Hebron Mayor Dr. Daoud Zatari met the Deputy Consul General of British Consulate- Benjamin Soul accompanied by the HM Consul, Edward Evans, as well as Qais Assad, Political Officer. The meeting focused on discussing the City's conditions.

 

After welcoming the delegation, Mayor Zatari spoke about Israeli Occupations’ violation against Old City's dwellers under the pretext of protecting the settlers, and raised the issue of the division of the city into two parts following the Hebron Protocol Agreement that prevents Hebron Municipality from executing development projects and providing citizens with the needed services for decent living conditions.

 

 Moreover, Dr. Zatari touched on Occupation's assault in Tal Rumaida where Israelis confiscated the Land of Abu Haikal family's to increase settlement activity and to build outposts and that violations go under the pretext of searching on monuments. He then called UK's Government to exert pressure on Israeli Authority to end their illegal practices and measures that are against all international laws.

 

Dr. Zatari also illustrated the vital need of a hospital in the city discussing the local participation in collecting donations to enhance and build an additional floor to Hebron Government Hospital, which took place about a year ago, insisting on Old City's need to have a hospital to serve citizens and deal with emergency cases. He also called for more financing from the donors to ensure support in establishing a new hospital which will serve about 55,000 people.

Building more schools also was among the issues discussed with the delegation. "Hebron City needs more than 12 schools, in addition to the necessity of curbing unemployment and employing graduates through the implementation of various projects" He said, adding that Hebron Municipality is aimed at promoting twinning agreements with many British Municipalities.

                    

Saoul expressed his happiness for his visit to Hebron, and underlined that freedom must be achieved in Palestine as Palestinians have a right to self-determination adding that he hoped that peace and justice would prevail in the Middle East and that the Arab-Israeli conflict would end. He then stressed on the British council role in promoting joint cooperation between Hebron Municipality and other Municipalities of Britain.