International aid as a gateway for economic dependency and corruption has been critically discussed in Palestinian civil society for many years, while interventions of international governmental and NGO projects neither led to political self-determination nor improved the humanitarian situation. Also the reconstruction process in Gaza after the last war is not progressing until today.
What do international aid and donor agencies do in order to challenge this situation? What do Palestinian authorities contribute to support reconstruction and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza? What are internal and external perspectives on the impact of the aid system in and the role of international organizations in Palestine?
Nora Lester Murad, PhD, is a writer in Jerusalem. Her blog, The View From My Window in Palestine covers international aid, development, community philanthropy and daily life under military occupation. She volunteers with Aid Watch Palestine, a new initiative she co-founded that invites Palestinians and aid actors to work together to make aid accountable. Together with Nora and Riad Othman, medico’s Near East Coordinator and former Head of their Regional in Ramallah, we discussed challenges of development in the context of occupation and siege.
In 2011 Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung supported the documentary report «DONOR OPIUM» by Mariam Shahin and George Azar.