Temporary International Presence in the City of Hebron TIPH

 

TIPH is an international civilian observer mission. TIPH assists the parties in the normalisation of the situation in the city and reports on their efforts and the breaches of the agreements on Hebron and international law. TIPH reports to the Palestinian and Israeli authorities and to the six member countries.

 
 

Coordinating the Countries

Hebron is on the agenda not only for the mission members working in the city, but also for diplomats from the six TIPH member countries.
— Head of Mission has the full operational responsibility and is in charge of the mission's activities. But there is also a need to coordinate the countries that contribute, when it comes to their input to the mission and the parties, says Minister Counsellor Vebjørn Dysvik from the Norwegian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

 

Policy making

He is the coordinator for a group of diplomats that works with the TIPH at the local level, called the Local Contact Group (LCG).

— The LCG is a forum for us to stay abreast of the developments in the mission and Hebron, where we can agree jointly on policy issues and the running of the mission. The LCG also prepare for the Capitals Meetings, Dysvik says.

The Capitals Meeting is the main decision making body for the TIPH countries. It consists of representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs who meet once a year in Hebron, and once a year in the capital of one of the member countries.

— All the major decisions are taken at the capitals level, while the more day-to-day coordination of the countries is put at the local level, and that is the role that I fill, Dysvik explains.

 

Competence and commitment

As the coordinator, Dysvik chairs the LCG meetings, which are held regularly in the TIPH base in Hebron.

— We have a group of very competent and committed personnel from the embassies, representative offices and the consulate-generals who are tasked to follow the TIPH. They make my job as a local coordinator much easier than it could have been.

The Norwegian Minister Counsellor has been the local TIPH coordinator for a year, and will continue for another three years.

— I find Hebron to be a fascinating place, so rich in history and culture, and so tantalizingly complex in its current challenges. And personally, I find it very challenging, but at the same time highly rewarding, to have the opportunity to work with the TIPH, Dysvik says.