Exploring Alternative form of International Aid: A Study on Islamic Faith Based Organisation (IFBOs) Assistance in Gaza, Palestine

Abstract

International aid from the U. S, UK, and EU has always been constantly debated within the context of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt). The concern revolves around Western donors’ strict political and economic-based conditions. Critiques focus on how these factors impede aid effectiveness in addressing the local Palestinian challenges under Israel’s colonisation. The researcher argued, while this theme has been a defining feature of the academic debate for the past two decades, less research is apportioned towards exploring an alternative form of donorship. To be specific, the idea of seeking a new category of actor donor which might render aid in a more selfless, flexible, and democratic basis. To explore this potentiality, the researcher selected the IFBOs sector focusing on organisations from Malaysia, i.e. Malaysian Islamic Faith-Based Organisation (MFBOs). I dissected the policies of 7 MFBOs to gain insights into this sector’s socio-economic aid in Gaza. I interviewed 13 policymakers. The overall outcome of this exploratory research suggested the MFBOs sector is generally more flexible and democratic in their policy conduct. Further research is also needed to expand this discourse.