33 Civil Society and Political Elites in Palestine and the Role of International Donors: A Palestinian View Salah Abdel Shafi EuroMeSCopaper . 33 Civil Society and Political Elites in Palestine and the Role of International Donors: A Palestinian View Salah Abdel Shafi Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) July 2004 This working paper was produced with the financial assistance ofthe Commission of the European Communities, under contract nº ME8/B74100/RELEX/2000/16-F1-CRIS 200/2121,within the framework of the EuroMeSCo Working Group V activities. The texts are the sole responsibility of the authors and in no way reflects the official opinion of the Commission EuroMeSCo papers are published with the support of the European Commission by the EuroMeSCo Secretariat at the IEEI - Largo de São Sebastião, 8 - Paço do Lumiar 1600-762 Lisboa - Portugal, Telephone +351 210 306 700 - Fax +351 217 593 983 E-mail :
[email protected] - Homepage http://www.euromesco.net EuroMeSCopaper . 33 Executive Summary 05 Introduction 05 Background: From Political Activists to Professionals 06 The Islamic Civil Society and Political Elite 09 The Oslo Era: A “Professionalised” Political Elite 09 The PNA and CSOs: Conflicting Interests? 11 “De-Politicisation” of Civil Society 11 CSOs and the Political Elite: Drawbacks for CSO Credibility and Effectiveness 12 Types of Civil Society Political Elite 14 Policy Recommendations 15 Recommendations for CSOs Recommendations for the EU and the European Donor Countries EuroMeSCopaper . 33 The eruption of the first Palestinian Intifada in 1987 marked a turning point in the evolution of Palestinian civil society. Civil society organisations (CSOs) emerged as an Executive instrument for political mobilisation as well as necessary institutions for providing much Summary needed services for the population.