{"id":120110,"date":"2017-07-21T19:08:31","date_gmt":"2017-07-21T19:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=120110"},"modified":"2017-10-25T19:11:27","modified_gmt":"2017-10-25T19:11:27","slug":"international-conference-on-the-question-of-jerusalem-baku-azerbaijan-20-21-july-2017-plenary-ii-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/international-conference-on-the-question-of-jerusalem-baku-azerbaijan-20-21-july-2017-plenary-ii-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem (Baku, Azerbaijan, 20-21 July 2017) – Plenary II – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
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21 JULY 2017<\/strong>
\nGA\/PAL\/1393<\/strong><\/h5>\n

BAKU, Azerbaijan, 21\u00a0July \u2014 Participants in the International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem continued to explore the specific impacts of the Israeli occupation on the city\u2019s economy, development and social life \u2014 as well as opportunities for support from both donors and investors \u2014 as the meeting entered its second and final day.<\/p>\n

During a plenary discussion on ways to support East Jerusalem\u2019s tourism and infrastructure sectors, Rateb Rabie, Founder and President of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, said 80\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the city\u2019s Palestinian population lived below the poverty line, compared to a much smaller proportion of the city\u2019s Jewish population.\u00a0 Israeli tour maps ignored both Christian and Muslim holy sites and there had been a steady decline in East Jerusalem tourism.\u00a0 He attributed East Jerusalem\u2019s lack of hotels largely to the challenges of obtaining building permits, as well as the related souvenir shop closures and a drop in other tourism services.\u00a0 In that context, he called for stronger efforts to preserve Palestinian culture and identity, boost their competitive capacity and promote East Jerusalem tourism internationally.<\/p>\n

Kamel Husseini, Chief International and Investors Relations Officer with the Bank of Palestine, echoed the concerns sounded about East Jerusalem\u2019s tourism and services sectors, which represented 40\u00a0per\u00a0cent and 25\u00a0per\u00a0cent, respectively, of the economy.\u00a0 Whereas the situation there was \u201cnot rosy\u201d, however, numerous investment opportunities were available, including in such areas as renovating existing family-run hotels, building new hotels, and converting existing landmark buildings such as hospitals and schools into four- and five-star hotels.\u00a0 Calling on the international community to mobilize around those opportunities \u2014 as well as the financing of new mortgage schemes, the provision of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, infrastructure rehabilitation and other opportunities \u2014 he urged the media not to paint a hopeless picture among potential investors.<\/p>\n

Motasem Taem, Head of the Jerusalem Unit in the Office of the President of the State of Palestine, agreed that investment opportunities existed, saying they enjoyed with unflagging support among East Jerusalem\u2019s donors despite many challenges, and called, for the prompt convening of an investment conference to mobilize resources.\u00a0 Nevertheless, the Jerusalem Unit had identified a number of shortcomings in the support currently provided, he said, adding that future programmes must include specific indicators, transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as well as enhanced coordination structures, he said.<\/p>\n

Isra Muzaffar, Head of the Central West Bank Field Office of the Â鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, presented the Â鶹APP Engagement Strategy in East Jerusalem, saying it sought to mobilize support for the city\u2019s Palestinian population by aligning the Organization\u2019s various development, humanitarian and other efforts on the ground.\u00a0 Outlining critical challenges impacting the population, she pointed to restrictions on free movement, high rates of detention and issues related to property rights, such as the transfer of Palestinian properties to Israeli \u201ccustodians\u201d under the Absentee Property Law.\u00a0 The confiscation and demolition of Palestinian property was a serious threat, she emphasized, noting that some 25,000\u00a0units \u2014 housing 100,000\u00a0people or one third of East Jerusalem\u2019s Palestinian population \u2014 were currently at risk.<\/p>\n

In the ensuing interactive discussion, speakers from a range of organizations shared their thoughts on East Jerusalem\u2019s economy, with many focusing on how to boost tourism.\u00a0 One speaker expressed concern that some religious leaders around the world urged their followers not to visit the city\u2019s holy sites while it remained under Israeli occupation, or had even prohibited them from doing so.\u00a0 Others raised concerns about disunity among various Palestinian factions, to which the panellists responded by emphasizing the importance of solidarity.<\/p>\n

The Conference will reconvene at 2\u00a0p.m. for its final plenary session and the conclusion of its other outstanding work.<\/p>\n

Plenary II<\/u><\/p>\n

The Conference held its second plenary session under the theme, \u201ca new approach for East Jerusalem\u201d, with a focus on \u201ctangible support to the Palestinian economy: \u00a0tourism, infrastructure\u201d.\u00a0 Chaired by Aghshin Mehdiyev, Permanent Observer of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation\u00a0(OIC) to the Â鶹APP, it featured four panellists:\u00a0 Rateb Rabie, Founder and President, Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, Washington, D.C.;\u00a0 Motasem Taem, Head, Jerusalem Unit, Office of the President of the State of Palestine, Ramallah; Kamel Husseini, Chief International and Investors Relations Officer, Bank of Palestine in Ramallah; and Isra Muzaffar, Head, Central West Bank Field Office, Â鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.<\/p>\n

Mr. RABIE said Israeli policy in Jerusalem fell under three phases: \u00a0de\u2011development, integration and \u201cgentrification\u201d, each of which negatively impacted the city\u2019s Palestinians.\u00a0 The wall constructed between the West Bank and Jerusalem \u2014 marginalizing the Palestinian urban presence \u2014 was one example of the first phase. \u00a0The second phase, integration, aimed to draw all facets of life into the Israeli system, impacting Palestinian educational curricula, business licences, labour laws and promotion of the city.\u00a0 The separation wall, in particular, divided the Palestinian territory into two parts, thereby cutting off and isolating East Jerusalem from the West Bank, degrading the quality of life and creating a political vacuum.\u00a0 More than 80\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem lived below the poverty line, compared to just a fraction of that proportion among the city\u2019s Jewish population.<\/p>\n

Israeli tour maps of Jerusalem had been drawn to ignore both Christian and Muslim holy sites, he continued, describing the steady decline in tourism in the city\u2019s eastern part.\u00a0 Noting that the Christian pilgrimage in Jerusalem was seasonal in nature, and that the Muslim market was both limited and occasional, he said only 20\u00a0per\u00a0cent of pilgrims to the city stayed in East Jerusalem despite the fact that most of the holy sites were located there.\u00a0 There was also a lack of hotels in East Jerusalem \u2014 fewer than 1,500\u00a0in total \u2014 due largely to challenges in obtaining building permits.\u00a0 Tourism services were also down, souvenir shops were closing, bus traffic was dropping and East Jerusalem lacked a tourism board to address those challenges.\u00a0 In that regard, he called for stronger efforts to preserve Palestinian culture, identity and existence, and to build the capacity of their businesses and organizations; boost East Jerusalem\u2019s competitive capacity by introducing new products to challenge tourism\u2019s seasonality; and promote tourism by positioning East Jerusalem on regional and international maps.<\/p>\n

Mr. TAEM, describing a range of measures imposed by the Israeli authorities in order to \u201cJudaize\u201d the city of Jerusalem, said they extended to its recent actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Muslim and Christian holy sites.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s policies included efforts to create a Jewish majority by establishing \u201cJewish only\u201d settlements, as well as the imposition of spatial segregation and reducing the Palestinian population\u2019s visibility.<\/p>\n

He went on to outline a number of related projects, including settlement tunnels and excavations, the creation of Talmudic Gardens or \u201cNational Parks\u201d, a dangerous cable car project and the building of an illegal annexation wall.\u00a0 Against that backdrop, he said, the Jerusalem Unit was working to help Palestinians in the city remain steadfast and maintain their presence, while supporting their development and prosperity.\u00a0 Agreeing that a number of investment opportunities existed in the city, he called for the prompt convening of an investment conference to mobilize resources.\u00a0 Drawing attention to shortcomings identified by his Unit in the support currently provided to East Jerusalem, he said, in that regard, that future programmes should include specific indicators, transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and enhanced coordination structures. \u00a0He also proposed that the Palestinian people be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.<\/p>\n

Mr. HUSSEINI also described economic and development efforts in East Jerusalem, involving intergovernmental agencies, donors, \u201cpublic-private partnerships\u201d and now also Palestinian banks, saying they provided new investment opportunities.\u00a0 Despite a number of improvements and significant potential, tourism and services remained the core economic sectors in East Jerusalem, representing 40\u00a0per\u00a0cent and 25\u00a0per\u00a0cent respectively.\u00a0 Investment opportunities in those areas included renovating existing, family-run hotels, building new hotels and converting existing landmark buildings, such as hospitals and schools, into four-star hotels or above.\u00a0 For example, investors could come together to reconvert the Orient House \u2014 formerly the Palestine Liberation Organization\u00a0(PLO) headquarters and originally built as a guesthouse \u2014 into a hotel, he said, pointing out that, of the $65\u00a0million required for investment, all but $10\u00a0million had been raised.<\/p>\n

Outlining several other private sector investment opportunities, he cited new mortgage financing schemes; loan guarantees, including for small and medium-sized enterprises; a new \u201curban renewal master plan\u201d; labour rehabilitation and training; infrastructure rehabilitation; education and technical skills development; and training in innovation and entrepreneurship to support East Jerusalem\u2019s knowledge economy.\u00a0 \u201cWe have a responsibility as non-partisans \u2014 Arabs, Muslims and others,\u201d he emphasized, calling on the international community to mobilize around such investment opportunities.\u00a0 East Jerusalem still offered many opportunities for investment and while the picture there was \u201cnot rosy\u201d, the Arab media should avoid painting a hopeless picture of the city among potential investors.\u00a0 In that vein, he described an urban renewal project jointly undertaken by the Islamic Development Bank, European Union, Â鶹APP Development Programme\u00a0(UNDP) and other partners, to revitalize two commercial streets in East Jerusalem, which could serve as a model for future endeavours. \u00a0Arab donors might be reluctant to give money to the West Bank or Gaza so as to avoid being seen as favouring a particular Palestinian party, but everybody could come together in support of East Jerusalem, he concluded.<\/p>\n

Ms. MUZAFFAR presented the Â鶹APP Engagement Strategy in East Jerusalem, saying it sought to mobilize support for the city\u2019s Palestinian population by aligning the Organization\u2019s various development, humanitarian and other efforts on the ground.\u00a0 Among other things, the Â鶹APP country team had carried out a series of mapping exercises, identifying gaps and areas that could be improved.\u00a0 Noting that the particular realities of East Jerusalem under Israeli occupation had begun just 50\u00a0years ago, she outlined challenges that had worsened over those decades.\u00a0 Those included restrictions on free movement, high rates of detention, and issues relating to property rights, such as the transfer of Palestinian property to Israeli \u201ccustodians\u201d under the Absentee Property Law.<\/p>\n

The confiscation of private Palestinian properties and the demolition of homes was another major challenge, she said, noting that a full 35\u00a0per\u00a0cent of East Jerusalem had been expropriated to settlers.\u00a0 In 2017\u00a0alone, 99\u00a0Palestinian structures had been demolished to date, affecting more than 200\u00a0people.\u00a0 While that pace had not attracted international media attention, it was a steady stream that continued to grow, she said.\u00a0 Some 25,000\u00a0units \u2014 housing 100,000\u00a0people, or one third of East Jerusalem\u2019s Palestinian population \u2014 were currently at risk of demolition; meanwhile, the construction of checkpoints and finally a barrier wall sought to isolate the city\u2019s Palestinian population and further transform geopolitics on the ground.\u00a0 The wall had placed thousands of West Bank residents in East Jerusalem, essentially making them prisoners in their own homes, she emphasized.<\/p>\n

Outlining key challenges impacting East Jerusalem\u2019s Palestinian residents, she cited underfunded hospitals, substance abuse, lack of education, high detention rates among children, the need for economic revitalization and the closure of Palestinian institutions.\u00a0 Against that backdrop, the Â鶹APP strategy in East Jerusalem laid out a set of \u201csoft interventions\u201d intended to restore East Jerusalem as the centre of commercial, religious and cultural life for the Palestinian population.\u00a0 The interventions were also intended to help reconnect the city with the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, while allowing the population to realize their rights and access essential services.\u00a0 Among the areas identified as requiring particular attention, were the effects of the barrier wall, issues of residency and political representation, the absentee and property rights law, as well as the impact of settler activities.<\/p>\n

Discussion<\/u><\/p>\n

With the floor open for comments and questions, opinions were aired about the education and property rights of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, as well as their access to basic services.\u00a0 Speakers also raised points relating the city\u2019s tourism industry.<\/p>\n

The representative of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum<\/u> echoed the concerns raised by the panellists about education in East Jerusalem.\u00a0 Underlining that Jerusalem belonged to all three major monotheistic religions, he said all their populations in the city deserved access to strong, well-funded education systems.<\/p>\n

The representative of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries<\/u> called on all stakeholders \u2014 and indeed all human beings \u2014 to fulfil their responsibility to help resolve the challenges facing Jerusalem.\u00a0 Challenges preventing the development of robust tourism in the city of Jerusalem included restrictions imposed by some religious leaders on visiting while it remained under occupation, he said, calling on them to rethink such rules and instead actively support Palestinian-run businesses.<\/p>\n

Mr. TAEM, responding to one speaker\u2019s proposal of a \u201cthree-State solution\u201d involving Israel and two Palestinian States representing factions currently seeming unable to unite, stressed that \u201cthe Palestinian people are one people\u201d.\u00a0 The \u201ctemporary black cloud\u201d of disunity would ultimately lift, he said, noting that all Palestinians agreed on the need to have their land and freedom restored.<\/p>\n

Mr. HUSSEINI said elections would decide the way forward for Palestinians, declaring:\u00a0 \u201cThere is one country, one State and one capital.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For information media. Not an official record.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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