Categories - Beit Jala Municipality | بلدية بيت جالا

Strategic Development and Investment Plan

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Strategic Development and Investment Plan

Beit Jala Municipality

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Beit Jala Municipality is a civil, non profit, independent organization that is observed by the Ministry of Local Government of the Palestinian National Authority; it aims at providing all necessary services to the citizens of Beit Jala city. Its major income comes from the revenues of taxes, building licences, crafts licences, and rents.

In 1912 the first municipality council was established in Beit Jala to serve the people of the city and to improve the welfare and life standard. The previous Municipal council was elected and assigned the responsibility of administrating the municipality in may 2005; it was constituted from the mayor of Beit Jala Mr. Raji Zeidan in addition to twelve members (3 females and other 9 male members).

Shortly after the council foundation, the new council set itself an ultimate goal, the creation of an effective administrative structure, with qualified staff to provide high quality and sufficient guidance for short term and long term planning, and for the public and private developments initiatives. The council also seeks to direct and manage growth in the town, to set a rationale for the use of land and water to optimize income to the council from the different services provided throughout the town.

The Municipality of Beit Jala is the administrative body responsible for the day-to-day needs, the provision of basic services and the promotion of the welfare of the citizens of Beit Jala. The council members work hard and in adverse conditions attempting to achieve a better life standard in the city. Among the ongoing projects the municipality is undertaking to provide improved services and infrastructure for residents are:

1- City planning and development strategy.
2- Facilities provision and maintenance.
3- Infrastructure development maintenance.
4- Electrical installation and street lighting.
5- Organization of space and resource utilization.
6- Refuse collection and sanitation.

The current municipal council was elected in May, 2017 and is constituted from the new mayor Mr. Nicola Khamis in addition to twelve members ( 3 females and 9 males).

Goals of the Municipality
To achieve a better society there should be a group of goals that serve the society, which can be summarized in the following:

1- Organizing the process of building: to achieve this goal the municipal council will design a new master plan to accommodate the population growth and the needs of the city.
2- Improve the infrastructure of the city including water, sewage, telecommunication and electricity networks.
3- Improve the level of services provided to the public.
4- Tighten the relationships with active institutes (governmental and NGO's) in the city and work together on improving the life standards of the inhabitants of the city.
5- Strengthening the relationship with the public.
6- Improve the health standards and conditions.

Since 1998 a number of very significant projects have been implemented in Beit Jala city, namely widening and asphalting existing roads, constructing sidewalks, construction of new roads, building stone walls and retaining walls, renovating and preserving the old city, organizing a day to day campaign for refuse collection and sanitation, constructing an additional floor to the municipal building, and constructing the Peace Public Park in the city that consists of a children’s play ground, a natural pond for birds and a family green park in addition to the Community Center for Youth with generous funds from the Autonomous Province of Trento – Italy as well as a Public Library with generous funds from USAID through CHF International and with generous contribution from the Ministry of Culture; both projects are adjacent to the Public Park . The Municipality has also purchased a land with a total area of 3000 dunums for the purpose of constructing a Public Park in a different location in the city.

Additionally, Beit Jala Municipality has lately constructed a City Hall over the youth community center with funds from the Ministry of Finance as well as installing a Sewerage Network in an area known as Cremisan in Beit Jala city.

Current Mayor

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Mr. Issa Al-Qassis

To those who carried in their eyelids the hymns of the ancient streets, those standing in the darkness despite the light of the sun, the dreamers of tomorrow, with light, candles, and freedom, I would like to say to all of you that the fire will be extinguished, the smoke will fly, and hope will remain.

I would like to say to the worker, from the sweat of your brow, the buds shone and spread virtues in my homeland despite the restraints. The chains were broken and we were armed with the culture of awareness and science, and we became valiant knights in thought, word and deed.

I would like to advise my beloved ones not to deviate from the compass of hope - do not say that we are old or tired, for the love of the earth that is loved by the sky, as it is the cycle of life in our planet; hardship and ease.

It is very significant not to forget Beit Jala, the city of fathers and grandfathers, as I am not among those who abandon the homeland, the city of olives, thyme, grapes, figs, almonds, apricots, berries and green apples.

Let us all work together for the sake of preserving its cleanliness, covering it with green trees, and arming its people with science and culture.

Moreover, we have to develop its educational, health and media institutions.

Beit Jala, the hospitable country, welcomes its expatriate citizens in the Diaspora and urges them to communicate, visit and invest in the city to improve and raise the standard of living for its steadfast citizens.

Former Mayors

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Council Members

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1- Issa Saliba Khalil Al-Qassis (Mayor)

2- Issa Kamel Jadallah Nazzal (Deputy Mayor)

3- Imad Mousa Ibrahim Jawareesh

4- Imad Wadee' Jabra Abu-Mohor

5- Wajeeh Khalil Ibrahim Hameedeh

6- Riad Mesbah Mohamad Ayasa

7- Micheline Saliba Hanna Al-Sous

8- Jeries Sameeh Jeries Abu-Ghannam

9- Issa Farah Issa Ja'neneh

10- Nicola Saba Nicola Khamis

11- George Elias Iskandar Shahwan

12- Khader Saba Yacoub Abu-Abbara

13- Amal Issa Jeries Matar

Employees

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Organizational Structure

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Twinning Agreements

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Beit Jala Municipality strongly believes in accomplishing twinning agreements between the city of Beit Jala and other international and local cities as we believe that such relations contribute positively in fostering the intercultural and educational dialogue among the twinning cities as well as promoting our heritage and traditions all over the world.

Twinning with the city of Aubervilliers – in the suburb of Paris – France.

The agreement was signed in November 27, 1997. Also in October 2, 1998 it was resigned with Mayor Raji Zeidan during his visit to France. Some of the activities between the two cities are:

i.A youth exchange program with the Arab Orthodox club in Beit Jala.
ii.Supporting the Specialized Surgery Hospital in Beit Jala.
iii.This agreement has been developed to form a ternary agreement among Beit Jala city, Jena City- Germany and Aubervilliers city- France in December 19, 2008.

Twinning with Santa Maria Del Mar – Peru.

The twinning agreement was signed in 2007. Its worth mentioning that the mayor of this city in that time was Mr. Ra'ul Abu Ghattas originally from Beit Jala.

Friendship with Reggio Emilia – Italy.

A declaration of Intent statement was signed during the visit of a delegation of Reggio Emilia to Beit Jala in May 14, 2005.

Twinning agreement with the city of Varazze – Savona district – Italy.

The twinning agreement was signed in July 7, 2005 during the visit of Mayor Raji Zeidan to Italy. In Result of this agreement a Language Lab and Tour guide project was approved to be established in the Seminary College in Beit Jala.

Twinning with the city of La Calera in Chile.

The twinning agreement was signed in November 11, 2005 during the visit of Raji Zeidan Mayor of Beit jala to Chile. It's worth mentioning that the Mayor of La Calera in that time was Mr. Roberto Chahuan originally from Beit Jala.

Twinning with the Arab Club in La Calera during the same visit of the Mayor.

Friendship with the Province of Trento and other Italian cities July, 2008.

The activities include:

a.Agreement on funding the Friendship and Peace Community Center on a land owned by the Municipality near the Peace Public Park.
b.Exchange of visits.
c.Supporting pupils who face difficulties in covering their school tuition.
d.Supporting Beit Jala Governmental Hospital through donating equipment.

Friendship between Beit Jala and Grenoble - France.

In addition to a twinning agreement between the hospitals of the cities, some of their activities are:

i.Training for Medical Staff.
ii.Providing some equipment.

Twinning with Bergisch Gladbach City in Germany.

The twinning agreement was signed in April 26, 2010 in Beit Jala City during the visit of Mr. Lutz Urbach- mayor.

Twinning with Jena City in Germany.

The twinning agreement was signed in September 20, 2011 in Beit Jala City during the visit of Dr. Albrecht Shröter- Mayor and the whole delegation.

Declaration of Intent with Valfabbrica City in Italy.

This declaration was signed in April 30, 2012 in Beit Jala City during the visit of Mr. Ottavio Anastasi- Mayor and the whole delegation.

City Projects

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Beit Jala Municipality is hoping to implement several projects on lands owned by the municipality that are necessary for the development of the city and the local community, the projects are:

1) Constructing a commercial center and a bus station (under construction).
2) Construction a tourism center and handcrafts village.
3) Building the capacity of the Municipality.
4) Construction of a slaughter house.
5) Solid waste and sanitation.