In the meeting with Mr. Ashraf Suliman, the Head of Mission of South African Representative to the state of Palestine and his accompanying delegation, the Mayor of Hebron, Mr. Tayseer Abu Sneineh, briefed the attendees about the situation of Hebron, and discussed cooperation opportunities. This meeting was also attended by members from Hebron's municipal council.

At the beginning  of the meeting, Mayor Abu Sneineh spoke about Hebron, it's geography and history. He referred to the importance of Inscribing Hebron's Old City and Ibrahimi Mosque on the UNESCO's World Heritage List, and considering it as a  World Craft City in reflecting the human and cultural heritage that dates back to thousands years BC.

Mayor Abu Sneineh touched on daily Palestinian suffering due to Israeli occupation and settler practices, and   spoke about the city's division into H1 and H2, and the closuring down of streets and shops in the Old City that led to deterioration in the city's economic condition.

Moreover, Mr. Abu Sneineh discussed the opportunity of creating ties between Hebron and cities of South Africa , and signing twinning and cooperation agreement with a view to exchange expertise in development fields.

Mr. Suliman expressed happiness for his visit to Hebron, and said that he will call Ambassadors and Representatives to have a visit to Hebron and get a view of its heritage and touristic monuments.

He also expressed willingness to support vital projects that could enhance the economic condition of Hebron, which contributes about 38%- 40% of Palestine GDP, to combat poverty and unemployment through employing the human and physical resources as an effective tool in achieving local economic development. 

22/08/2017