CIAO DATE: 04/2009
March 2009
United States Institute of Peace
As the international community continues to debate humanitarian assistance to Gaza, USIP examines "Reconstructing Gaza - Lessons from Lebanon" by Beirut-based Alistair Harris, a Deployable Civilian Expert for the British Government's Stabilisation Unit. Harris argues that donors should avoid the temptation to adopt a mechanistic, one size fits all solution. "In the rush to rebuild what was destroyed, it should be remembered," writes Harris, "that the major catalysts for this conflict were political and economic. As such, the reconstruction effort must ensure that viable employment initiatives form part of the post-conflict stabilization plan. This was very much a man-made humanitarian disaster," concludes the report. "If the underlying issues are not addressed, unfortunately renewed conflict would seem inevitable."
Resource link: Reconstructing Gaza – Lessons from Lebanon [PDF] - 195K