14/2/2009
The Palestinian
NGOs Network Position On the Reconstruction of Gaza
The humanitarian situation in the
Gaza Strip has gravely deteriorated as a result of the recent Israeli
aggression and the continuous siege imposed over 20 months ago.
PNGO acknowledges that the relief
and reconstruction process requires the mobilization of significant human and
financial resources and, hence, a well-coordinated action. Thus, priorities
must be identified on the ground, and the mechanisms for the implementation of
the necessary measures must be promptly defined, in order to make sure that the
reconstruction process responds to the needs of the people, and that the
required actions are carried out efficiently to alleviate their suffering.
PNGO believes that the success of
the reconstruction efforts highly depends on the achievement of national unity
and the overcoming of the internal divisions, whether administrative, legal or
political. In other words, national unity is a pre-requisite for the proper
alignment of efforts, in order to avoid the political polarization of the
process.
In the light of the pledges made
by the various donors willing to contribute to the reconstruction, as well as
the discussions about the administration of these funds and its purported
responsibility, PNGO would like to reiterate the following:
1)
A successful, just and transparent
reconstruction process can only be achieved by a "government of consensus"
which overcomes the internal divisions.
2)
The reconstruction process must be
based on a comprehensive and independent national plan, developed on the basis
of the humanitarian needs in Gaza;
thousands of families have lost their homes and sources of income leading them
to suffer economic and social hardship.
3)
Concerted efforts must be made to
break the siege of Gaza
to allow for the free access of all materials and equipment required for the
reconstruction.
4)
All actors should work in
partnership to implement the reconstruction process independently from all
political agendas.
5)
PNGO condemns the use of the
reconstruction for any political purpose, for this ignores the Palestinian
priorities and deepens the rift within the Palestinian society
6)
PNGO believes that if the
formation of a "government of consensus" is not possible in the near future, the
reconstruction process should be overseen by a (higher/supreme) national
committee representing all stakeholders, mainly from the civil society and the
private sector. The national committee should be supported by specialized
technical committees from Ministries in Gaza and
the West Bank.
7)
A workable mechanism involving all
stakeholders must be created to ensure the accountability and transparency of
the reconstruction process.
The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO)