The Economic Cooperation Foundation (ECF) was founded by former Minister of Justice Dr. Yossi Beilin and by Dr. Yair Hirschfeld at the end of 1990 as a non-profit non-governmental organization, whose objectives are to build, maintain and support Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab cooperation in the political, economic, and civil society spheres. Based in Tel-Aviv, the ECF is led today by Dr. Beilin, Dr. Hirschfeld and its Treasurer Mr. Boaz Karni. Dr. Nimrod Novik is Chairman of the ECF Executive Board. 

 The ECF initiated and led the secret talks in Oslo, Norway that resulted in the signing of the Declaration of Principles (DOP) in September 1993. The ‘Architects of Oslo’, then developed the ‘Beilin-Abu Mazen Understanding’, the first jointly developed detailed concept of a comprehensive Permanent Status Understanding between Israel and a Palestinian State. 

 The ECF professional input can be found in every initiative for Palestinian-Israeli peace since the inception of the Oslo Process. The ECF has developed a unique network of intimate relations with all the relevant players – Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptians, Jordanians, Americans, Europeans and others. Over the years this enabled the ECF to create coalitions, design concepts, suggest creative solutions and build structures that have been translated into agreed-upon agendas and specific proposals. These, in turn, have offered policy makers, local, regional and international players practical tools, mechanisms, ideas and means that facilitated progress in the peace process.