MIFTAH recently held its conference entitled: “Participation and Complementarity as a Strategy of Governance amid crises”, attended by a wide spectrum of government representatives, local councils, civil society institutions, popular committees, researchers and academics, in addition to representatives from international institutions.

The conference addressed how the Palestinian people’s existence is being targeted along with their ability to survive and remain steadfast amid the genocide in the Gaza Strip, escalating settlement policies and forced displacement from the West Bank, including Jerusalem. It showed how these complex crises exposed the diminishing effectiveness of the Palestinian institutional structure, the limitations of a centralized model of governance and its inability to singularly respond to the needs of society and protect the social fabric.

The participants reiterated that participation and complementarity between the government, civil society, local councils and popular committees is no longer an administrative option or a procedural improvement, but a national and structural necessity to ensure steadfastness and the ability to manage crises, and preserve social unity and Palestinian geographic integrity in the face of the escalating colonialist onslaught.

They indicated that the absence of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) prompted CSO’s to reconsider public policies and contribute to the development of perspectives on governance, provide practical alternatives that promote national unity and reorganize the relationship between the state and society on the basis of participation and complementarity.

The participants reiterated that experience in the field in the West Bank and Gaza Strip proved that local councils, popular committees and grassroots organizations, played a pivotal role in protecting citizens and providing basic services during times of government capacity collapse. They stressed that ignoring these roles or administratively confining them exacerbated fragility rather than hinder it.

The conference concluded with general agreements over the following points:

One: Adopting participation and complementarity as a National Government Policy

1. Adopting the principle of “complementary participatory governance” as a public policy for this stage: a unifying national framework, not a closed executive plan.
2. Reaffirming the institutional and legislative structural unity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a fundamental and legal reference, and the rejection of any permanent formula of fragmentation.
3. Complementarity calls for the adoption of official- civil partnership in planning emergency priorities and ensuring services and societal oversight, while respecting roles and not replacing them.
4. Considering social protection and preventing expulsion as a central government function, managed at the official/civil level and according to a clear rights-based logic.
5. Establishing permanent national red lines, the right to self-determination and statehood, the right to protection of society, refusal to depoliticize the cause and rejection of any arrangements that cancel out or fragment national representation, while strengthening international solidarity on this basis.

Two: Accountability and societal trust

1. Promoting the mechanisms of societal accountability as a complementary element of participation, ensures justice in the distribution of resources, protects civil action from politicization and polarization and contributes to rebuilding trust between society and institutions of governance.
2. Adopting a declared and binding policy that determines the framework and shape of partnership between CSOs and public institutions, reaffirming the role of civil society in contributing to the formulation of public policies and decisions pertaining to public affairs.
3. Empowering and building the capacities of CSOs in public policies and rules of good governance, and promoting and developing tools for societal accountability.

Three: Promoting the role of local players in crisis management

1. Recognizing the pivotal role of local councils and popular committees in refugee camps, especially in emergency contexts, and developing the experiences of the Gaza Municipality and popular committees in the Jenin camp as two national models that can be evaluated, developed and circulated.
2. Moving from impromptu responses to sustainable and participatory crisis management, based on planning, resource integration and linking social interventions with fair and transparent spending plans.

Four: From the concept of governor to the strategy of governorate

1. Calling to redefine the role of governor and move from a model of “governor” as an individual central authority to a modal of ‘governorate” as an institutional, participatory and complementary body that constitutes a platform for coordination between government and community.
2. Adopting the model of governorate councils as a unifying institutional framework that includes elected representatives of local councils, CSOs, popular committees and the private sector, to promote popular participation and protect Palestinian geographic unity from fragmentation.
3. Organizing the relationship between central and local levels on the basis of functional complementarity and the distribution of authorities, to prevent placing the burdens of the state on society. At the same time, this prevents decentralization to be used as an instrument of fragmentation, in the service of the colonialist project.

The conference closed by emphasizing that confronting the escalating colonialist onslaught cannot be achieved through closed, centralized instruments or top-down approaches. Instead, it requires a model of national governance grounded in participation and complementarity. This model should be based on mutual recognition of roles and the revival of social structures. It must operate within a unifying national framework that protects the unity of society and geography and promotes Palestinian steadfastness.

MIFTAH reiterated its commitment to continuing this discussion, based on its interest in contributing to the promotion of national dialogue. In this regard, MIFTAH does not position itself as an alternative to any legislative or executive body, nor does it seek to replace the role of any political player. Nonetheless, given the significance of the current context and dangers facing our causes, MIFTAH is keen on its commitment to a unifying national approach that promotes dialogue between Palestinians.

MIFTAH looks forward to building on the outcomes of this conference and turning them into sustainable policy and dialogue pathways. The ultimate goal is for the Palestinian government to adopt a policy of participatory and complementary governance. This would lay the groundwork for a model of local governance that reflects the will of society and protects its unity, at one of the most dangerous and complex stages in contemporary Palestinian history.

To view the Full Statement as PDF

MIFTAH welcomes the historic resolution adopted on July 30th by the United Nations Economic and Social Council on the situation of Palestinian women under occupation. We extend our deep gratitude to all member states that have voted in favor of this unprecedented and urgently needed resolution.

For years, MIFTAH has consistently advocated for the rights of Palestinian women through a decolonial and rights-based lens, urging the international community to do the same.

While we continue to address the internal challenges Palestinian women face, through close partnership with civil society organizations and government stakeholders, it remains clear that the single greatest threat to their freedom, safety, and survival is Israel’s ongoing military occupation.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Gaza, where Palestinian women are enduring Israel’s relentless genocidal campaign.

This resolution arrives at a critical moment, as the world begins to engage more seriously with the Palestinian issue, and as the UN concludes its high level international conference on a peaceful and just settlement, including the implementation of the two state solution.

In this context, we must be unequivocal about what justice and peace demand:

• An end to the genocide in Gaza;
• The unconditional and immediate entry of humanitarian aid and supplies into the Gaza Strip;
• The right of return for all Palestinian refugees displaced by Israel;
• A complete end to Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, which continues to expand across the occupied West Bank; the evacuation of all settlers from occupied Palestinian land; and full accountability for settler terror, including prosecution of those responsible for killings and acts of terror against Palestinians;
• The full withdrawal of Israeli military forces and governing authorities from the occupied West Bank. This includes the dismantling of all infrastructure that upholds the occupation: checkpoints, the apartheid wall, military bases, interrogation and detention centers, police stations, and prisons, in full compliance with the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 ruling.
• An immediate end to all forms of economic, military, and political support that sustain Israel’s occupation and apartheid regime, including the suspension of cooperation agreements and the termination of free trade deals.

While these conditions affect all Palestinians, Palestinian women face distinct and gender-specific harms under Israel’s occupation, realities that MIFTAH has documented extensively. From movement restrictions and political repression, to economic marginalization and targeted violence, the occupation entrenches systemic and multi-layered harm against Palestinian women.

We believe that only once these conditions are addressed, can a viable and dignified future begin to emerge for Palestinian women and their communities, after over 77 years of occupation, violations, and aggression.

As we celebrate this important step by the United Nations, we echo the call made by the Minister of Women's Affairs: words must now be translated into concrete action. We urge member states and UN bodies to implement the provisions of this resolution and to pursue sustained efforts toward ending the occupation, securing accountability, and upholding the full rights of Palestinian women, including their right to live free from violence, discrimination, and oppression.

To view the Statement as PDF

The undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations condemn the resolution passed by the Polish government and signed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stating that the highest level of the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, can enter Poland freely. This comes despite the fact that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu (another arrest warrant has been issued for the former Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant).

Being a signatory to the Rome Statute, the founding document of the International Criminal Court, Poland is legally obligated to respect and abide by the Court’s decisions, including to carry out the arrest warrants for Israeli officials on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The double standards with respect to the ongoing genocide in Gaza are clear as Poland recently protested Mongolia’s decision not to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Respect and ensuring respect of international law and treaties is not a matter of political will. Adherence to the Rome Statute concerns fundamental obligations that must be respected by all State parties. Choosing to politicize international courts and cherry-picking which legal obligations to follow renders international law meaningless and poses a serious threat to the international law-based order.

We call on Poland to reverse this decision to fully comply with its obligations under the Rome Statute, implement the arrest warrants issued by the ICC, and abide by the ICJ Advisory Opinion calling on all States to not recognize Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and to not render aid or assistance in maintaining Israel’s illegal occupation, as well as as well as decisions and orders by other international courts and UN resolutions. We further call on the international community as a whole to support the ICC, the ICJ, and uphold the integrity of the international legal system by abiding by their rulings.

Signatories:

• The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH
• Al-Haq
• Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
• The Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC)
• Defence for Children International - Palestine
• Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
• Bisan Center for Research and Development
• Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
• Al Mezan Center for Human Rights

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its great concern upon kidnapping of Kate Burton and her parents and calls upon the PNA to exert efforts to secure their release

One day has passed since Kate Burton was kidnapped and at the time the PNA [Palestinian National Authority] is still unable to identify the place of kidnappers.

Kate Burton is British of 24 years old; she has been working as International Coordinator at Al Mezan Center for Human Rights for the last three months. Ms. Burton has also taken part with the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] in the Gaza Strip where she maintains excellent relationships with Palestinians. She actively supported the Palestinian cause, and worked hard on backing up Palestinians and exposing Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians. Ms. Burton has chosen to stay and work in the Gaza Strip in spite of the insecure and unsafe situation.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the disrespect of the law substantiated in kidnapping international activists and social workers who face great sufferings while coming to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) to provide assistance for Palestinians. Further, Al Mezan Center emphasizes that such incidents deform the image of Palestinians and misinterpret their cause to the world.

Therefore, Al Mezan Center expresses its concern upon kidnapping the human rights activist Kate Burton, and calls upon the PNA to exert its utmost effort to secure the release of Kate and her parents.

The Center calls on the political bodies and citizens to assist by providing any evidence that would lead to Kate, and appeals to whoever has information on the kidnapping to contact Al Mezan at +972 2820442 - 2820447 or call on the Fieldwork Unit Coordinator cell phone: +972 0599461681.

Between December 15th and the early morning of 18th, the IOF continued their shelling over areas of the Gaza Strip, shelling approximately 42 tank missiles and 30 air missiles, in addition to random firing from military watch towers located on the border between Gaza and Israel. This offensive resulted in 8 injured Palestinians, among them a woman, a baby girl and a disabled person. The main roads were closed due to damages caused by the shelling.

According to Al Mezan’s fieldworkers, Israeli tanks were positioned on the eastern borders of the northern Gaza Strip, and fired approximately 42 missiles on populated areas of east Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. Israeli air forces continued shelling areas in northern Gaza, destroying Al Sika bridge to Beit Hanoun, causing a deep ditch at the crossroads which obstructed the movement of people and vehicles. The affected streets were Khalil Il Wazir, Salah Il Din and the Bedouin Village road; in addition unpaved roads in agricultural areas of east Jabalia and northern Beit Lahia were also damaged. Furthermore, the shelling caused severe damages to nearby houses, injuring 7 Palestinians including 2 women and a 3- month old baby girl Maria Fikri Akhrawat who, according to medical sources, suffered shrapnel wounds to her right eye. In addition, the IOF fired a missile on a yard pertaining to the agricultural faculty of Al Azhar University located in northern Beit Hanoun, causing partial damages to the faculty.

The IOF fired 2 missiles on To’aymat area east of the Islamic University building in Khan Younis, resulting in no casualties but terrifying civilians, most notably women and children. The IOF also fired a missile on Salah Il Din near Sofia junction between Khan Younis and Rafah, and another missile on Hamuda petrol station in northern Gaza, causing complete inaccessibility of the road for several hours.

At approximately midnight on December 17th, the IOF opened fire on the eastern part of Shuhada cemetery in East Jabalia, injuring a mentally disabled 30-year-old citizen Wael Khami Il Qahawaji who suffered a gunshot to his left leg. At approximately 10pm on December 17th, the IOF opened fire on houses located in northwest Beit Lahia killing another citizen, 22-year- old Lokman Mohammed Hamad Abu Zakri from Nusseirat Camp. The IOF have maintained the closure of Sofia border crossing since December 14th and Erez border crossing since December 16th; medical patients in particular remain prevented from crossing through Erez crossing.

Al Mezan centre for human rights condemns the ongoing IOF offensive and emphasizes that such random attacks that terrify civilians, and the imposed siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, constitute war crimes by international law and notably the 4th Geneva Convention.

Therefore, Al Mezan calls upon the international community, in particular the contracting parties to the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to immediately intervene to halt and put an end to Israeli war crimes and provide protection to civilians as a vital first step to effectively ending the occupation of the OPT.

In a critical escalation of the state of insecurity in the OPT, a family dispute in Gaza has resulted in 5 dead and 30 injured, among them 8 children and 2 women.

According to the Center's fieldworkers, on December 1st at approximately 8pm, a violent fight broke out between two families in the North Gaza District of Beit Hanoun, killing 5 citizens and injuring 2 women, 8 children, and 30 citizens, 5 of whom are now in critical medical conditions. Those killed are:

• Shaher Jameel Al Masri, aged 25
• Al Sheikh Salah Mohammad Mohammad Al Masri, aged 47
• Hussain Hassan Ibrahim Al Masri, aged 35
• Abdel Salam Mustafa Ashour Al Kafarna, aged 50
• Police officer Issam Assad Hewaihi, aged 27

National Islamic efforts and tribal interventions were attempted to end the fighting, although were unsuccessful. The PNA, however remained silent with the exception of sending police forces to the scene two days later on the 3rd December.

Al Mezan expresses its sincere sorrow over the loss of these victims. In addition, the Centre condemns the heightening levels of insecurity and the PNA's incapability to put an end to such feuds which are encouraging citizens to disrespect the law and take it into their own hands.

Thus, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights calls on the PNA to take all necessary procedures to end the state of insecurity and the use of arms in Palestinian streets, and enforce the rule of law to guarantee stability and safety among Palestinians.

Al Mezan Center condemns the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Palestinians, and calls upon the Palestinian factions to respect the law and end armed parades.

In a recent escalation, Israeli air forces launched three air strikes on different areas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the center's fieldworkers, on September 24th, 2005, at approximately 5:05 am, Israeli air forces hit the house of Abu Laban family in Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, destroying it partially. No causalities were reported.

Five Minutes later, they hit unpopulated area near Ali Bin Abu Taleb Mosque, western Az-Zaitoun area in Gaza City. No causalities or property damages were reported.

Further, at approximately 5:15am, the same day, they shelled a smithery workshop owned by Ghazi Abu Assi, near As-Seka Street, east Az-zaitoun area in Gaza City, destroying it partially. One Palestinian was wounded as a result.

Israeli Air Forces continued to launch illusionary strikes on the Gaza strip, causing panic among Palestinian civilians and children.

Furthermore, IOF continue to close Rafah crossing, the only outlet for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to the outside world, and interrupt the course of reaching an agreement on reopening Rafah crossing. IOF, also, impede the construction of a seaport in the Gaza Strip, and rebuilding the Gaza International Airport.

They also continue the construction of the apartheid wall that disconnects Israel from the Gaza strip, seizing thousands of dunams of Palestinian agricultural lands.

On the other hand, On September 23rd, 2005, an expulsion occurred during a military parade of the Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). 19 Palestinians were reported killed and 130 injured. A Hamas spokesperson affirmed that the explosion was as a result to an Israeli air strike by an exploratory airplane. However, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior assured that the explosion occurred as a result to internal technical mistakes.

It also calls upon the PNA to open an investigation into this incident to find out the truth. It is worth noting that the IOF consider firing rockets on Palestinians targets legal, and practice it widely without discrimination.

Also, repeated technical mistakes that resulted from practices of armed groups led to the death of tens of Palestinian civilians in several occasions.

The center is gravely concerned about the continuation of military parades carried out by military factions and their grievous consequences. The center calls upon all armed groups to stop such marches and military parades, respect the law, and reinforce the internal security in the Palestinians Society

The Center condemns IOFs' re-escalation of their offensive and the imposition of tight siege on the Gaza Strip.

The center believes that the IOF misled that world by allowing the disengagement to function as a cover under which Palestinians’ human rights will continue to be violated. The center emphasizes that the Israeli practices represented in arbitrary and randomly shelling of Palestinians property, killing of Palestinians civilians and tight siege constitute grave breaches of international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention

The center calls upon the international community to put an end to the Israeli war crimes and provide protection to the Palestinians in the OPT.