Context
The Palestinian people are seeking to create their own sovereign state comprising the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. In November 2012, the United Nations voted to raise the status of Palestine to non-member observer State.
Germany is in favour of resolving the conflict through negotiation and supports a two-state solution. In order for the Palestinian Authority to successfully conduct negotiations, the Palestinians must be able to guarantee that they can ensure peace and security under democratic rule within their recognised borders. A key component of this is establishing a reliable civil police infrastructure and responsible security authorities. Germany’s contribution to building a civil police force was reaffirmed in 2008 at the Berlin Conference in Support of Palestinian Civil Security and the Rule of Law and fleshed out in detail over the next few years at meetings of the German-Palestinian Steering Committee.
Objective
The Palestinian police force operates to professional standards. Its approach is citizen-friendly and it acts in accordance with the principles of the rule of law. The police force ensures security and order while respecting human rights.
Approach
During the programme’s initial phase (2010–2012), a plan was jointly developed with the Palestinian partners to build and equip community police stations. The standardised plan was applied to the construction of four stations in the Jenin Governorate and a simulation station set up for training purposes in Jericho. Since then, the plan has served as a model to other donors for the construction of additional police stations in the West Bank.
During the second phase (2013–2015), the programme focused on the efficient and sustainable organisation and use of the new police stations. A model was developed in close cooperation with the partner to ensure the professional organisation and operation of all stations. In addition, an EU cofinancing arrangement facilitated the construction and equipping of eight further local police stations in the north and south of the West Bank.
The citizen-friendly approach to police work is currently being continued and expanded. Following a successful pilot phase in the Jenin Governorate, the citizen-friendly organisational model is to be applied to all stations in the West Bank from 2016 onwards. The focus is on developing resources and building capacity so that in future the national police headquarters will be able to assume ownership for implementing this process itself. In a parallel initiative, an innovative measure has been added to the citizen-centred policing approach: a pilot concept for a mobile police station will enable the police force to establish a stronger presence in more remote parts of the West Bank and strengthen the public sense of security.
Expected Results
The civil police force in the Palestinian Territories is running the police stations on the basis of an appropriate and professional organisational and operational concept and is maintaining them sustainably. Purpose-built working areas and modern equipment help ensure that police officers are motivated in their work and are better able to carry out their duties for the people. The training activities undertaken by other stakeholders – including specialist police training provided by German partners and other initiatives by the EU Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) – are helping to build public trust in the police as an institution. In the medium to long term, the population will benefit from the services of a professional police force that acts in compliance with rule-of-law principles. This will improve security and the supply situation in the region.