased capacity go spend of lhe people
in the terrrtories. In addj.tron, tf the increased spending vrere on tocalty
produced outputs, it' could be said tha! these earnj.ngs would contribute to econonrc
growthi but, si.nce they fi,nance tmports from Israel, lhe eftect is lost in the
terri,tories. Thus the growth rn GNp and the resuLting increases in private
consunpeion are externally generated and not the resuLt of or cause for econonic
developmenl vriehin the terr i tor ies.
l0l. The consultants were not ab].e to oblain data on distribution of incotne either
between Israelr and Palestinian residents of the occupred terrilories, or anrong Palestinians at different income levels. Israeli data on disposable private income
and private consunption expenditures in the lerritories are not disaggregated by
group ( I srael i/palestinian, or incorne group).
102. In sum, it' has been the pollcy of Israel to encourage econonic linkages
between its economy and that of the West Bank and caza in a selecti.ve nanner. The
sale of Israeli products in the territories has been unhanpered, r{htle entrance of
goods from the West Bank and caza into Israel j.s subjec! to stri.ct linj.tations.
The brrdges connecting the EasC and West Banks of the .fordan River have been kept
open, uhder selective controls. The enplol.ment of workers from ghe CerritoEies in
Israel has been encouraged. The subcongracting of work by Israeli firns to
individuals and firns in the West Bank and caza has been pernitted, while
development of inlrastructure and indusery has been inpeded. This polrcy, conbined
with those of expropriation and confiscation of land, control of riager resolrrces,
and restrictron on agrrcultural actrvity, has deternined the nature of the econony
of the territories as conplenedtary to and dependent on the econony of Israel.
.L03. consequently, a signrf j.cant number ot pa.l_estinians enigrate, as illustrated in
table 15. Posi.tive nigration occurred only in 1969 and 1973 in the West Bank and
1973 in Gaza, AIi other years register enrgration at rates ranging froll'i. 2.2 to
2.4 per thousand in the West Bank and fron 4.7 to 11.5 in caza. Emigration has
increased srnce 1980 in both territories. A view expressed by nany of the
officials contacted by Che consuLtants was that lhe occupatron policies in the
terricorles are deslgned, as a vrhole, to prornote the emigration ot pa1esEinians and
thus nake the colonization of the Iand by Israel easier. The lower rates of
emlgration fron Gaza ret'lect not only the distance trom .Iordan, but aLso the 1e9al
difficultj.es for Gazans to travel due to the fac! that they are not entitled to
Passports recognized by the counlries of destination.
I04. Enlgratj.on has been particularly high anong males aged .14 to 25, as this group
tends to seek employment in the Arab countries. This selective pattern of
emigralion affects the denographic structure of the population. By increasing the
percentage of women in childbear.rng age reLtive to the total populatj.on, it nay
sustain relatively high rates of natural increase, even in the face of declining
fercility. It arso contributes to increasrng the number of dependants per wage
earner: dependency ratios, consequently also to a sloirer rise in the standard of
Irvr.ng. !'ina1Iy, it has led to lower labour force partlcipation rates,
particularly in the West Bank.
A/39./233
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Tab]e 15, Migration, llest Bank and Gaza, 1967-198I
West Bank Gaza
Nurnbe r l€te per 1000 Number Rate per 1000
19 67
.t 968
r969
1970
I9 7I
t972
19 73
L97 4
19 75
L97 6
L977
r978
19 79
t 980
I9 8I
-r3 000
-15 800
+ I 300
- 5 000
- 2 500
-7200
+ 300
- 2 800
-I5 I00
-r4 400
-I0 400
- 9 400
-12 600
-r7 300
-r5 700
2L.8
27.O
2.2
4.1
.5
4.2
22,5
2L.2
L4.7
13. 4
21.6
-12 300
-32 300
-2900
-3300
-2400
- 4 000
+ r 700
-1900
- 3 500
-4200
- 2 900
-4700
- 4 800
-5100
- 5 300
32.0
ll1.)
8.I
9.0
5.5
r0. 4
4.3
6.5
r0. 3
10. 3
II. 3
.r.t. 5
Sourc€: Lr.tan Sabatello, The populatj,ons of Che Adninistered Territories:
some Dernog r aph rc Trends and Irnplications, (,terusalen, West Bank Data }3ase
Project, l-983), tabt-e 10, p. 29 A.
.J-05. Wrth respect to future inpact, j.t seens apparent that the central questions
are not econonlc. Ye! the new interrelationships developed betneen the Cerritorres
and the economy of Israel in the context of, expanded settlenents are j.nportant.
106. Freeing ot sizeable nunbers ot workers tron agricultural arld induseraal
occuPation r.n the West Bank and caza and lherr consequent enployment ]'n Israel is
the most ilP6rtant aspect of Che new relationship, which has been characterized as
ohe of dependence. If present trends of expropriatioh of tand and water resources,
prohibition or restriction of specif ic cultures, Iinitations to induatrial
developnent, and incengrves for PalestinJ.ans to seek wage-emplo!'nent j.n Israel
contrnlre' it nay be expected that the com|luting labour force nould continue to
increase' at the expense of a further shrinking agrlcuLtural work force. If
Present policies on production and exports of agrlcultural produce also continue,
the exPosure to the nore advanced fsraeli technology and to the Israeli market
ttou1d create pressure to increase and diversify agrrcultural ouq)ut. Honever, if
ylz#)i,
Ing.]'ish
Page 43
supPressing agrlcultural develq)ment ls, as is clained by nany authors, an Israelr
goal' then it would iq)Iy additional restrictions and controls to achieve this
goal. The possibility of lncreased numbers of Palestinians yielding to frustraeion
and leaving the lerrilories nay b contemplated. On the other hand, the potentia.L
for development through the mobilization of the groning wage-Iabour class and the
nore technically arrare peasantry must also be considered. In this eventuality, the
issue of Che presence of the Israeli settlernents would still retnain.
VI. IMPACT OT' ISRAELI SETTIJT4ENTS ON THE SOCIAT LIFE AND
RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OF TIIB PAI.ESTINIAI./S
107. The novenent of an increaslng nutnber of Israelis ihto the settlements that
have been and are being set up j,n the occupied terri.tories is affecting adversely
the social life and disrupting the daily activities of the pa]-estinians in the
territorj.es. What is occurring rs the energence ot t9,o societies, each distinct
fron the other in tnatters of culture. religion, language, customs, outlook,
attrtudes and behaviour, .l.he situation is further aggravated by certain other
factors tha! nake peaceful coexistence nore difficult. The Israeli seltlements
contarn only Jelrs, since non-Jewrsh Israeli.sT for instance Arab Israelis, are not
admitted !o then. U4/ this tends to segregate even nrcre the Israelis in the
setllenents tron the nerghbouring palestinran connunj.ties and hinders any
neaningful relationships arrsing be tween theru. That the setllenenls are usually
Iocated, particularl-y in non-urban areas, on high ground overlookihg che
countryside, are fenced in and have their entrances guarded, often from a
watchtoner, nake lhe presence of the settl-ementa even nore forbidding to the
residents of the nearby palestinian villages.
108. The Palestinaans view the fsraeli settlers as intruders in a land in which
they have 1lved and farned for generations and centuries, lrho have usurped their
space and are exploiting their resources to saeisfy a Life styl,e quite different
from their own. The Israeli settlers, on the other hand, perceive the Palestinians
as an alien group of people in a Iand nhich, according to the pronouncenents of
thei.r .Leaders, is conaidered part of the Israeli fatherland. lI5,/
109. The current policy of establishing settlernents in clusters in proxinity to
Palestinian conmuniCies has tended to increase the tension between the palestinians
and the IsraeLi s€ttlers. The tension has been highest and the incidents of
controntation nost nunerous in those areas where the Israeli settlements coll|I)rise
members of radrca]- retigi.ous groups, such as in Hebron and Nablus.
II0. The permissioh grahted to the Israeli settlers to carry arms and to be
involved in niaj.ntaining lavr and order has had a direct impact on the nornal
day-to-day activities of the Palestinians. According to residents of the West Bank
vrsiting ArurEn, I{ho r{rere intervieeed by the consultants. the streets in palestinian
villages ahd towns are deselted after nightfaLl. people confine thenselves to
their hones, fearr.ng to 90 out rest they be a@osted by either the armed settlers,
the police or arny personnel on patrol, asked to show their idenlity papers and
questroned at Length. The presence of a group of armed sett.Lers in a narket p.l,ace
ot on patrol is sufficient cause for palestinians to becone apprehensive of any
4...
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encounter ' hora,ever peaceful it n19ht be. While the Israelt setElers are free to
npve as they please and are ab.Le Co pursue therr social and cultural interescs
nithout any hindrances, the Palestinians are subjected to frequent curfews. The
need to obtaln permissroh fron the occupying authori,ties to hold neelings, vJhlch is
often denied, and the close supervision exercised over Ehe acti.vities of
Palestinian institutions and organizations in the oocup ied territories has further
curtar.led lhe social and cultural activities of the Palestinian residents.
IlI. The Israeli settlers, in the exercise of their role as naintainers of Iaw and
order and having the sr4)por t of the nilitary authorities administerlng the
territories, have been khown to exceed their powers and harass Palestinian6
individually as weII as collectively. For j.nstance, the Ha'areez of 15 May l98l
reported that Rabbi Kahane had adnitted that menbers of his group fron Kiryat
Arbata have arned patrols in the streets of Hebron, check identity papers and enter
houses rdhich had once belonged to Jerrs in order to get the Palestinian occ upants to
leave. Nurnerous incidents have also been reported in the press of settlers
harassing farmers and interfering in their farming activities on the grounds that
the land they r^'ere h,orkrng on bel-onged to the settlenent. Such incidents have been
most conmon rn lhe Etzron B.Lock area between Hebron and Jeruslaem. 116,/
lL2. Incidents of slone throh,ing as an expression of resistance to the occupation,
usually by Palestinian youths, have brought about severe reprisals by Israe.Li
settlers in thej.r role of guardians of law and order, l'hese reprisals have been
usual-Ly di.rected against educatronal inst.itutrons and have otten led to
interference 1n their funct.ioning and disruption of classes. A particulally
serr.ous incrdent presunabl-y rn retaliati.on for a slone throwlng incident' reported
during the past year, was che attack by nasked gunmen, believed to be settlers, on
Hebronrs Is.]-anr,c University in the ]ast week of iluly 1983, when three students were
killed and 33 injured. l-17. on another occasion, fotlowing an incident in phich a
minrbus carrying chil"dren fron the settlernent a! Yattir to school in Klryat Arbara
was stoned near a PaLestinian school in Hebron, settlers travelling on the bus as
guards broke into the school f j.ring shots into che air. After farl-i.ng to catch the
youths they suspected of the attack, they detained the headnaster and look hrn
first to Kiryat Arbara and then to the local rnilitary authorities. subsequently,
the army ordered the schooL closed for a nonth. lI8/
113. with the increase in the number of settlements. Palestinlan schools' including
those rnanaged by UNRWA for refugee children, situated close to the roads frequented
by traffrc to and from lhe settlenents, have beeh subjecled to nany harassments by
settlers in their efforts to curb stone throwing by students. There have been
nunerous instances when seltlers, usualty arned, have entered these schools.
disrupting classes in order to question students, taking sone students alray for
further questioning and closing the school for a f,ew days until inquiries were
coltpleted. As far as the UNRWA schools are concerned. suggestions have been nade
by the nrlrtary authorj,tj.es lhae concrete walls, two netres high, should be built
al"ong the length of the school facing the road, or that the school should be
reLocated away fron the road. I19/
lI4. Interference in religious pl-aces and rrith religlous performances has increased
and enlarged in scope in recent years. The nunerous incidents involving the
A,/ 39 / 233
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A1 Aqsa Mosque in .rerusalem hav€ been wj.dely publicj.zed, the latest being on
27 January 1984, when a cache of handjrenadel and exprosives r.rere discovered in
the rslani.c cemetery abutting the Mosque and the guards a! the Mosque had arso
discovered tadders and ropes dangling over the waLL. !!!./ Anolher holy place that
has been the scene of frequent confrontagioh betrreeh parestinran l,tusrims and rsraeli ,rens i.s the Patriachrs cave at Hebron, Jews have been allowed access to
the (5ve to hold prayer neetrngs at which timee the Arab Muslins mus! keep away. rn tact, access by Mua]-iJns to the cave has b€en progressively curtailed. According to the Hararetz ot 11 Septenber and Al Falr of 1g Septenber I9g3, lhe Civrl
Admrhistration in the we6t Eank had uposed restri.ctrons oh Musiin prayers during
the .Iewrsh holidays (the .Jewish Nerrr yearrs Day, the Day of Atonenent, ehe Feast of
the Tabernacles, and the Rejoicing of the I€w) al]' occurring over a period of three
weeks in Septenber.
ll5. A nurnber of viorent atcacks agarnst r{usriJn as well as chrlstian religrous places have beeh wideLy reporEed during the past year. These have rnc].udtd the
stabbing of tvo nuna in lhe convent of the Russian orthodox church in .r€rusalemi
the planting of explosive devices in noaques at }lebron and Nabtus, in a ChrrsEran
church at Bethany and a Russian Orghodox church at Ain Haren near Jerusalemi and
Che burning of the Ubrary of the Angtican Church in Jerusatem. !?V Tbese incidents have been attributed to rsraeli groups, such a6 the so-calred .Terror
Agalnst Terror', group, whrch have emerged in Jerusalem and the occup ied territories
and whoae inteht, according to .fordanian and palestinian sources, is to harassp
inCinldate and terrorize palesttniana, In coq)elling them to leave the territori.es, thra connection, the Israeli Chief of, Staff, !4oshe Levy, reportedly told a
Knesset Connittee that he di.d not know if a Jewish underground existed rn the territorie€, but he could not rule out the possibility that n sotne dangerous
novement is underway". J.22,/
ll5- The refugee canps have been the targets of, freguent interference by settrers
and tniritary personnel, rrho believe that the canp residents are crosery involved in
incidents of, unrest, denronstrations and stone throvring. W The lntert'erences
bave been most grave in those camps irrhich have been earnErked in connection irith
the plans being prepared by the Government of Israel to relocate the refugees, such as Dheisheh and Ja.lazun,
-1I7. The excessea connitted b!. the Israeli settlers in the West Bank in their dealings rr,i th Palestinian residents and the laxity of the law enforcement
authorities in pursuihg these cases red to the appointment by the coverrunent of Israel, rn l-981, of what has cone to be known as the Karp Comisaion. The
Connissron I a report a'as re.Leased recently, tl|clre than 20 rDnths afler its
presenlation to the Mrnister of ,Juati.ce. In ita report, the Comlission rnentions that the civirran porice are hindered in their inveseigati.ons into crinihal
offences because of the pressure brought to bear by the I'rrlitary Goverrulent for the
release of pergons detained for gue€tioning. The report al-so describes lhe settlers as retusing to co-operate ryith the po.J.tce and the distrj.ct attorney and
concludes that the current situatioh contained 'rthe beginnrngs of a dangerous
process t{hose end is di.ff icult to foresee,,. I24,/
A/ 39 / 233
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U8. The proglessive increase in the nuDer of Israelis living in the occup ied
territorres is bound to aggravate the current contlicts between then and the
Palestinian residents in the pursuit of their daily activities. The Paleslinians
feei that the establishnen! of Israelr setttements in ciose proxinity to therr
loh'ns and villages and often aurrounding then is intended to preven! then frorn
rnaintaini.ng close ties with their neighbouring communities. Moreover, the frequent
security checks which are carried out both by the security forcea and the settlers,
and the curfens frequently imPosed, are seriously affecting therr sense of
solr.darrty and social cohesion. This wj.ll be further affected by the intentions of
the Goverrunent ot Israel !o disperse the refugees in the Present camps' tihich are
Iocated close to Palestinian popuLated areas.
lI9. A conparison of the standards ot social servj.ces avarlable to the Israeli.
settlers with thoae avallable Eo the Palestinians becomes difficult in the absence
of factual data regarding the former. However, based on enpirical observation and
infornatj.on trotn secondary lrources, lt can be stated that the clusCering of Iaraeli
settlenents has made it eaBier to provlde the seetlers tith facilities ac a level
adequate to neet their needs ln education and health and thei'r social and cullural
interests, The larger settlements have their own tnedlcal clinics, kj'ndergartens
and facilities for social and cultural activities, The smaller or under-populated
sectlements are provided with the neans and facilities to IrEk€ use of chese
Services available at lhe rural centres and regi,ona.L towns. The road networks that
are being establj.shed to interconnect the segtlenents and provj.de access to
metropolitan centres in Israel, enable the settLers to use educationa.L and health
services and to pursue therr 6oc i.a]' and cultural activi.Cies nilhout any
inpedinents. In regard to educacion, welfare and religi,ous services, the standards
aPplied to the segtlements r'n the West tsank are satd to be nore generous than in
Israel proper. !3V these' as well as heaJ-Eh services, are provlded exclusrvely
for the benetit of the settlers, 'enphasj.u ing the segregation of the Israelis ahd
PalesCinians living ih the territories.
I20. where the Palestinians are concerned, it is knovrn that their educational
institutions are often overcrov.rded, and there are shortageg of equipnent and
teaching personnel. therr activitj.es are frequenlly interlupted by curf,ens lnpoged
on the Iocal ity ' closure because of suspected stone throvring by the studentar and
classes are often disrupted by security forces and arned settl-ers enEering in
search of alleged stone lhrowers. As far as medical servlces are concerned' the
system available to the Palestinians is considered inadequate and is oft€n affected
by shortage of nedica]- personnel and equipment and lack of medical supplles.
According to the reports of the special cornmi ctee of Expelts appointed by the world
Health Organ1zation, 'dhich visits the occupied territories annually to study the
health conditions of the inhabitants, the inProvements made to the health services
are far fron adequate co neet tbe needs ot a growing populalion and to reflect the
advancenents nade 1n nedical sclence. Efforts by Iocal Palestinian groups to
provide fiIore facilrties and ill{)rove servrces have often been thwarted b!7 the
adninistering auehoriti€s, an exanFle being the refusal by the (bvernment ot' Israel
to approve the construction of a new hospitsal in Hebron which had been initiated
through voluntary ettorl. !29/
A/ 39 / 233
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VI I. IMPACT OI' ISRAELI SETTI,TT.4ENTS (N THE .'UIJICIAI AND I.OCAI
@VERNITENT SYSTE&IS IN THE @CUPIED TERRIT9RIES
121. An anornalous situation has emerged in the occupied territories of the West
Bank and Gaza where people occupying a conulon territorial space are governed by two
different Judici.a1 and local government systems. L4/ ThLs has come about rvith the
steady increase in Israeli settlenents established j.n the territories and the
progressrve applrcation of Israeli. 1aw to the residents of these settlements, whiie
the Palestinians continue to be subjected to Jordanian law and the Defense
Regulatlons ot L945 enacted by the British mandatory authorrties, boeh tn force at
the time of Israeli occupation in 1967, which have b€en amended since by military
orders rssued from tine to titne by the lqilltary Cornnand administerihg lhe
territor ies.
l-22. According to a report prepared by the Ministry of Occupied TerriEories Affaira
of Jordan !:9/ an attenpt is nolr being made to formalize and factJ-itate the
aPpli.cation of Israel-i law to che occupr.ed terrltories through a Knesset resolueion
of 2 January 1984 approvrng two laws. One of the lahrs 1a applied to the Jewish
settlers, r,hiLe the emergency ]-alr used by the British Mandate in 1945 conCinues to
be applied to the Arab crtrzehs. 't'he nen laws pernj,t the Israeli authoritres the
right to apply the articles of the civil l-aw and the penal larv in the occupied
territories, rt the .1,e9 aI Oonmittee of the Knesset approves it, wlthout recourse to
a l(nesset vote.
123. Since the occupaeion, the Military Conmand has j.ssued nore than a thousand
Orders, most of then amending .lordani.an law, Violati.ona of these are tried in
military courts, alchough they are deened to be anendments to Jordanian lavrs. The
judgenent of the nilitary courts cannot be appealed. The lvlilitary Conunand aJ-so
issues from time to tine Orders whrch are applic;ble to the settlers or ttre
settlements. Violations of these as h,el.l as of Israeli laws appLicable to the
settlers are tried in the Israeli courls.
124. .l3eginning in 1979, the settl-ements have been incorporaged into local and
regional councils by the extension of the Israeli nunicipal lai to Chern. This was
done through the issue ot l{j.Iitary Orders No, 783 of 20 l4arch 1979 and No. 982 of
I !,Iarch 1981, Nee settlements are eligible for incorporation as Local councils if
they are urban sett.l,ements or as menbers of a regional council if they are
non-urban. Their method of incorporation and their funclions are sinilar to those
of municipa]. and regional councils in Israel. The Israeli settlerDents in the West
Bank and Gaza have, therefore. elected self-governing bodies enpowered !o issue
by-1aws and having jurisdiction over those natters vrhrch cone within the purviev, of
the municipal law, including planning tor tbe territorial space assj.gned t'o then.
Thrs rncludes not only the land a.Llotted to them drrectly but also land seized for
rnj,lrtary use and land declared as rrstate domain". ]29,/
I25. there have ari.senf theEefore, in the Weat Bank and Gaza two systems of ,local
governnent and adtninistralion, one conprising the Israeli settlenents operating
under IsraeLi nunj.cipal Iaw and Ehe other conlI)rising the Pa.Lestinian towns and
vr.L1ages operatrng under f,olmer Jordanian law as anended by niJ-rtary orders. While
the aettlenent councils are subjec! to the due process of ].aw for any omissions or
M39/233
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conmissions, the Palestinran councils are subject to unrlatera.L aceion by the
adnrnr.stering authority ih the territories either by military order or surunary
action, as in the case of the disni,ssal of mayors and dissolution of the elected
counclls by the Clvil- Mmrniseration a few years back. While the powers and
functions of the Palestinian toyrns and villages are berng restri.cted or curtailed'
for examp.Le, rn matters such as lhe rssue of building pernits and lhe collection of
Caxes, those of the Israeli, settlernents and therr resldents are being expanded
through legislation that is enacted in the Knesset or through nilitary orders
extendj.ng Israeli law to them. I30/
126. Inplications for the future of the present polic!' ot having a dual systen of
Iocal government and administration in Ehe occupied territories of the West Bank
and Gaza are tlrof o]-d. The steady increase in the number of settlements and Che
tendency of the occupyi ng aulhorities to confiscate more and more land, which rviu
be allotted to then, will progressively reduce the territorial space that h,i]'.l
renain under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian tovrn and villages. The fact that
the Israeli secglenents, through their counci.Ls, are involved in high level
decisions pertaining to inf rastructuraL, l-egal, economic, seculity, Iand and water
rnatters in the territories and that they, through the "Council of Jewish
settlenents in Judaea and samariarr, forn a powerful Lobby at central, Governnent
Ievel, will further erode the porrers and functions of.the Palestinian torrna and
villages j.n these natter s.
Notes
y See appendix I-A for settlenents in the West Bank and Gaza.
Z/ Reply received by the Special Committee to Investiage Israeli Practicea
Affecting the Human RighLs of the Population in the Occupied Territories from lhe
Government of Jordan (A/8089), annex V, pp. 4 and 7. See also appendix f-A of the
present document.
3-/ Yigal Allon' "Israel: the case for defensible borders", Foreiqn Affairs
Review' voI. 55, No. I (october f976) , pp, 38-53. See also che statenent of
Mr. Raymond Tanter, Professor of Potitical Science, University of Michigan, in his
testj.mony before the Subcorimittee on International Organizations and on Europe and
the Middle East of the House Committee on fnlernationaL Rel?tions, 95th Cohg,,
Lst sessron, 12 and 2I Septenber and L9 October 1977 (Washington, D.C., (bvernment
Printing Off j.ce, f978), p. 55.
!/ Report of the Special Conunittee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Atfecting the Hunan Rights of the Populati.on ot the Occupied Territories, (A/8389) , pp, 27-32.
2/ Jerusalen Post, 20 JuIy 1972,
V Hararetz, 24 Jtrly 1974.
Z/ Jerusalen Post, 5 March 1971.
A,/ 39/233
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Page 49
Notes (continued)
y See statements by Mr. Ariel sharon, reported in the Jerusalen l,ost, Il November 1977, and by Mr, weissman in Hararetz, t3 March 197b.
2/ The Goverrunent's decision to aIlovr the cush Emunim to set up- sett.renents in arny camps nas reported in the .lerusalen post, 2 Decenber 1977. and AI euds, 2 December 19 ?7.
&/ Jerusalen post , 7 laay l-g7g.
!L/ covernmen! of Israel, xFron the Knesset,,, press release (Jerusalem,
covernment Press Off,ice, 14 t4arch 1984).
!2/ Ma'ariv, 6 .ruLy 1977.
!1/ covernment of Israel, "Facts about Israel,,r Uini.stry of Foreign Affairs,
Intornation tj1vrslon (1966) , p. 101.
!!/ t'tarariv, 14 August l_9?4.
!!/ l"lararrv, 14 August 1975.
!9/ l1nes (London), l-6 May l.9g0t Asha,b and AI euds, 19 May 19g0.
n_/ Asharb and AI lttihad, t9 and 23 septenber 1980.
g/ Jerusalem post, 14 February 1979, A] Ittihad, 20 February L980.
P/ Governnent of Israel ,'Fron the Knesset',, press release (Jerusalen,
covernment press office, l-4 t4arch l9B4),
n/ Hararetz, 12 t4arch 1980i lla'aretz, G .fune 1978.
2!/ Hararetz, 3l January 1977.
?4 Offl.ce of the Crovrn prince of the Hashenite Kingdom of Jordan, 'IsraeLi colonization of Arab lands', (Anunan, August I9g3) r €lnn€x table L.
22/ Washihgton Post, 12 septenber 1982 as referred to in Office of the Crown Prlnce of the Hasher0ite Kingdom of .tordan, ',Israelr co]-onization ,..,,, p. g.
2!/ Lfrat, "Paltern of Jewrsh and Arab settlements in Judea an<l sanaria',, Danrei Elazar, ed., in Judea, Sanaria, and caza: Vj.ews on the preseht and I'uture
(Washrngton, D.C,, LgAZ), Anerrcan I
2!/ IbLd,, p. 22.
Ibid. , pp. 18, 2.1- and 23.
A/39/233
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!91!€ (continued)
4/ Melon lJ€hvenisti, "The lcest llank ano Gaza Data Base Projectt pil'ot atudy
report', presented to the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C. (1982),
pP. 35-36.
4/ rb:x!., p. 5s.
P/ I!i9., P. ss.
39/ Ibid., p. 57.
1-v &:.{., p. ss.
32/ Ibia., pp. 37 and 38.
21/ rbid.
4/ Hashenite xingdom of .tordan, "R€port presented to che IrNcEs delegation,
for Perj.od February 1983 to February I984r, Mini6try of OccuP i.ed Territories
Affairs (Annan), pp. 9-I0. Unoffi.cial translatlon.
!!/ Uhited Nations presa release (PAI.,/I534), 14 Decenber 1983.
39/ Al-Harualshmar (hewspaper in lGbr€w), 27 Novenber 1983, as referred to in
Otfrce of the crqn Plince of the Hashenite Kingdom of \tordan, "UNRFA in ,Jo!dan:
current sltuation" (Anftan, rlanuary 1984), p. 5.
37_/ United Nation6 prea6 releaae (PAL,/1534), 14 Decenber 1983.
39/ Hash€nite Kingalom of, ,tordan, Mlnletry of occupied Terrltories Affairs,
uReport pres€nted to ul,IcHS ...' pp. 2-5.
32/ ru:isl., P. I0.
!p/ see Hararetz, 4 August 1983, reporting the reoults of, a survey conducted
in .luly L983.
!!J Uniteo Natrons Conference on Trade and Develcrptnent, rPalestlne: opcions
for development" (rD/ts/ga},, report by P. G. Sacller and B. Abu xishk, U May 1983,
p. 5, para. 12.
!.2/ BenvenisEi' op. clt., p. 25.
g/ UlrcTAD, opr cit. p. 19, para. 50.
!!/ rbid., p. .L9, paras. 49 and 53.
!9/ J. schwart?, "I{ater resourcea in .tudea. sanaria, and the Gaza strip", ln
Elaza!, ed., op. clt., p. I00.
A/39/233
a/Le84/79
EngIish
Page 5r.
E!€ (continued)
!s./ ul,lcTA-D, "Palestines options ... "; p. 33.
!J/ Efrat, gP:l:l!!., p, 22.
!9/ office of the Crorrn Prince of th€ Hashemlte t( ingdon of .rordan, rlsraeli
colonization ...", p. 15.
!2/ UNCTAD, rPa]'estlne: options ...", p. 4I, para. 90.
50/ verbaL evidence presented to the consuLtant6 by the offlclals of the
office of the cronn Prince of the Haahemlte Kingdon of Jordanr 23 February 1984.
Ey office of the Crorrn Prince of the liashenite Kingdom of ,Iordan, nlsraeli
coLonizatj.on ..,", pp. 16 and 17.
521 Statistical, AbsCract of Israel, 1983' table XXI|II-/?3 ' p. 749.
t2/ see for exarPLe: Efrat, gp.:l:I!., P. 23, on educational and health
servlces and supply of utilities to settlernentst Offlce of the Croln Prlnce of the
dashemite Kingdon of .fordan, "Israeli colonization ...", Pp. 9 and I0, on the
rnagniCude of, the Governnent of Israel'a subs rdy to the settlenentst Benvenlsti.
op. clt. PP. 53-52, on the planning and deaign of l€raeli settlenentat and on subsrdized houstng, the tegtinpny of Dr. Iarael shahak, Profeasor, Hebrew
Unlversity, Jerusalen, before the Subcorurittee on Inurlrgration and Naturallzatron of
the Senate Corulittee of .Judiciary, 95th Cong., first session on the quegtlon of
west Eank setllementa and the treatment of Arabs in the Israell-occupied
terrrtories, Octob€r I7-LB L977, (Waahington, D.C.r U.S. Cioverntr€nt Printlng
off i.ce, L978'l , p. 7.
tll Edited b'y lihile A. Nakhleh and published by Alerlcan Enterpriaes
rnst.itute for Publlc Policy Research (waahington, D.c. 1980), P. 116.
E/ see in particular, special conmitcee r€porta of th€ Paat flve years
(A/33/356, 13 l.lovenb€r )-9?8, A/34/63, 13 Novenber 1979, A/15/a25, 6 octob€r 1980,
M35/579, 26 october I98Ir and A/37/485. 20 october 1982).
!9/ Reported ln Ha raretz and !4!Ij!g, 13 and l{ Decenber 1983, aa rePorted
by the Special Cotnnittee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affectlng the Hunan
Rights of the PopuLation of the occuPied 'terrltories in deunent A/AC.Ns,/R.276,
29 Decenber 1983, para. 20. See also ltaahenite Kingddl of ilordan, Mlnlatry of
occupied lErritorres Attairs, "r€port preaented to IrNcHs ..." pp. I anal I7.
!1/ For the inPact of settlenents on land, aee chaP. Iv, sect. A of, the
Preaent rePort.
g/ chap. IV, sect. B, of the present report detaits the methods and lI|E act
of Israeli control of water resourceg.
,...
A/ 39/233
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Page 52
Notes (continued)
59-/ offrce of the crown Prince of the Hashenrite Kingdom of .tordan, "Israeli
colonization ...rr.
!0/ In Raja Shahadeh, "Jeeish settlenents in the occuPied West Bank: how the
rand was acquired for their use and how they are structureddr PaPer Preaented at
the eighth United Nations ser0inar on the Question of Palestine, 9-13 May 1983,
Jakarta, Indonesia' organized by the Divi.sion of PaLestinian Rights on the therne.
"The Inalienable Rights of the PaLestinian Peoplec.
S!/ offrce ot the crorrn Prince of the Hashemice hingdon of .fordan, "Israeli
colonization ...", p. f4.
52/ rbid.
91/ Antoine lilansour, Palestine: une 6conornie de rdsistance en cisiordanie et
i caza, (Paris, Editions IrHarnattan, 1983), p. 14I.
92/ United Nations, special coru0ittee to Investigate IsraeLi Practlces
Affecting the Human Rights of the Populatron of the occupied tbrritories, "Sumrmry
of reportsn (A/AC.I45/R.273), 14 November 1983.
52/ office of the crown Prj.nce of the Hashetnite Kingdon of Jordan' "Israeli
colonization ...", p. 4,
99_/ r bid .
57/ rbid.
9!/ A review of the "open border" poLicy is found in Brian van Arkadie,
tsenefits and Burdens: A Report on the l,test Bank and Gaza Strip Ecorionies Since
12-g.Z (lew York' carnegie bndoh'men! for Inlernational Peace, 1977), chap. 1.
92/ For exanple, by Benvenisti, op. cj.t,
19-/ David Kahan, Aqriculture and Water in the lfest Bank and Gaza, ('Jerusalen.
West Bank Data Base Project, 1983), table 43, p. 79.
J!/ lnlornatlon obtai.ned lrom "Survey of the manufacturlng rndustry in the
West Bank and Gaza strip*, report prepared by P. G. sadler, V. Kazi and E. Jabr for
the United Nations lndustrial DeveLq)nen! organization, JuJ.y 1983.
l2/ "survey of the manufacturing industry ...", pp. 3 and 4 and L9-2I.
J)/ xahan' op, cit., P' l.
l!/ See, for exarple, Brian Van Arkadie, op. cit,, pp. 88-95.
A/39/ 233
ij/1984/79
8rt91l€h
Page 53
IEIE (continued)
19 Office of the Crown prince of the Hashemite Kugdorn of alordan, trIsraeli
colonization ,..', p. 11.
!l/ UNCTAD, "palestines options ...n, p. 35,
l!/ For further explanation of this point, see Brlan Van Arkadle, 9p. cit.,
Pp. 33, 34, 80 and BI.
12/ Flgures calcutared frotn staristlcal 4betlgs$ll9.Iggll_lg.qL, tables XXVII,/IO anal XXVII/II
g/ The growth of iq)orta and exportg ts not as relevant to the arguDent as the rerative uportance of the different narketa, trh ich 1s il-lustrated oy taute s.
g/ Interftional Iabour
Director ceneral, appendix III, p, 26.
92/ Ibid., p. 27.
91/ Mansour, s. cit., p. 59.
9.!/ See for exaflple, Najwa Makhoul, .Change ln the erp}ol.ruent structure of
Araba-in laraelr, 1n .'ournal of palestine St,udles, vol.. XI, No. 3 (Spring I9g2), pp.77-102.
!2/ r4akhoul, Ioc. cir.
93/ _ @!g!!9l3!-]!-!9gr conference, stxty-ninth €e66ion, 1983, Report of th€ Dlrector-General, appendix III, p. 40.
y/ Ibid., p. 27.
W Ibid., p. 4I.
99/ Office of the Crown prince of the H,ashemite Kingalom of Jordan, ilsraeli
colonizatlon ...,, p. 18, items 2 and 5.
29/ Fisch, op. c j.r., p. 74.
U rro, op. cit., tr)p. 27 and 28.
z/ rbid.
2!/ rbid.
2!/ Ibid., p, 2e.
A/ 39 / 233
E/1984/79
English
Page 54
9!g (continued)
E/ On this subject, "illegal" recruitment of chi'ldren as norkers' lhere have
been numerous reports ]'n Arab periodical literature' and research,papers have been
prepared by a number ot oigitti"ations' e'9' International Labour organisation (not
availabre to the consult;;i;t; il conualtiee for the Defense of Palestinian Hunan
Rights under Israelr ar""op"iiott, Slave !'[arketst The Exploltation of Paleslinran
chj.ldren bv Israel (Beirut, May 1979) '
g/ some autrlors Put the Proportion aE high as 75 per cent' e'g' M' lti' xhouja
and P. G. sadler' tn anai. a.Ioit,- P,.pated for Ul'lCfi\D ' "Review of che econonic
condllionsofthePalegtinianPeoPleintheoccuPiedArabterritoxLes",(ID/B/a?o|,
26 Aug usg 1981.
2J/ see, for exarq)Ie' IIo, q: slUq., p' ZZ, ana Benvenisti' op' cit"
pp, 7 and I'
9!/ Ilo, op. cit. PP- 35 and 37.
g office of the crowh Prince of the ltaahemite Kingdon ot ilordan' "rsraeli
colonization ,..", P. 15.
Hashemite Kingdon of Jordan, MlniatrY of Labour, rftectg oq lsragli
a9/ ,,? .^h^i ri.lns in the Arab occup ied Te!! lle
PT
aturfne fggg (JanuarY 1984). Unoffic translation.
$l/ ltansour, op. cit., chap. Iv.
LO2/ office of the croHn Prince of the gashetnlte Klng'lon of Jordan' rrrsraeli
colonization ...', PP. 16 and 17.
!92/ Meron BenveniEti' rsraeli Rore in qhe west Bank' Legir ald - 44ministralive
aspliTs, (Jerusalen, west Ba;T;;Ea BaseEoject, 1983), PP' r7 and 18'
!9!/ Benvenisti, op. cit., p. 16.
LO5/ rbid.
L99/ The civilian adniniseration Has created by tuilitary order 947 of
8 Novenber 1981, to taxe over the powers of the military adninistration in civilian
nalters. In acguality rt is subordinate to the Milltary comnander of the Defense
Forces' who al4)ornts rts Head. see l"leron Benvenisti' "israeli ttole ""'' pp' 19-32'
ry/ shahadeh, 9E-9i!. , P. L00.
199/ Davrd (deddr) zuckor' Avner HalPerin, zeev Haspar' Hagar Kahana'
ni,,Fr..,in, *."."'.n "l I*e" *'=el.:,1!,.1_s H'tiisrIilitl'i;iiii'il-+llt' (lel Aviv, Inttrnatronal center for Peace rn the !
n2/ -LPlg, P. 73.
A/39/233
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Page 55
ElS (continued)
n9/
!!/
Ibtd., pp. 76 a\d 77.
Ibid. , p. I0l.
!p/ rbid., p. 102,
!]]/ Theee are, ln percentage terns, the attff€renceB betteeen cNp anal cDp 1n
the West Bank and caza, respectrvely. They are accounted for by net facgor
payrn€nts fron abroad (in this case prfunarily nage lncome of palestlnians working
abroad).
I!/ See testi[pny of Dr. fsrael Shahak, professor, Hebrew Unlversity,
Jerusa.Len, IsraeL, before the Subconunittee on fruligration and Naturalizatlon of the
Comni. ttee on the iludiciary, Irnited States Senate. ninety-fifth Congregs, ftrat
session on the quescion of west Bank settlenents and the Treatment of Arabs in the
r srael i-occlpied rerrrtories, october 17 and 18, r9zz, (united states covernnant
Printing office, 1978), pp. 2 and 3.
LLs/ I!rr. Dayan as reported in l{araEetz, 24 ,Iuly I9?4 and Mr. Begln as reported in Lrltr(press, 23-29 Ftay L977.
ry/ For details of these incidentE, see "Report of the Specj.al CoDtnttee to
Investrgate lsraeli Practices Affecting the Hunan Righta oi the populatlon of the
Occq)ied Territoriest (A/36/579'r, paras. I49 to 194. Also aee state of lErael, the
RePort of the karp Comission, press bulletin (Jerusalem, 9 f'ebruary 1984).
V/ Jerusalen Post, 2 and 3 August 1983.
lL&/ Jerusalem Post, 10 November 1983.
LL2/ Inforrnation gatherecl from the United Nationg Relief and t{orks Agenqr for
Pa].eitine Refugees in the Near Bast.
!29/ Hashemite Kingdon of Jordan, Ministry of Occupleal Terrj,tories Affalrs,
'Report presented to the consultantstr.
!2)/ Theae incident€ have been docunEnted in the report pleaented to the
consultants by the ,Jordani.an Ml.nlstry of Occupteal Terrltorlea Affaira.
n2/ Jeruaalem post, and Hararetz, 14 December 19g3.
I23/ Theae and other details regardlng the rehabilltation of the refugee canpa in the West Bank appeared in Hararetz, 13, 14 and 2l Novenb€r, the .Ierueal€m poat,
2t l,bvember, and l,ra'ariv, 22 Novenber 1983. For incidents see Hararetz,
ll November , lterusalen post and Ha I aretz, 27 Novenber and AI-gi! of
25 liovenber 1983.
A/3e/ 233
E/L984/79
EngJ-ish
Page 56
Ig']!E (continued)
L24/ state of Israel, press bulletin (concluding sectlon of the I€rP report'
(.terusaLem, ? February 1984).
!E/ Benvenlsti, @. cit. , p. 47.
n9/ Horld Health organization, docurEnte A/35/L6 ana A/36/L4'
g/ For turther detailG of these isaues, see A/38/282. Paras. 5-33'
g/ Hashenite Kingdonr of alordan, uinistry of occuPied Terrltories Affalrs,
report presented to the consultantar P. L.
n2/ Benvenisti, 9fi!.. p. 45.
L3o/ &19., p. 42.
A/39/233
E/1984/19
Engllsh
Page 57
APPENDTX T
Settlements in the !{est Bank and Gaza with proJections
to tbe vear 2010
compiled by the Palestlne Liberation organlzation
Departnent of Occupied Honeland Affairs, Anunan, Jordan
A. Settlernents established fron 1967 to 1983
Settlenents
(Total
nurnbet ) l,oca t ion
Resldentlal
{dunums} unita Fanilies
G Present. 20L0 Present 2010 Present 2010
1967 t2\
Jewish quarter E. Jerusalen
Rfar Ezyon
!959 (s)
Arganan
Fafiya
Siri.at Arba
Mehola
Rarlat AshkoI
I9jg (4)
Fatazael
Rosh Zorirn
French Hlll
Eaddassa
1970 (7)
cilgal
AIon Sbvut
a4assuu
ltevo HoroD
Yitav
Atarot
!'tua1e Sfraylrn
r97r t2l
Ilamra
ti'lizpe Shalen
I9f3 (r)
Bekdut
1973 (11)
Newe Yaaqov
Ranot
GilIo
Talbl0t
san Haalrla
Glvat Shaul
Ranat Rahel
Bethlehen
Jordan Valley
Jordan va1ley
Hebron
ilordan valley
8. Jerusalern
Jordan vaIIey
Bethlehen
E. Jerusalen
E. Jeru€alem
Jordan vaIley
Bethlehem
Jortlan Valley
RanalIah
Joralan valley
E. JeruEaletn
Jordan Valfey
Jordan va1ley
Jordan ValLey
Jordan Valley
E. Jerusalem
E, Jerusalem
E. Jerusaleh
8. Jerusalen
E. Jerusalen
E. Jerugaleil
8. Jerusalen
- 40 160
- 26 160
I 700 I r00 4 000
- '10 160
- I 700
65 r20
2A 150
t8
750 15 000
39 7D Z/
s0 195 Lo1 4 250
30 80 9/ 46 80
:o :o!
264 3 000
40 l2o gj/
32 160
870
I 900
900
600
2 000
400
15 000
- 80 r20
tl
x
xx
x
xx
x
-92
- 2 400
160
720
50 809/ 20 100 v
2 300
470
1050
2 300
10 000
2 300
t 000
4 000
:
2 500
r60
- 90 120
- 272 600
- 50 160
- 48 160
- 50 120
- 61 9/
4 000 240 2 500
-60 I60
80
xx
x
x
x
- 1500 I000
- 4 500 10 000
- 3 500 5 000
::oo:
A/39/233
E/1981/79
EnqliBh
Page 58
Appendir. I-A (contlnued)
Settlenents
(Total
nunber)
Area
G Present
Residentlal
unlts Familles
Iocatlon 2OI0 Present 2010 Present 2010
!!23 (continued)
civat Eamiftai E. Jerusalen
Gittit
Mekhora
lilezr l{azani
f9zg (r)
Jordan VaIley
Jordan valley
Gaza
30
30
170
100
200 23
400 90
r52 9t 7s
45o t/ r30 2s0 73
300 27
160 26
r20 30
720 13
320 25
150 25
t60 38
250 60 tt_o
:n
250 40
2 500 I 300
3 500
'
:oo
850
1 000
:uo
270
.2600
1900
254
2 000
t 000
850
650
2 300
:'o
200
106?
100
2 000
350
320
350
900
1205
':o
120
3 000
,:o
1{00
r60
!2o tl !q
lo0 ul
2 000
80 1/
,:o
? 000
:
75 D/ 6s!
I20
320
75 1/
L20
250
'10 v
2 410
200 v 3 000
26
'20
75 e/
:on
- 300
-55
Kafar Barorn g/ Gaza
rgf: (6)
8I Azar
Oedumin
ofra
Mishor Adomin
Pezael
l.lihlag Dafna
19?6 t1)
Netiv Hagevue
I2Z (r8)
Alrnog (A) 9/
Beit El {A)
Beit EI (B)
Bethlehern
l.lablus
Ralnallab
E. Jerusalen
Jordan Valley
E. Jerusalen
Jordan valley
Jordan vaIley
Fafiallah
nanallah
xx
x 120
300
El oana Nablus
x
x
xx
xx
xx
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
,a
x
,a
x
x
x
68
42
139
t11
280
115
60
50
70
48
50
50
40
:,
80
Halamish RanalIah
xafat Ruth Fanallah
Xokhav llashahar Ratnallah
tttigdal Oz Bethlehen
li'lahan Glvon E. Jerusaletn
Nj-ran (Naaran) Jordan valley
Rehen Jenin
Rlnonim Ramall.ah
Roi Jordan val1ey
sallt Nablua
shave Shoheron Nablus
lteqoa Bethlehen
shelonzi rryon Jordan valley
B€it ltoron Ramallah
1978 (10)
Ariel
Har cirlo
- 20 000 1 010
2A4 - 80
40
100 4?r 5'l
40
2 700 - 74
Xarne Shonron l.lablus
Nablus
Bethlehetr
Jei)in
E. Jeru6alen
tilablus
Jordan valley
Hebron
Mevo Dotan
lrizpe Yer iho
l(far Tapuab
Tonef
Zohar
Shavnot llebola Jordan Valley
300
2 500
112
200
47L
160
160
50
500
20
2l
30
l8
41
^E//3r998/24/373 9
Eng1i6h
Page 59
Appendlx f-A (continued)
Settlenents
(TotaI
nunber )
Area Residential
Iocation w
ldunum6)
Present 20I0 Preseht 20r0
Farnil ies
Present 2010
!929 (s'
Atznonah
Ganeitaf
Shillo
zot i
Xefr Adurnun
Gaza
Gaza
RanaIlah
iloralan valley
E. Jerusalem
Jordan Val1ey
Ranallah
I 600
700 I 500
2.r00
2 400
3 500
1' :o
252 65
2SO E0
4 000 180
1 500 80
120 22
200
250 20
200 25
230 46
140 36 t:o :'
200 23
200 18
250 50
400 6l
300 24
210 l.s
5 000 I 200
2 000 28
200 1
160 16
104 35
250 {0
150 45
200 40
2s0 40
{00 30
:
160
5 000
1500
200
200
200
200
250
65 9,/
I20
200
,:o
2SO
,to y
r00
80
,:o
^.^
250
:
2 500
:o
100
30
250
2s0
x
710
10 000
20
124
",
2l
330
124
:o
50
30
50
44
!1!lll (11)
Belt ltaarava Jordan Valley
Efrata Bethlehem
EIon Monreh Nab1u6
Givon ltadasha E. Jerusalem
Eendat ly iroratan Valfey Homesh Nablus
oiryatin Hebron
t4aale shonron Nablus
Vered Yerlho E. iferusalen Yafit Jordan Valley
llezairn caza
x
x
x
x
x
'C
r981 (r6 )
A1no9 (B) 9/
Ateret
Bett Abba(Barkn) Nablus
Beit Arieh
civon
Hinanit
itaale Adunlm
llaale Anos
Maon
li,lattityahu
NilIi
Pesagot
Telern
Ig.ga (37)
EI David
Adura
Brakna (A)
Alfe l4ehashe
Einav
Elei Sinai
Aseel
Eshklot
Gadiv
Ganor
cinnat g/
Javat Zeev
Ranallah
B. Je!usaleh
,f,en in
8. Jerusal,en
Bethlehen
Sebron
RamaIlah
_-4 2 {5
800 s0
50 50 _ 40
- 2 800
- 60 _11
680 ,10
-40
r:o
:o
_-5 0 40
32
:'
20
35
40
t21
20
x
L
t(
1900
400
200
950
2 350
2 400
s00
t 610
2100
Uaalellikbnas Ranallah
xx
:l
x
x
x
x
Yaqir Nablus
Shaqid Jenin
Ranallah
Rarnallah
Hebron
Bethfehem
Ileb!on
Nablus
tdablus
Nablus
Gaza
RanaIIah
Ilebron
Gaza
Jenin
E. Jerusalen
Nablus
x
:a
xx 350 350
250 350
300 300
s00 I s00
200
200
2 500
':o
100
L20
164
250
2 000
250
i,
20
23
I10
x
x
Ar/39/ 233
E/79A4/79
English
Page 60
Appendlx I-A (continued)
Se!tlenents
(Total
nuhber) Iocation w
ReEidential
units Fanilles
Present 2010 Present 2010
Area
(dunums)
1982 {continued)
Rafira
!,laskiot
llo!ag
I,lulnevo
li'aana
llerare Dequlin
Negohot
libot Adonin
Ne ta fin
Netje Daniel
Ranat oialron
Samur
shaaretiqre
sheqef
Bedoloh
Eisha
Yaqin
Yatir
Yoezer
Noat Oedunin
Nisalnit
OtmleI
Rotetn
Anassa
Alnon (A)
Alron (B)
Farmel
Ennanuel
sussia
Zavta
Naaleh
ofarim (A)
E. Jerusalen
Jordan vaIley
Gaza
Jordan vafley
Jordan valley
c,aza
Hebron
Hebron
Nablu6
Bethl-ehen
Bethlehem
lrablu s
116blus
Eebron
Gaza
ilordan Valley
llebron
Hebron
NabluE
Jo!dan Valley
Ga za
Hebron
Jolalan Valley
Hebron
E. Jerusalen
E. Jerusalen
llebron
NabIu6
Hebron
Nablus
namallah
Ramal.lah
- 350
- 200
- 120
l4 60
10 120
- 250
- 2so
60
- 2 000 !_" ':'
- 200
500
-
,:.
it tuo
11 250
20 200
- 4 000
- 250
- 1100
- 2 s00
x
x
L
x
x
xxx
x
x
x
x
xx
xxxx
:t
x
5 800
3 300
170
400
200
200
2 400
r 000
400
1000
500
500
350
200
120
tao
250
150
200
2 000
230
':'
2r)n
':'
tuo
250
200
10 000
200
2 SOO
1100
2 500
70
40
70
105
5
30
880
300
B. Settlenents planned for establishnent from 1983 to 1986
S€ttlements
lTotal
nunber)
Area Residential
Present 2010
Fami l ies
Loca tlon w Present 2010
(dununs)
Pre6ent 2 010
1983-8'l (30)
Ankbi
Ataia
Atniel
DoIev
Elqana (C)
canei l4odin
canin
Caiesh
l(abirit
Bethlehen
NabIuB
Eebron
Ratnallah
Nab1u6
Ranallah
Nab1u6
llablus
lrabl u3
xxxx
x
x
ll
:a
200
200
2s0
350
r20
200
300
700
700
200
250
250
L20
200
200
300
700
700
200
250
^E//31998/213/739
EngI i sh
Page 6l
Appendix I-B (contlnued)
Settlenents
(fotaI
nulnbe( )
Area
(dunutns)
Resl.dentlal
Loca t lon G Pre6ent 2010 ptesent 2010 Pregent 2010
Fanllie6
1983-84 (continu€d)
tratzik Ranallah
Xhalilirn Hebron
llavley Yarak Nablug
trokhavEinalon Bethleben
Lev BashoiEon Nablus
Mazleh Levona(A) Nablue
uazleh Levona(Bl Nablus
llatar Nablus
Uattl yahu (B) Ranallab
x
xxx
!a
x
xxx
x
x
x
zx
x
x
:a
,a
t(
500
100
,t00
1.00
I70
200
250
400
250
450
200
250
250
800
200
200
2 000
200
250
200
500
230
250
200
200
500
230 y
400
250
,io s, :
'2o tl :
350 t:o
_
,100
250
300
2o0 y
500
35o 9/
200
250
150 y
200
250
400
450
200
250
250
800
200
200
200
250
200
250
500
250
250
200
200
200
250
r50 y
t 000
s00
500
200
I50
1000
2SO
2s0
700
4 400
200
150
250
,:o
200
200
1500
230
1200
700
TeI Falim Nablus
Zalaf
Brosh Jordan Valley
lrtgdali.n
Mikhmetat
Uizpe tehuda
llarci ss
l{ava
tle ta
Olarlft
Oranlt
Pragot
Nablua
tbbLu6
B€thlehen
NabIu6
Nablus
Hebron
tlebron
Nablus
Bethleheral
llebron
Nablus
Nablu6
lbbLus
Eeth lehem
NabIur
Eshtanoa Eebron
Reshet Yehonaton llablus
Hur Nablug
Iternesh North l.tablus
Naggtd Bettrlehen
Raha Bethlehen
1984-85 (I8)
Adoraln
Akrabit
Aviel l{eBt
Avnelkhefez
Be itar
Brukheil
x
xx
x
x
x
t(
xx
x
lt
I
,l
l(
x
x
250
150
300
50
200
I000
500
s00
200
150
Raa Carker
Telen (B)
Te! zah
turltadulun
Ratnallah
Bethl€hern
NabIus
Bethlehem
I000
250
250
700
400
200
150
250
,:o
200
200
I 500
I200
700
zik ltebron
Jewlsh quarter ttebron
198s-86 (,t)
Barakha (B)
Naaran (B)
Ofarim {B)
Rlhan (B)
!9!g (ro)
ELqana (D)
Glvat Ehud
Nablus
Jordan Valley
Ranarl'ah
NabIus
Nablus
Ranallah
!(
xx
x
A/39/233
E/L984/19
Engllsh
Page 62
Appendix I-B (continued)
settlerrents
(Tota1
nurnb€i ) Locatlon
Area Residentia:
fi.""nt 2oIO Present 2oIO Present 2010
!g!li (coDtlnued)
Har uanilakh tlebron
llernesh Nablu6
Nraba (B) Jolalan valley x
Llahal zorl tordan valley x
Nrhal zohar ltebron x
Rthanlt V
Shornoronlt V [ablus x
tete. v x
300 200
250
200
L20
':o
5 000
2 000
300
3 300
- 200
- 200
- !_20
- 250
- 5 000
- 2 000
I9ESZ (2)
Delr Xalaa
saLit (B)
N.hal ltn
Blria
Yart lt
Partl Bebron
Zur Nltan
Nablus
Nablus
llab1us
ull.ltlrv. or no lnfolmation available E/
Uarleb Yonatan
ui2peh Adulam
lib atate avsilable
Elqana (B) NabLus 1500 - r 500
souEcesr 'rsraeli settlenente ln Gtta an'l the llest Bank (lflc1udinq Jerusalenlt thelr nature and
al'lle (united Natlons. 1982)r rrrie*-oi seitiernents, letEt.salL ang cg+g:. 'ret)t "t]s::u-r-v1e.y- "oTf r3g:r-a-e:Tr t'i:l:a:P:n o:.f
July I983t planned, April 1983 (Jeru6alem, }Jest Bank Data Ba
6ettlehentB ln Eretz Israel'. Settlenent Deptrtnent of the Jewish Agencyt settlement Divlsion of the
zlonlst orqanlzatton (.retuearei, tsizlr tiasi'elntte RlnEdon of Jor'lan' 'Jeru6alem" rePort Prepare'l by
the ulnletry of Forelgn Affairs and the Btlecutlve cottmittee of the occupied Territories (Amlan' 1980)'
J! Edst Jeru6alent l{! lfest Bankt Gl Gaza stript a dash (-) indicates that the infoination is not
avallablc.
Expecteal 1991.
Expected 1995.
Total nurnber of factorles estab116bed3 6I.
ulLltary lnfornatlon, othertlse none available'
I(nolrn algo bY the nane rAnatotr.
Expecteal 1986.
wlll be built after 1984'
$tU be built after 1985.
4
v
9/
v4
v
s/
v
M39/ 233
E/Le84/79
English
Page 63
APPI;NDIX II
rocatj.on/vl IIages Area confiscated
(dunums)
subtotal
Ramallah
Jibia, Umsafa and Nabi Saleh
Bert IIlo
Be itounia
Det r Dibwan
Ranallah City
Bethl.ehem-Hebron
Yatta
lletueen Hebron and the Dead Sea
Arn Fares, Abul U uluf
Itas lanat Saleh
Slir
Tarqourn, A
Tafouh
SharnJah I'anily
Sourif
Bei.t oner
Al Burj
Beir Razel
Beit OuIa
tseit. Sahour
Beit Sahour
Ush AJ--chrab-Beit Sahour Area
AL-Khader
Nablus-TuIkarn-\tenin
Salen Vr.ILage tand
Delr Hatabhaznour
Akaaba
.tabal- AI Raz
Kafr Sour
Shoufa, &ouri, Beit Heed. Safareen
Akaaba
Al Mazrara, Al eibtineh
9alqrIya
Raba, A.L Zababoeh
Al-Zababdeh
2,OOO
400
600
200
3.2O7
245, L96
23,000
t 70,0oo
20,000
800
s,000
500
200
10, 000
430
2, 000
4,000
6,000
2,000
6
z>v
1,000
2, 800
4,000
2,000
1,250
1,300
I0,000
Lr 600
3,000
4,000
5,000
400 35,350
A/39/233
E/Lee4/79
Eng.l'i6h
Page 54
Iffat ion,/ViIIages
Area confiGcated
(dunums) Subtotal
alerusalenr
Raf at
Isaarl.yeh
shuifar
Bei,t Hani.na
2,25O
7,000
6
s,000
TOTALT
14,2s6
298,009
Source: lashenite Kingalotn of .tordan, !&ePort of the Ministry of OccuPied
Territori.es Affalrs" (Annan, February 19841, annex IV.
A,/39/233
E/L984/79
Eng.Lish
Page 65
APPEIiDIX III
Houses denol ished in the
u r
L967
r968
r969
19 70
1971
L97 2
L9't3
L97 4
LA T>
L976
1977
r9 78
t979
I980
t9 8I
r982
130
r40
30L
r91
23r
35
34
6I
77
24
I
8
24
32
ToCaI 1,346
of vhich 1,318 on the west Bank
2E on the caza Strip
Source: Eashemi. te Kingdorn of ,Jordan, tlinistry of Occupied Terrilories Atfarrs (Amman).
UNITED
NATIONS AE
.rAV General Assembly
.W Economlc and Social Council
Di str.
GENERAL
A/40/373
E/r98s/99
14 June 1985
ORIGINAT: ENGLISH
Living conditions of the Palestinian people iD the
, occupied Palestinian territories
Report of the Secretarv-General
1. The General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session, considered the report of the
Secretary-General on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the
occupied Palestinian territories lA/39/233), which had been submitted pursuant to
its resolution 38/L66. It adopted resolution 39/169 on Iiving conditions of the
Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories, in paragraph 6 of which
it reguested the Secretary-General:
" (a) To organize in 1985, a seminar on remedies for the deterioration of
the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territoriesi
" (b) To make the necessary preparations for the seninar, providing for
the participation of the Palestine tiberation Organizationi
" (c) To invite experts to present papers to the seminar;
" (d) To invite also relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
orqanizations;
" (e) To report to the General Assembly at its fortieth session, through
the Economic and Social Council, on the seminar."
GENERAL ASSEITIBLY
Fortieth session
Item 84 (S) of the preliminary list*
DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC
CO-OPER,ATION: HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
t A/40/50/Rev.L.
** E/L985/L00.
85-L7822 1811c (E)
ECONOIIIC AND SOCIAT COUNCIL
Second regular session of 1985
Item 15 of the provisional agenda**
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN THE
FIELD OF HU!,IAN SETTLEIIENTS
A/40/373
E/Legs/99
Enqlish
Paqe 2
2. In compliance with the above request, invitations were sent to the palestine
Liberation Organization to participate in the seminar and to a number of experts to
attend the seninar and present papers. Invitations nere also sent to relevant
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and to appropriate United
Nat ions organizations.
3. The seninar was held at the Vienna International Centre from 25 to
29 March 1985. The report on the-seminar is contained in the annex below.
^E//4L0e/g3s7/e39
English
Page 3
CONTSNTS
Paragraphs Page
r- rNTRoDucrroN. l-4 4
II. OVERALL DEVETOPMENT .. . 5 - L7 4
rrr. AGRTCULTURE .- 18 - 30 7
IV. INDUSTRY 31 - 38 IO
v. TRADE 39 - 47 t-3
VI. }IONETARY SITUAIION 48 - 58 15
VII. TAXES AND DUTIES ... 59 -'63 18
Vrrr. HoUSTNG 64 - 69 19
a IX. HIGT{ER EDUCATION . 70 - 75 2L
r: socrAl WELFARE 't6 - 90 23
APPENDICES
AI{NEX
Report on the seninar held at Vienna from 25 to 29 tlarch 1985
in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 39,/169
participants .
papers presented Eo the seminar
I. LiSt
II. List
28
30
of
of
A14O/373
E/L985/9s
Enql ish
Page 4
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The seminar, which was requested by the General Assembly in paragraph 6 of its
resolution 39/169 on living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied
Palestinian territories, was held at the Vienna International Centre from 25 to
29 March 1985, Twelve experts participated in the seminar. fn addition, a
delegation of the Palest,ine Liber-ation Organization participated, as provided for
in the resolution. Representatives of UNIDo, UNCTAD and $lHo also participated.
2. Twelve papers prepared by the experts rdere presented, which together wi.th a
background paper prepared by a consultant, formed the basic working documents of
the seminar. A list of the participants in the seminar is contained in appendix I,
and the papers represented to the seminar are listed in appendix rr.
3. Six plenary meetings and five working group meetings were held. The first
four plenary meet.ings rdere devoted to the opening of the seminar, organization of
work, introduction of the background paper, and presentation of and discussions on
each of Lhe papers prePared by the experts. The seminar established three working
groups which respectively discussed (a) overall economic and social developmenE,
(b) economic issues, and (c) social issues. The reports of the working groups trere
considered at the last two plenary meetings.
4. Among the economic and social issues examined were agriculture, industry,
trade, the monetary situation, fiscal policies, housing and basic facilities,
higher education and social welfare. Each topic was examined in terms of t,he
current situation and trends, proposals for possible remedies and ways and means of
implementing the proposed remedies. The views expressed and suggestions made by
the participants are summarized in the sections that follow.
II. OVERALL DE\IELOPMENT
5. The participants examined the question of overall development in the light of
the information contained in the background paper and in Lero papers presented to
the seminar entitled "The current economic situation in the $lest Bank and Gaza
StriP and prospects for the futurerr and rVocational training and employment:
constraints and proposals for possible renedies,'.
5. The overall constraints to self-generating developnent in the occupied
territories were identified as the demographic structure as it affected the quality
of human resources available for developnent, and the policies and practices of the
occupying authorities as they affected land and water usage by ttre indigenous
population in the occupied territories, employment opportunities and the direction
and flow of trade, particularly external trade. Those constraints would have
important implications for any remedies that could be proposed.
^E//4109/83s7/939
English
Page 5
A. DemograPhic asPects
7. The population of the occupied Palestinian territories continued to grow
although at a lower rate than in previous years. The estimated annual actual
increase was much lower than the estimated annual natural increase, the difference
being accounted for by emigration. a/ Over the years of the occupation, emigration
fron the West Bank had numbered 1391600 persons and from the Gaza Strip,
871900 persons, for a total of 227 1500 persons (A/39/233, annex, table 15). The
significance of the emigration indicated ttrat it had affected prinarily those
groups of working age, Particularly the males in those groups.
8. Those who emigrated were usually the educated youth who, lacking suitable
opportunities for work or further training in the occupied territories, sougbt such
opportunities in other countries, prinarily the neighbouring Arab States. The
policies and practices of the occupying authorities often prevented the youth fron
returning to the territories and complicated the issue of creating the conditions
necessary for economic and social progress in the territories based on their
knowledge and experience. Other conditions prevailing in the occupied territories,
particularly economic stagnation, restrictions to freedom of movement and
expression and tight security measures were recognized by the participants as clear
disincentives for those of working age to make any meaningful contribution to the
economy and society of the occupied territories.
B. Land and water
9. Land and vrater were the basic natural resources in the occupied Palestinian
territories. Under the occupation, the Palestinian people lacked full control over
both of those resources. As regards land, according to data compiled by the
Jordanian Ministry of Occupied Territories Affairs, the occupying authorities had
taken possession of 2.607 1901 dunums in the tdest Bank by January 1984, constituting
4?.5 per cent of the total area. Other sources estimated that the occupying
authorities controlled 50-60 per cent of tbe Land area in the occupied Palestinian
territories lA/39/233, annex, para. 44).
10. Of the land expropriated and under the control of the occupying authorities,
26 per cent had been allocated to Israeli settlements, 165 of which had been built
in the occupied Palestinian territories by the end of July 1983 lA/39/233, annex,
para. 44). As Israeli settlements continued to be built' it was expected that more
of ttre land expropriated would be allocated to them for both initial establishment
and expansion.
11. The adverse economic irnpact of the expropriation and confiscation of
Palestinian lard was further aggravated by the loss of control over their water
resources. $later r:sed for agriculture had been restricted since tbe time of the
occupation. That had been accomplished by prohibiting the digging of new wells by
Palestinians, installing meters on existing ones, limiting the use of water from
existing wells to the levels used before the occupation and imposing fines for
exceeding the linits specified.
A/40/373
E/rees/e9
English
Page 6
C. Economic development
L2. An important characteristic of the national aggregates for the occupied
Palestinian territories was the increasing difference between gross domestic
product (GDP) and gross national product (GNP), the former was usually lower than
GNP, which included transfers from abroad. From IS 1.1 million in 1968 (equivalent
to 2.3 per cent of GNP) the difference rose to Is 36.7 million in 1976 and to Is 49.5 million in 1982, both at t968 prices (equivalent to 26.3 per cent and
28.1 per cent, of GNP, respectivefyl. V The increase in the difference to
approximat,ely a third of GNP was due to the earnings of Palestinian workers fronr
abroad remitted to the occupied territories. GNP was therefore not a good measure of the economyrs productive achievement, because it was clear that a percentage of
GNP was not generated by the local economy.
13. Thus, in that case, GDP was the better measure. GDp more than doubled in tbe
eight years from 1968 to 1976 and it rose at an annual rate of 3.7 per cent from
1976 to 1982, c/ which was below the rate of growth of GNP - 4.1 per cent - for the
same period. In per capita terms, there vras practical.ly no growth, since GDp per capita was 103.1 shekels in 1976 and 100.7 shekels in 1982. Thus, eliminating
the inward remittances of the earnings of workers outside the territories showed a different picture of growth, when GDP tras utilized instead of GNp. That was
consistent with the structural changes observed in the economy, namely, a declining
share of the agricultural sector in GDP and total employment, accompanied by
stagnation in industry and increased shares of services in GDp and total
ernployment, the latter explained by increases in demand disproportionate to the
econonyrs capacity to produce, because of the high proportion of income earned
outside the territories.
14. Ernployment in the occupied Palestinian territories reached a high in L9Z0 of
f52r7OO Persons. Despite the growth of the population, as of 1982 employment had
not yet returned to that level. fn relation to the population, employment in the territories had declined, while the percentage of those employed in Israel had risen from 11.9 per cent in 1970 to 35.5 per cent in l9g2 (A/39/233, annex, table l0). Emplolrment in Israel and emigration from the occupied territories were
explained to a large extent by reduced opportunities in the occupied territories.
15. The discrepancy between GNP and GDP also meant that the economy could not satisfy internally, from GDP, the total demand for goods and services, thus causing
increased imports. Consequently, the balance of trade of the occupied palestinian
territories had been negative in all years since 1971. The balance of trade with Israel had been negative and larger than the total trade deficit (A/39/233, annex, tables 7, 8 and 9). Trade with Jordan had partly offset the deficit, while a much larger portion had been covered by remittances from abroad. fsrael had become the
most inportant trading partner for the territories. Between 1971 and 1990,
50 per cent and 80 per cent of the exports from the tfest Bank and the Gaza Strip,
respectivelyr went to Israel, wbile 79.8-87.8 per cent of tiest Bank imports and
84.9-91 per cent of Gaza inports originated in IsraeL (A/39/233, annex, table 9 and paras. 74-781. For Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories had become the
nost important exPort market, after the export market of the United States of
America.
A/40/373
E/L985/e9
English
Page 7
16. The overall picture that energed was that of an economy unable to absorb its
own workers thus offering a ready supply of labour for the Israeli economy. The
industrial sector, deprived of capital and credit, and burdened by restrictions,
prohibitions and the competition of the more technologically advanced Israeli
producers, had stagnated at a minimal level, while service activities requiring
little or no capital investment had increased. The economy depended on Israel for
a large proportion of what it consumed - particularly industrial products. The
trend appeared to be a process of attrition of the indigenous industrial base,
while Israel continued to build its industrial parks in the west Bank in line with
the 1980 plan for Jewish indust.rialization of the area.
L7. It is important to emphasize that, ultimately, the improvement of the living
conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories will
depend on the development of their oqrn economy. This necessitates the promotion of
productive investment therein, which in turn requires that the Palestinians must be
able to determine their own priorities and plan for them.
III. AGRICULTURE
18. The participants discussed the state of agriculture in the occupied
Palestinian territories and ways to improve it based on the information in the
background paper and a paper presented to tfre seminar entitled "Development
prospects of agriculture in the West Bank and Gaza Strip".
19. Agriculture was considered to be of special significance to the economy of the
occupied Palestinian territories, since it consEituted the primary comPonent of
GDP, which was estimated at 30-40 per cent and provided employment for a sizeable
part of the labour force, which was approximately 20-22 per cent. Moreover,
agriculture continued to play a conventional role as the source of food supply for
the local population.
20. Since the occupation, income fron agriculture had undergone wide
fluctuations. Notwithstanding conflicting claims, income originating in
agriculture had shown a high rate of growth at an overall average of about
10 per cent during the first decade of the occupation. But that growth was induced
largely by a marked rise in the productivity of certain high-priced products and
not by a corresponding rise in aggregate output. In the past seven years,
agricultural income grew at erratic rates.
2L. [tajor changes in output and cropping patterns had emerged during the period of
the occupation. Those changes had reflected important transformations in tbe
economics of production and profound constraints on land and water use. Based on a
three-year average prior to the occupation (1954-1956), average output during
1976-1979 had undergone the following changes; wheat dropped by 38 per cent,
melons by 74 per cent, tomato by f3 per cent and the number of cows by 57 per cent.
22. Despite pronounced variations in the t{est Bankrs physical geography, its
agriculture was dominated by relatively few types of farming. OIive production rdas
by far the most importantr with an average share of 20 per cent of agricultural
/...
A/40/373
E/Le8s/99
English
Page 8
income. Other important types included vegetable crops (l? per cent), citrus
(10 per cent) and grain crops (6 per cent). The livestock and poultry sectors made
up approxinately a third of the gross farm income.
23. It would aPpear that production of field crops and fruits had not shown any
appreciable increase over the years of the occupation. Those crops were cultivated
under dry farming conditions, and their productivity depended on rainfall. The field crops and fruits had not attracted tbe same measure of attention from the
occupying authorities as crops grovrn under irrigated conditions, especially those with a ready market in Israel, such as vegetables, tobacco and citrus.
24. Changes in the area under major crop cultivation f,rere even more pronounced
than those of output. The changes between the periods mentioned earlier indicated
a drop of 29 per cent in the area under field crops, 59 per cent in the area under
vegetables and 95 per cent in the area under melons.
25. The division of land according to the aource of water revealed that the area fed by rainwater constituted approximately 95 per cent of all cultivated land in
the West Bank. The area under irrigation rras estimated at 85 km2, or 5 per cent of the area. Surprisingly, the ratio of irrigated land to total cultivated area
was considerably lower than in most countries in the Middle East. The amount of
water used in agriculture in the west Bank was estimated to be 90 million cubic
metres as against 1r280 million cubic metres in Israel.
26. Services supportive to agriculture had undergone important changes during the period of the occupation. Services rendered by the occupation authorities had cone
almost to a complete standstill due to severe budgetary cuts and reduction in staft.
27. Institutional sources of agricultural credit had also come to an end since the occupation. The nilitary administration had not only refrained from creating alternative sources but it had also severely controlled the flow of funds from other sources.
28. Co-operative organizations served a potentially important role in accelerating
agricultural development, especially because of the absence of a national
agricultural authority. Hordever, the role of co-operatives had not been particularly effective. In addition to several administrative deficiencies,
co-operatives were tightly controlled by the nilitary adninistration. Despite the
importance of agriculture, the Vlest Bank was deficient in agricultural education,
while the existing educational system was practically devoid of agricultural
subjects. The occupying authorities had responded negatively to requests by certain local universities to establish a faculty of agriculture. Several
voluntary organizations comenced in recent years to provide financial support to certain forms of rural development. Despite the small scale of their operations,
however, the functioning of those organizations had been hampered by many problens,
the nost itnPortant of whiclr was the opposttion of the military adninistrat,ion to
development-oriented projects. While sone of those organizations were less efficient than others and some lrere inadequately responsive to the development priorities of local conmunities, voluntary organizations, on the whole, had played
an important role in identifying and implementing development projects.
A/40/373
E/L985/99
English
Page 9
Propoeals for possible remedies and measures to implement them
29. The following remedies were proposed by the working group that considered the
guestion, with a view to overconing the obstacles and shortcomings that confronted
the agricultural sector in the occupied Palestinian Eerritories and inhibited its
growth and developnent:
(a) Planning and programming of agricultural production and development
should be undertaken in a more systematic manner than currentlyi
(b) A programme of in-service training should be initiated for extension and
research staff engaged in agricultural activities;
(c) Sources of credit on favourable terms were essential if agriculture in
the occupied territories was to progress. Particular attention should be given to
the financiaL needs of those groups of agricultural graduates and educated youth
who were desirous of starting agricultural enterprises on a commercial basis;
(d) The agrlcultural co-operatives in the occupied territories required much
support, if they were to play an effective role in the agricultural sector. They
required educational and training support, as well as guidance in pursuing
business-oriented policies ;
(e) Given that agriculture was a most important comPonent of the gross
dcrnestic prodtrct of the occupied territories, various measures should be taken to
assure its products a stable market in the occupied territories, particularly
protecting them from unfair competition of subsidized Israel,i products currently
marketed freely in the territories. At the same time, steps should be Eaken to
liberalize trade in agriculturaL products with Jordan and other Arab countries, as
well as with both eastern and western European countries;
(f) Farmers should be encouraged to employ more efficient irrigation
techniques on a wider scale, especially in citrus groves. That would require the
provision of adequate credit facilities and the availability of reliable technical
back-up servicesl
(s) serious thought should be given to establishing appropriate
agro-lndustrial and other supporting services to enable the producers to maximize
the profitabili'ty of their undertakings.
30. In order to give effect to the proposed remedies, the following measures were
proposed:
(a) An agricultural unit, either autonomous or affiliated with a university
in the occupied territories, should be established. A primary function of that
unit would be to formulate short-term and long-term plans for agricultural
development based on surveys and feasibility studies undertaken in co-operation
with other institutions and entities in the occupied Palestinian territories
concerned with agriculturei
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(b) A faculty of agriculture should be established in one of the universities
in the occupied territories. The faculty could provide training for extension
workers and other agricultural officials, undertake research that. would provide
inputs to the work of the proposed agricultural uni.t, and provide education and training to graduates in agriculture, as well as to competent farmers, and furnish
orientation and guidance to agricultural businessmen;
(c) The feasibility of establishing a co-operative college should be
explored. Such a college could impart instruction and training in all aspects of
co-operative activity to various personnel in the co-operative movement. Action
could be initiated through a bilateral agreement, for example, with a Government that had experience in assisting co-operative novements in developing countries, or
tbrough technical assistance from appropriate international organizations;
(d) A modern soil-water laboratory should be established to render advisory
services on various problems relevant to irrigaLion and fertilization practices;
(e) Negotiations should be initiated with the occupying authorities, if
needed through the intermediary of international organizations, to lift
restrictions that had been imposed on the use of water for agricultural purposes,
the functioning of the co-operatives, the sale of agricultural products in Israeli
markets, and trading with other countries. It was also important to negotiate with
the occupying authorities ways and means of eliminating the unfair competition that
subsidized Israeli products posed to similar products grown and market,ed in the
occupied Palest.inian territories;
(f) Voluntary agencies having programmes in the occupied palestinian
territories should be persuaded to allocate more of their resources to agricultural
development projects, in both operational activities and supporting services. A co-ordination of their efforts and the involvement of local expertise and recipients of their aid in a more organized fashion would enhance the guality of
their inputs to agricultural develbpment in the occupied territoriesi
(e) The participants in the seminar felt tbat international organizations
could be of, great assistance in the development of agriculture in the occupied Palestinian territories through direct involvement in the various measures proposed
above and also in initiating a dialogue with the occupying authorities eo
facilitate the process of agricultural development in the territories.
IV. INDUSTRY
31. The background paper and two papers presented to the seninar entitled IThe
position of Palestinian industry in ttre occupied regions since L967: the $lest Bank
and Gaza Stripr and "Present situation and sustainment of palestinian industry in
occupied territories", provided the information on which the participants
considered the situation of the industrial sector in the occupied palestinian
territories and suggested possible renedies and measures to implement thern.
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32. The participants noted that industry in the occupied territories was
underdeveloped before the occupation. As far as could be ascertained, the Gaza
Strip had not developed any kind of industrial base. The $lest Bank was not
identified as an area for industrial development in the regional development Plans
of the Government of Jordan. Conseguently, the industries in the occupied
territories nere operated on a small scale, largely confined to craft work in lory
productivity and labour intensive operations. The territories also lacked the
infrastructure to provide an impetus for industrial growth. Conditions had not
changed since the occupation.
33. The industrial sector in the occupied Palestinian territories comprised a
small segment of Ehe total economy. Nevert,heless, it had a crucial role to play in
the development process, since its growth could make an important contribution to
the econony in terms of providing employment to labour displaced by a rnodernizing
agricultural sector and to those persons coming into the labour market through
population growth. At present, opportunities for employment in industry are quite
limited. Conseguently, nany job seekers either entered the labour narket in Israel
or took in work subcontracted by Israeli firmsi others emigrated to neighbourinq
Arab countries and beyond in search of empl-oyment.
34, A dynarnic industrial sector would afford opportuniEies for investment of
savings generated in other sectors of the economy, thus providing a multiplier
effect to internal growth and development. current industrial activities were
conducted in workshops and in-servicing outlets and included the minimal processing
of agricultural prodrrcts, for example, olive oil processing and pickling. There
was little factory organization, and manufactures were generally of a simple Eype,
such as cement block manufacture, handicrafts and carpentry.
35. There wae minimal industrial- export, and that mainJ-y to Israel, consisting for
the rnost part of finished goods subcontracted by Israeli firms to establishments in
the occupied territories. The industrial exports to non-Israeli destinations
consisted of over 50 per cent of agricultural products requiring a small an<iunt of
processing, such as olive oil.
35. The industrial enterprises in Ehe occupied territories suffered from
under-capitalization, restrictions in the marketing of Products and in the
acquisition of nachinery and raw materials. They were unable to obtain funds and
technical support to modernize their operations. It{ost of them were said to be
operating at 50 per cent of their capacity.
Proposafs for possible r
37. It was the view of the working group that considered the issue that whatever
proposals that could be made to remedy the existing situation of the industrial
sector nere contingent on the rernoval of the many restrictions imposed by the
occrrnrirrn authorities, particularly Land use, industrial zoning, water usage for
industrial purposes and the irrport of eguipment and raw materials. Nevertheless,
the following remedies seemed feasible in the current contexts
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(a) The current under-utilization of capacity should be brought into full use
by a rationalization of the enterprises in question supported by a drive to widen
the markets for Palestinian products bot,h within the occupied Palestinian
territories and abroadi
(b) New techniques in water conservat,ion and recycling should be investigated
so that the maximum use of water could be attained, given the fact that water was,
and will remain, a scarce resourcei
(p) There nas a need for a substantial upgrading of the industry, in both
technigues and attitudes. There was also a need to strengthen the organization
within the occupied Palestinian territories so that industrialists and
entrepreneurs couLd co-operate with each other to mutual benefit. Under-utilized
capacities could be shared, and different processing levels integrated so that
value added could be rnaximized. Through that and other means, processes currently
not carried out in the occupied territories could be introduced, thus giving added
strength to the economy as a whole;
(d) Funding rdas a crucial element in industrial activityr for both capital
investment and operational expenses. Vtays and means should be explored to mobilize
the capital needed for industrial development; mobilization should be undertaken
within the occupied Palestinian territories as well as frqrr sources abroad;
(e) Energy resources were scarce in the occupied Palestinian territories.
All means of energy conservation and the adoption of new technigues, including
solar energy, should be explored. lfhile those might be of limited appticability in
tbe short term, the long-term implications must not be overlooked;
(f) Given an efficieht and viable industrial organization, there sould be
greater incentives for external private funds to be invested in the occupied
territories. Joint ventures could be encouraged, and specific projects that were
complenentary to the industrial structure in the territories coul-d also be
encouraged. Those projects should be evaluated according to Eheir effectiveness
within the economy and their profitability;
(S) The construction industry in the occupied Palestinian territories needed
special attention in the context of development of the indust,rial sector. There
r.tas an urgent need for a feasibility study of t,he industry, possible introduction
of prefabrication, the introduction of standardized technigues and appropriate
designs to reduce the costs of construction and inprove output.
38. In exploring ways and means to implernent the proposed remedies that would
substantially increase the contribution of the industrial sector to the GDP of the
occupied territories, the working group made t,he following suggestions:
(a) With a view to mobilizing the capital needs for new enterprises and
modernizing existing ones, the possibilities should be explored of creating credit
institutions specializing in industrial act.ivity. Hire-purchase and other
appropriate forms of credit mechanisms should be established and designed for the
specific needs of tbe Palestinian environment. Only when those mechanisms were
efficiently organized could one expect outside funds to be forthcoming on a
business, as opposed to a charitable, basisl
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(b) Co-operative activity should be initiated in the industriaL sector, not
only by the establistrnent of industrial co-operatives but also of a viable system
of co-operation anong such individual co-operat,ives. That would permit local
co-operat.ives to combine for purposes of plant maintenance, product
standardization, information sharing, and so on. It could also be a cbannel for
the efficient distribut,ion and control of financial assistance. Moreover, it would
be invaluable in the marketing process by establishing and enforcing standards and
grades and by promoting I'brand'r names and varieties. It would also be a convenient
means of organizing current outwork activity into more viable industries without
establishing the factory syst,em. The co-operative college suggested under tbe
section on agriculture could provide needed support services to the industrial
co-operat ives;
(c) Technical inst,itutes and universities in the occupied territories should
be encouraged to develop technologies appropriate to conditions in the
territories. They could seek help from similar institutes in other countries and
fron international organizationst
(d) The part.icipants in the seminar considered that ttre efforts of the
international corununity, through the organizations of the United Nations system, to
establish projects and to give assistance within the occupied territories should be
supported and strengthened, particularly in project identification and
inplementat,ion based on the results of more general investigations al.ready made and
the appropriateness of such projects taking into account the output structure in
neighbouring Arab countries and the feasibility of such projects being undertaken
on a national or regional (joint venture) basis. The international community could
also be of assistance in exploring the possibilities of energy conservation and the
introduction of low-technology alternative energy production.
V. TRADE
For the consideration of trade in the occupied territories, the participants
before them the informat.ion in the background paper and a paper presented to
seminar entitled I'Domestic and foreign trade in the occupied territories".
40. It was evident from the information in the background paper and in the various
reports of the Secretary-General on living conditions of the Palest,inian people in
the occupied Palestinian territories submitted to the General Assembly, that the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip had been progressively drawn into a close trading
relationship with Israel since the occupation. From a position where there was
absolutellt no trade with fsrael before L957 | the territories found themselves by
1982 exporting to fsrael 56.7 per cent of their total exports and importing
89.0 per cent of their total imports, both in value terms. d,/
41. Many factors contributed to the predominance of trade with Israel. Factors of
major significance rdere the opening of Ehe borders between the territories and Israel and the prohibition by the occupying autborities of direct exports from the
occupied Palestinian territories to countries other than Jordan, in particular the
neighbouring Arab countries and certain eastern European countries with which
39.
had
the
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Israel had no trade relations. Other contributing factors were the channelling of
exportable prodrrts from the territories through Israeli trade outlets to those
countries having trade relations with Israel, the orientation of production in the
territories to agricultural crops having a denand in Israel. for processing and
exporti the demand for building materials in Israel and the Israeli settlenents
that were being established in the territoriesi and the practice of finishing and
returning to Israel manufactured goods subcontracted by Israeli firms to
establishrnents in the occupied territories.
42. The other major trading partner of the occupied Palestinian territories was
Jordan. The value of exports to Jordan had fallen frorn 43.2 per cent of total
exports in 1958 to 31.7 per cent in L982. Irnports from Jordan had remained low,
and during the period of the occupation they had fallen fron 7.3 per cent of the
total value of inports in 1968 to 1.2 per cent in 1982. ImPorts from Jordan were
llmited to the nest Banki the Gaza Strip inported nothinq from Jordan.
43. Trade with other countries had been fluctuating during the period of tshe
occupation. The value of exports had fallen from a high of approximately
13.0 per cent of total exports in 1968 to 1.5 per cent in L982. Imports had fallen
fronr approximately 16.0 per cent of the total value of imports in 1958 to
9.8 per cent in L982. e/
44. The net result of those trading activities showed that for Israel, the
occupied Palestinian territories had been consistently registering a negative
balance of trade since the occupation. The balance of trade with Jordan had been
positive all along, and trade with other countries had been registering a negative
balance consistently. The overall trade balance for both the grlest Bank and the
Gaza Strip had been negative throughout the period of the occupation. The
consistent adverse balance of trade had been largely net through the earnings of
palestinians working in Israel and the considerable remittances from Palestinians
working outside the territories. f/
Internal trade
45. The trade and transport sectors together contributed about 36 per cent to the
GDp of the $lest Bank and about 25 per cent to the GDP of the Gaza Strip. The
trading activities of the Gaza Strip were less than half the volume of the trading
activities of the glest Bank, whose total and per capita income nere greater than
Ehose of the Gaza Strip. Trading activities fluctuated fronr year to year due to
several causes, sucb as obstacles to issuing licences for the establishment of
firms; the imposition of taxes; the imposition of curfews by the occupying
authorities from time to time; the freguent confiscation of identity cards in the
commercial markets by soldiersi strikes by inhabitants to protest the behaviour and
activities of the occupying authorities and the occupation in general. The result
of alt those impedinents nas the reduction in the number of effective working days
in the occupied territories. About one fourth of the working year was lost because
of such practices.
46.
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Proposals for possible remedies and measures to implement them
The working group that considered the topic was of the view thats
(a) Currently Palestinian trade was facing unfair competition in the internal
markets resulting from subsidized products coning from Israel and the Israeli
settlements. If Palestinian products were to hold their own, let alone prosper,
and be subjeet to market forces, support should be extended to the local producers
and traders at the level that was being given to Israel.i agricuLtural and
industrial products;
(b) The narket for PaLestinian products abroad should be widened. This could
be achieved if Palestinian producers and distributors were afforded opportunities
to establish direct contact with counterpart producing and marketing organizat,ions
in other countries.
47. The following ways and means to implement the remedies were suggested:
(a) A marketing authority should be established for Palestinian products.
The authority should devel.op standards and promote brand names on behalf of
Palestinian producers. It could act as a link between narkets and producers, as a
source of credit for working capital and as an agency for marketing organizations
and firms abioad willing to "purchase forwardtr the crops or prodrrcts of Palestinian
producers. The authority could also be used for the identification of market
opportunities for new industrial products that might be developed in the occupied
territor ies;
(b) Cbambers of comnerce and Palestinian organizations generally should be
encouraged to launch a far more active campaign inside the occupied Palestinian
territories to promote indigenous products;
(c) Export credit facilities should be developed, and that function could be
a najor activity of an indigenous banking and connercial system that might emerge
in the occupied PaLestinian territories;
(d) Conmunications should be irnproved, and faciltties such as telex allowed
to be established in the occupied Palestinian territories, without which no firm
could hope to compete on world markets;
(e) The inport-export trade sbould not be restricted to a few points under
Israeli control but should include seaports, airports and other outlets, not only
to inprove facilities for rapid export of high-priced perishable products but also
to pernit the participation of Palestinians in the procesa of trading and
increasing their share of the value added to the palestinian outputi
(f) Negotiations should be conducted, perhaps through the Arab League, to
persuade Arab countries to liberalize their irportatlon of PaLestinian products
under fair market conditions;