Service Provision Amid Challenges: Faqqu’a Village Council as a Role Model of Local Resilience and Community Collaboration
Prepared by: Faqqu'a Village Council
Following unchecked wars on Palestinians since the Nakba, Israel’s excessive crimes that have reached a climax today come as no surprise. For a long time, Faqqu’a village has suffered disproportionately from land grab, water shortage, and economic decline. In the first Nakba, Israel seized 30,000 dunums of the village’s land. For the Apartheid Wall construction, an additional 1,000 dunums were confiscated. Once serving as the lifeline of the village, agriculture has come to an almost complete halt due to water scarcity, leaving land thirsty and barren. The local community faces enormous challenges. As the village is next to the border, many locals used to work inside the Green Line. On the other hand, 65% of the residents are employed in the public and private sectors, thanks to the high level of education – one of the few assets that Israel could not seize.
From the onset of the latest war on Gaza and its reflections in the West Bank, Faqqu’a Village Council has encountered unprecedented economic, service and social challenges. Civil servants have been significantly affected due to disrupted salary payments, leading to a decline in their living conditions. Raids on the village have intensified, resulting in the destruction of basic infrastructure, such as road, electricity and water networks, and turning essential service delivery into an impossible task. Agricultural activity is gravely impacted as access to and tending land has been more complicated by frequent raids, further deepening the economic crisis in the village.
Based on its responsibility for promoting community resilience against crises, from the very outset of the aggression, the village council launched an integrated action plan to reduce adverse impacts on the local community. By this initiative, the village council highlights its commitment to protect the village residents and continue to deliver essential services, while focusing on meeting urgent needs and enhancing community solidarity in these difficult conditions.
In consistence with its strategy to protect and mitigate the suffering of citizens, the village council has implemented a set of measures to alleviate the negative effects of violations and raids on the Jenin governorate. With a focus on reducing economic burdens and easing living conditions, these actions involved putting off financial obligations and providing needed exemptions to support affected families until such time they can recover.


In addition to improving community resilience, the village council provided employment opportunities and relief support through operational plans and support committees. The council also assisted neighbouring villages by providing equipment and machinery to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure. It paid particular attention to vulnerable groups, met their basic needs, and enhanced their living conditions.
The village council continues to provide basic services to the local community, while avoiding any further burdens. It postponed the collection of debts and due instalments, furnishing an opportunity to affected citizens to focus on recovery. It made it possible to recharge basic services, such as electricity, on credit and up to a certain financial ceiling until the harsh circumstances come to an end. Based on a situation assessment, the council exempted some vulnerable households, which lacked supporters, from electricity and water fees. Attentive to persons with special needs, the council provided necessary medicines, treatment and access to healthcare for these people.
In the context of its efforts to provide job opportunities and support financially distressed households, the council empowered and assigned householders to carry out certain activities and meet the local community needs, alleviating the adverse economic effects of the aggression. In cooperation with partner institutions and civil society groups, the council established a committee to raise funds and collect Zakat. Food parcels and recharge coupons were distributed, promoting volunteerism and expanding the scope of initiatives within the village.
Inspired by national and human values, the village council continues to work, focusing on sustainable services, promoting capacity to address future crises, and developing long-term strategies to improve infrastructure and deliver needed support. The council serves as a role model for Palestinian local government units in supporting citizens in time of distress. Despite significant challenges, unwavering devotion to community service reflects a strong will for resilience and recovery.