Can business interests help bring peace to a troubled region? That is what a few individuals are hoping by constructing an industrial park located somewhere in the northern Gilboa region
(Haaretz.com) The enterprise, which will cost $200 million and occupy some 350 acres of land, was approved on Monday by a joint Israeli-American committee, and will be built under the auspices of the American ambassador to Israel James Cunningham, the U.S. special envoy to the Mideast General James L. Jones and the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority Keith Dayton.
The industrial park is said to offer 10,000 jobs for Palestinians and 2,000 for Israelis.
Several other companies have also partnered with Palestinians, ranging from independent films to “web 2.0” (or is it 3.0 now?).
While nobody expects this industrial park to bring about an immediate peace to the area, it can help break down stereotypes between the two groups (at least in the short term).
