Unlike most Independent Task Force Reports sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, this one on Strengthening Palestinian Public Institutions is not focused on U.S. policy. It does not take positions on the Middle East peace process, nor does it address the issue of Palestinian statehood. Its goal, instead, is a practical one: to assist the Palestinian Authority and organs of the international community - the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the European Union, and the donor community working with the Palestinian Authority - in improving the efficiency and credibility of the newly emerging Palestinian self-governing institutions. The distinguishing characteristics of this Task Force Report are its practical and detailed guidelines for the development of sound institutions and good governance.