The building of a Palestinian state is currently hindered by both an uneven balance of power between Israelis and Palestinians, and by the difficulty in constructing a national and political identity. The establishment of an interim Palestinian Authority, charged with managing the autonomy designated by the Oslo agreements, has created a legal and administrative framework. However, it has equally led to a deterioration of Palestinian standard of living, to greater difficulties in movement and to an increase in Israeli colonization. Without territorial continuity and sovereignty, without relationships with Arab and Israeli neighbors, a Palestinian state is not viable. – Summary AFRI-2001