NGOs Intervention Policy:Development and Peace

Ibrahim Natil, PhDdr.natil59@gmail.com

Conflict Research SocietyLeeds University

September 3, 2014

Structure:- NGOs’ historical overview; - Peaceful Struggle Engagement- Alternative Social System for Occupation- Contribution to a State Building- Relief and Humanitarian Assistance- Post Conflict Reconstruction and Internal

Peace

NGOs History in Palestine - The early years of 20th century in accordance

with the Ottoman law in historical Palestine.- Get Involved in politics and conflict ( 1948)- Political Leaders Engagement in the

community work and established NGOs. (Post 1967)

- Gaza case

Peaceful Struggle Engagement

- Post 1967 ( Israeli occupation).

- National NGOs

- Islamic NGOs

- Alternative Social system

Alternative System

NGOs contributed to the survival, struggle and development process of the society in very critical circumstances peacefully in OPT. They operated 60% of all health care facilities in 1992. They managed 100% of all pre-schools and 100% of all rehabilitation facilities.

NGOs Contribution

They also implemented 78% of all new development projects between 1984 and 1992 before the Oslo agreement on September 13, 1993. (Barghouthi, 2006: February 11). These figures indicated the importance of the Palestinian NGOs in delivering community and peace actions to the growth of the society despite the fact of the Israeli occupation restrictions before the conclusion of Oslo agreement.

State Building

• Peace Process/ Palestine and Israel

• Challenges ( political, legal and financial)

• Demands

• NGOs increasing number

• Accommodation

Challenges

“The installment of the PA, Palestinian NGOs witnessed a drastic drop in funding. The foreign aid to NGOs in 1993 amounted to a total of US$220 million plummeted to a mere US$74 million in 1997, a drop of 66%“.

- Tense Relationship between NGOs and PA

Relief and Aid

• The failure of peace process and the outbreak of a new cycle of violence October (2000- 2004)

• Contribution to state building and, peace building had been challenged as the level of violence spread in OPT between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Change Priorities

- They delivered health services, social, psychological support, civic engagement, youth and women empowerment, capacity building, documenting and reporting the violation of human rights at all levels.

- The second uprising allowed Islamic NGOs to take an advantage of these changes to promoting itself as an alternative to the PA and increased the political credibility and weight of Hamas.

Internal ConflictNew Accommodation Policy

• Hamas Takeover and new authority in Gaza Strip• Tense relationship and closure a number of local

organizations• PNGO in Gaza, accused the government in Gaza of ‘

introducing illegal amendments to the executive regulations of the Law of Associations No. 1 of 2000, giving the Interior Ministry more powers and allowing it to interfere in the affairs of associations, taking advantage of the gaps left by the former legislative council in the law which allow for multiple interpretations“.

Post Conflict Reconstruction New Deliveries

- Power of Islamic NGOs- Increasing number of International NGOs

post 2009 war- NGOs campaigns “ free Gaza” - NGOs and Reconciliation Process

Conclusion

Many thanks for your attention

Questions?