East Jerusalem has about 580.000 inhabitants. 61% of the population is Palestinian (Muslims and Christians) and 39% is Jewish. While the Jewish residents live in enclosed, modern neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, Palestinians residents in East Jerusalem suffer from poor living conditions with housing shortages and limited employment and education opportunities.

Numbers show that Palestinians in East Jerusalem are young people, with a median age of 22. 30% of Palestinian children in East Jerusalem are not enrolled in a regulated study program or institution. 40% of the children do not complete 12 years of education. Of the approximately 340.000 employed persons working in Jerusalem, only 85.000 were Arabs. Only 23% of the women contributed to the workforce. (Jerusalem Institute 2019)

Inequalities create tension. Poverty and the inability to look toward a bright future create further tension and reinforce the conflict. To take a step closer to a better future, the subject of poverty must be addressed. Investment of effort and resources must be undertaken to break the cycle of poverty and bring hope for the future to Palestinians in East Jerusalem.