ism ▁increased ▁by ▁ 5 0 % ▁in ▁Jer ich o . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁an ▁economic ▁bo om ▁began ▁with ▁growth ▁reaching ▁ 7 ▁percent , ▁higher ▁than ▁in ▁Israel ▁or ▁the ▁West . ▁Tour ism ▁to ▁Beth le hem , ▁which ▁had ▁double d ▁to ▁ 1   mill ion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁rose ▁to ▁nearly ▁ 1 . 5   mill ion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁New ▁car ▁imports ▁increased ▁by ▁ 4 4 ▁percent . ▁New ▁sho pping ▁m alls ▁opened ▁in ▁Jen in ▁and ▁N ab lus . ▁Palest in ian ▁developers ▁are ▁planning ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁first ▁modern ▁Palest in ian ▁city , ▁Raw abi . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁efforts ▁continued ▁to ▁build ▁Palest in ian ▁local ▁institutions ▁and ▁govern ments ▁from ▁the ▁ground ▁up . ▁Much ▁of ▁this ▁work ▁was ▁done ▁by ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ▁and ▁U . S . ▁General ▁Keith ▁Day ton . ▁Some ▁anal yst s ▁saw ▁this ▁as ▁a ▁more ▁substantial ▁way ▁to ▁lay ▁a ▁ground work ▁for ▁vi able ▁institutions ▁and ▁for ▁local ▁peace . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Isra eli – Pal est in ian ▁conflict ▁ ▁Project s ▁working ▁for ▁peace ▁among ▁Arab s ▁and ▁Israel is ▁ ▁Middle ▁East ▁economic ▁integration ▁ ▁Red ▁Sea – D ead ▁Sea ▁Canal ▁ ▁Isra eli – Pal est in ian ▁economic ▁peace ▁efforts ▁Specific ▁groups ▁ ▁Trade ▁Un ions ▁Link ing ▁Israel ▁and ▁Palest ine