Project

Palestinian Youth at a Crossroads

With Western donor aid down, the much-ballyhooed economic boom that the West Bank has experienced since 2008 has finally slowed. The Palestinian Authority’s stalemated bid to gain United Nations recognition and the ongoing deadlock over settlement construction have left Israeli-Palestinian negotiations with nowhere to go. Amid concerns that regional winds may be blowing the Islamists’ way, it is unclear what will come of renewed talk of national elections or of a Fatah-Hamas unity government in the months ahead.

Taking a step back from the day-to-day events, Pulitzer Center Student Fellow Anna Van Hollen explores some of the underlying questions facing Palestinian society as it enters the New Year. Where do the youth stand? How will the fight over natural resources affect the conflict in generations to come? Is it possible to build a sustainable Palestinian economy that can withstand fluctuations in donor aid and provide jobs and improved living standards?