A June 2012 paper discusses the history, role and future prospects of local charitable welfare institutions, known as zakat institutions, in the Palestinian territories. Written by Emanuel Schaeublin of the Graduate Institute in Geneva,Charity Under Threat? Zakat Institutions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, highlights the evolving nature and challenges these organizations face due to increased political interference and “reforms” introduced since the 2006 elections.
This report is a summary of two research papers, The West Bank Zakat Committees (1977 – 2009) and Gaza Zakat Organizations (1973 – 2011), published by the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.