For decades, Palestinian society has suffered from instability in the provision of basic needs, volatile political conditions and constantly changing authorities, while its civil institutions remain relatively stable. But the relationship between Palestine’s vast non-governmental network and authorities has often been fraught with tension.
Before the emergence of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 1994, NGOs were primarily focused on strengthening Palestinians in the face of the Israeli occupation, but then shifted their aims towards development projects after Oslo. This marked a quantum leap toward development and as much as a 500% increase in NGO funding, according to a 2009 report issued by the NGO Development Center.