Palestine

Palestine is known to some as comprising Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (The West Bank and The Gaza Strip), and is known to others simply as the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

It is home to arguably one of the highest-profile and longest national struggles of modern times. The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a dispute between the State of Israel and the Palestinians. Essentially, it is a dispute between two national identities with claims over the same area of land. The conflict is hallmarked by the level of violence witnessed for virtually its entire duration. There has been a large loss of civilian life on both sides.

The West Bank is an inland, hilly region with a population of approximately 2.5 million. The main towns are Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, but production has been seriously restricted under occupation.

The Gaza Strip is a much smaller area with a population of over 1.2 million. 70% of the population are registered refugees living in camps first established in 1948. Third and fourth generation families live under what continue to be classed as ‘temporary’ conditions. Gaza is thus one of the most densely populated areas in the world, and the population will double in 12 years if it continues to grow at its present rate.

Economic activity in the West Bank and Gaza has been disrupted by border closures, curfews and restrictions of movement in general. Nearly 70% of people live below the poverty line, and unemployment is high with a third of people being out of work.

International Service has been involved in partnerships with organisations in Gaza and the West Bank for many years. These partnerships have adapted to meet the changing needs of Palestinian society in the light of the economic and social crises resulting from the conflict. We support capacity building, and the organisational and institutional development of NGOs focusing on human rights and sustainable livelihoods. We specifically target issues related to women, children and young people, as well as people with disabilities.


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