What are the socio economic system of Palestine?

Answer 1

Before 1967, Palestinian society contained four major classes: refugees, peasants, landowners and the urban middle class. Traditionally, the society was rural and mainly engaged in agriculture (rural population 1967: approx. 60%). With the occupation and its policy of economic annexation and land confiscation, the ratio of rural to urban population fell. The Palestinian working force, which is dominantly men, became dependent on the Israeli labor market which led to the proletarization of Palestinian peasants and refugees with two socioeconomic consequences: The uprooting of Palestinians from traditional village life by the necessity of having to seek employment in Israeli urban centers, and the transformation of the villages to stagnant non-productive sectors as a consequence of this. Although farming dropped considerably, the rural character of the West Bank society remains due to Israeli restriction on urbanization. There are still around 440 villages ranging in size form hamlets of a few houses to small towns of up to 20,000 inhabitants. Half the non-camp population is now urban or semi-urban and only 35% rural. Gaza is much more urbanized with only nine villages but large township-like refugee camps. The Nablus region remains predominately rural.

Among one of the most important changes the Palestinian social structure encountered, was the recognition of the role of the Palestinian woman., Palestinian women presented progressive achievements and sacrifices which firmly established their place in society and status -amongst other social issues- in the struggle against Zionism and occupation. This has considerably challenged ways of thinking which traditionally refused their rights to express their national and social identity. The changing role of women is determined by their participation in resistance and political life, and increased education and employment. Besides the political struggle, women's role in the social movement is of major importance, reflected in the huge amount of women's organizations dealing with all aspects of life. They make up a considerable part of Palestinian civil society.

In August 1994, Palestinian women held a conference and released a draft document to be included in the Palestinian constitution (whenever it gets implemented) guaranteeing political, social, economic and cultural rights for women based on the principle of ideological and individual pluralism and of the respect for the individual and social freedom. The Palestinian Declaration of Independence (1988) had already outlined that "Governance will be based on principles of social justice, equality and non-discrimination in public rights of men or women..."

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