El-Bireh Municipality: Promoting resilience and facing escalating Israeli aggression

Source: El-Bireh Municipality

Since 7 October 2023, the brutal war on the Gaza Strip has cast a shadow on Palestinian cities and villages. Of these, El-Bireh has found itself at the frontline of confrontation with the escalating Israeli aggression. Not only has it affected citizens and destroyed the city, the aggression has extended to damage vital infrastructure, disrupt functions of the El-Bireh Municipality as a service provider, and target municipal staff. 

Mounting threat 

The Israeli occupying forces (IOF) have escalated attacks on the city, particularly in areas near settlements and military encampments surrounding it. Among the most serious incidents were the fires sparked by settler gangs on citizens’ lands, which led to the death of Abed Assaf, an employee of El-Bireh Municipality. Moreover, Israeli forces have bulldozed and destroyed citizens' lands under flimsy security arguments. The IOF bulldozed approximately 24 dunums in Jabal Al Taweel and created two new settlement outposts (among the so-called pastoral settlements) in the Matrabe Basins and Der Shabab. In return, the IOF issued clearance and demolition orders for a 250-meter road in Mount Qartis and demolition orders for three licensed homes within the approved structural scheme of the city of El-Bireh. These actions resemble the aspirations of the occupation and its apparent quest to expand Israeli control at the expense of Palestinian rights.

These acts of aggression are just a part of the larger picture targeting the resilience of Palestinian citizens, as the IOF has transformed both the Central Vegetable Market (Al-Hisba) and El-Bireh’s Central Commercial Complex into piles of ash, having intentionally burned vendor stalls and shops with all the goods, vegetables, and fruits they contained, thereby targeting citizens’ sources of income and basic ways of life. The municipality, alongside its partners – namely, the Ministry of Public Works and Population, Ministry of Local Government, Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, The Civil Defense, and The Chamber of Commerce – has prepared a damage accounting report. According to the report, the physical damage to El-Bireh’s Central Commercial Complex and the rehabilitation of the building amounted to NIS 7,188,553, and the physical damage to the affected tenants in that building amounted to NIS 4,765,000, while the damage to those affected in the Central Vegetable Market amounted to roughly NIS 176,000.

The IOF also decided to close and deny access for municipal staff to El-Bireh Municipality’s sanitary waste dump, which processed 120 tonnes of waste a day. This action not only disrupted waste management but also infringed on citizens' rights to live in a healthy environment, as demonstrated by practices and violations that clearly exhibit the occupation's aggressive aims and persistent harassment of the Palestinian people.

The series of violations involved escalation against the power and prestige of local government units, as elected service providers, to disrupt their functions and keep citizens apart from their legitimate institutions. The IOF arrested Islam at-Tawil, El-Bireh Mayor, and placed him under administrative detention (arrest without charge or trial), which runs counter to all international conventions and customs. 

Solidarity with Gaza 

The municipality received Palestinian workers from Gaza Strip, who had been employed inside the Green Line at the time the latest war was launched, but prevented from returning to Gaza. It did not hesitate to provide all that was necessary to host workers at El-Bireh Municipal Commercial Complex and Central Station, which were fully equipped to meet their needs. 

Based on national and humanitarian responsibility and solidarity of El-Bireh Municipality and community with Gaza children, the municipality contributed a sum of NIS 80,000 to the campaign launched by the Inash Alusra Association to foster 5,000 children in Gaza. In 2024, the municipal council decided to allocate a promotional budget in support of this campaign. Hence, in 2024, the local community made a contribution to providing foster care to 5,000 children in Gaza. The municipality also promoted “We are all Gaza” campaign, which was launched by Ramallah, El-Bireh and Beituniya Municipalities, by posting a link on the municipality’s website and allowing easy funding raising. 

The municipality played an active role in organizing solidarity initiatives and events. Most notably, it contributed to organizing the World Day in Support of Gaza and Prisoners, launched by prisoner institutions and national and Islamic factions on 3 August. On this day, the first conference was held at El-Bireh municipal hall. Municipal female staff converted the World Women’s Day celebration into a sit-in protest, demanding that the international community take action to protect Gazan women from ongoing IOF crimes. 

The municipality produced an audio-visual and print media content to support Gaza and mobilize international efforts to stop the aggression. It was also in contact with international counterparts, with which the city has cooperation and twinning relations, to recruit global support to Palestinian rights. This effort was met by an energetic response by the French Jonvilliers Municipality, which organized a solidarity event and hoisted 13,500 Palestinian flags in commemoration of martyred children in Palestine. 

Municipality’s response 

In response to the Israeli attacks on El-Bireh infrastructure, particularly the arson of the central vegetables and fruits market and municipal complex, the municipality took urgent action to address the crisis and support the affected population. The arson caused exorbitant losses to those who made a living by selling vegetables and fruits and other commodities on both sites. Immediately, the municipality developed a plan to provide a temporary space, where vendors could resume their trade, until the original sites would be restored. Within 30 days, the municipality converted the site of the old police station into a temporary marketplace. Municipal teams built strong steel vendor stalls to meet vendors’ needs and installed canopies to create an enabling working environment. The municipality also implemented a traffic plan in the city's commercial centre, which provided an alternative space for public transport parking.

In response to the Israeli attacks, the municipality launched a land governance project in cooperation with the Research Centre and in coordination with relevant institutions. Through this initiative, the municipality urged citizens to update their land titles and complete the necessary legal procedures with the assistance of a lawyer contracted by the municipality to handle this issue. Additionally, community committees were established to support and guide citizens in countering aggression.

In partnership with local institutions, the municipality organized voluntary activities, including planting trees in areas under threat. It has also arranged solidarity visits and provided financial support under the approved grant line. This included supplying waste containers worth NIS 70,000 to Tulkarm Municipality, providing financial assistance of USD 10,000 to Al Mughayyir Village Council, and USD 5,000 to Burqa Village Council. These efforts aim to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian communities in cities and villages facing repeated attacks from settler gangs and the Israeli occupying forces (IOF).

Another challenge was posed by the IOF shutdown of the waste transfer station in El-Bireh. The city was affected by a critical public health issue because waste collection and transfer were suspended. The municipality used a temporary waste transfer site in the industrial park. However, the IOF closed this site and seized some waste trucks. The crisis deteriorated after the IOF set fire to the temporary site, which contained over 4,000 tonnes of waste, causing an environmental hazard that was detrimental to citizens’ health. In response to the escalating waste management crisis, the municipality purchased two new garbage compactor trucks, with a capacity of 21 cubic metres each, to improve waste collection services throughout the city. It also launched a public awareness raising campaign to encourage the reduction of waste until the crisis would be solved. 

Promoting resilience and providing economic support to citizens 

In the crisis experienced by citizens, the municipality has demonstrated its commitment by supporting many field campaigns to distribute aid to affected families, including those who lost their income source because of the war. The Community Rehabilitation Unit at the municipality implemented social solidarity programmes in support of humble families, distributing some 310 shares of Qurbani meat in El-Bireh neighbourhoods and Al-Am’ari refugee camp. It also provided Eid clothing to about 230 children and offered 100 coupons in Ramadan to meet the needs of humble families. 

The municipality’s activities were as varied as organizing exhibitions and bazaars that reflected the genuine Palestinian heritage and contributed to consolidating the national identity. In light of recent events, the municipality paid particular attention to the suffering and impact of the war on the Gaza population. Most notably, the Gaza is the Pride exhibition featured food products made by Palestinian women. In addition to the Jerusalem Handcraft Fair, the municipality organized the Palestinian Origin exhibition as part of the Local Products… Palestinian Steadfastness initiative.  

Despite the strenuous efforts made by the municipality to face the aggression, challenges are still significant. Including closure of the dumpsite, military escalation and destruction of infrastructure, the city faces a set of crises that require constant and integrated response by all relevant parties. By confronting ongoing challenges, the municipality seeks to establish stability and prosperity for citizens and promote solidarity and unity in time of crisis. The municipality’s efforts to mitigate the impact of Israel’s aggression reflects its deep commitment to supporting and strengthening resilience of the local community. Through humanitarian initiatives, solidarity activities and dealing with environmental and economic crises, the municipality serves as a role model of confronting challenges and promoting human values in time of crisis. And against the backdrop of the grave challenges created by Israel’s war and aggression, the municipality has demonstrated its firm commitment to protect citizens’ rights and enhance their resilience by organized rapid response and robust obligation to meet the needs of affected citizens. It has shown an extraordinary ability to adapt to complex situations and cope with the emergency.