Formed in 1983 by Palestinians, the Committees were responsible for basic services in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, ranging from education to garbage collection as well as food distribution during
Israeli-imposed closures and sieges. They required a great deal of popular mobilization, and were instrumental in the
First Intifada. Popular Committees continue to function today in the
West Bank and the
Gaza Strip and, particularly in the West Bank, have united under several coalitions in order to organize grassroots resistance against
Israel's occupation. The most prominent coalitions include the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign founded in 2002 and the
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee established in 2009. See "
A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance," by Mary Elizabeth King, Nation Books, 2007. See also the
websites for the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee and the Grassroots Palestinian
Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign.