FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2005
CONTACT: Cara Santos Pianesi, 202/939-2211, csantos@CarnegieEndowment.org

In anticipation of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abu Mazin’s visit to Washington this week, the Carnegie Endowment released the newest paper in its Rule of Law Series, Evaluating Palestinian Reform. In it, Arab governance expert Nathan Brown measures reform efforts to date and proposes concrete steps in four priority areas: political parties, security services, judiciary and media. Read the full-text report at www.CarnegieEndowment.org/democracy.

Criticism of the PA’s growing authoritarianism gave birth to what Brown calls “paper Palestine,” in which citizens have rights of free speech and assembly; the Arab world’s most independent judiciary adjudicates disputes; leaders are selected in elections overseen by an independent electoral commission; and a representative assembly monitors the executive.

Yet the institutions that would ensure democracy are either missing or lagging. “The Palestinians know what needs to be done to reform—they have shopping lists of initiatives and a leadership that is committed to reform.  But they need to pay more attention to prioritizing and setting realistic goals. In short: less talk, more action,” Brown says.

Brown suggests focusing on the following targets where a solid basis already exists and where there will be significant impact on governance:

  • Political parties: Fatah must be disentangled from the PA. Parties need to build clear governance structures and transform from revolutionary movements to electoral parties. 
  • Security: Overlapping forces and structures must be replaced with clear lines of command to accountable officials. The Palestinian Legislative Council should review the security budget and finish drafting the security forces’ legal framework. A new ethos must foster increased respect for the limits of the security services’ authority.
  • Judiciary: The PA must address the relationship of the judiciary to the legislature and Ministry of Justice and build an expert and courageous public prosecution system.
  • Media: Existing media must find more secure business footing and journalistic professionalism must be enhanced.

The international community can help by creating diplomatic space conducive to institution building. Reform must not be a precondition for the peace process; the reverse is equally unrealistic. Rather, reform concerns should be integrated into diplomatic peace initiatives.

Nathan Brown is a senior associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Project. His most recent book, Resuming Arab Palestine, discusses society and governance after the establishment of the PA.
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