A Government Delegation Inspects the Village of Um Safa and Announces a Package of Interventions to Strengthen Its Resilience and Basic Services

SadaNews - Under the direction of Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, a government delegation visited the village of Um Safa, northwest of Ramallah. The delegation included the Minister of Education and Higher Education, the Prime Minister's Advisor for Arab and Islamic Funds, the Head of the Energy Authority, and representatives from the Ministries of Public Works and Housing and Local Governance, as well as the representative of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, along with several representatives from government institutions.

According to a report from the Government Communications Center, the government delegation announced a package of interventions and projects aimed at strengthening the resilience of citizens in the village and developing educational services, infrastructure and energy, as well as following up on the implementation of ongoing projects, alongside supporting legal and developmental efforts in confronting settler attacks.

In the education sector, Minister of Education and Higher Education Amjad Barham inspected several educational and community facilities, affirming the study of the villagers' demands and referring them to the Cabinet and the relevant authorities for follow-up, including examining the possibility of converting the village's kindergarten into a government-run facility, with the potential addition of new floors to the school.

He also visited the summer camp conducted in partnership with the Middle East Children’s Foundation, meeting with students and listening to their needs, in addition to visiting the homes of several families affected by settler attacks, confirming the ministry's commitment to support their resilience and ensure their right to education.

In the local governance sector, Deputy Minister of Local Governance Raed Maqbel confirmed the completion of work on several projects, especially a project worth 92 thousand shekels to expand the electricity network, following up on the tender procedures for supplying an agricultural tractor, and completing the execution of a multipurpose hall worth 700 thousand shekels, funded by the ministry (500 thousand shekels) and the contribution of the village council (200 thousand shekels), in addition to rehabilitating and paving internal roads worth 150 thousand dollars funded by Arab and Islamic funds and executed by the ministry.

The interventions also include supplying containers for waste collection, working on finding a solution to the waste collection vehicle issue, as well as following up on the expansion of the structural plan and addressing demolition notices in partnership with the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

The village council of Um Safa expressed its appreciation for the regular transfer of emergency payments allocated to the council.

In the energy sector, the Head of the Energy and Natural Resources Authority, Engineer Ayman Ismail, announced the implementation of two solar energy projects to supply the village council building and health clinic with solar energy systems, ensuring the continuity of basic services and enhancing the resilience of citizens in light of the repeated settler attacks.

He confirmed that these projects come as part of the Energy Authority's efforts to support targeted Palestinian communities with renewable energy systems and enhance the sustainability of basic services.

For his part, the Deputy of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, reviewed the commission's interventions in the village, which included implementing protection works for more than 15 homes, installing protective measures for the school, providing olive seedlings, following up on legal issues related to confiscations and assaults, implementing projects to support resilience in partnership with various institutions, in addition to providing checks and corners for lands that have been attacked by settlers, and supporting the protection committee with protective and emergency equipment.