May 2017 Master Program of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture A Spatial Vision for Palestinian State Salam Shoman Leena Sbaih Laila khaled Misada jobran Supervisor: Dr. Salem Thawaba Amjad Da'na Shayma Bawatneh Ishraq Saleh Iman Talhami Afnan Farraj Bayan Khayat Hiba Hassoun This study was compiled by the students of Birzeit University’s Master Program of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, under the direction of Dr. Salem Thawaba. The study attempts to answer how a new independent Palestinian state can be made successful through spatial development and regional planning. The developed vision for the Palestinian State 2030 within the political boundaries of the 1967 borderlines, includes a strategic vision for a sustainable Palestinian State in the context of urban development, focusing on urban – regional –hubs, which includes a spatial development plan for the urban fabric, rural areas, and suburbs. The first phase of the study is compiled of data gathering, assessment, and analysis of the different sectors that play key roles in the development of the Palestinian urban fabric, this includes geopolitics, infrastructure, landscape, population, communities, housing, economy and services. The phase also considers related challenges that the new state would face and how to deal with them; while also examining existing potentials to utilize to enable an optimal outcome of success. The second phase provides four different future visions formulated for a new independent state of Palestine. These strategic visions’ main objectives are based on the outcome of the assessments conducted in phase one. The future independent state of Palestine key objective is to be able to thrive and compete in an increasing globalized economy, this depends heavily on the vision of creating an infrastructure corridor that connects the Gaza Strip with the many governorates of the West Bank; in hopes of creating a strongly integrated urban fabric between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as, with neighboring countries. Economic competitiveness would allow the job market to expand and absorb the growing workforce. The third phase is comprised of the formulation of four major strategic frameworks that are related to the development of the new independent state of Palestine. These strategic frameworks include road infrastructure, economic development, distribution of services and the development of the core. The road infrastructure is comprised of three road levels. Firstly, the main corridor which was determined using GIS to find the optimal connections linking all existing governorates and facilitating accessibility between the main states, then regional highways, and finally local roads. The economic framework includes existing and suggested new industrial zones; utilizing the full potential of area C which the current government of Palestine has limited access to due to the Israeli occupation. As well as, the development of the tourism sector; which will create a strong attraction for foreign and domestic tourists, while allowing for local economic growth. The third framework addresses the distribution of public services and the redistribution of major centers to establish a polycentric approach rather than the monocentric approach that exists, and provides a guide for future urban expansion. The forth section includes a detailed framework for 1 the development of the state core, which is located in the middle state and includes the Palestinian capital Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jericho, these cities are future global cities. The framework includes the function of the main cities and the development of local transportation modes. This report addresses the priorities for the development of a new state, and emphasizes the reconstruction and development of infrastructure, economy and services, creating a cohesive society, and preserving natural resources. 2 This study diagnoses the infrastructure in Palestine ;this includes roads network and transportation, water networks and wastewater sectors. This assessment should be very useful and help to formulate future developmental strategies and identify assistance needs in Palestine. There have been large recent positive developments in these sectors such as rehabilitating roads and water networks, constructing transport facilities. On the other hand, there were negative developments due to the great losses in infrastructure assets especially during the years of Intifada, which led to severe damage to transport facilities, restrictions on movement of people and goods, and weakening of Palestinian institutions. 1.1 The transportation system Evolution of the transportation system in Palestine Transportation system in Palestine has developed from primitive roadway network, in addition, rail and air transportation were existed before Israeli destruction of it. The geopolitical planning strategies of ruling powers through the different periods are the main factors that affected the evolution of transportation system in the WB and Gaza. A brief summary of the evolution of the transportation system in Palestine (Al-Sahili, K., & Abu- Eisheh, S. 2006) and (MOPIC, 1999). Rail transportation The railway construction began during the ottoman rule of Palestine, Palestine was a connection part on Al- Hijaz rail line path, in 1889 for 87km Jerusalem – Yafa track, and followed by new tracks connecting the Palestinian cities with some surrounding Arab countries. The railed system developed during the British mandate on Palestine by constructing a number of new railed systems connecting the Palestinian towns with each other and connected these with neighboring countries, two main lines were constructed during this period: the first was 80km track, and the other 250kn track. The rail transportation lines were destroyed By the Israeli occupation in phases to become destroyed in 1967 (MOPIC, 1999). Air transportation During the Britch mandate Al-Led airport was constructed in 1935 to serve the central and north parts of Palestine, the northern region were served by Haifa airport, with the Israeli occupation in 1948 Qalandia airport was constructed, and in 1967 air transportation services for Palestinian were stopped. In 1998, the PA opened Gaza International Airport, which was banned after the beginning of Intifada in 2000, and Israel damaged part of the airport in 2001(Al-Sahili, K., & Abu-Eisheh, S. 2006) and (MOPIC, 1999). 3 . Sea port transportation There have been efforts to construct a Palestine seaport in Gaza in 1999. Such efforts were stopped and Israel damaged some of its constructed parts (MOT strategic plan 2011-2013). Road network in Palestine. The first national road in Palestine was Yafa - Jerusalem road in the 1860, during the ottoman rule. The beginning of the development of roads in Palestine dates back to the British mandate period (1917- 1948), the road network followed paths of ancient historical roads, consisted of narrow east-west roads, in addition, a wider north south roads connecting the major urban centers. The WB consisted of a total road network of 1418km, 46% of them were paved. With the establishment of the state of Israel and the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the WB become under the Jordanian rule (1948-1967) , huge changes in the transportation system and road system realigned, the Jordanians built longitudinal roads along the western frontier with Israel, in general by 1967 the total length of the paved road network reached 1322km. Additional changes in the transportation system resulted from the Israeli occupation of the WB in 1967 to 1988, the geostrategic conceptions and comprehensive plans of the different Israeli governments ruled and controlled the network structure. The total length of paved roads in the WB around 1682km. Since 1988 to present, the construction of roads have considerable negative impacts on the WB citizens due to the political situation, the total length of the paved roads constructed in the WB (1988-1993) was 74km , 460 km of road rehabilitation were done , 65% of the rehabilitation works implemented in the period 1992-1993 (MOPIC, 1999) , (Al-Sahili, K., & Abu-Eisheh, S. 2006) and (Khalil, Z. ,2010) . Existing transportation system in Palestine. The total area of the Palestinian territories is about 6225 km²; 5860 km2 in the WB and 365 km² in Gaza strip (figure 1). The existing transportation system in Palestinian territories includes road network, public transport and freight (Al-Sahili, K., & Abu-Eisheh, S. 2006). The existing conditions for each component of the transport system are briefly discussed hereafter. The dominant type of transportation is land transportation infrastructure (Khalil, 2010). Roads and Highways The road network in the Palestinian territories had developed during the past decades to a system that is only partially capable of satisfying the accessibility and mobility needs of the Palestinian society. Road transport is currently the only transport system, which provides opportunities for the movement of people and goods within the Palestinian territories and with the outside world (figure 1). The distribution of roads (main, regional, settlement roads) in the WB is shown in (figure 2 and figure 3) ,The total road network length is 6874 km in the WB and Gaza, 6244km in the WB and 630 km in Gaza (MOT, 2015), the percentage of paved roads is 55%, while that 45% are unpaved roads (figure 3) illustrates the distribution of paved road networks in the 4 WB. The majority of the unpaved roads 69% are agricultural