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The Walled Off hotel may sound utilitarian, even bleak. Its owner says it has 'the worst view of any hotel in the world', while its 10 rooms get just 25 [...]

Not if Israel's settlers--and, by extension, the Israeli state--can help it. October means the annual harvest for Palestinian communities, a tradition generations old and a celebration in which Palestinians mark [...]

'We are friends of the land; we work it and make it flourish. For generations we have grown off this land and depended on it for our sustenance,' says Abu [...]

He was the distinctive figure that represented the plight of the Palestinians. With his black and white chequered kaffeya he was possibly the best known politician in the world; presidents [...]

In a few short weeks the concrete foundations of a wall, eight metres high and more than 250 miles long, which will effectively imprison the Palestinians of the West Bank, [...]

It all started at the beginning of the first Intifada, back in 1988. BZ Goldberg, an American journalist, was filming clashes between Palestinian shebab (youths) throwing stones and Israeli soldiers [...]

The accords signed by Israel and the PLO in 1993 and 1994 heralded greater prosperity for Palestinians. But an adverse external trade environment has discouraged private investment, and economic conditions [...]

AS THE West Bank and Gaza gain increasing autonomy, critical strategic choices emerge on the nature of economic links to the rest of the world, particularly neighboring countries. The April [...]

Facts on the ground The politics of planning and demolition in Area C THERE was a kind of symmetry last week in two West Bank towns where residents held vigils [...]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will pay what is being called an 'unofficial visit' to the European Parliament next week. The visit to Brussels will include a breakfast, which is also [...]

Construction of Yasser Arafat's mausoleum is due to start any day, The design of the $1.1 million complex, which will include landscaping, a monument and a tomb, has already been [...]

RIGHT-WING OPPOSITION in Israel to Ariel Sharon's plan to disengage from the Gaza Strip and abandon the Jewish settlements there is mounting by the day. Security authorities have warned that [...]

With the drama of Israel's general elections over, the ritual of coalition building begins. Despite his overwhelming success at the polls, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon may yet discover he has [...]

Jericho was once one of Palestine's prime agricultural spots. An abundance of springs made the fertile land surrounding the ancient town famous for its oranges, bananas and strawberries. Now, all [...]

The terrifying cycle of violence in the Middle East appears unstoppable. The Israeli security forces become ever more brutal in their attacks on Palestinian territory, to the point that several [...]

Economic development of the Gaza strip and the West bank will be difficult but necessary for lasting peace. Gaza will need $500 million per year to repair infrastructure and provide for a population of 800,000 that is growing at 4.5% per year. The World Bank estimates $3 billion will be needed over ten years for both areas and has promised $1.5 billion for five years, $120 million of which might go to Gaza. Currently, the areas receive about $20 million from charities, and about $300 million form various governments and the UN. Investment is higher in the West Bank due to better infrastructure, but plans for a port in Gaza could boost the economy., The historic agreement signed recently between Israel and the Palestinians is unlikely to lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East if the economy of the Gaza Strip does [...]

WHEREVER you travel in central Israel these days, the traffic is a nightmare. Queues of Japanese-made cars clog the highways. One reason is that the road network is woefully inadequate. [...]

This is part of the weather It is conceivable that some Jewish settlers could remain in a Palestinian state EVERY Friday and often after school on other days, Israeli soldiers [...]

Palestinian self-rule is fast becoming a reality. The Middle East peace process is likely to go on temporary hold as the world waits for US president-elect Bill Clinton to take [...]

The Palestinian Authority (PA) acquired responsibility for physical infrastructure within the Palestinian Territories (excluding Jewish settlements and military installations, as well as East Jerusalem) with the signing of the 1995 [...]

The development of the Palestinian Territories' political system after Oslo has been constrained by the Israeli occupation, shaped by Yasser Arafat's dominance, and complicated by the parallel role of the [...]

The current account Balance of payments ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Merchandise (net) -1,222 -1,608 -1,899 -2,171 -2,313 Services (net) -489 -340 -302 -243 -269 Income (net) 224 253 [...]

Main economic indicators ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Real GDP growth (%) 5.8 6.0 6.0 -4.8 -0.5 Consumer price inflation (av; %) 4.4 2.3 3.8 3.8 3.3 Current-account balance [...]

Measuring democracy There is no consensus on how to measure democracy. A key difference in measures is between 'thin' or minimalist, and 'thick' or wider concepts of democracy. The Economist [...]

National statistical sources Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Survey Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Abstract of Palestine No. 8 International statistical sources IMF and World Bank, West [...]

The Palestinian Territories have an extremely diverse climate for their size, ranging from fertile plains and highlands to semi-arid regions only suitable for grazing. Water is a highly contested resource [...]

Palestinians have good educational standards for the region, with an adult literacy rate of 90.5% and a high school-enrolment rate. However, the education system suffers from an outdated curriculum, poor [...]

Population --------------------------------------- 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Total (m) 3.41 3.51 3.61 3.72 3.82 % change 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.9 Sources: Economist Intelligence Unit; Palestinian Central Bureau of Statisti- [...]

Politics Since June 2007, the Palestinian Territories have been divided in effect between Hamas, which won legislative elections in 2006 and administers Gaza, and Fatah--the party of the president, Mahmoud [...]

Could Haniyeh be the people's president? How Palestine's Islamists are working to consolidate their support ATTEMPTS at a rapprochement between the Palestinian Islamist party, Hamas, and its more secular rival, [...]

SOURCE: Country Profile ---------- Please note: Some tables or figures were omitted from this [...]

Current account ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2001 2002(a) 2003(a) 2004(a) 2005 Goods (net) -1,624 -1470 -1,916 -2,366 -2,638 Services (net) -640 -459 -304 -309 -222 Income (net) 486 381 456 426 573 Current [...]