Saturday, November 29, 2025

The Art of Occupied Palestine ... Dreaming at the Window.... painting by Palestinian artist Shaima' Farouki.

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES & QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]

Thursday, November 27, 2025

"Meanwhile, the occupied West Bank is also experiencing its most severe economic downturn on record, with movement and access restrictions and the collapse of jobs"... Israel’s war and restrictions drive Palestinian economy to record collapse. UNCTAD warns two years of attacks and longstanding restrictions have driven occupied Palestinian territory’s economy into its most severe contraction.

Israel’s war and restrictions drive Palestinian economy to record collapse

The economy of the occupied Palestinian territory is facing its most severe collapse on record, driven by the scale of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and continued restrictions on movement and trade, according to a new United Nations report.

Published on Monday, the report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said two years of Israeli military operations and longstanding curbs have pushed the occupied territory into an economic downturn now ranked among the 10 worst collapses recorded globally since 1960.

“Extensive damage to infrastructure, productive assets and public services has reversed decades of socioeconomic progress in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” it said, referring to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The situation in Gaza constitutes “the most severe economic crisis on record”, it warned.

The publication of the findings comes as Israeli attacks on Gaza continue, despite a six-week ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

Israel’s assault began on October 7, 2023, after an attack on southern Israel by fighters from Hamas and other Palestinian groups, during which an estimated 1,139 people were killed and about 240 were taken into Gaza as captives.

In response, Israel unleashed a bombing campaign and tightened its longstanding blockade on Gaza, turning what had already been a 16-year siege into a total stranglehold. Its attacks have killed at least 69,733 people and wounded 170,863, with more than 300 killed since the start of the ceasefire last month.

Falling GDP

According to the UNCTAD report, the Palestinian gross domestic product (GDP) had regressed to its 2010 level by the end of last year, while GDP per capita returned to the level seen in 2003, erasing 22 years of development in less than two years.

In Gaza, GDP plunged 83 percent in 2024 compared with the previous year, totalling an 87 percent drop over two years to $362m. GDP per capita plummeted to $161, placing it among the lowest in the world.

The report documented that nearly two decades of Israeli‐imposed blocks on trade, movement and access have generated near-total dependence on external aid, while Israeli attacks have damaged about 174,500 structures in Gaza, propelling the enclave into “utter ruin”.

Meanwhile, the occupied West Bank is also experiencing its most severe economic downturn on record, with movement and access restrictions and the collapse of jobs.

“Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the steepest economic contraction on record has wiped out decades of progress,” the report added.

The report says Israel’s withholding of fiscal revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority (PA) has significantly worsened the crisis, severely limiting the government’s ability to pay salaries, maintain services and finance reconstruction efforts.

The PA said on Monday that Israel was withholding $4bn of tax revenues.

The road to recovery

UNCTAD estimated that the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Gaza alone will exceed $70bn and called for a comprehensive recovery plan that is backed by coordinated international assistance, the restoration of fiscal transfers and urgent measures to ease constraints on trade, movement and investment.

“Even with substantial aid, recovery to pre-October 2023 GDP levels could take decades,” it said.

The agency also warned that without immediate, large-scale intervention, the destruction caused by Israel’s war and systemic restrictions will trap the Palestinian economy in a long-term slump.

For any meaningful recovery, UNCTAD said, the ceasefire achieved in October must be durable.

“UNCTAD’s report calls for immediate and substantial intervention by the international community to halt the economic freefall, address the humanitarian crisis, and lay the groundwork for lasting peace and development,” it added.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/25/israels-war-on-gaza-curbs-drive-palestinian-economy-to-record-collapse

Rama Duwaji Makes a Powerful Statement wearing Palestinian-Jordanian Designer Zeid Hijazi's creation, for her husband Zohran Mamdani's acceptance speech

ANGELA WEISS//Getty Images

Rama Duwaji Makes a Powerful Statement in This Palestinian-Jordanian Designer Alongside Zohran Mamdani

That’s our first lady!

By Sophie Wang Published: Nov 05, 2025 Harper's Bizaar

“In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light.” Last night, the news of Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win sent an exciting cry of hope not simply through New York City, but across the country as a whole, and even overseas.

The city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect stepped onstage to deliver a moving speech, promising a brighter future for all to a crowd who had already begun to feel it blooming. And while we New Yorkers glued ourselves to the TV, hanging on the Democrat’s every word, we also got a first glimpse at what his wife, Syrian-American animator and illustrator Rama Duwaji, would bring to City Hall.

Walking out with Mamdani, Duwali—who famously met her husband on Hinge, in the best moment of free advertising a dating app could ever hope for—brought her own take on first lady-dressing to the stage. And, given that she is an artist herself, it came as no surprise that her debut look in this new position was nothing short of memorable.

Designed by Zeid Hijazi, a London-based Palestinian-Jordanian label that fuses ancient folklore with Arab futurism, Duwali’s black top was crafted from laser-etched denim with a high neckline and basque waist.

Helmed by a Central Saint Martins alum, the brand was founded to explore the “mysteries of a futuristic yet dystopian Middle East,” drawing inspiration from the designer’s heritage and blending Middle Eastern craftsmanship with couture sensibilities. Duwali’s piece, appropriately titled the “frequency” top, sent a subtle yet powerful message of its own, as Mamdani spoke of protecting the people of New York and the cultural diversity that makes the city what it is... READ MORE https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a69262629/rama-duwaji-zohran-mamdani-palestinian-jordanian-designer-zeid-hijazi-outfit-photos/

Zohran Mamdani is rewriting the political rules around support for Israel. If support for Israel is no longer de rigueur in New York, it may soon not be obligatory in Washington. That is good news for Palestinians - by Kenneth Roth in The Guardian

‘The political shift on Israel that Mamdani’s victory represents should be a wake-up call for the Netanyahu government.’ Photograph: Lev Radin/Shutterstock

Kenneth Roth

Thu 27 Nov 2025 06.00 EST

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be quaking in his boots at the decisive victory of Zohran Mamdani in the 4 November New York City mayoral election. Not because of absurd allegations of antisemitism for which there is no evidence, but because Mamdani has broken the longstanding taboo for successful New York candidates against criticizing the Israeli government. And he has only reinforced his approach in the month since his election.

New York has the largest Jewish population in the United States – and the second-largest of any city in the world after Tel Aviv. The longstanding assumption was that many Jewish voters prioritized the defense of the Israeli government over other issues, so criticism of Israel would set them against a politician.

Mamdani blew that assumption out of the water. During the campaign he spoke accurately and openly about the genocide that Israel was committing in Gaza. He insisted that all residents of Israel should have equal rights. He said he would arrest Netanyahu were he to show up in New York. Yet one-third of New York’s Jewish voters cast a ballot for him. As did many others.

Some Jews may have been uncomfortable with Mamdani’s criticism of Israel but liked other aspects of his candidacy, such as his relentless focus on affordability. Others, myself included, were attracted by his candor on such an important issue as Israel. Many were also probably appalled by the efforts of Mamdani’s principal opponent, Andrew Cuomo, to tar Mamdani with fact-free allegations of antisemitism.

Mamdani has only continued his openness on Israel since the election... READ MORE https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/27/zohran-mamdani-israel-us-support

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

"This brings to 1,004 the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the West Bank since October 2023, including 217 minors. At least 21 of the killings were perpetrated by settlers. “ We are witnessing the total abandonment of Palestinian lives. Israel has already shown it is capable of far greater violence, as we are seeing in the Gaza Strip. The situation in the West Bank is deteriorating by the day and will only worsen, because there is no internal or external mechanism to restrain Israel or stop its ongoing policy of ethnic cleansing. The international community must put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people to account” said Yuli Novak, B'Tselem executive director. Since October 2023, alongside the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Israeli military has been enforcing an increasingly permissive and reckless open-fire policy in the West Bank, including the use of airstrikes in populated areas. The military has also armed and mobilized thousands of settlers into regional defense battalions and rapid-response teams within settlements. Under this blanket impunity, armed settlers attack Palestinians on a daily basis, burning homes, farmland and crops, looting property and killing residents. Although dozens of such attacks occur every day, and many are captured on video and well documented, Israeli law-enforcement authorities rarely open investigations. In the 21 cases where settlers have killed Palestinians, not a single perpetrator has been convicted." B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم

https://x.com/btselem/status/1992565333605888307

B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم

@btselem

On Friday (November 21), Israeli forces killed Amro al-Marbu, 18, and Sami al-Mashayekh, 16, in Kafr ‘Aqab, East Jerusalem and also Yunis Ashtayeh, 24, from the village of Tel near Nablus.

This brings to 1,004 the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the West Bank since October 2023, including 217 minors.

At least 21 of the killings were perpetrated by settlers. “

We are witnessing the total abandonment of Palestinian lives. Israel has already shown it is capable of far greater violence, as we are seeing in the Gaza Strip.

The situation in the West Bank is deteriorating by the day and will only worsen, because there is no internal or external mechanism to restrain Israel or stop its ongoing policy of ethnic cleansing.

The international community must put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people to account” said Yuli Novak, B'Tselem executive director.

Since October 2023, alongside the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Israeli military has been enforcing an increasingly permissive and reckless open-fire policy in the West Bank, including the use of airstrikes in populated areas.

The military has also armed and mobilized thousands of settlers into regional defense battalions and rapid-response teams within settlements.

Under this blanket impunity, armed settlers attack Palestinians on a daily basis, burning homes, farmland and crops, looting property and killing residents.

Although dozens of such attacks occur every day, and many are captured on video and well documented, Israeli law-enforcement authorities rarely open investigations. In the 21 cases where settlers have killed Palestinians, not a single perpetrator has been convicted.

https://x.com/btselem/status/1992565333605888307

"Since the “ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip took effect on 10 October 2025, Israel has killed at least 345 Palestinians there, including at least 119 children, and wounded about 889. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported this past week that it managed to bring into the Strip only about two-thirds of its planned aid and could provide food to just 500,000 people – roughly 30% of its target. The main obstacles are Israel’s draconian bureaucratic restrictions on aid organizations and its ongoing refusal to open the crossings. According to reports, during the 45 days since the “ceasefire” was declared, Israel has demolished roughly 1,500 structures across the Strip, in violation of the agreement. With the sewage system in ruins and heavy rain in mid-November, many IDP tent camps have flooded. Most people in Gaza are homeless, hungry and lacking access to basic services, yet world leaders are standing by, issuing empty statements and enabling the normalization of this unbearable reality. The international community must act now to ensure protection for Palestinians, the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, and accountability for those responsible for the genocide." B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم

B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم

@btselem

Since the “ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip took effect on 10 October 2025, Israel has killed at least 345 Palestinians there, including at least 119 children, and wounded about 889.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported this past week that it managed to bring into the Strip only about two-thirds of its planned aid and could provide food to just 500,000 people – roughly 30% of its target.

The main obstacles are Israel’s draconian bureaucratic restrictions on aid organizations and its ongoing refusal to open the crossings.

According to reports, during the 45 days since the “ceasefire” was declared, Israel has demolished roughly 1,500 structures across the Strip, in violation of the agreement.

With the sewage system in ruins and heavy rain in mid-November, many IDP tent camps have flooded.

Most people in Gaza are homeless, hungry and lacking access to basic services, yet world leaders are standing by, issuing empty statements and enabling the normalization of this unbearable reality.

The international community must act now to ensure protection for Palestinians, the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, and accountability for those responsible for the genocide.

https://x.com/btselem/status/1993350142963921073

"Israel is allowing fewer than 200 aid trucks a day into the Strip, despite a ceasefire deal requiring 600. Ismail Al-Thawabteh of Gaza’s media office says Israel is “managing hunger in Gaza deliberately, slowly, and cumulatively,” with malnutrition now above 90 percent. He adds that Israel has killed at least 342 Palestinians since the Oct. 10 ceasefire began and continues to block heavy machinery needed to recover bodies from rubble. He calls it deliberate starvation and obstruction of relief, urging mediators to pressure Israel to comply."

Assal Rad

@AssalRad

The genocide is not over.

Drop Site

@DropSiteNews

Israel Blocking More Than Two-Thirds of Aid Agreed Under Ceasefire Deal. Gaza authorities reiterate that Israel is allowing fewer than 200 aid trucks a day into the Strip, despite a ceasefire deal requiring 600.

Ismail Al-Thawabteh of Gaza’s media office says Israel is “managing hunger in Gaza deliberately, slowly, and cumulatively,” with malnutrition now above 90 percent.

He adds that Israel has killed at least 342 Palestinians since the Oct. 10 ceasefire began and continues to block heavy machinery needed to recover bodies from rubble.

He calls it deliberate starvation and obstruction of relief, urging mediators to pressure Israel to comply.

https://x.com/AssalRad/status/1993413459300724997

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