Abstract
The paper examined the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations (PNGOs) from a historical perspective with focus on their roles, the challenges they faced, and their current status after the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994.It also examined their driving motives, their contributions to the advancement and development of the Palestinian society, and the challenges they faced. The role of health in development is highlighted and an introduction to NGOs in general is offered, with emphasis on their characteristics in comparison to the public and private sectors after the establishment of the PNA in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBG).It is clear that PNGOs in general and health NGOs in particular played an instrumental role in providing much needed health services, but also in paving the road for the establishment of a Palestinian state. The paper showed that there are three main challenges that faced NGOs, namely, political challenges, financial challenges and the unclear role of the PNA. The first two challenges faced NGOs during the Israeli occupation and continue to do so after the establishment of the PNA. The third challenge became relevant only after the establishment of the PNA in parts of the WBG.
Highlights
Palestinian non-governmental organisations (PNGOs) have traditionally played a critical role in affecting most aspects of Palestinians’ lives
Did PNGOs provide desperately needed services to the marginalised and disadvantaged during the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBG) after 1967, but they provided an invaluable forum for mobilising and organising the national liberation movement that led to the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994
During the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, assistance to Palestinians came from a variety of sources, including from local donations and fees, from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), from Palestinian expatriates, from Arab governmental and non-governmental sources, from American and European sources mainly through foreign Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) based in the respective countries, and, multilateral agencies such as United Nations Relief and Workers Agency (UNRWA) and its subsidiary organisations
Summary
Palestinian non-governmental organisations (PNGOs) have traditionally played a critical role in affecting most aspects of Palestinians’ lives. Did PNGOs provide desperately needed services to the marginalised and disadvantaged during the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBG) after 1967, but they provided an invaluable forum for mobilising and organising the national liberation movement that led to the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994. When the Palestinian Authority took over a weak, underdeveloped and fragmented public health sector from the Israeli authorities in 1994, it faced the task of health sector reform. In its effort to reform the health sector, the PA sought to impose its own vision of health care. The Palestinian NGOs from a historical perspective will be examined, with focus on their roles, the challenges they faced, and their current status after the establishment of the PNA
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