Media coverage
Al Jazeera Net · 2005-04-24
The Palestinian Authority called for an international conference to rebuild what has been destroyed in the Palestinian territories, with Foreign Minister Nasser al-Qudwa saying it should take place within the framework of an international peace conference in line with European and French proposals. He said rebuilding Gaza after the Israeli withdrawal would be a top Palestinian priority and rejected any Israeli participation, while Palestinian economist Omar Shaban warned that Gaza’s expected withdrawal offers major economic opportunities but that better living conditions will depend on how resources are managed and that the task exceeds the Palestinian Authority’s technical and financial capacities on its own.
The Palestinian Authority called for an international conference to rebuild what has been destroyed in the Palestinian territories, with Foreign Minister Nasser al-Qudwa saying it should take place within the framework of an international peace conference in line with European and French proposals.…
The Palestinian Authority called for an international conference to rebuild what has been destroyed in the Palestinian territories over the past few years.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Qudwa said in press statements on Saturday to journalists in Ramallah that it is necessary to convene this conference within the framework of an international peace conference in accordance with the European and French proposals.
He added that the Palestinian territories, especially Gaza and parts of the West Bank, have been subjected to destruction and are in need of reconstruction, particularly after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank. Al-Qudwa stressed that rebuilding the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal would be at the top of Palestinian priorities within the framework of plans to rebuild and develop the area, rejecting Israel’s participation in this regard, whether through individuals or government or private companies.
At the same time, Palestinian economic expert Omar Shaban stressed that the expected Israeli withdrawal from Gaza offers the Palestinians enormous economic opportunities, warning the Palestinian Authority against squandering these opportunities. Shaban said in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, published today, that Gaza possesses enormous economic assets, likening the Gush Katif settlement, for example, to the California of the East in terms of tourism.
Shaban considered that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza does not necessarily mean that it will lead to an improvement in the Palestinians’ standard of living, stressing that the issue is not one of Palestinians taking possession of the land, but rather lies in how to manage and exploit the wealth that exists on this land. The economic expert stressed that the Authority is required to prove its competence in exploiting the opportunities provided by the withdrawal from Gaza before the international community, but he acknowledged that this process exceeds the technical and financial capacity of the Palestinian Authority on its own.
It is worth noting that Omar Shaban is an adviser to the governmental committee tasked with examining the future of the areas from which the Israeli occupation army and settlers will withdraw from Gaza.
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