The situation in the Palestinian Territories is largely shaped by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since 1948 wars and national uprisings have prevented the region from coming to rest. Over the decades, a momentum has developed that keeps the conflict alive. The severity and duration of the disputes have done long-term damage to the capacities of society and individuals to resolve conflicts peacefully, which makes it increasingly difficult to achieve sustained peace.

The West Bank and Gaza Strip are separated geographically from each other, and the West Bank is also fragmented by a large number of road blocks. Consequently, personal travel and the exchange of goods are greatly restricted, which hampers cooperation between the two areas and GIZ’s work within the West Bank.

German development cooperation with the Palestinian Territories and GIZ’s work are based on the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan and the priority areas of cooperation agreed between the German Government and the Palestinian Authority.

GIZ’s work on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development focuses on:

• Water, sanitation and waste disposal
• Economic reform, employment and the job market
• Institutional and civil society capacity building

GIZ also works for the German Federal Foreign Office in the security sector and for various other German ministries in the fields of culture and social affairs.

GTZ, now part of GIZ, has been operating in the Palestinian Territories since the1980s and knows the region extremely well. All its activities are sensitively integrated into the local context and can be adjusted flexibly to cope with the constantly changing conditions. The close cooperation with local partners is a crucial aspect of this. The fusing of international expertise with local know-how has made GIZ an esteemed partner and enabled it to help improve people’s living conditions in this crisis-rocked country. To achieve sustainable results, irrespective of the outcome of the conflict, GIZ implements programmes which are intended both to strengthen state structures and involve non-governmental organisations.

GTZ, now part of GIZ, has maintained its own office in Al-Bireh (Ramallah) since 1999. In May 2005, GIZ moved into the “German House” in Al-Bireh, which it shares with the other German development cooperation organisations.

Other German Development Cooperation Organisations

• KfW Development Bank
  KfW Development Bank in the Palestinian Territories
  www.kfw-entwicklungsbank.de/...