News
Boosting police- community councils’ cooperation in Tubas
Around 20 Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) officers and the same number of community council people held a workshop on 13 and 14 October on Community Policing in the northern West Bank district of Tubas. The “Society is the Key” event, supported and organised by EUPOL COPPS, explored how police and communities can cooperate more closely. What Community Policing means in daily work and how better cooperation can help address issues that affect local communities were at the centre of discussion. The two days included presentations, open discussions and practical scenarios. Officers and community representatives shared their views, discuss different situations and get a better sense of each other’s roles. Building trust, improving communication and cooperation, and enabling police to respond more effectively to local community needs was discussed. Community Council representatives said they would help police better understand the needs and concerns of residents by sharing their feedback and bringing community issues directly to the PCP. Regular communication would help the police tailor their response to local needs, address concerns more effectively and strengthen public trust. The Tubas workshop is part of EUPOL COPPS support for Community Policing across all PCP districts. Using train-the-trainer approach, PCP participants will take what they learned back to their districts and continue working with local communities.
Boosting Palestinian in-house training capacity
Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) officers are in the process of boosting their training capacity. To the purpose, EUPOL COPPS organised a two-day Train the Trainer (ToT) course on 5 and 6 October in Ramallah. The activity prepared the officers to take on training roles within the Family and Juvenile Protection Department (FJPD), responsible for combating domestic violence and help the vulnerable groups in the Palestinian society. The course content focused on practical skills needed to plan and deliver training, including communication and presentation, session design, teaching methods and participant engagement. Assessing learning outcomes, evaluating their delivery and providing constructive feedback was also practised in the course. The overall aim is to pass on know-how and experience to colleagues and help build a stronger culture of learning within the FJPD.
Bringing key Palestinian stakeholders together
A round-table discussion among the Palestinian Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the senior management of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) Planning Department and Project Department was moderated and hosted by EUPOL COPPS on 29 September in Ramallah. The roundtable provided an opportunity to exchange views on ongoing reform efforts and strengthen institutional cooperation. PCP projects conceptualised through the Law Enforcement Thematic Security Sector Working Group last June were discussed, sharing updates on their implementation, assessing priorities, and exploring practical approaches to ensure that international support is effectively coordinated and aligned with the most pressing needs of the PCP. Through continued dialogue and partnership, EUPOL COPPS remains committed to supporting Palestinian institutions in their efforts to strengthen effective, accountable and citizen-oriented policing and security governance.
Modern Judgecraft addressed at training in Ramallah
Former EUPOL COPPS Mission members from the Swedish National Courts Administration (SNCA) made a comeback to Palestine to address Modern Judgecraft at a training organised by the Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI), supported by EUPOL COPPS and held in Ramallah on 2 and 3 October. Topics of the workshop included judicial reasoning and decision-making, courtroom management, judicial ethics, communication and the use of technology in the justice system. Judicial independence and integrity, the legitimacy of courts and public trust in the judiciary, the treatment of parties and others in the courtroom were also discussed. The activity, attended by 19 judges (including three women) coming from all West Bank districts, builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Sweden in 2024 between the Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI) and SNCA, with the support of EUPOL COPPS. The agreement provides a framework for continued exchange and cooperation between the two institutions. SNCA is Sweden’s central administrative body supporting the country’s courts while safeguarding judicial independence. Its work includes supporting courts in areas such as digitalisation, training, budgeting, administration, security and organisational development.
Exchanging best practices to enhance the work of Palestinian courts
Facilitating the exchanging of best practices between EU member states and Palestinians working in the justice sector is something EUPOL COPPS is committed to. Therefore, the Mission facilitated discussions between representatives from the Swedish National Court Administration (SNCA) and the Administrative Director of the First Court of Bethlehem, on 30 September in Bethlehem. The challenges that Palestinian judges face every day due to movement restrictions, remote trials, backlogs reduction and digitalisation were discussed. SNCA representatives stressed about their ongoing commitment on working with the Palestinian Judicial Institute, with the support of EUPOL COPPS. In relation to this, training needs and cooperation in criminal justice chain were also discussed at the meeting. EUPOL COPPS provided an overview on an upcoming project on remote hearings, which is of interest for the courts in Palestine since it has the potential to expedite procedures, which benefits the society as it affects all actors involved in the justice chain.
Enhancing Palestinian-Jordanian judicial cooperation
Strengthening judicial cooperation and fostering exchange of expertise were the primary objectives of a senior-level visit of Palestinian judicial authorities to Jordan, organised and supported by EUPOL COPPS on 28 and 29 September. During meetings, held at the Judicial Council and Court of Cassation in Amman, the delegation, led by Palestinian Chief Justice, Mohamed Abdghani Aliwawi, engaged with Jordan's Chief Justice to deliberate on the provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), designed to establish a framework for the dissemination of judicial knowledge and professional experience and to address domains of mutual concern. The MoU aims at consolidating the partnership and further enhancing cooperation between the Palestinian-Jordanian judicial systems. Building up on prior exchanges between the Palestinian and Jordanian High Judicial Councils facilitated by EUPOL COPPS earlier this year, the programme of the visit included exchanges on organisational structures, management of the judiciary, strategic framework, digital modernisation, mediation and dispute resolution and methodologies for alleviating case backlogs. In Jordan the Palestinian delegation also observed a criminal case conducted remotely.
Contributing to info sharing on Community Policing
Building trust by listening and fostering cooperation between police and the communities they serve are key elements to keep communities safe everywhere. EUPOL COPPS’ advisors from Sweden exchanged about their experience of community policing and leadership at a workshop held at the Palestine College for Police Science (PCPS) in Jericho on 27 September. The Swedish advisors stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. While international experience can offer useful ideas, each community has its own unique needs and challenges. For this reason, since Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) officers know their communities best they are best placed to shape approaches that respond to local realities. The participants to the workshop shared their own experiences and brainstormed on how community policing can strengthen relationships between police and the people they serve.
EU CSDP civilian missions: Council renews mandates of EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL COPPS
The Council of the European Union decided to extend our and EUBAM Rafah's mandates until 30 June 2027. Here the link to the press release: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/09/28/eu-csdp-civilian-missions-council-renews-mandates-of-eubam-rafah-and-eupol-copps-until-30-june-2027/
Alternatives to detention for debts discussed at roundtable
Alternative ways to detention for debt was at the centre of a roundtable discussion involving representatives from Palestinian justice and enforcement institutions, hosted by EUPOL COPPS on 15 September in Ramallah. The participants agreed on the need for alternatives, especially given the current economic situation in Palestinian, which affects the number of debt related detentions. While an adequate legal framework is in place, there is manoeuvre space for possible improvement in terms of implementation, according to the attendees. EUPOL COPPS advisors from Sweden shared the experience of the country’s model on debt collection. The discussions included improving access to reliable data, including through an integrated IT system linking enforcement judges with relevant institutions. Proposals for alternative measures to detention included repayment by instalments, electronic auctions and payments, greater public awareness of debtors’ rights and obligations, and assessing borrowers’ ability to repay before loans are granted. Participants also discussed setting a minimum debt threshold for detention and releasing detainees who begin making repayments. The group agreed to continue developing and accessing the proposed measures. An action plan supported by EUPOL COPPS is foreseen for the near future.
Palestinian partners join forces to combat environmental crime
Environmental crime is a complex area that requires cooperation between several institutions and authorities. Effective action depends not only on the responsibilities of individual institutions, but also on how these institutions communicate, coordinate and work together in practice. Combating environmental crime starts with identifying a violation and gathering evidence to referring a case and following it through the justice system. Strengthening that cooperation was at the centre of a multi-agency workshop organised by EUPOL COPPS on 15 September in Ramallah. Representatives of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), Customs Police, Palestinian Environment Quality Authority (EQC), Palestinian Public Prosecution, municipalities, and EUPOL COPPS discussed how the different actors can work more effectively as part of a coordinated response to environmental crime. The PCP, EQA and the Public Prosecution drew on their respective roles and experiences, focusing on practical cooperation and identifying challenges. They identified gaps or overlaps, existing strengths, good practices and discussed how to overcome such obstacles. Common priorities for further cooperation, including possible joint training, capacity-building, technical exchanges, and other joint activities were identified. The workshop, which served as an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships, is part of EUPOL COPPS’ continued engagement with Palestinian counterparts on combating environmental crime.