THE HIDDEN COSTS OF THE ISRAELI/ HAMAS CONFLICT

William L. Casey, Jr

Abstract

IT IS NOT A REVELATION THAT THE HOSTILITIES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES HAVE BEEN COSTLY. WHILE THE DIRECT COSTS TO THE ISRAELIS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE AS HIGH AS $269 MILLION PER DAY (WROBEL, 2023), THE COSTS TO THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES ARE INCALCULABLE GIVEN THE PHYSICAL DEVASTATION AND HUMAN DEATHS RESULTING FROM THE ISRAELI RETALIATION. HOWEVER, IT IS THE POSITION OF THIS ARTICLE THAT THESE DIRECT COSTS ARE UNDERSTATED, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT INDIRECT (OPPORTUNITY) COSTS THAT ARE BEING INCURRED, IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE OF REDUCED FDI INFLOWS CAUSED BY POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL INSTABILITY IN THE REGION

Full Text: PDF