JERUSALEM, Thursday, June 27, 2019 (WAFA) - The United Kingdom Government, the European Union and the Palestinian Authority inaugurated today the village council building and new internal roads in Khashem al-Daraj Bedouin village, south of Hebron governorate, the occupied West Bank.

Khashem al-Daraj is located in Area C of the West Bank. The UK provided €310,000 to support building the social infrastructure in the village, said a statement issued by the Office of the European Union Representative.

The ceremony, which was celebrated with the local community at Khashem al-Daraj, was attended by the Ministry of Local Government, the British Consulate General, the UK Department for International Development, the Office of the EU Representative and the Municipal Lending and Development Fund.

The village council building constitutes a permanent address for the local authority to serve the local community. The two kilometre internal roads now serve more than 1,000 beneficiaries. It will ease their movement and enhance community connectivity and integration.

‘‘This project has improved the living conditions of the local community, connecting them to school and medical services and facilitating their movements, particularly benefiting women and children. The British Government is committed to enhancing Palestinian livelihoods in Area C, which is vital for the viability of the two State Solution‘‘ said the British Deputy Consul General Alison Hall.

‘‘Area C is fundamental to the contiguity of the West Bank and for the viability of the future State of Palestine. The European Union development support covers a wide range of areas including infrastructure, private sector, environment, and agriculture. Our social infrastructure interventions amount to around 15 million Euros of funds from the EU, Denmark, France, and the UK. These joint European interventions aim to make a positive difference in the lives of Palestinians in Area C who are facing very difficult circumstances by promoting economic and social development‘‘ said the EU Head of Cooperation Alessandra Viezzer.

The EU and EU Member States, support to developmental interventions in Area C initiated and promoted by the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government and the rest of EU yearly 300 million Euros support to Palestine, are in line with the EU commitment towards achieving the two-state solution, the statement concluded.

T.R.