BEIRUT: After two years of steady economic growth, mainly owing to job creation, the Palestinian economy is on the brink of total collapse. The closure of the territories imposed by the Israeli army since Sept 29, 2000 has caused over $2 billion in losses and 50 per cent decline in economic output. The unemployment rate has surged to 30 per cent and the poverty rate jumped to 50 per cent. The poor have been mostly hit by the current economic crisis but a new reality is also emerging from the departure of Palestinian skilled labour.

Is there a phenomenon of mass Palestinian emigration? The question is difficult to answer beyond anecdotal evidence and a few statistics from foreign embassies. After the 1948 and 1967 exoduses, Palestinians would rather be perceived as holding on to their land property and in fact most of them are.

Preferred destinations are Canada and Australia owing to their relatively easier immigration procedures. Both countries are under populated and eager to attract multi-lingual skilled labour. According to the Australian Embassy in Tel-Aviv 2004 Palestinians requested a permanent visa between July 2000 and July 2001, compared to 130 applications the year before. The number of visas actually issued increased by 15 per cent.

Until the start of the intifada, the Canadian Embassy in Tel-Aviv received an average of 25 applications a week. Since October 2000 the number has doubled. Haaretz reports that about 90 per cent of those seeking to immigrate to Canada are engineers and pharmacists while the remaining 10 per cent are mostly accountants. Applications for a study or tourist visa to the USA have risen by nearly 60 per cent since the start of the intifada and the number of those seeking a green card has also increased. The new emigrants generally have financial means and marketable professional skills.

The looming brain-drain could have long-lasting socio- economic and political effects, potentially depleting the future country of its educated elite. The flight of skilled labour could have a negative impact on future economic growth and discourage the Palestinian Diaspora’s financial contribution.

Palestinians who have left affirm they will educate their children about Palestine. They insist that they will always be Palestinian and proud of it.