UCLG Position Paper v_2 (eng)
22/12/09
18:13
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A Compilation of Case Studies
13 Urban Rehabilitation of the Al-Nasser District Gaza City, Occupied Palestinian Territories
Local government peace-building interventions take place in the form of lobbying activities, technical assistance and immaterial support. Technical assistance, in the form of concrete activities on the ground, can achieve practical results for the local population. Even when not directly targeted at peace-building, it often contributes to post-conflict reconstruction by strengthening municipal functioning.
Prepared by the City Council of Barcelona, November 2009
It was with these objectives in mind that, following the signing of the Oslo Agreements, the European Union's then special envoy for the Middle East, Miguel ﾃ］gel Moratinos, proposed to reinforce the Agreements with the establishment of city to city relations. In September 1998, after lengthy groundwork, the mayors of the cities of Barcelona, Tel Aviv-Yafo and Gaza signed a friendship and cooperation agreement which sought to establish a bridge of union and joint work between their inhabitants. A year later, in Barcelona, APLA (Association of Palestinian Local Authorities) and ULAI (Union of Local Authorities of Israel) signed their first collaboration agreement.
This project is a good practice in two of its dimensions. First, because it represents an example of the enormous potential of the collaboration between local authorities for peace building and post conflict reconstruction, particularly when based on a culturally appropriate, southern-partner led local agenda for development. Second, because it is an example of intergovernmental collaboration between local administrations and autonomous governments. This project would not have been possible without the participation of the Government of Catalonia through the Catalan Development Cooperation Agency. In a politically convulsive and violent scenario, the local authorities have striven to overcome the dynamic of the conflict to work to improve the citizens' quality of life.
The cities of Gaza and Barcelona have carried out municipal cooperation under this framework; however, due to the context of the conflict, direct relations between Gaza and Tel-Aviv have been extremely difficult. Since the start of the project, both parties have been fully informed about the bilateral activities between Gaza and Barcelona. Both cities have always supported this kind of activity, and APLA and ULAI have been informed about all the process. All the parties involved in this agreement are fully convinced that, in future, trilateral activities will be possible.
Background Local governments can, and often do, contribute to peace-building and conflict management through their dual role in promoting the democratic process at the local level and in delivering basic social services, which lie at the heart of building and maintaining social stability.
The difficulties in visiting and leaving the Gaza Strip, the military blockade that prevents the entry of numerous basic materials, and the internal political instability of the area have been substantial but fortunately not decisive obstacles
Because they have a good understanding of the dilemmas of managing a local government, of strengthening local democracy, and of fostering a local community, local governments from abroad can be good partners in helping to set up peace-building activities. This is particularly true because the local community and its authorities often perceive the involvement of foreign municipalities as more neutral than the national government or international bodies, thereby ensuring better local ownership over the process.
The Al-Nasser East district Gaza City is one of the oldest cities in the world, and throughout its history it has been a very important focal point of trade and exchange in the Middle East. It has an estimated population of 400,000 inhabitants, of which 80% are refugees, according to the criteria established by the UNRWA40.
40 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
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