Day One

Second Session : Forced Demographic Change in Palestine

12:15 - 13:45

This session discusses Forced Demographic Transformation in Palestine. The session presents the current spatial demographic challenge in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the link between demography and population changes and the struggle for survival of the Palestinian people, which continues to experience forced displacement due to Israeli settlements, population replacement, land confiscation, and other Israeli policies and practices that aim to create Jewish presence forcibly and to change the demographic and social nature of the Palestinian people, especially in Area “C” of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. "Area C", including the Jordan Valley, represents the basis of deprivation that makes communities in these areas more vulnerable and marginalized.

- Session Moderator: Dr. Shaker Khalil Zabada, Prime Minister Advisor on Economic Affairs

- Presentation: Mr. Raja Khalidi, MAS

- Discussants: 

  • H.E. Dr. Ahmed Majdalani, member of the Executive Committee of the PLO and Minister of Social Development (MoSD) 
  • Dr. Hunaida Ghanem, Director General, The Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies (MADAR) 
  • Prof. Rassem Khamaisi, Palestinian Geographer
  • H.E. Mr. Ajith Sunghay, Head of Office, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Interactive discussion with the audience