Reconstruction must not be politicised

Regrettably, once again the file of the Gaza Strip's reconstruction becomes an arena of rivalry and disagreement between Gaza and Ramallah, as happened after the wars of 2008–2009 and 2014. Respect for the war's victims — meaning everyone — requires being guided by these foundations, which rest on successful international experiences and avoid the failed ones:

– Work must proceed day and night to speed up the reconstruction process, bind the victims' wounds, and enable those harmed to return to normal life as quickly as possible. The afflicted do not have the luxury of waiting. In such a situation an emergency budget (rapid relief intervention) is allocated to address the effects that cannot wait — for example: rent allowances, clothing, foodstuffs, health and psychological care, and incidental expenses, etc.

– This vital file must be insulated from political disagreement. In the world's many experiences, a specialised body is formed for this national task in which all of society's forces take part, under official supervision. Such a body works to avoid the government bureaucracy that could prolong the victims' wait before receiving assistance.

– The reconstruction process must be treated as an opportunity to repair the political system, strengthen the state of solidarity and mutual support, and heal society's wounds. Here the case of Rwanda should be summoned — the African state that witnessed enormous massacres among its tribes and turned into an economically rising country where tolerance and justice prevail.

– Reconstruction operations must be an opportunity to energise the local economy by relying on local resources — factories, companies, and human crews. Many of the inputs needed in the reconstruction process can be provided locally. Reconstruction must be turned into a workshop at the national level in which everyone takes part, especially those directly harmed.

– Mixing the funds earmarked for reconstruction with the ordinary budget lines is forbidden, as is carving from reconstruction funds to cover the budget deficit and spend on ordinary programmes. Exploiting the war's results to remedy financial and administrative crises in which the victims played no part is forbidden.

– Dedicating a special fund for reconstruction moneys achieves oversight and makes it possible to track the lines of disbursement and the spending mechanism. It likewise strengthens community oversight and encourages the donor states to contribute to the reconstruction process. It prevents corruption and curbs the manipulation of donors' funds by certain UN, international, and local institutions — so that everyone works under one roof. This fund becomes the sole channel for receiving donors' funds, with disbursement to the institutions working in reconstruction through programme proposals submitted to the fund.

– There are those who exploit such circumstances for illicit enrichment and plunder in the victims' name. It happens that begging and fundraising are carried out by local and international parties, creating bilateral channels far from oversight. Some international institutions roam from place to place in the world, working to exploit the wave of international funding to a given region to inflate their own operations and leave crumbs for the local community. There are dozens of examples of this in Africa and Latin America — enormous funding, meagre results.

– In short: reconstruction operations must be separate from the public budget, managed collectively with clear representation of the victims, run in an efficient, swift manner that bypasses bureaucracy, and unified in receipt and disbursement.