1 november 2021, an eye-opening visit to "the region"

Back in the uk after 3 weeks in ramallah, jerusalem, tel aviv and visiting portland projects in nablus, the galil and other areas. There's great work being done, in very difficult circumstances, and being there does bring home how few of the economic factors that drive the economy are in palestinian's own hands, which makes planning and delivery extremely difficult. Life goes on though, even if its poorer and very much more disturbed than it should be, opportunities lost, growth restrained, potential unrealised. This adds a layer of intense sadness to crossing what has now become a stark border separating one people from another that did not exist when I travelled in the region in my earlier life. Some of this is chronicled in portland's latest palestinian economic bulletin, which covers the enormous fiscal and monetary issues facing the palestinian economy as well as the depressed state of tourism and trade. Things clearly need to change to carry on.