RAMALLAH, West Bank — On the road linking Jerusalem and Nablus, construction continues on the city of Rawabi, 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) to the north of Ramallah in the central West Bank. The project has been controversial since the laying of the first stone, eliciting criticism over its design and the role of Israeli companies in its construction.
Following the 2008 Palestine Investment Conference, at which the development of Rawabi was discussed, the Qatari Diar Real Estate Co. and Massar International Real Estate Co. signed a strategic partnership agreement to build the city. The Bayti Real Estate Investment Co., owned jointly by Diar and Massar, is the project's developer. The Palestinian businessman Bashar al-Masri is chairman of Massar and heads the Bayti administrative board.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) ratified the infrastructure plans for the city, and in 2008 committed to providing the support necessary for the off-site infrastructure required. This included the road network outside the city, electricity and water systems and wastewater treatment and sewage. The PA will also be responsible for basic services, such as education, health, security, public buildings and other public utilities, which will benefit not only the residents of Rawabi, but also neighboring towns and villages.
About 600 Palestinians are expected to be living in the city by the end of the year. Rawabi will include 23 residential neighborhoods, with more than 5,000 housing units, and will have the capacity to accommodate 25,000 people in the first phase. The city is designed for a total population of 40,000. It will be subject to the PA’s authority and administered initially by a local committee (established by the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2013) until elections are held.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.
