AL-BIREH, West Bank — A serious misconception is being propagated by the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. Media, international organizations, foreign governments and Palestinians at large are being coaxed into believing that the flurry of economic activity in the West Bank is economic development toward statehood.
The facts on the ground rip this argument to pieces, just as Israel continues to micromanage the economic pieces of the intended future state of Palestine toward systemic stagnation.
I can already hear the voices — be positive, we must start from somewhere, we are acting unilaterally toward statehood, we had 7 percent GDP growth last year, etc, etc.