Fafo-report 368

Willy Egset and Lena C. Endresen

Paying a Price

Coping with Closure in Jericho

ISBN 82-7422-351-9
2001 56 p NOK 156,- Order no: 368 Order

Web edition (pdf 966k) * More publications on this subject

“Closure” means Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement of persons or goods across the border between the West Bank or Gaza Strip and Israel, and also internally within the Occupied Territory. The current closure has been in place since the beginning of the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – the second Intifada – that started in September 2000.

This report examines the socio-economic effects of the closure of Jericho in the West Bank, a city whose economy being based on agriculture and tourism was deeply integrated with external markets prior to the closure. Its primary data were collected by two researchers from Fafo Institute of Applied International Studies and a local assistant during a two-week fieldwork in late May and early June 2001.

Abbreviations and Currency
Summary
Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 The Community
1.1 Population
1.2 Administrative Organisation
1.3 Associations
1.4 Social Differentiation
1.5 Infrastructure and Social Services

2 The Closure
2.1 Movement Restrictions
2.2 Damage to Property
2.3 Warlike Situations

3 Economy and Public Services Before and After the Closure
3.1 A Diverse and Commercial Agricultural Sector
3.2 The City Enterprises
3.3 Public Services and Jobs Continuing, But Access Restricted by Closure
3.4 Public Infrastructure Not Affected Much So Far, Except Roads
3.5 Crisis Encourages Political Unity, but Social Cohesion May be Strained
3.6 Households: the Public Sector Lifeline and the Search for Alternatives

4 Conclusion