More than 3,000 Palestinian NGOs form the margins of civil society in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Until 2005, this sector was estimated to have received 10% of the $7 billion in foreign aid that went to the territories of the Palestinian Authority. European countries donated the most, followed by the United States, and then Saudi Arabia. In the last year alone, the amount of foreign aid to these organizations has jumped 500% according to two studies, “Tracking External Donor Funding for Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations” and “Foreign Aid and the Molding of the Palestinian Space” issued by the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) and the BISAN Center for Research and Development respectively.

Given the immense amount of aid, the question arises: Where and how is this aid spent, in light of the fact that it has largely failed to have a noticeable impact in cultivating development?

Mohsen Abu Ramadan, an expert in development and civil work, believes that these accusations are overblown, pointing out that NGOs include universities and trade unions. Moreover, he says that between 1994 and 2004, NGOs did not receive more than 9.5% of international aid, i.e., less than $1 billion, citing a development report from the University of Birzeit.

He stressed that civil society accomplishes much, but because of the Israeli occupation these achievements are quickly erased. He added that the inherent instability of the hybrid political system and the agendas of international donor organizations — which do not meet the priorities of the Palestinian people — contribute to the aid’s ineffectiveness.