A new report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) argues that Israel’s ongoing and debilitating occupation of Palestine prevents any form of improvement or growth in the economy of the region.

The document detailing the “staggering economic cost” of Israeli occupation was released on Tuesday, and states that “The Palestinian economy would be at least twice as large without Israeli occupation.” 

The UNCTAD has stated that the Israel’s occupation prevents the improvement of Palestine which has the potential double in size and which could also see the eradication of social problems such as unemployment and poverty.

In a press release the UNCTAD stated: “Surveying a number of studies, the report reveals the channels through which occupation deprives the Palestinian people of their human right to development and hollows out the Palestinian economy,”

Economy of #Palestine could be at least twice as large without Israeli occupation: https://t.co/i1p4u1RDvc pic.twitter.com/hNKip48h3j

— UNCTAD (@UNCTAD) September 6, 2016

It added, “Chief among these [problems] are the confiscation of Palestinian land, water and other natural resources; loss of policy space; restrictions on the movement of people and goods; destruction of assets and the productive base; expansion of Israeli settlements; fragmentation of domestic markets; separation from international markets and forced dependence on the Israeli economy,”

Among the key reasons for the high unemployment and staggering poverty the agency cites “confiscation of Palestinian land, water and other natural resources.” The report adds that “restrictions on the movement of people and goods, and the destruction of assets and the productive base,” further add to the problem.

(PC, MEMO, Al-Jazeera)