The Implication of the Developmental Reform Plans by the Palestinian National Authority on Human Security (2005-2011)

The study discusses the ability of applying the reform and development plans that are offered by the Palestinian National Authority on the human security which depends on releasing from fear, poverty and living in dignity. Also, it indicates the reflections of the reform and the development plans on achieving the human security. The researcher has started from two hypotheses: the first one is that the Israeli occupation-among all other challenges- is the biggest challenge against the reform and the developing process in the Palestinian Territories. The second hypothesis is that the reform and the development plans have positive reflection towards meeting people’s needs, building their capacities, strengthening their ability to struggle, and so such plans will help in achieving the human security. The researcher has chosen the topic of the study related to many factors and the most important one is that the Palestinians need to feel safe since they are living under occupation. Peace and security -on the levels of individual, social and international- are the most important basic aims and rights of human being. When such rights are threatened to be lost, the life will lose its value and meaning. Another factor is seeking awareness about the importance of finding the human security through finding the information and data that are related to the concept of human security in order to relieve the mystery about it and to raise the awareness of human security issues. The study in its first chapter has consisted of: the introduction, the importance, the problem, the questions of the study, the study hypotheses the methodology of the study, the study limits, and previous studies. In the second chapter of the study, the researcher has talked about the concept of human security. This concept has changed before and after the Cold War as well as the factors of this change. Besides, the characteristics have been changed, for example the human security is comprehensive and international. In addition, it is human-focused issue. At the end of the study, the researcher has talked about the dimensions of the human security such as: Economic Security, Food Security, Health Security, Environmental Security, Personal Security, Security Community and Political Security. The third chapter of the study discusses the reform plans that are offered by the Palestinian National Authority (2005-2011). The study focused on the Palestinian reform and development plan of years 2008-2010 because it’s the core of the comprehensive development planning and the core which all other plans are based on. Moreover, the third chapter discussed the internal and external obstacles and challenges against planning. The last chapter is about the reflections of the reform and development plans that are offered by the Palestinian National Authority on the human security regarding the contents of the human security represented by living freely and with dignity, releasing from poverty, hunger and fear. Living freely and with dignity is achieved by being healthy and having environmental security. Releasing from poverty and hunger is achieved by economic and food security. And finally, releasing from fear is achieved by the personal and the political security. The programs and policies of the reform and development plans are attached with the human security and its dimensions where there are negative and positive reflections of such plans on the human security. The main inquiry of the study (which is: what are the reflection of the reform and development plans that are offered by the Palestinian National Authority on the human security) has been answered by what the researcher has reached of some results through the findings of analyzing the Palestinian development plans, some of results are: 1. The Israeli occupation-among all other challenges- is the biggest challenge against the reform and development process in the Palestinian Territories. The Israeli policies have caused serious damages to the economic, social, environmental, health and education infrastructures. This has made the achievement of human security in Palestinian Territories something very difficult. 2. The reform and development plans in the Palestinian Territories have negative effects on releasing from poverty and hunger. The policies and programs which were adopted by these plans are insufficient to achieve the food and economic security. 3. The reform and development plans in the Palestinian Territories have negative effects on releasing from fear. The government policy of building the Palestinian institutions as a strategy to finish the occupation and to establish state of Palestine as well as its strategy of changing the national priorities of building institutions were not effective and successful because the occupation is exist and the independent state is not existent yet. Therefore, democracy, human rights and liberties are not existed which means there is no political and personal security. 4. The reform and development plans In the Palestinian Territories are reflected positively on living in dignity and luxury. The researcher has offered many recommendations such as: 1. The Palestinian National Authority must have medium term and long term development plans to stand against poverty and unemployment as well as setting the sufficient budgets for that which will achieve the food and economic security. 2. The Palestinian National Authority is demanded to ask the international community to work hard to end the Israeli occupation on the Palestinian Territories in order to achieve the economic and personal security. 3. Policies and programs must be prepared in the Palestinian future plans from the perspective of human security because investment in the human security in the Palestinian Territories will guarantee the Palestinians to take place in the economical, social and political life. This will reinforce the efforts of building the institutions and the state as well as moving to a new age of human security for all the Palestinians.