Gamechangers

Palestine Emerging is dedicated to building a thriving Palestinian economy by connecting it to global markets and unlocking transformative opportunities for growth. While the pursuit of a political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues, we focus on what is within our control – empowering Palestinians to build sustainable futures, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and strengthen their connections with the world.

In partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which operates in over 150 countries, we are leveraging a global network of resources to connect Palestine to international markets. Through bold initiatives, such as exploring access to the 1.6 billion consumers in Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states or enabling platforms like Kickstarter and Amazon to operate in Palestine, we aim to turn possibilities into realities. These efforts reflect the breadth and ambition of what we strive to achieve.

On the proposed Gaza Technical University of Reconstruction, a group of world-renowned universities, together with several Palestinian universities, are now working up a substantiated plan to establish a global centre for economic reconstruction in Gaza. The focus is initially vocational, on assessors, surveyors and other professionals needed for Gaza’s reconstruction and which will eventually enable the export of valuable and globally-needed services. 

This ambitious Gamechanger has received widespread support, and a strategy workshop in December 2024 accelerated clear plans and is helping determine and raise the resources needed to deliver over the next 12 months.

It is estimated that the war has reversed 40 years of development and improvement in social indicators such as life expectancy, health, and educational attainment in Palestine. Reconstruction costs are estimated to be $40-$50 billion. Current development institutions are not designed to fund such massive projects that require the blending of various sources of donor and private sector investment. Although the war continues to focus attention on relief, the international community is also thinking big and boldly about what is needed the day after. Coming out of Palestine Emerging, the concept of the Palestinian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (PBRD) can help coordinate funding to enable the reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank.

The PBRD concept grew out of the Palestine Emerging process and is informed by 20 stakeholder discussions with bilateral and multilateral donors and a wide range of Palestinian organisations (public and private).

The initial data gathering phase of this work has started. This will be the open-source foundation for a much-needed interim spatial plan for Gaza, which has been identified by various stakeholders as an urgent gap. Very much building on what has gone before and aligned with other current work by the PA, UN, Rand and the Palestinian private sector, this required framework specifically seeks to address the transitional period (post-conflict year 1 to 10), taking into account the needs of temporary communities and hazard removal in Gaza in ways that will anticipate any conflicts with the location of long-term assets and optimal urbanisation patterns so as to help inform emergency and immediate recovery efforts.

Connecting Gaza and the West Bank remains an indispensable requirement for any prospects for a sustainable long-term Palestinian economy. This was consistently discussed during all phases of the various Oslo Accord process, including Annapolis in 2008, where the Israeli delegation led by Prime Minister Olmert and the Palestinian delegation led by President Abbas initialled a land lease agreement allowing the exclusive use of the Corridor for the Palestinian Authority. The work is to begin to reinstate this concept and seek consensus from all parties on its optimum mode, cost and build parameters, as well as planning needs.