UCP in Palestine

We are a group of Palestinians and international activists, organizers, and UCP veterans united for justice and safety in Palestine.

In August 2024, we sent a research team to the West Bank and East Jerusalem and made these urgent recommendations:

1. Deploy at least 100 highly skilled UCP personnel to the West Bank and East Jerusalem. When the situation allows, extend the mission into the Gaza Strip.
2. Provide support to existing UCP organizations presently working in the West Bank to enhance their effectiveness.

Since then, we have been tirelessly campaigning worldwide to turn these recommendations into action.

What is UCP?

UCP is a form of direct protection that recognizes that well-trained unarmed civilian protectors and accompaniers can effectively protect civilians in violent conflict.

Unarmed civilian protectors spend time with vulnerable populations, to provide direct protection and support communities in protecting themselves.

UCP is a proven method of reducing violence and monitoring ceasefire agreements, proven throughout the world in places like South Sudan, Colombia, Ukraine, Iraq and USA.

It has been an invaluable tool for Palestinian communities in the West Bank, with over 20 organizations presently providing some form of UCP.

Why another organization?

The harsh reality of apartheid and occupation makes Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) essential in Palestine—now more than ever.

Since October 7th, violence in the West Bank has tripled. According to NGO Kerem Navot, at least 57 communities have been forced to flee their homes due to settler and state violence.

But these groups face enormous challenges: reliance on volunteers, governments that labels them as anarchists, visa restrictions, and even direct violence. They need to be supported, and we need more veteran Unarmed Civilian Protectors on the ground to protect all vulnerable communities in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza.