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124-591: The Council met formally 20 times in the 27 years between 1964 and 1991. Since the Oslo Accords , the council met formally only twice: in 1996 and 2018. The PNC is intended to be responsible for formulating the policies and programs for the PLO, and elects the PLO Executive Committee , which assumes leadership of the organization between its sessions. Resolutions are passed by a simple majority with

248-728: A "collusion" between the Palestinian Authority and Israel to turn Ramallah into the political as well as the financial capital of the Palestinians. He is particularly worried by the construction of a large new governmental complex by the PA. Hatem Abdel Kader , a Jerusalem resident, Fatah legislator and former Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, complained that "If they are building a new government compound here, that means they have no plans to be based in Jerusalem... Unfortunately,

372-589: A Friends Meeting House for worship in the city center in 1910. According to the school's official website, most high school students choose to take the International Baccalaureate exams (IBE) instead of the traditional "Tawjihi" university exams. The activity of foreign churches in Palestine in the late 19th century increased awareness of prosperity in the West. In Ramallah and Bethlehem ,

496-457: A complete settlement within five years. When, however, an Israel–Jordan peace treaty was concluded on 26 October 1994, it was without the Palestinians. Only after Israel's acceptance of the PLO as negotiation partner could serious negotiations start. In their Letters of Mutual Recognition of 9 September 1993, days before the signing of the Oslo I Accord , each party agreed to accept the other as

620-632: A few miles south, local residents began to seek economic opportunity overseas. In 1901, merchants from Ramallah emigrated to the United States and established import-export businesses, selling handmade rugs and other exotic wares across the Atlantic. Increased trade dramatically improved living standards for Ramallah's inhabitants. American cars, mechanized farming equipment, radios, and later televisions became attainable luxuries for upper-class families. As residents of Jaffa and Lydda moved to Ramallah,

744-754: A larger entity known as Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which is a unit in the Defense Ministry of Israel , is still functioning in full. The Israeli–Palestinian Joint Water Committee also still exists. At the 2000 Camp David Summit , the US tried to save the Accords by reviving the negotiations. After the failure of the Summit, the Second Intifada broke out and

868-751: A lasting peace. In December 1998, the PNC met in Gaza at the insistence of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who called it a condition of the continuation of the peace process . In the presence of the US President Clinton , it reaffirmed again the annulling of the parts of the Covenant which denied Israel's right to exist, but it still did not formally change or re-draft the Covenant. Clinton gave

992-651: A lively nightlife, with many restaurants including the Stars and Bucks Cafe, a branch of the Tche Tche Cafe and the Orjuwan Lounge , described in 2010 as two among the "dozens of fancy restaurants, bars and discotheques that have cropped up in Ramallah in the last three years". One hallmark of Ramallah is Rukab's Ice Cream, which is based on the resin of chewing gum and thus has a distinctive taste. Another

1116-480: A mile from the village. On the east there is a well. There are rock-cut tombs to the north-east with well-cut entrances, but completely blocked with rubbish. In the village is a Greek church, and on the east a Latin convent and a Protestant schoolhouse, all modern buildings. The village lands are Wakuf , or ecclesiastical property, belonging to the Haram of Jerusalem. About a quarter of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics,

1240-579: A mob, enraged in particular by the Muhammad al-Durrah incident in Gaza. A frenzied crowd killed the two IDF reservists, mutilated their bodies, and dragged them through the streets. Later that afternoon, the Israeli army carried out an air strike on Ramallah, demolishing the police station. Israel later succeeded in capturing and prosecuting some of those involved in the deaths of the reservists. The IDF has occasionally operated inside Ramallah, in breach of

1364-601: A negotiation partner. The PLO recognized the State of Israel. Israel recognized the PLO as "the representative of the Palestinian people"; no more, no less. Palestine Liberation Organization Israel Norway (facilitating) The Oslo process is the "peace process" that started in 1993 with secret talks between Israel and the PLO. It became a cycle of negotiations, suspension, mediation, restart of negotiations and suspension again. A number of agreements were reached, until

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1488-540: A permanent settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338" Some have interpreted this to mean that the Palestinian Authority was only meant to be temporary. Others have accused Israeli governments of not living up to their obligations under the Accord. The lack of a permanent agreement has led both Israelis and Palestinians to regard the Oslo Accords as no longer relevant. Nevertheless, elements of

1612-530: A population of 635, though the population count included men only. The village was described as being in the Bire area,"north of Mikhmas , on a rocky hill." In 1896, the population of Ramallah was estimated to be about 2,061 persons. In the 1922 census of Palestine conducted by the British Mandate authorities , Ramallah had a population of 3,104 (2,972 Christians , 125 Muslims , and seven Jews ),

1736-536: A population of 71 Christian households and 9 Muslim households. It paid a fixed tax rate of 25% on wheat, barley, olives, vines or fruit trees, and goats or beehives; a total of 9,400 akçe . All of the revenue went to a waqf . In 1838, American biblical scholar Edward Robinson visited the area, noting that the inhabitants were Christian "of the Greek rite". There were 200 taxable men, which gives an estimated total population of 800–900 people. The village "belonged" to

1860-674: A quorum of two-thirds. The PNC elects its own Chairman. Although Article 5 of the PLO Basic Law, adopted at the first PNC meeting in 1964, states that members should be chosen by "direct election... by the Palestinian people", such elections have never happened. Since the PNC and PLO were created originally by the Arab League , the initial membership of the PNC was chosen by the Arab states, particularly Jordan and Egypt. Even Palestinian factions were wary of direct elections, worrying about

1984-614: A significant factor in maintaining security for both sides. A security analysis presented to the Israeli government by Shin Bet in 2016 praised the security cooperation. According to the IDF , Palestinian security forces were responsible for about 40% of arrests of terrorism suspects in the West Bank in early 2016. Following the announcement that Israel will unilaterally annex territories in May 2020,

2108-550: A speech to the event appealing to the PNC not to allow their grievances against Israel to stifle Palestinian progress. In 1996, when the Council had to vote on the revision of the Palestinian National Charter, the total number of PNC members was increased from 400 to about 800. By 2009, some 700 from them had remained. As of 2003, the PNC chairman was Salim Zanoun and the PNC had 669 members; 88 are from

2232-601: A stake in Rawabi , a completely new town being constructed in the hills outside Ramallah at a cost of $ 1 billion. Ramallah has highest concentration of high-tech companies. ASAL technologies, an information technology company in Ramallah, has 120 employees and is looking forward to "exponential growth". In collaboration with the Republic of India , a new tech park named, the India Palestine Techno Park

2356-489: Is 1,591 mm (63 in). The Köppen climate classification places Ramallah in the Csa category. Climates of this class generally occur on the western sides of continents between the latitudes of 30° and 45°. These climates are in the polar front region in winter, and thus have moderate temperatures and changeable, rainy weather. Summers are hot and dry, due to the domination of the subtropical high pressure systems, except in

2480-601: Is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank , that serves as the de facto administrative capital of the State of Palestine . It is situated on the Judaean Mountains , 10 km (6 miles) north of Jerusalem , at an average elevation of 872 meters (2,861 ft) above sea level, adjacent to al-Bireh . Ramallah has buildings containing masonry from the period of Herod the Great , but no complete building predates

2604-615: Is a popular venue for such events. The Al-Kasaba Theatre is a venue for plays and movies. In 2004, the state-of-the art Ramallah Cultural Palace opened in the city. The only cultural center of its kind in the Palestinian-governed areas, it houses a 736-seat auditorium, as well as conference rooms, exhibit halls, and movie-screening rooms. It was a joint venture of the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and

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2728-488: Is also a Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Ramallah, built in 1895. The Roman Catholic Church also established its presence in Ramallah the 19th century and constitutes today the second-largest Christian denomination in the city. The Roman Catholic Church established the St. Joseph's Girls' School run by St. Joseph sisters, as well as the co-educational Al-Ahliyyah College high school run by Rosary sisters. In 1913, construction of

2852-464: Is attributed to fighting and unrest among clans in that area. Haddadin was attracted to the mountainous site of Ramallah because it was similar to the mountainous areas he came from. In addition, the heavily forested area could supply him with plenty of fuel for his forges. In 1596, Ramallah was listed in the tax registers as being in the nahiya of Quds (Jerusalem), part of the Liwa of Quds . It had

2976-496: Is ignited in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre and is passed on through candles and lanterns to regional churches. A variety of mosques and churches of different denominations dot the landscape. Ramallah is generally considered the most affluent and cultural, as well as the most liberal, of all Palestinian cities, and is home to a number of popular Palestinian activists, poets, artists, and musicians . It boasts

3100-506: Is located in Birzeit . Apple Inc operates a research & development center in Rawabi with ASAL Technologies. A large number multinational companies operates facilities in Ramallah, which outsource Palestinians. By 2010, Ramallah had become the leading center of economic and political activity in the territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority. During a building boom in

3224-415: Is one of the city's largest mosques . The Orthodox Church of Ramallah , an Orthodox Christian convent , Melkite Catholic Church , Evangelical Lutheran Church, Arab Episcopal ( Anglican ) Church, Ramallah Local Church ( Evangelical \ Born Again ) and Ramallah Baptist Church all operate schools in the city. A large new church has been built on top of one of the highest hills of Ramallah, belonging to

3348-494: Is the First Ramallah Group, a boy- and girl-scout club that also holds a number of traditional dance ( Dabka ) performances and is also home to men's and women's basketball teams that compete regionally. International music and dance troupes occasionally make a stop in Ramallah, and the renowned Argentinian-Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim performs there often. The Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center , founded in 1996,

3472-705: The Areas A and B . Redeployments from Area C would follow in subsequent phases. Article XI.3 states: "Area C" means areas of the West Bank outside Areas A and B, which, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations, will be gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction in accordance with this Agreement. The issues that will be negotiated, according to Article XVII.1, are: "Jerusalem, settlements, specified military locations, Palestinian refugees, borders, foreign relations and Israelis; and ... powers and responsibilities not transferred to

3596-666: The British Army captured and occupied Ramallah in December 1917. The city remained occupied until the designation of the Palestine Mandate in 1920, resulting in Ramallah falling under British Mandatory control until 1948. In the 1920s, the economy of Ramallah started to improve, resulting in the local Arab upper class (consisting primarily of landowners and merchants) ordering the construction of several multi-storied villas, many of which still stand today. In 1939,

3720-548: The Cave of the Patriarchs massacre as well as by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide bombings and attacks. Far-right Israelis also opposed the Oslo Accords, and Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a right-wing Israeli extremist for signing them. “We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and a clear voice; Enough of blood and tears. Enough!” — Rabin said on behalf of

3844-553: The Coptic Orthodox Church. A small group of Jehovah Witnesses are present in the area as well and others. During the annual "Saturday of Light" religious festival, which occurs on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday to celebrate the light that tradition holds shines forth from the tomb of Jesus , the scouts hold a parade through the city streets to receive the flame from Jerusalem. The flame

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3968-720: The Crusades of the 11th century.  The modern city was founded during the 16th century by the Hadadeens, an Arab Christian clan descended from Ghassanids . In 1517, the city was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire , and in 1920, it became part of British Mandatory Palestine after it was captured by the United Kingdom during World War I . The 1948 Arab–Israeli War saw the entire West Bank, including Ramallah, occupied and annexed by Transjordan . Ramallah

4092-531: The Haram al-Sharif , Jerusalem, to which it paid an annual tax of 350 Mids of grain. In 1883, the PEF 's Survey of Western Palestine described Ramallah as A large Christian village, of well-built stone houses, standing on a high ridge, with a view on the west extending to the sea. It stands amongst gardens and olive-yards, and has three springs to the south and one on the west; on the north there are three more, within

4216-557: The Intifada erupted, protesting against the continued Israeli occupation . Ramallah residents were among the early joiners of the First Intifada . The Intifada Unified Leadership, an umbrella organization of various Palestinian factions, distributed weekly bulletins on the streets of Ramallah with a schedule of the daily protests, strikes and action against Israeli patrols in the city. At the demonstrations, tires were burned in

4340-660: The Jerusalem Electric Company introduced electricity to Ramallah, and a majority of the city's homes became wired shortly thereafter. On the same year, the British Mandatory authorities inaugurated the state-owned Palestine Broadcasting Service in Ramallah, with BBC members training local radio staff to deliver daily broadcasts in Arabic , Hebrew , and English . The station was later renamed Jerusalem Calling . In 1936, an Arab revolt against

4464-498: The Mukataa and withdrew to the city outskirts. The newly established Palestinian Authority assumed civilian and security responsibility for the city, which was designated "Area A" under the accords. The years between 1993 and 2000 (known locally as the "Oslo Years") brought relative prosperity to Ramallah. Ramallah and its immediate environs were classified as Area A in the Oslo Accords , under full civil and security control of

4588-681: The Oslo I Accord , signed in Washington, D.C. , in 1993; and the Oslo II Accord , signed in Taba, Egypt , in 1995. They marked the start of the Oslo process , a peace process aimed at achieving a peace treaty based on Resolution 242 and Resolution 338 of the United Nations Security Council . The Oslo process began after secret negotiations in Oslo, Norway , resulting in both the recognition of Israel by

4712-534: The Palestinian Authority (PA) administration in September 1995. Many expatriates returned to establish businesses there, and the atmosphere was one of optimism. In 2000, unemployment began to rise and the economy of Ramallah declined. The Israel Defense Forces remained in control of the territories and its government did not restore the freedom of movement enjoyed by Ramallah residents prior to

4836-882: The Palestinian National Covenant (also called Palestinian National Charter). It also established the PLO as the political expression of the Palestinian people and elected Ahmad Al-Shuqeiry as the first chairman of the PLO Executive Committee . At the conference were representatives from Palestinian communities in Jordan , West Bank , the Gaza strip , Syria , Lebanon , Kuwait , Iraq , Egypt , Qatar , Libya , and Algeria . Subsequent sessions were held in Cairo (1965), Gaza (1966), Cairo (1968–1977), Damascus (1979–1981), Algiers (1983), Amman (1984), Algiers (1988), Gaza (1996 and 1998), Ramallah (2009). At

4960-528: The Palestinian authorities for maintaining security . Oslo II, Article X.2 reads: Further redeployments of Israeli military forces to specified military locations will commence after the inauguration of the Council and will be gradually implemented commensurate with the assumption of responsibility for public order and internal security by the Palestinian Police ... And Article XI.2.e: During

5084-411: The creation of the State of Israel and the ensuing conflict , Jordan seized the part of Palestine they named the West Bank. This included Ramallah. The West Bank was relatively peaceful during the years of Jordanian rule between 1948 and 1967, with its residents enjoying freedom of movement between the West Bank , Jordan, Lebanon , and Syria. Jordan annexed the West Bank, applying its national law to

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5208-673: The de facto capital of the Palestinian Authority, now officially known as the State of Palestine. It hosts almost all governmental headquarters. In December 2001, Arafat held meetings at the Mukataa, but lived with his wife and daughter in Gaza City . After suicide bombings in Haifa , Arafat was confined to the Ramallah compound. In 2002, the compound was partly demolished by the Israeli Defense Forces and Arafat's building

5332-683: The "peace process" reached a deadlock. Following the Gaza–Jericho Agreement and prior to the first Palestinian Authority elections , Israel withdrew in 1994 from Jericho and from most of the Gaza Strip. In accordance with the Hebron Protocol , Israel withdrew from 80% of Hebron in January 1997. With stalled negotiations, further redeployments did not take place. By March 1998, none of the withdrawals had occurred. In October 1998,

5456-405: The 15-seat municipal council for a four-year term. The council elected Janet Mikhail as mayor, the first woman to hold the post. Munir Hamdan, a member of Fatah and a Ramallah businessman, discussed the concentration of government offices with a journalist. He said, "The president and prime minister have their offices here. So do the parliament and all the government ministries", representing

5580-400: The 1995 Oslo Accords. The first and largest incursion was the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield , with a more recent intervention coming in March 2017 while attempting to arrest a suspected terrorist. In 2002, the army imposed curfews, electricity cuts, school closures and disruptions of commercial life. Many Ramallah institutions, including government ministries, were vandalized, and equipment

5704-428: The British Mandate broke out in Palestine, and Ramallah soon became a center of insurgent activity. The rebels subsequently established a court near Ramallah, in order to provide legal alternatives to the courts of the British Mandate. One British schoolteacher noted that the Ramallah court judge began to produce "news sheets on typewriters and duplicators, aimed at publicizing the alternative rebel regime." Following

5828-518: The Catholic Holy Family Church was started. As of 2022 , Ramallah also has a Coptic Orthodox Church , an Evangelical Lutheran Church and an Episcopalian (Anglican) Church . In the 19th century, the Religious Society of Friends ( Quakers ) established a presence in Ramallah and built the Ramallah Friends Schools , one for girls and later a boys' school, to alleviate the dearth of education for women and girls. Eli and Sybil Jones opened "The Girls Training Home of Ramallah" in 1869. A medical clinic

5952-417: The Christians consisting of 2,162 Orthodox, 1 Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite), 332 Roman Catholics , 144 Greek Catholic ( Melkite Catholic ), 211 Church of England , and 122 "other". The population increased at the time of the 1931 census to 4,286 (3,766 Christians, 519 Muslims and one Jew) in a total of 1,014 houses. In the 1938 village statistics, the population is listed as 4,900. In the 1945 statistics ,

6076-435: The Civil Administration in the West Bank will be dissolved, and the Israeli military government shall be withdrawn...." Twenty years later, however, the withdrawal of Israeli troops did not take place, and the Civil Administration still has permanent military presence in more than 80% of the West Bank ( Area B and C ). Permanent status negotiations about remaining issues would start not later than May 1996 (two years after

6200-419: The Council." By excluding Jerusalem and the settlements from the areas to be transferred to the Palestinians, Israeli presence, including the military to protect them, would not change without a negotiated agreement. The Accords also preserve Israel's exclusive control of the borders, the airspace and the territorial Gaza waters. Oslo II, Article XII: In order to guarantee public order and internal security for

6324-419: The Declaration of Principles (DoP) discusses regional cooperation and implicitly calls for major international aid efforts to help the Palestinians, Jordan, Israel and the entire region. After the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, an international conference was held in Washington, D.C. to assure the economic solvency of the newly-established Palestinian National Authority. Key goals were economic development in

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6448-401: The February 1969 meeting in Cairo, Yasser Arafat was appointed leader of the PLO. He continued to be PLO leader (sometimes called Chairman, sometimes President) until his death in 2004. In a November 1988 meeting in Algiers, the PNC approved the Palestinian Declaration of Independence by a vote of 253 in favour 46 against and 10 abstentions. After the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993,

6572-419: The Intifada wound down and the peace process moved forward, normal life in Ramallah resumed. On September 13, 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat shook hands at a meeting at the White House . Schoolchildren in Ramallah handed out olive branches to Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets. In December 1995, in keeping with the Oslo Accords , the Israeli army abandoned

6696-418: The Israeli Human Rights activists, the development of Jewish settlements in the Ramallah area, such as Beit El and Psagot , prevented the expansion of the city and cut it off from the surrounding Arab villages. As resistance increased, Ramallah residents who were members of the Palestine Liberation Organization were jailed or deported to neighboring countries. In December 1987, the popular uprising known as

6820-492: The Israeli military government and its Civil Administration to the Palestinian Authority, hereby established , in accordance with Article V of this Agreement, except for the authority that Israel shall continue to exercise as specified in this Agreement. The PA temporarily executed some powers and responsibilities until the establishment of the Council . Article I.1–2 of the Oslo II Accord read: 1. Israel shall transfer powers and responsibilities as specified in this Agreement from

6944-428: The Israeli military government and its Civil Administration to the Council in accordance with this Agreement. Israel shall continue to exercise powers and responsibilities not so transferred. 2. Pending the inauguration of the Council, the powers and responsibilities transferred to the Council shall be exercised by the Palestinian Authority established in accordance with the Gaza-Jericho Agreement, which shall also have all

7068-416: The Israeli people after the historical handshake with Yasser Arafat , The Oslo Accords are based on the 1978 Camp David Accords and show therefore considerable similarity with those Accords. The Camp David's "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" envisioned autonomy for the local, and only for the local, (Palestinian) inhabitants of West Bank and Gaza. At the time, there lived some 7,400 settlers in

7192-447: The Japanese government. Ramallah hosted its first annual international film festival in 2004. Ramallah, like most Palestinian areas, has a rich folklore of song and dance. Songs accompanied people in every occasion, whether it was the harvest season, roofing a house, traveling, coming back from travel, engagement, wedding, or even death. Most of the songs were sung by the women with the exception of Zaffeh and Mal'ab , which are sung by

7316-440: The Liberation of Palestine . The PNC also filled vacancies in the PLO Executive Committee with loyalists to Palestinian president Mahmood Abbas . The PNC have met formally 23 times since inception, in addition to three extraordinary meetings. The table below summarizes the meetings: Oslo Accords The Oslo Accords are a pair of interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO):

7440-474: The Oslo Accords remained. The interim Palestinian Authority became permanent, and a dominant factor of the PLO. The West Bank remained divided into Areas A, B and C . Area C, covering some 60% of the West Bank, is under exclusive Israeli military and civilian control. Less than 1% of area C is designated for use by Palestinians, who are also unable to build in their own existing villages in area C due to Israeli restrictions. The Israeli Civil Administration, part of

7564-407: The Oslo Accords were among other things, Palestinian interim Self-Government (not the Palestinian Authority (PA), but the Palestinian Legislative Council ) and a permanent settlement of unresolved issues within five years, based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. Although the agreements recognize the Palestinian "legitimate and political rights," they remain silent about their fate after

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7688-455: The Oslo process ended after the failure of the Camp David Summit in 2000 and the outbreak of the Second Intifada . During the Second Intifada, the Roadmap for Peace was proposed by the Quartet on the Middle East , and explicitly aimed at a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The Roadmap, however, soon entered a cycle similar to the Oslo process, but without producing any agreement. Stated goals of

7812-461: The PA. Military intelligence coordination officially began in 1996. After the Western Wall Tunnel riots , the Palestinian leadership effectively ceased security coordination with Israel, but it was renewed after the signing of the Wye River Memorandum . During the second Intifada coordination was intermittent, and it did not function effectively in 2000–2006. The following years, the security coordination bore significant achievements, and has become

7936-431: The PLO and the recognition by Israel of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and as a partner in bilateral negotiations. Among the notable outcomes of the Oslo Accords was the creation of the Palestinian National Authority , which was tasked with the responsibility of conducting limited Palestinian self-governance over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ; and the international acknowledgement of

8060-421: The PLO as Israel's partner in permanent-status negotiations about any remaining issues revolving around the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . Bilateral dialogue stems from questions related to the international border between Israel and a future Palestinian state : negotiations for this subject are centered around Israeli settlements , the status of Jerusalem , Israel's maintenance of control over security following

8184-489: The PNC met in Gaza in April 1996 and voted 504 to 54 to void those parts of the Palestinian National Covenant that denied Israel 's right to exist , but the charter itself has not been formally changed or re-drafted. One of its most prominent members, the Palestinian-American scholar and activist Edward Said , left the PNC because he believed that the Oslo Accords sold short the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in pre-1967 Israel and would not lead to

8308-412: The PNC must meet annually, and can hold special meetings if necessary. The PNC is responsible for formulating PLO's policies, and elects the PLO Executive Committee . Candidates for the PNC are nominated by a committee consisting of the PLO Executive Committee, the PNC chairman , and the commander in chief of the Palestine Liberation Army . After nomination, PNC candidates are elected by a majority of

8432-427: The PNC transferred its legislative powers to the PCC, including powers to elect the EC. Though not members of PLO, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members were invited to the PNC as observers in 2018, although they refused. As of 2012 the main office of the PNC is in Amman and a branch office is located in Ramallah . The first PNC, composed of 422 representatives, met in Jerusalem in May 1964 and adopted

8556-513: The Palestinian Authority ceased security coordination with Israel. In August 2020, the annexation process was put on hold following the Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement , and in November security cooperation was restored. Ramallah Ramallah ( UK : / r ə ˈ m æ l ə / rə- MAL -ə , US : / r ə ˈ m ɑː l ə / rə- MAH -lə ; Arabic : رام الله , romanized :  Rām Allāh , lit.   'God's Height' )

8680-405: The Palestinian Authority. The PIF have begun work on a $ 400 million commercial center comprising 13 towers which will be some of the tallest in Ramallah. The Ersal Commercial Center has drawn investment from a Saudi Arabian firm, The Land Holding, which has a 10% stake. It is not the only Gulf Arab firm investing in Ramallah and its outskirts. The Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company has

8804-414: The Palestinian National Authority , the Palestinian Legislative Council , and the headquarters of the Palestinian Security Services . It is also home to several museums and cultural centers, and has a notable nightlife scene. While historically a predominantly Christian town, Muslims constituted a majority of Ramallah's 38,998 residents by 2017, with Christians making up a significant minority. Ramallah

8928-447: The Palestinian government of Salam Fayyad has abandoned Jerusalem in favor of Ramallah." In November 2011, King Abdullah II of Jordan visited Ramallah for the first time since 2000. This area enjoys a Mediterranean climate of a dry summer and mild, rainy winter with occasional snowfall. The recorded average of Ramallah's rainfall is about 615 mm (24 in) and minimum rainfall is 307 mm (12 in) and maximum rainfall

9052-529: The Palestinian leadership to move the provisional capital back to Gaza, where it had been when the Palestinian Authority was first established in 1994. President Abbas, however, refrained from doing so, arguing that at this point, it was important to keep the administrative center in the West Bank in order to remind the international community that the West Bank was still awaiting a territorial solution. In December 2005, local elections were held in Ramallah in which candidates from three different factions competed for

9176-614: The Palestinian territories. The majority of the aid (~72%) was provided by ten donors: the European Union (18.9%), the United States (14.2%), Saudi Arabia (9.9%), Germany (5.8%), the United Arab Emirates (5.2%), Norway (4.8%), United Kingdom (4.3%), the World Bank (3.2%), Japan (2.9%), and France (2.7%). The Transitional Period is commonly known as the interim period (Oslo I, Article V) or interim phase. Hence

9300-578: The Palestinians of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Council shall establish a strong police force as set out in Article XIV below. Israel shall continue to carry the responsibility for defense against external threats, including the responsibility for protecting the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, and for defense against external threats from the sea and from the air, as well as the responsibility for overall security of Israelis and Settlements, for

9424-483: The West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), and 500 in Gaza, with the number in the West Bank, however, rapidly growing. As Israel regarded the PLO a terrorist organisation, it refused to talk with the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Instead, Israel preferred to negotiate with Egypt and Jordan, and "elected representatives of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza". While the final goal in Camp David

9548-515: The West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Middle East stability, introducing liberalized markets, sustaining democratic institutions, and protecting human rights. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, aid to Palestinians totaled over $ 40 billion between 1994 and 2020. The biggest amount of this assistance (35.4%) was for supporting the PA's budget, while the rest was distributed to various economic sectors and services in

9672-529: The ability for outside actors to influence such elections and thus undermine the emerging Palestinian resistance. On the other hand, the Palestinian factions were conscious of the value of having a Palestinian institution recognized by the Arab world. After the Six Day War in 1967, the PNC was reconstituted. From 1968 onwards, PNC membership was reallocated based on a quota system, allocating seats to Palestinian political parties and resistance groups based on

9796-480: The balance of Muslims and Christians began to change. In the 21st century, a large community of people with direct descent from the Haddadins who founded Ramallah live in the United States. The town is now predominately Muslim, but still contains a Christian minority. The change in demographics is due mostly to new migration of Muslims to the area, and emigration of Christians from the area. During World War I ,

9920-463: The beginning of the third year of the interim period, between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian people's representatives. 3. It is understood that these negotiations shall cover remaining issues, including: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security arrangements, borders, relations and cooperation with other neighbors, and other issues of common interest. 4. The two parties agree that

10044-728: The census lost their residency rights. For residents of Ramallah, the situation had now been reversed. For the first time in 19 years, residents could freely visit Israel and the Gaza Strip and engage in commerce there. Unlike the Jordanians, Israel did not offer citizenship to the residents. Ramallah residents were issued permits to work in Israel, but did not gain the rights associated with Israeli citizenship. The city remained under Israeli military rule for more than four decades. The Israeli Civil Administration (CA), established in 1981,

10168-567: The claimed size of their membership. This mechanism was used, and continues to be used, by Fatah to ensure its monopoly over the Executive Committee, the decision-making body of the PLO. The PNC serves as the legislative body of the PLO. While the PNC has a number of PLC members, it is not an organ of the Palestinian National Authority . Rather it is the equivalent of PA's PLC. According to its charter,

10292-569: The conquered territory. However, many Palestinians were jailed for being members of "illegal political parties", which included the Palestine Communist Party and other socialist and pro-independence groups. By 1953, Ramallah's population had doubled, but the economy and infrastructure could not accommodate the influx of poor villagers. Natives of Ramallah began to emigrate, primarily to the United States. By 1956, about one fourth of Ramallah's 6,000 natives had left, with Arabs from

10416-488: The early years of the 21st century, apartment buildings and "five-star" hotels were erected, particularly in the Al-Masyoun neighborhood. In 2010, "more than one hundred" Palestinian businesses were reported to have moved to Ramallah from East Jerusalem , because "Here they pay less taxes and have more customers." One local boasted to a journalist that "Ramallah is becoming the de facto capital of Palestine." This boast

10540-458: The entire PNC membership. However, due to the impossibility of holding elections, PNC elections have never been held and most members are appointed by the executive committee. The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) serves as the intermediary body between the PNC and the EC. The PCC is chaired by the PNC chairman, and has increasingly eclipsed the PNC as the main decision-making body of the PLO. In 2018,

10664-410: The establishment of Palestinian autonomy, and the Palestinian right of return . The Oslo Accords did not create a definite Palestinian state. A large portion of the Palestinian population, including various Palestinian militant groups , staunchly opposed the Oslo Accords; Palestinian-American philosopher Edward Said described them as a "Palestinian Versailles ". The peace process was strained by

10788-496: The few symbols of civil disobedience. The Intifada leadership organized "tree plantings" and resorted to the tactics used in pre-1948 Palestine, such as ordering general strikes in which no commercial businesses were allowed to open and no cars were allowed on the streets. In 1991, the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid International Peace Conference included many notables from Ramallah. As

10912-477: The field trace the origins of Palestinian costumes to ancient times, there are no surviving clothing artifacts from this early period against which the modern items might be definitively compared. Influences from the various empires to have ruled Palestine , such as Ancient Egypt , Ancient Rome , the Byzantine Empire , and Ayyubids , among others , have been documented by scholars largely based on

11036-468: The first Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), 98 represent the Palestinian population living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip , and 483 represent the Palestinian diaspora . For the first time in 22 years, since its last full meeting in 1996, the 700 member PNC met on 30 April 2018 in Ramallah to discuss recent developments, but many groups did not attend, including Hamas (the leading Palestinian political party), Islamic Jihad and Popular Front for

11160-583: The first Intifada. Travel to Jerusalem required special permits. The number and size of Israeli settlements around Ramallah increased dramatically. A network of bypass roads for use of Israeli citizens only was built around Ramallah, and Israel expropriated land for settlements. Many official documents previously handled by the Israeli Civil Administration were now handled by the Palestinian Authority but still required Israeli approval. A Palestinian passport issued to Ramallah residents

11284-405: The further redeployment phases to be completed within 18 months from the date of the inauguration of the Council, powers and responsibilities relating to territory will be transferred gradually to Palestinian jurisdiction that will cover West Bank and Gaza Strip territory, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations. The first phase included the withdrawal from

11408-564: The headquarters for most international NGOs and embassies. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid flowing into the city have boosted Ramallah's economy greatly since the end of the Second Intifada . Ramallah's buoyant economy continues to draw Palestinians from other West Bank towns where jobs are fewer. The built-up area has grown fivefold since 2002. Construction boom is one of the most obvious signs of West Bank economic growth, estimated at an annual rate of 8 percent. This has been attributed to relative stability and Western donor support to

11532-422: The immediate coastal areas, where summers are milder due to the nearby presence of cold ocean currents that may bring fog but prevent rain. Ramallah is chief financial and commercial center for the Palestinian Authority, home to the country's numerous financial institutions. Currently Ramallah is seat of power of the Palestinian Authority , whose most of the offices are located within the city. The city serves as

11656-416: The interim period. The Oslo Accords neither define the nature of the post-Oslo Palestinian self-government and its powers and responsibilities, nor do they define the borders of the territory it eventually would govern. A core issue of the Oslo Accords was the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Palestinian territories. The plan was a withdrawal in phases and a simultaneous transfer of responsibilities to

11780-528: The late 20th century from 24,722 inhabitants in 1987 to 17,851 in 1997. In the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) census in 1997, Palestinian refugees accounted for 60.3% of the population, which was 17,851. There were 8,622 males and 9,229 females. People younger than 20 years of age made up 45.9% of the population, while those aged between 20 and 64 were 45.4%, and residents aged over 64 constituted 4.7%. Only in 2005 did

11904-485: The marches were replaced by sporadic use of live ammunition against Israeli soldiers; and various attacks targeting Jewish settlers, particularly on the Israeli-only bypass roads. Army checkpoints were established to restrict movement in and out of Ramallah. On October 12, 2000, two Israeli army reservists, Vadim Norzhich and Yosef Avrahami were lynched in Ramallah . They had taken a wrong turn, and were set upon by

12028-554: The men at wedding celebrations. Palestinian educator Bahia Khalil's book "Ramallah Folklore Songs and Traditions" documents to a great extent this oral tradition inherited from one generation to another. The second edition of the book was published in 2002 by the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine, an organization for Palestinian-Americans from the Ramallah region living in the US. Foreign travelers to Palestine in late-19th and early-20th centuries often commented on

12152-672: The name "Interim Agreement" for the Oslo II Accord and the term "Interim Self-Government Authority" (Oslo I, Article I). The interim period was designed to bridge the period between the establishment of the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council , and the end of the permanent status negotiations, "leading to a permanent settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338" (Oslo I, Article I). The permanent settlement

12276-450: The outcome of the permanent status negotiations should not be prejudiced or preempted by agreements reached for the interim period. In May 1999, the five year interim period ended without reaching a comprehensive peace agreement. Both parties had agreed to: “establish a Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority...for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, for a transitional period not exceeding five years, leading to

12400-505: The parties signed the Wye River Memorandum , promising resumption of the redeployments, but only the first stage was implemented. While Netanyahu faced opposition within his cabinet, additional withdrawals were delayed. During the Second Intifada , in 2002, the Israeli military re-occupied many of the areas previously turned over to Palestinian control. The Oslo Accords brought on the security coordination between Israel and

12524-612: The population reach more than 24,000. In a PCBS projection in 2006, Ramallah had a population of 25,467 inhabitants. In the 2007 PCBS census, there were 27,460 people living in the city. Sources vary about the current Christian population in the city, ranging around 25%. In the aftermath of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt, the Ramallah Hospital Foundation was established and registered as a tax exempt organization in New York in 1944. It bought large pieces of land in

12648-420: The population stood at 5,080, with Christians forming the majority of the population (4,440 Christians and 640 Muslims). However, the demographic makeup of the town changed drastically between 1948 and 1967, when considerable emigration of Christians took place. Slightly more than half of the city's 12,134 inhabitants were Christian by 1967, the other half Muslim. Ramallah's population drastically decreased in

12772-489: The purpose of safeguarding their internal security and public order, and will have all the powers to take the steps necessary to meet this responsibility. The first step was a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho and transfer of some powers and responsibilities on civil matters to the interim Palestinian Authority. All to agree upon within two months from October 1993 (Oslo I, Annex II). Then, Israeli troops were to withdraw from populated Palestinian areas to pave

12896-702: The region. In 1700, Yacoub Elias was the first Ramallah native to be ordained by the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, the Christian denomination that prevailed in the Holy Land at the time. In the early 19th century, the first Jerusalemite Greek Orthodox Christian church was built. Later, in 1852, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration , was built to replace it; it is the sole Eastern Orthodox Church in Ramallah today. There

13020-514: The reign of Herod the Great (37–4 BCE). Potsherds from the Crusader / Ayyubid and early Ottoman period have also been found there. Ramallah has been identified with the Crusader place called Ramalie . Remains of a building with an arched doorway from the Crusader era, called al-Burj , have been identified, but the original use of the building is undetermined. The area of Ramallah

13144-414: The rest Orthodox Greeks. Ramallah was declared a modern city in 1908. It had an elected municipality as well as partnership projects with the adjacent town of al-Bireh . The Friends Boys School became a temporary hospital during World War I. Ramallah grew dramatically throughout the 17th and 18th centuries as an agricultural village, attracting more (predominantly Christian) inhabitants from all around

13268-467: The rich variety of costumes among the Palestinian people, and particularly among the fellaheen or village women. Until the 1940s, a woman's economic status, whether married or single, and the town or area they were from could be deciphered by most Palestinian women by the type of cloth, colors, cut, and embroidery motifs, or lack thereof, used for the robe-like dress or "thoub" in Arabic. Though experts in

13392-667: The rights, liabilities and obligations to be assumed by the Council in this regard. Accordingly, the term 'Council' throughout this Agreement shall, pending the inauguration of the Council, be construed as meaning the Palestinian Authority. The first elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) were on 20 January 1996. The governments elected by the PLC retained the name "Palestinian National Authority." The Oslo Accords contained substantial provisions on economic matters and international aid: Annex IV of

13516-609: The signing of the Gaza–Jericho Agreement ; Oslo I, Article V) and be concluded before May 1999 (end of 5 year interim period). A peace treaty would end the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . When the Oslo I Accord was signed in 1993, neither a government, nor a parliament existed for the Palestinian territories . The Palestinian Authority (PA or PNA) was created by the 1994 Gaza–Jericho Agreement . Article III.1 reads: Israel shall transfer authority as specified in this Agreement from

13640-641: The south-eastern fringes of the city dedicated for the future hospital. In 1963, a hospital was opened. The present Ramallah Government Hospital and the Palestine Medical Centered are located on the land purchased by the Foundation. In January 1987, the first open-heart surgery was performed at the Hospital under the direction of Dr. Shehadeh (Shawki) Harb, a Palestinian surgeon trained in the United States. The Jamal Abdel Nasser Mosque

13764-498: The street, and the crowds threw stones and Molotov cocktails . The IDF responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Schools in Ramallah were forcibly shut down, and opened gradually for a few hours a day. The Israelis conducted house arrests, imposing curfews that restricted travel and exports in what Palestinians regarded as collective punishment. In response to the closure of schools, residents organized home schooling sessions to help students make up missed material; this became one of

13888-472: The surrounding towns and villages (particularly Hebron ) buying the homes and land the émigrés left behind. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel captured Ramallah from Jordan, imposing a military closure and conducting a census a few weeks later. Every person registered in the census was given an Israeli identity card which allowed the bearer to continue to reside there. Those who were abroad during

14012-546: The way for Palestinian elections to establish the council. The council would replace the PA, and the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank would be dissolved (Oslo II, Article I). Further redeployments of Israeli troops would follow upon the inauguration of the council, as detailed in the Protocol, Annex I of the Accord. Article I, 5. of Oslo II reads: "After the inauguration of the Council,

14136-424: Was a "peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, taking into account the agreement reached in the final status of the West Bank and Gaza", the Oslo negotiations were directly between Israel and the PLO and aimed at a peace treaty directly between these groups. The Oslo Accords, like the 1978 Camp David Accords, merely aimed at an interim agreement that allowed first steps. This was intended to be followed by negotiation of

14260-618: Was cut off from the rest of the compound. On November 11, 2004, Arafat died at the Percy training hospital of the Armies near Paris. He was buried in the courtyard of the Mukataa on November 12, 2004. The site still serves as the Ramallah headquarters of the Palestinian Authority, as well the official West Bank office of Mahmoud Abbas . Throughout 2005, while the Disengagement Plan was underway, some US government officials suggested to

14384-543: Was destroyed or stolen. The IDF took over local Ramallah television stations, and social and economic conditions deteriorated. Many expatriates left, as did many other Palestinians who complained that the living conditions had become intolerable. Construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier has added to Ramallah's isolation. Yasser Arafat established his West Bank headquarters, the Mukataa , in Ramallah. Although considered an interim solution, Ramallah became

14508-521: Was established in 1883, with Dr. George Hassenauer serving as the first doctor in Ramallah. In 1889, the girls academy became the Friends Girls School (FGS). As the FGS was also a boarding school, it attracted a number of girls from surrounding communities, including Jerusalem, Lydda , Jaffa , and Beirut . The Friends Boys School (FBS) was founded in 1901 and opened in 1918. The Quakers opened

14632-528: Was founded in the 16th century by the Hadadeens , an Arab Christian clan. The city boasts archaeological remnants from earlier epochs. Ancient rock-cut tombs have been found near Ramallah. Located just south of the built-up area is Tell en-Nasbeh , an archeological site where biblical Mizpah in Benjamin is likely to have been located. Several Ramallah buildings incorporate masonry dating back to

14756-420: Was in charge of civilian and day-to-day services such as issuing permission to travel, build, export or import, and host relatives from abroad. The CA reprinted Jordanian textbooks for distribution in schools but did not update them. The CA was in charge of tax collection and land expropriation, which sometimes included Israeli seizure of olive groves that Arab villagers had tended for generations. According to

14880-496: Was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1517 with all of Palestine . Modern Ramallah was founded in the mid-1500s by the Haddadins (also: Haddad ee n), a clan of brothers descended from Ghassanid Christians . The Haddadins (ancestors of the present-day Jadallah family, among others), and their leader Rashid el-Haddadin, arrived from east of the Jordan River from the areas of Karak and Shoubak . The Haddadin migration

15004-517: Was later captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War . Since the 1995 Oslo Accords , Ramallah has been governed by the PNA ( Palestinian National Authority ) as part of Area A of the West Bank . In recent years, Ramallah has emerged as a key political, cultural, and economic center. It houses various Palestinian governmental bodies, including the Mukataa , the official residence of the President of

15128-542: Was not defined. The interim period ended on 4 May 1999, five years after the signing of the Gaza–Jericho Agreement . Article V of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (DOP or Oslo I) reads: Transitional Period and Permanent Status Negotiations 1. The five-year transitional period will begin upon the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho area. 2. Permanent status negotiations will commence as soon as possible, but not later than

15252-513: Was not valid unless the serial number was registered with the Israeli authorities, who controlled border crossings. The failure of the Camp David summit in July 2000 led to the outbreak of the Second Intifada (al-Aqsa Intifada) in September 2000. Young Ramallah residents demonstrated daily against the Israeli army, with marches to the Israeli checkpoints at the outskirts of the city. Over time,

15376-523: Was seconded by The New York Times which, in 2010, called Ramallah the "de facto capital of the West Bank. According to Sani Meo , the publisher of This Week in Palestine , "Capital or no capital, Ramallah has done well and Palestine is proud of its achievements." Some Palestinians allege that Ramallah's prosperity is part of an Israeli "conspiracy" to make Ramallah the capital of a Palestinian state , instead of Jerusalem . An Ottoman village list of about 1870 showed that Ramallah had 249 houses and

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