In a bid to join the UN, Palestine needs more funding to repair damage and mosques like “The Dome” in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip
Economical growth is evaporating in Palestine’s land. This year, donors to the Palestinian government have not transferred the money they pledged, according to a West Bank and Gaza World Bank report on Monday, 12th September. Despite this, local Palestinians contribute their man power to installing a new window or two.
While the World Bank report states the economic development is obstructed by Israeli restrictions, when the money does come in, it makes an immediate impact. Agriculture and exports are directly dependent on the monetary support from global sources. Last year MENA Geothermal agreed to provide clean energy for a housing project near Ramallah.
Pictured above is The Dome mosque in Khan Younis (or Younes), a small town in the Gaza Strip about 5 km North-East from Rafah. This mosque recently received funding for repair after weather damage and rocket attacks due to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.
The Dome mosque is an impressive feature of the 15th century Mamluk period, which revitalised road systems, mosques and bridges. Khan Younis at Gaza is built out of ablaq masonry, a decorative technique that alternates light building materials with dark, with a mosque and minaret included in the town’s design.
Don’t confuse the mosque with Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock though. The golden Dome on Temple Mount is a holy site for Muslims and Jews, enshrining one source of conflict – Jerusalem’s sacred stone.
In a bid for statehood, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas put forward the idea to gain UN membership in a televised broadcast. Within a week, the formal request will be sent and we’ll see how this affects the country’s environmental expansion.
Palestine has a low-profile within the green movement. Improved sewage networks, a children’s ‘garden’ playground and laws protecting green spaces have been revived in the city of Ramallah. The issue of having enough money-power to insulate these projects still remains.
The Palestinian Authority, backed by Western governments, said European and U.S. countries met their financial commitments, but Arab countries – whom last year gave $231 million – have not. Arab donors have provided less than $80 million in the first half of this year (MSNBC).
“Ultimately, in order for the Palestinian Authority to sustain the reform momentum and its achievements in institution-building, remaining Israeli restrictions must be lifted,” said Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza.
Image: MSNBC, Bernat Armangue / AP
More on green Palestine:
Palestinians Repair Crumbling Infrastructure to Weather Water Crisis
Palestine’s Aspirations For A Green Ramallah
Palestine’s First Solar Power Electric Car
