 righthand says: Report: "The Cost of Occupation" by Adva Centre, an independent policy centre in Tel Aviv. Adva's report said: "The truth is that the conflict with the Palestinians is like a millstone around the neck of Israel: it undermines economic growth, burdens the budget, limits social development, sullies its vision, hangs heavy on its conscience, harms its international standing, exhausts its army, divides it politically, and threatens the future of its existence as a Jewish nation-state." Adva's figures show Israel's economy grew 43% between 1997 and 2006, well behind world economic growth during that period of 67% and growth of 68% in the US and in the EU. Although it is almost impossible to calculate an accurate cost of the occupation of the Palestinian territori... That amount is greater than the government's budget for elementary, secondary and tertiary education in Israel this year, it said. In addition, the cost of the withdrawal of Israeli settlers from Gaza in 2005 came to 9bn shekels and the cost of the West Bank barrier, which Israel is now building, is estimated at an extra 13bn shekels. "Israel is paying a heavy price for the continuation of the conflict and for the absence of a fair and agreed-upon partition," the report said. ... Guardian And the hand of friendship costs........... As long as Iran is pulling the strings there is no hope for change. |
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