Palestinian territories

Historically and politically the background for Norwegian assistance to the Palestinian territories has been the wish to contribute to the forming of a Palestinian state, i.e. a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

Institution building on the Palestinian side is thus a priority area. "The Arab Spring" has changed the entire Middle East. There is a great deal of tension in connection with the possible impact this may have on the relationship between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Negotiations for a two-state solution will be concluded in the summer of 2011, but the outcome is very uncertain.

The autumn of 2011 is the deadline for a peace treaty agreement and the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to what President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas agreed in September 2010, when they gave themselves one year to negotiate. In September, it will also be a year since Obama from the UN rostrum stated that his goal was that next year's General Assembly could welcome a new state. He was referring to a Palestinian state and not South Sudan.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the following about the Norwegian position on the conflict: "From a Norwegian standpoint, we hold to our policy of contact. Norwegian envoys meet with all representative groups in the region, including Hamas. Our message to them is as clear as Foreign Minister Frydenlund's message to the PLO in the 1970s: Recognise Israel. And the message to Palestinians and Israelis alike is: Go to the negotiating table!" (www.regjeringen.no, spring of 2011)

The Representative Office of Norway to the Palestinian Authority has been working hard to make Norway a major international player in the reopening of negotiations between Israel and the PLO, as well as the implementation and international anchoring of the state-building project. In 2010 the World Bank published a report which pointed out that the Palestinian Authority will be ready to establish a state in the near future. But a final breakthrough still seems far off.

Norway chairs the donor coordination group for Palestine Territories, Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), and participates with management and personnel in the international observer group, Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). Norway is among the few western countries that are in dialogue – at a senior official level – with all key parties in the region. Norway also supports more dialogue and human rights projects under the auspices of international and local NGOs.

Problematic East Jerusalem

Through the Norwegian Refugee Council, Norway supports efforts to ensure Palestinian ownership rights in East Jerusalem. Palestinians thrown out of their own homes receive support for legal assistance, among other things.

Budget support

Budget support totalled NOK 233 million in 2010. It was channelled through the World Bank Trust Fund. Focus has been on education and energy.

In addition, support was channelled through organisations such as the Norwegian Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, NORWAC, Norwegian People's Aid and Norwegian Church Aid. On the Palestinian side Norway is cooperating with a number of rights-based organisations in areas such as human rights, democracy promotion, women's rights, legal rights, children's rights and anti-corruption.

In 2010, Norway supported the following Palestinian organisations (amounts in thousands of NOK):

• Palestinian Central Bureau for Statistics (10 500) 
• Women's Legal Aid Centre (2 000) 
• Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights (2 000) 
• AMAN Coalition (2 500) 
• Tamer Institute for Community Education (1 700) 
• Sabreen (4 000) 
• Palestinian Council on Foreign Relations (900) 
• Madar Palestinian Center for Israel Studies (2 000) 
• Association of Women Committees for Social Work, Palestine (1 750) 
• Musawa-Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (800) 
• Juzoor Foundation for Health and Social Development (700)
•  Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (900)
•  Welfare Association (1 612) 
• Yabous Cultural Centre (3 000)
•  Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights (1 000)
•  Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (600)
•  Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights (300) 
• Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center (400)

Gaza after the war

After the Israeli authorities lifted the blockade and allowed import of consumer goods the people of Gaza are not as isolated as previously. This means that it has been possible, for instance, to bring in materials for the reconstruction of schools. In the course of the war, six schools and the Department of Education in Gaza, all funded by Norwegian development assistance, were damaged in bombing raids. The damage amounted to about USD 300 000.

Norway has also been heavily involved in the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, and is an important financial contributor to humanitarian assistance in the area. Norway also supports human rights education in schools and contributes to the salaries of those employed in health and education. All these are measures that help keep Gaza's economy afloat. Norway is also working actively on improving the water sector in Gaza.

Building identity through culture

The Norwegian commitment to culture in the Palestinian territories aims to contribute to the strengthening of Palestinian cultural identity. To ensure the development of the Palestinian institutional capacity, both at government and institutional level, it is important to build on Norway's institutional expertise. One example is the cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Culture on the Palestinian Cultural Fund. 65 cultural institutions have received support. Gaza and Ramallah have been the two largest recipients and Jerusalem, the third largest recipient. The projects cover the entire cultural sector, with theatre, music/singing and visual arts as the three largest fields. An external evaluation has concluded that the Fund has had a positive impact on the development of Palestinian culture through a wide range of cultural activities with a broad geographical spread.

Norway supports a number of cultural projects in the Palestinian territories and will continue to use UNESCO's expertise in such projects. The Melina Mercouri International Prize was awarded to Battir Cultural Landscape for the protection and management of cultural landscapes in the West Bank, as an acknowledgement of initiatives like these. The project is a collaboration between UNESCO's office in Ramallah, local authorities and Norway.

Important elements of the project are sustainable use and development of the village, infrastructure, and the establishment of an eco-museum in Battir. Battir Cultural Landscape is a good example of how culture, architecture and nature are interlinked as a living natural monument while representing the ancient Middle Eastern traditions.

Miscellaneous:

• The Representation Office of Nor
• way to the Palestinian Authority has cut down on the number of projects from 170 plus to 100 agreements.
• Combating corruption continues to be an important area of work for the Representation Office. B
• udget support has led to a better central accounting system, thus reducing the opportunities for corruption and financial irregularities considerably.