Palestinian perspectives on USAID funding : reactions by Palestinian NGO workers to the Anti-Terrorism Certification

This paper looks at the issue of Palestinian reactions to the requirement by USAID to sign a document referred to as the Anti-Terrorism Certification, or ATC. In the aftermath of Sept. 11th and with of a Presidential Executive Order, USAID created the ATC as a requirement to receive USAID funds anywhere in the world. However, reactions to the ATC in the Palestinian Territories has been intense with many organizations refusing to sign the ATC and more and more organizations joining them in that decision. This research seeks to answer the question: What do leaders in the Palestinian NGO community think concerning the anti-terrorism certification? To provide context to the responses of Palestinian NGO leaders, this paper also looks at the current situation in Palestine after almost four years of Intifada, the mission and role of USAID in Palestine, the process in which the ATC was created, Palestinian reactions to the ATC and counter-reactions to those claims. Through conducting a survey and in-depth interviews, this paper looks at the reasons why Palestinians are against signing the certification. Thirty Palestinian NGO workers were surveyed and interviews with the leaders of six Palestinian organizations were conducted to better understand Palestinian perspectives and issues with the ATC. The issue of potential ramifications for Palestinian NGOs who continue to refuse to sign the ATC both in terms of USAID and for the Palestinian context was examined as well. The research demonstrates that although there are several reasons given for not signing, the core of the issue for Palestinians is one of identity and perceived collective punishment for all Palestinians. The research also highlights the fact that although every leader interviewed disagreed with the ATC, some still sign the certification in order to continue to receive financial support for their organization\u27s work