Khaled Osaily. خالد العسيلي رئيس بلدية الخيل السابق خالد العسيلي
Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily met on 4 November 2010 at his office with US Consul General Mr. Daniel Rubenstein and his accompanying delegation. This visit aimed at discussing conditions in Hebron and getting acquainted with services provided in the city as well as with its economic conditions.
Mayor Osaily briefed Mr. Rubenstein and his accompanying delegation on the particular context in Hebron due to settlement activities and checkpoints which divide the city under the pretext of protecting settlers. These settlers, he added, aggress neighboring Palestinians especially in Tal Al Rumeida, the Old City as well as around Kiryat Arba and Kharsina settlements where building activities have resumed and settlements are expanding.
Mayor Osaily thanked Mr. Rubenstein for the support provided by the US government and people to the PNA and to Hebron in particular through USAID. “The rehabilitation and asphalting of many streets in Hebron with a total area of 138 000 m2 is currently underway with support from USAID”, he said.
Moreover, Osaily briefed the US Consul General on progress made in implementing the “Remote Control System for the Hebron Water Network” funded by the Italian government and the Korean-funded project aimed at building a model school and a youths center in Nankar in the South West of Hebron.
In reply to a question by Mr. Rubenstein on economic conditions in Hebron, Osaily explained that allowing Palestinian products to reach Gaza markets would certainly help improve economic conditions in Hebron. “The Gaza Strip has been closed for years, negatively impacting economic conditions as Gaza makes up for 30-40% of the Palestinian market. I hope donor countries will continue assisting the Palestinian government as this aid would help improve economic conditions on all levels: it would support the Palestinian treasury, ensure the payment of salaries on time, help private Palestinian companies implement development projects, and create jobs for Palestinian youths”, he said.
Mr. Rubenstein said he was happy to visit Hebron and meet with its Mayor. “Special attention is given to political and economic conditions in Hebron as it is the biggest Palestinian Governorate and also given its particular situation caused by settlements and checkpoints located in the heart of the city. The US Administration works relentlessly to help ease security measures imposed on Hebronites as well as to improve living and economic conditions. The US Government shall continue to support projects implemented in the Palestinian Territories”, he added.
At the end of the meeting, Osaily accompanied his guests on a visit to the Remote Control System for the Hebron Water Network and briefed the Consul General on the state-of-the-art communications and automation technologies it uses, especially the Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA).
