From Global to Local Visions of the Security Sector in the West Bank

• In Event: From Local to Global: Legal Action in Multiple Jurisdictions

Abstract

Building a security sector in Palestine is a unique experience with vast potential. A new security sector is built from the ground with the help of leading experts and funds from around the world. Though, the security sector is built while there is still an ongoing conflict and occupation. Furthermore, Palestine is in a peculiar situation where the international community demand Palestinian state structures as a pre-requisite for the end of the conflict, not an end of the conflict as a pre-requisite for state-building. This is something that leads to disagreements between local NGOs and international bodies aiding at building the security sector. Visions of the security sector reform differ between these agents. Local NGOs and international bodies have different ideals of the security sector and different understanding of the context where it is to be built. This paper examines the discrepancy between the international and the local level, and points to the relevance of the classic gap problem, the discrepancy between law in the books and the living law. The local context as it is experienced by Palestinians is not perceived as being accounted for by international agencies and international agencies do not think local NGOs are adequately realistic.

Author

• Ida Nafstad, Lund University