Press Release - European Union
Jerusalem PR/15/2012
13/06/2012
http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/westbank/documents/news/20120613_eu_inaugurates_road_in_nablus_en.pdf

Three villages in Nablus reconnect after EU inaugurates new road

The European Union (EU) and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing
inaugurated today a 4,5km road connecting the villages of Qaryout, Talfeet
and Jaloud in the Nablus district. The ceremony took place in the village of
Qaryout in the presence of the PA Minister of Public Works & Housing, Maher
Ghonaim, the Nablus Governor, Jibrin Al Bakri and the EU Representative,
John Gatt-Rutter. The opening of the road was marked with a symbolic race of
more than 150 children from all three villages.

In the past year the EU supported the PA Ministry of Public Works and
Housing with €1.1 million to reconstruct the 4.5km road linking the villages
of Jalud, Qaryout and Talfeet in an effort to improve the living conditions
of more than 6000 villagers. The road in its previous condition was very
narrow and in a deteriorated condition, severely delaying the mobility of
people and goods and putting drivers' safety at risk. The new construction
has brought a much-needed infrastructure upgrade in an area that suffers
from limited access to public utilities and transport facilities.

"Building a road to connect you to your neighbours and the rest of the world
is a prerequisite for any community to experience progress and growth. I
hope that today we have managed to make a first solid step that will bring
change to your daily lives and will trigger further development for your
villages, be it by improving the water facilities or upgrading the
electricity network", said the EU Representative Mr John Gatt-Rutter at the
inauguration ceremony. "We are aware of the difficulties and
challenges your area is facing from
restrictions in access and movement and the adjacent settlements. That is
why we have supported the Palestinian Authority in being here, supporting
you in practical terms and working to rehabilitate your road; a road that
will reconnect you with larger Palestinian market centres like Nablus and
Ramallah", added the EU Representative.

The newly renovated road will significantly decrease the costs of
transportation for farmers who form the majority of the population in
Qaryout, Talfeet and Jalud. The project has also improved the surface
water drainage facilities in addition to the installation of
specific measures to enhance road safety.

Since 2008, in line with the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan, the EU
has supported the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in upgrading and
renovating a total of
six roads across the West Bank of a total cost of about € 4 million. The EU
is also working on a number of other infrastructure projects in the area of
Nablus, the most prominent of which is the construction of the Muqata
compound in Nablus city and the rehabilitation of Khan Al- Wakalat site in
the Old City of Nablus.

Contact:
The Office of the European Union Representative, West Bank and Gaza Strip,
UNRWA Antonia Zafeiri, Tel: +972 (0) 2 5415 859, +972 (0) 548 024 915
Shadi Othman, Tel: +972 (0) 2 541 5867, +972 (0) 599 673 958