Despite the recent ceasefire, there is an undeclared and under-reported economic war behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Not surprisingly, the first casualties are the Palestinians.

Even the ILO, usually constrained by diplomacy, could not hide the fact that the Israeli occupation is leading to a shrinking space for Palestinian development.

There are very few job opportunities in the occupied territories, especially among the young who face unemployment rates of over 70 per cent. As a result, Palestinians have no choice but to work on the Israeli settlements. There they face discrimination and exploitation, from lower wages to the lack of social protection.

However, there is a hidden war in Israel as well. The level of social injustice within Israeli society, and the divisions and discrimination between Israelis of different origins, is such that the Palestinians or African migrants are just an easy target for widespread anger, racism and hatred.

Historically, this has always been the best way to fuel political support for reactionary governments, like Binyamin Netanyahu’s.

At a deeper look, that is not much different from what is now happening in Greece.

The economic crisis and the austerity measures are fostering more and more extremism, represented there by the ultra-right group Golden Dawn. Its militants patrol Athens to hunt migrants and asylum seekers, many fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But there are no rockets there, just scapegoats.