Really excited to start today as the US Visiting Fellow of @AlShabaka, a vital organization for important work on #Palestine. My project is, I think, really important for Palestinians and allies to consider. What should Palestinian-led development actually look like? 1/6
So much of the work on Palestine, mine included, is rightfully focused on the actions and incentives of external actors—Israel, the US, the EU, the ICC, the “international community.” They play an outsized role with politics, money, etc. This analysis is vital! BUT— 2/6
Most of these levers are out of the control of the average Palestinian. The PA has dropped any pretense of being a responsive body. Palestinians have waited generations for a just political resolution. And it’s not coming. Not from the outside. Not anytime soon. 3/6
Yet, people live in Palestine. ~5 million. Nearly half are children. They still go to school, get sick, want jobs, want a dignified life. They’ve seen their parents and parents live under untold oppression, and continually be told they’re responsible for it. 4/6
So with this project at @AlShabaka, I’m going to take a different approach. How can Palestinians—with the limited control and resources they have—take control of their development? How can we rethink the Palestinian health and education systems to better serve Palestinians? 5/6
This is going to require imagination and a rethinking of what’s possible. And I don’t have all the answers, so I’m planning to talk to lots of people in these sectors and hear from them. If that’s you, please contact me! Very excited about this—will share more soon! 6/6
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