Supporting Civil Society: German Political Foundations from a Partner’s Perspective

Abstract

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is highly reliant on foreign financial aid, which makes it less an independent governmental apparatus than a dependent organization. The International Peace Cooperation Center (IPCC), a Palestinian non-profit and non-governmental organization, seeks to promote political, social and economic transformation within Palestinian civil society without depending on foreign aid. Therefore, the partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES), which is not purely financial but based on mutual goals and visions, allows for long-term support. These shared values and partnership between the IPCC and FES led to 14 years of cooperation. While the IPCC is profiting from the FES global networks, the IPCC contributes to the FES work by providing its staff and visitors from Germany with political tours and background information.