Foreword
The Program of the 13th Government is founded on the belief that hard work, coupled with faith in our ability to create new realities on the ground, will clear our path to freedom. Through our strength of will and building on the foundations of our achievements we can end the occupation and establish the independent and sovereign State of Palestine – a State in which all citizens will enjoy freedom, justice and equality in a democratic political system based on the principles of pluralism, separation of powers, peaceful transfer of power and respect for human rights. In August 2009, the Government published its program to end the occupation and establish the State of Palestine on the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Inspired by the Palestinian national movement and the sacrifices of Palestinian men and women, the Government is working to help realize the collective and individual aspiration of the Palestinian people to live in freedom, dignity and independence. On the path to freedom, as we strive to make Palestine a reality, the Declaration of Independence is our compass, and we are bound by the Basic Law, the resolutions of the Palestinian National Council, and the political platform and commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Government program therefore complements the PLO’s endeavors at the regional and international levels. It aims to complete the process of institution-building throughout the homeland and support peaceful popular resistance against the occupation. The effort to consolidate state institutions, founded on the principles of integrity, transparency, separation of powers and provision of safety and security to citizens, thereby preserving the national interest and safeguarding the rule of law, cannot wait until the occupation ends. Indeed, we need stronger institutions both to expedite the end of the occupation and to secure the long-term future of a unified and democratic State of Palestine. Inspired by the conviction that destiny must yield to the will of the people, the Government recognizes it requires the endorsement and support of the Palestinian people. Each and every citizen, man and woman, young and old, will continue to play a part in building a free Palestine. The Government will continue to support citizens’ steadfastness and perseverance on their homeland by working to improve their quality of life, responding proactively to their social and economic needs. This commitment applies to the entire homeland on the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, without distinction on the grounds of the untenable divisions between the so-called ‘Area A’, ‘Area B’ and ‘Area C’. This is a single political and geographic entity and the sovereign territory of the State of Palestine. The Government will continue its work to promote the unification of the homeland and eliminate the phenomenon of political, economic and social fragmentation that undermines the national interest. The Government also reaffirms its determination to work constructively towards bringing an end to the siege imposed on Gaza. The Government does not, and will not, discriminate between any part of the homeland in working to ensure that citizens are empowered to remain steadfast in upholding their rights, wherever they reside. In particular, the Government will redouble its effort to respond to essential and pressing needs in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Achievements in the first year of the Government program As we enter the second year of the Government program, there have already been many achievements. Development programs and projects are being implemented, bringing tangible improvements to the daily lives of citizens and real hope for a better future. These improvements are, however, mostly confined to areas of the West Bank. We are committed to ensuring that citizens in Gaza and East Jerusalem are able to enjoy the benefits of economic and social development and this will be a high priority as we move forward over the coming year. Over the last 12 months, Government institutions have been renewed with a spirit of responsibility and commitment to good governance. Transparency of, and accountability for, public expenditure have increased, and we are making progress towards reducing reliance on external aid. We have also continued to restructure and reorganize government institutions to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in performing their assigned duties.
These achievements are being made in closer partnership with citizens and their communities. As part of the Government’s endeavor to empower citizens throughout the Palestinian territory and bring real improvements to their quality of life, more than 1,000 community-based projects have been implemented to support locally-driven development initiatives. Furthermore, strenuous efforts have been made to support citizens’ continued perseverance in East Jerusalem and empower them in the face of Israeli settlement activity, home demolitions and evictions. The second year of the Government program Despite these successes, we cannot rest: much work remains to be done in the second year of the Government program to build on the achievements of the first. The Government will spare no effort in strengthening the institutional framework of the State of Palestine in order to better serve the national interest. We will continue to work in all sectors to improve institutional performance, public service delivery, quality of life and economic prosperity. As we move forward, we are seeking to establish a model of good governance which will earn the trust and confidence of citizens and ensure that all society works together to build Palestine. The legitimacy of Government depends on its capacity to deliver equitable social and economic development to the people and equal opportunities for all. In turn, ensuring equity and equality depends on the Government’s ability to provide a safe and secure environment for all and, as such, the Government reaffirms its full commitment to bear its responsibilities in the area of public safety and security, whilst respecting citizens’ rights, including the right to privacy and freedom of expression.
The Government takes seriously its responsibility to continuously improve the performance, transparency and accountability of the public sector through reforms aimed at tackling waste, inefficiency and corrupt practices.
The coming year will also witness a deepening of the Government’s efforts to improve the range and quality of basic services for citizens of all ages.
Our work to enable private sector growth, including an extensive program of legal, regulatory and administrative reform, will continue as part of the effort to achieve greater economic self-reliance.
Valuing most highly their support in implementing its program, the Government calls upon all citizens to engage in and support this effort to end the occupation and establish the State of Palestine. In the second and final year of the program, a concerted effort from all sectors of our society is needed to complete the translation of this vision into reality. In addition, we are determined to continue to support the Palestine Liberation Organization’s effort to consolidate official and popular Arab and international backing for the endeavor to establish the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in which our people can live in freedom and in dignity on the entire territory occupied since 1967. In submitting this document, the Government hopes to demonstrate its absolute commitment to completing the journey towards ending the occupation and establishing the state. We also aim to convey our sincere belief that the people of Palestine, men and women, young and old, are the main source of inspiration and strength on the path to our freedom. Our human capital is our most precious resource as we move forward to establish the State of Palestine. The Palestinian people have battled for survival on their homeland for many decades in the face of sustained attempts to crush their sense of national identity and destroy the very fabric of their society. In remaining steadfast in their determination, the Palestinian people have confounded the expectations of those who have bet on their failure to persevere in the face of adversity: our spirit has not been broken and we will never succumb to defeatism. We must preserve our self-assuredness and confidence in our capacity to realize the vision of the Government program. Our work and our faith in ourselves, and our aspiration for a better future, are the keys to success in securing our freedom and independence on our homeland. Building on the achievements of the previous year, and energized by both the faith that we will succeed, and inspired by an unyielding will to achieve success, the Government hereby confirms its determination to meet the commitments presented in this document during the second and final year of its program.
Salam Fayyad To View the Full Report as PDF (440 KB)
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