Cooperation Project:

The work of German political foundations abroad

with a special focus on Israel and the Palestinian Territories




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Who We Are


Workshop at Haifa University

Conference at Bochum University







Workshop March 16, 2016 // Conference June 1-3, 2016




Pictures from our Conference on "A Player and not just a Payer? The Work of German Political foundations abroad with a special focus on Israel and the Palestinian Territories" are now available here.



Conference Draft Program

"A Player and not just a Payer?"

The Work of German Political Foundations abroad

with a special focus on Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Ruhr-University of Bochum, Technologiezentrum Ruhr (TZR)

Room: Witten/Hattingen

 

 

June 1, 2016:

 

13:00-13:30        Welcome and Opening

* Anna ABELMANN, Ruhr University Bochum

* Katharina KONAREK, University of Haifa

 

13:30-15:30        Panel I: The Work of German Political Foundations and other NGOs from a Historical Perspective

Chair: Katharina KONAREK, University of Haifa

* Ido PORAT, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

* Anna ABELMANN, Ruhr University Bochum

 

15:30-16:00        Coffee Break

 

16:00-18:00        Panel II: German Political Foundation and Think Tanks in Foreign Policy Analysis

Chair: Anna Abelmann, Ruhr University Bochum

* Walter KLITZ, Director Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation Jerusalem

* Dr. Ernst KERBUSCH, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bonn

* Muhammed AMMASH, Global Political Trends Center Istanbul


18:00                Light Buffet


 


 

June 2, 2016

 

09:00-11:00        Panel III: Work in Peace and Conflict Situations: German Political Foundations between Ramallah, Tel Aviv and Berlin

Chair: Prof. Michael WALA, Ruhr University Bochum

* Marc FRINGS, Director Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Ramallah

* Idit SELTENREICH, Israeli Embassy Berlin (ret.)

* Prof. Dani KRANZ, University of Wuppertal

 

11:00-11:30        Coffee Break

 

11:30-13:00        Discussion Round: Die Quadratur des Kreises? Zur Auslandsarbeit deutscher politischer Stiftungen

Moderation: Christopher DINKELAKER (Journalist) & Tobias PIETSCH (Journalist)

* Dr. Aref HAJJAJ, Palestine Forum

* Riad OTHMAN, Medico

* Idit SELTENREICH, Israeli Embassy Berlin (ret.)

* Walter KLITZ, Director Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation, Jerusalem


 

13:00-14:30        Lunch

 

14:30-16:00       Panel IV: At Home and Abroad: German Political Foundations and the legal Aspects

Chair: Anna ABELMANN, Ruhr University Bochum

* Prof. Eli SALZBERGER, University of Haifa

* Dr. Heike MERTEN, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf

 

16:00-16:30        Coffee Break

 

16:30-17:30        Keynote Speech: "Germany in Israel - Now and Then"

Prof. Fania OZ-SALZBERGER, University of Haifa

 

19:00                  Conference Dinner

                           (participants only)

 

 

June 3, 2016

 

09:00-11:00        Panel V: Looking back, looking ahead: German Political Foundations in a Globalized World

Chair: Prof. Dani KRANZ, University of Wuppertal

* Katharina KONAREK, University of Haifa

* Amaal ABU GOSH, International Peace & Cooperation Center Jerusalem

* Jörg SCHULTZ, Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation Berlin

 

11:00-11:30        Coffee Break

 

11:30-12:00        Closing Remarks & Feedback

* Anna ABELMANN, Ruhr University Bochum

* Katharina KONAREK, Haifa University

 

End of Conference

 


 


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Announcement:

Conference at the Ruhr University Bochum, June 1-3, 2016:

A Player and not just a Payer?

The Work of German Political Foundations abroad

with a special focus on Israel and the Palestinian Territories


What role do the German political foundations play in the international arena? What impact do they have on the German foreign policy? Are they think tanks, independent political actors or an instrument of the foreign office? How do they influence the political landscape in the countries, they are working in? How did and do they influence the development of bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and other countries? These questions should be discussed during the conference. A special focus should be on the case study of German political foundations in Israel and Palestine as a sample for the worldwide work of the foundations and with regard to the unique character of the German-Israeli relations and its development during the last 60 years. Today, all six German foundations have been active in the region for many years. The development of the bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Israel and the German approach towards the Palestinian questions as well as the large amount of projects in a geographically small area offers a great opportunity to analyze the work of the foundations and their influence. Furthermore, the case of Israel and the Palestinian Territories are a blue print of the problems of strengthening democracy in the specific political and social framework of the Middle East. Politics in Israel and Palestine have nationwide relevance and are also one of the main topics in German foreign policy. That is why these cases are (1) ideal to show the foundations capacity to act as a pioneer in complicated or non-existing bilateral relations between two states and (2) ideal for monitoring the influence of German political foundations on German foreign policy and on the political landscape itself.


 





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Pictures from our Workshop on "New Gatekeepers in a Globalized World? The Israeli Transparency Bill" are now available here and here.



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Workshop at HCGES, Haifa University, March 16, 2016

New Gatekeeper in a Globalized World?

The Israeli Transparency Bill

Legal and Political Aspects of the Work of Israeli NGOs Supported from Abroad 


Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Venue: Dormitory Club, University of Haifa

 

9:00-9:15        Welcome

                       Prof. Eli Salzberger, Director, HCGES


9:15-9:45        Keynote Speech

                       NN, Ministry of Justice


9:45-11:15        Session 1: Legal Perspectives

                         Chair: Prof. Amnon Reichmann, Faculty of Law

      • Prof. Jonathan Yovel, University of Haifa
      • Debbie Gild-Hayo, Association for Civil Rights in Israel
      • Dr. Giovanni Quer, University of Haifa


11:15-11:30        Coffee Break

 

11:30-13:00        Session 2: Political Perspectives

                           Chair: Dr. Ayelet Banai, HCGES and School of Political Science
      • Kerstin Müller, Director, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Israel
      • Yariv Oppenheimer, Director, Peace Now
      • Anna Abelman, Ruhr-University of Bochum

 

13:00-13:15        Conclusion

                           Katharina Konarek, HCGES

 


Program as PdF


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About the Project

 

The research field of political foundations in Germany and their international activities, networks and history is a relatively new aspect in the academic discourse regarding international relations. What are the foundations’ roles in the international arena and within the German foreign policy itself? How do they influence the bilateral relations between Germany and other countries? Do they have an impact on the political development in their host countries and if they do, what are the results, goals and motives?


Based on two PhD projects, this project seeks to explore the field of German political foundations work abroad with a special focus on Israel, the Westbank and Gaza as case studies of the foundations' worldwide activities and with regard to the unique character of the German-Israeli relations and the constant conflict situation in the region.

Within the framework of a workshop at the University of Haifa and a three-day conference at the Ruhr University of Bochum, we aim to explore the role, goals, functions, development and history of German political foundations in this region by bringing together representatives of the political foundations, partner organizations and academic researchers from Germany and the Middle East to discuss various aspects of this research field and to strengthen the network between researchers and professionals.

The project is organized by Anna Abelmann (Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany) and Katharina Konarek (University of Haifa, Israel) and funded by the RUB research school.