SOAS Research Online

Abstract

As a result of ongoing Israeli settler-colonial practices, Palestinian farming communities and arable lands remain vulnerable to forced annexation and displacement. Historically, Palestinians are a farming and rural society, whereby the agriculture sector has notably supported community livelihoods while adding substantially to the national local economy. Since, the inception of the state of Israel a steady decline in the Palestinian agriculture sector is witnessed due to the growing hegemonic control of lands and natural resources. More acutely, since 1967 Israel maintains military and settler control of the Jordan Valley, a key area that is both logistically and naturally rich with the potential to advance the Palestinian access to resources and sustainable development. This research investigates how Israeli occupation and settler-colonial practices have led to the de-development of the Palestinian agriculture sector. It examines in particular the impact of growing settlement-led agribusinesses that benefit from access to natural resources in order to maximize profits via globalized trade. In addition, this thesis aims to shed light on: (i) the role of the international assistance program in engaging with the occupied Palestinian territories in a manner which has actually reduced the resilience of rural communities; (ii) the limitations of the Palestinian Authority and related ministries in developing and building a viable agriculture sector; (iii) the rising influence of the Palestinian private sector which seeks to enhance cooperation with Israeli middlemen and partners in pursuit of long-term access and profit. In highlighting the aforementioned areas that are central to its purpose, this thesis focused in particular on the network of ‘herbs’ farmers—both Israeli settlement-based and Palestinian-run—in its pursuit of an overall understanding of the transitions, challenges and barriers facing the Palestinian agriculture sector.