Supported by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC This publication has been produced with the assistance of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC. The contents of the publication are the sole responsibility of the individual Opportunities and Challenges of organizations only, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC. Palestinian Development actions in Area C :Supported by 2016 Prepared By Roubina Ghattas, Khaldoun Rishmawi, Jad Isaac, Issa Zboun, Jane Hilal, Ayman Abu Zahra, and Iyad Khalifeh. Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) Karam Muamar Street, P. O. Box 860, Bethlehem – Palestine Tel: +970-2-2741889 Fax: +970-2-2776966 Website: http://www.arij.org Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) Opportunities and Challenges of Palestinian Development actions in Area C Publications of the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) February 2016 ©All Rights reserved Prepared By Roubina Ghattas, Khaldoun Rishmawi, Jad Isaac, Issa Zboun, Jane Hilal, Ayman Abu Zahra, and Iyad Khalifeh. The Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) welcomes any comments or suggestions regarding the material published herein and reserve all copyrights for this publication. Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) Karam Muamar Street, P. O. Box 860, Bethlehem – Palestine Tel: +970-2-2741889 Fax: +970-2-2776966 Website: http://www.arij.org This publication has been produced with the assistance of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC. The contents of the publication are the sole responsibility of the individual organizations only, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) hereby expresses its deep gratitude to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for providing a grant to carry out the research study entitled “Opportunities and Challenges of Palestinian Development actions in Area C - 2016” Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 4 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Population Densities in the West bank ................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Status of planning in Area C ...............................................................................................................10 1.4 Israeli violations in Area C .................................................................................................................12 1.5 Economic Potential of Area C .............................................................................................................20 1.5.1 Agricultural production in Area C ...............................................................................................20 1.5.2 Industrial production in Area C ...................................................................................................21 1.5.2.1 Quarries ................................................................................................................................21 1.5.2.2 Dead Sea salts and minerals .................................................................................................21 1.5.2 Services sectors in Area C ...........................................................................................................23 2. Challenges and Opportunities of Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Area C .......................24 2.1 Socio-Economic Conditions in Area C ...............................................................................................24 2.2.1 Background ..................................................................................................................................24 2.2.2 Demographic and Household Characteristics ..............................................................................25 2.2.3 Economy and Labor Market ........................................................................................................30 2.2.4 Status of Education ......................................................................................................................32 2.2.5 Food Security Status ....................................................................................................................33 2.2.5.1 Challenges that face Bedouins in Area C .............................................................................37 2.2.5.2 Challenges that face Rural Communities in Area C .............................................................37 2.2.5.3 Challenges that face Jordan Valley communities in Area C .................................................38 2.2.5.4 Challenges that face Jerusalem Communities in Area C ......................................................38 2.2.6 Vulnerable Communities in Area C .............................................................................................38 2.3 Opportunities for Economic Development in Area C .........................................................................41 2.3.1 Solutions and Response Action for Bedouins: .............................................................................41 2.3.2 Solutions and Response Action for Rural Areas in Area C: ........................................................42 2.3.3 Solutions and Response Action for Jordan Valley communities in Area C: ................................42 2.3.4 Solutions and Response Action for Jerusalem Communities in Area C: .....................................42 3. Challenges and Opportunities of sustainable management of Palestinian Nature Reserves ...................44 3.1 Background: ........................................................................................................................................44 3.2 Existing Nature Reserves System .......................................................................................................47 3.3 Typology and Biodiversity ..................................................................................................................50 3.4 Nature Reserves Legislation, Policies and Institutional set up ............................................................52 3.5 Guiding Principles for the selection and management of nature reserves ...........................................53 2 | P a g e 3.6 Designated Nature Reserves in the Geo-political Area C in the West Bank Region ..........................54 3.7 Constraints related to Palestinian NR system development ................................................................59 3.8 Opportunities for Effective NR System Development ........................................................................64 3.9 Concluding ..........................................................................................................................................71 3 | P a g e Abstract In recent years, Area C has emerged as a key priority for both the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and for the international actors in the development sectors. The Palestinian development of Area C is critical to empower existing Palestinian communities to preserve their assets, way of life, and most importantly their continued presence on the land. Furthermore, Area C connects the patchwork of the isolated and densely populated urban and rural communities located in Areas A and B. A contiguous and socioeconomically viable Palestinian State can thus only be achieved by opening Area C for Palestinian development and for the critical realization of a contiguous Palestinian State. To advocate for Palestinian control in Area C and to stress the priority actions and development plans in Area C, this report: (1) Analyses Palestinian and Israeli Settlers population distributions in Area C; (2) analyses the status or urban planning of the Palestinian communities in Area C; (3) assesses the economic potential of developing the natural resources in Area C; (4) assess socio-economic conditions in Area C; (5) identify challenges the communities face in Area C; (6) identify most vulnerable communities; and (7) recommend development actions that respond to communities' needs. It was found that the Palestinian population densities in Area C built up area or within the proposed outline (master) plans exceeds the equivalent average population densities in Areas A and B. Furthermore, the Palestinian population density within the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) proposed master plans in Area C is almost 600% higher than the population density of Israeli's in the settlements master plan. Only 3 communities out of 291 communities in Area C have approved master plans. Any development outside the area of the approved master plans (with a total area of 5.7 ha) is at risk of demolition by the Israelis (unless the Israeli authorities grant special permits for development). In 2015 alone, Israel demolished 482 homes and structures in area C, uprooted some 13,000 trees, and attached Palestinians and their properties on 898 separate occasions. The geographic distribution of these attacks, demolitions, and tree uprooting suggest an Israeli purpose behind these actions that is perhaps imposing pressures on the Palestinian population to drive outmigration from certain