1ºThe unrealized potential of Palestinian oil and gas reserves
28 August 2019
Oil and natural gas resources in the occupied Palestinian territory could generate hundreds of billions of dollars for development.
Geologists and resources economists have confirmed that the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) lies above sizeable reservoirs of oil and natural gas wealth, in Area C of the West Bank and the Mediterranean coast off the Gaza Strip, according to a recent UNCTAD study.
New discoveries of natural gas in the Levant Basin are in the range of 122 trillion cubic foot while recoverable oil is estimated at 1.7 billion barrels, according to the study entitled “The Economic Cost of Occupation for the Palestinian People: The Unrealized Oil and Natural Gas Potential.”
This offers an opportunity to distribute and share about US$524 billion among the different parties in the region and promote peace and cooperation among old belligerents, the study notes.
These funds could finance socioeconomic development in the oPt as part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
However, so far the Palestinian people have been prohibited from exploiting the oil and gas reserves in their own land and water to meet their energy needs and generate fiscal and export revenues.
This increases both the opportunity costs and the total costs borne by the Palestinian people as a result of occupation, the study states.
Assessing economic cost of occupation
In a number of UN General Assembly resolutions, UNCTAD has been asked to assess and report on the economic cost of occupation borne by the Palestinian people.
The study focuses on oil and natural gas due to their high value and critical importance in potentially meeting basic Palestinian needs for energy, and fiscal and export revenues.
It identifies and assesses existing and potential Palestinian oil and natural gas reserves that could be exploited.
Also critical are the new oil and natural gas finds in the Eastern Mediterranean that Israel has begun to exploit for its own benefit, while these resources may be considered shared resources, as the oil and natural gas exist in common pools.
“What could be a source of wealth and opportunities could prove disastrous if these common resources are exploited individually and exclusively, without due regard for international law and norms,” the study warns.
Costs enormous and escalating
Israel’s exploitation of Palestinian natural resources, including oil and natural gas, imposes on the Palestinian people enormous costs that escalate as the occupation remains in effect, the study cautions.
It highlights the peculiarities of oil and natural gas as non-renewable resources, arguing that current generations are not necessarily the only owners of these resources that straddle national borders and can thus be jointly owned by multiple states and generations.
It also recommends further detailed studies to clearly establish the Palestinian people’s right to their separate natural resources, as well as their rightful share in the common resources collectively owned by several neighbouring states in the region, including Israel.
The study comes ahead of the release of UNCTAD’s report on its assistance to the Palestinian people, slated for 10 September
2ºOk, it’s not a war. It’s a “police action” like Vietnam. Whatever. Facts remain the same.
I understand where you’re coming from. It’s never as straightforward as either side makes it out to be. Why aren’t you celebrating the glorious martyrdom of all those young souls? Surely they are better off now? And it might achieve peace and independence for Palestine once Israel has been destroyed (because Hamas won’t stop until that happens).
That is my basic question. If Palestine loses, will it have been worth it because it furthered your struggle and brought international attention to the injustices? If Palestine wins, will it have been worth the sacrifice to achieve the goal? If Israel’s victory means the annihilation of Palestine is that worth it? If Palestine’s victory means the annihilation of Israel is that worth it? If you think one is worth it and the other is not, then you need to examine your morals.
There’s no easy solution here. There are too many ideologies fighting for too many different reasons, and few of them are justifiable. The only people who don’t get a voice are the ones who just want to get along and live their lives.
3ºHamas was the biggest lie, this is what they always wanted, to occupy Gaza, and this whole Hamas charade ,7th Oct attack and killing thousands of Innocents was just to occupy this land to build another Suez canal through Gaza... Hats off to America and western world for showing full support for terrorism and genocide. You guys will always be remembered.
Western countries greed and psychotic mentality has ruined lives 10s of countries and millions of lives. I'm happy that I don't belong to such Civilized terrorist nations, I happy that people can call our people corrupt but atleast not killers of children and innocents just for money oil and power.
These elites of western world are the biggest terrorists of this world, And if western nations don't recognize them and teach a lesson then soon whole western world will suffer. Bcz these kinda of unjustice and attrocities don't go on for ages, it may be there time now, but don't worry ,time always change its course and the whole western world will suffer only bcz of these few psychotic elities.
4ºWhat did you do to me, Hamas Resistance Movement?
What is this patience, praise be to God, and thanks be to God
The landing of the heads of major countries: America, Britain, France, Germany
Billions of dollars in aid from taxpayers
Aid, weapons, equipment, and all the intelligence services in the world are at their service
Naval battleships
Nuclear dives
Nuclear aircraft carriers park
Modern tanks, repair cars, and Emirati tiger troop carriers
Surveillance breaks
Modern aircraft from all over the world, Emirati, American and Moroccan
German and French garden drone walks
Airlift of aid: 20 aircraft per day
Facial recognition cameras, X-ray cameras, thermal cameras, all industrial spy ideas.
Missiles are the latest trend
An iron fist
Special Forces, Delta Forces, Western forces, French, Moroccans, Indians, mercenaries from all over the world
Siege for 18 years
Guarded crossings around the clock
Opposite the land, Gaza B. The Gaza Strip is 41 kilometers long, 6 to 12 kilometers wide, and has a total area of 365 square kilometers.
In exchange for 3000 fierce fighters
They believe their cause is just from heaven
God willing, God willing, God willing, you will be victorious, may God strengthen you
5ºI hope Hamas will get his karma back!! Asap! Hiding between civilians? Knowing they will be a reaction back from Israel. And Israel must protect her civilians !
Hamas Operating terror acts from civilians area?Risking children ?!! And then when Israel IDF bomb Hamas. Hamas make sure to base himself behind civilians. Shame!!!
Hamas leaders currently have billions of dollars , why they starving their people ???? Shame!!!!
And IRAN??!! Well , they have got enough food, why don't they supply to them too???
as the way he is supplying enough bombs and rockets to their terrorist organisation brothers?.
They should ask the Iran, Iraq,Turkey, Lebanon, Syria,Yemen Jordan etc to supply food too.
Hamas billionaires: Lifestyles of the rich and terrorists ...
Private jets, cushy hotels how Hamas bosses live in luxury. I guess we know where the aid money went from the US, UN and others. It was meant for the Palestinian people. I wonder if they siphoned off some of the $70 million Iran sent them.
https://m.facebook.com/st...mibextid=9R9pXO
6ºDavid Betancourt
Hamas is a terrorist group. Which seized power on a bloody coup when they understood that they actually did NOT have the support of the people in Gaza. So Hamas is looking out for their own, not the people confined with them. I have no expectations on them.
While I have had expectations that Israel would follow international law. Israel is justified to retaliate, but NOT like this.
IDF's actions are worse than those of Hamas'.
Collective punishment and avoidable killing of civilians constitute war crimes.
"Collateral damage" is not what is happening - 90-99% of those killed are civilians. A child dies of the bombings every 10 minutes.
And you write "too bad"?
That puts you way below a sorry excuse...
7ºOlesya Ozery Did you count the rockets , bullets, and artellaries fired on Gaza from last 75years? Who created Hamas? Its your attrocities ... Let's face it, soon world will know that there was no Hamas at first place, Those were just Israeli funded militants , which invaded Israel just to show the world that Gaza started this first, and we so called civilzed nations are just defending ourselves by killing thousands of children and innocents and by commiting genocide and by bombing every buildling in Gaza to do another nakkba...
Don't worry fellas, its a law of nature, when you dig a grave for somebody, dig one for yourself as well. Time could be in your favour for now, but time never stay same, Karma is real and I hope that you shouldn't be alive to see the death of your children and newborns because its a hell lot painful.I hope you Don't see you mothers, brothers and sisters dying because that'll scare the hell out you. Your psychotic mentality and greed has ruined the lives of millions on this planet , how could you think that it will never happen to you Just wait.
8ºThis is exactly what happens when we give the criminal the right to self-defense. Children are killed, genocide occurs, and the truth about the world that claims humanity is revealed to everyone. Humanity is not about using your power to exterminate a human being for the sake of religion, color or race. Millions of Muslims were killed in Bosnia by the Serbs, Iraq, Syria, and genocide in... Palestine is not enough to enjoy peace and then ask where terrorism comes from. What is happening now tells you everything. What do you expect from a child who survived those holocausts and saw all his family killed in front of him, to become Shakespeare?
9ºThere are over 10000 dead so far in the war that Hamas started and still Hamas has not yet surrendered. This government elected by the Palestinians chooses to continue attacking Israel. Firing rockets and attempting sneak attacks to repeat Oct 7 has not stopped since the Palestinians first began massacring Israelis. Hamas has vowed to continue October 7th style attacks over and over repeatedly again and again until there is no more Israel. There is good reason to believe them. A pause, or cease fire for them to regroup for the next attack does not only make no sense, it can be suicidal.
10ºAwunah Pius Terwase Do you mean the killers of children and women, is this the terrorism you mean? 11,000 martyrs, including 4,000 children and more than 3,500 women, and the rest are elderly, medical staff, journalists, and more than 40,000 injured, are these really terrorists?At the rate of a child every 10 minutes and an average of 15 people per hour.Everyone knows it's Hamas in the underground tunnels. So why do you kill innocent people by bombing homes, residential areas, schools,hospitals, mosques and churches? The killing of innocent civilians is act condemnable regardless of their religion, race and color is considered terrorism regardless of who commits it.A ceasefire must be made in order to save what can be saved from what is left of humanity.