The West Bank and Gaza Data Base Project
| DOI | 10.1177/004711788300700602 |
| Published date | 01 October 1983 |
| Date | 01 October 1983 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
2412
THE
WEST
BANK
AND
GAZA
DATA
BASE
PROJECT
JOHN
STEBBING
IN
MAY
1982
a
group
of
five
researchers
under
the
leadership
of
Meron
Benvenisti
(a
former
Deputy
Mayor
of
Jerusalem)
started
a
multi-disciplinary
research
project
to
study
the
situation
in
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza
Strip.
The
group
were
well
qualified
in
the
areas
to
be
investigated:
the
law;
demography
and
;ociology;
the
economy;
infrastructure
and
urban
planning;
political
trends;
and
the
military
situation.
Funds
for
a
Pilot
Study
were
provided
by
the
Institute
for
Middle
East
Peace
and
Development
in
the
City University
of
New
York,
and
the
International
Center
for
Peace
in
the
Middle
East,
in
Tel
Aviv.
This
important
study
was
designed
to
provide &dquo;a
comprehensive
data
base
which
will
reflect
the
realities
in
the
territories.
In
the
second
phase
it
is
intended
to
complete
and
integrate
the
data
and
develop
it
into
hypotheses
which
will
be
discussed
and
tested&dquo;.
Later,
it
is
intended
that
proposals
and
policies
for
dealing
with
the
territories
will
be
devised.
The
research
group
&dquo;felt
it
imperative
to
undertake
such
a
study,
because
the
current
political
discussion
on
the
future
of
the
territories
is
based
on
intentional
or
unintentional
misunder-
standing
of
the
realities
and
the
fast
changing
conditions
in
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza&dquo;.’
The
firm data
base
will
enable
the
researchers,
and
others,
&dquo;to
assess
future
developments,
to
formulate
updated
policies
and
to
help
prevent
the
discussion
being
overtaken
by
events&dquo;.
The
research
was
concentrated
on
firm
data
from
available
official
sources
and
widely
ranging
published
material:
its
collation
and
study
by
an
interdisciplinary
team
should
&dquo;shed
new
light
on
a
situation
that
seemed
so
well
known&dquo;.
Although
further
research
may
be
needed,2
the
work
was
concentrated
by
Meron
Benvenisti
on
the
most
pertinent
issues
and
those
aspects
most
relevant
to
current
political
discussion;
it
was
coordinated
by
two
specially
qualified
planning
consultants.
The
Pilot
Study
Report
This
valuable
report
is
in
two
parts.
The
first
is
concerned
with
the
following
subjects:
1
Meron
Benvenisti
The
West
Bank
and
Gaza
Base
Project
Pilot
Study
Report.
Introduction,
Page
I.
Jerusalem,
September,
1982
(Manuscript).
2
Ibid, p. III.
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