2008 Press Releases
Cornerstone Laying for New Beit Jala Public Library
Beit Jala, West Bank – October 28, United States Consul General Jake Walles, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad, and USAID Mission Director Howard Sumka laid a cornerstone for the opening of a new public library in Beit Jala. The library is a joint project undertaken by USAID, the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Beit Jala Municipality. The project was identified as a priority by the community through a participatory process to meet the demands of Beit Jala’s growing student population.
USAID has contributed 300,000 towards the project and the PA Ministries of Culture and Finance have pledged $200,000 in assistance. Beit Jala Municipality is donating the land and supplying books, furniture and equipment. The Municipality will also ensure maintenance of the new public facility.
U.S. Consul General Walles applauded the leaders of Beit Jala for “seeking to benefit all the people of your town through building a library, an institution of learning. Your example will strengthen the roots of democracy in your town.” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad thanked the United States for their support and noted the importance of the new library to the education of students in the West Bank.
Since 1993, USAID has provided more than $2 billion in U.S. economic assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza via projects designed to combat poverty, improve health and education, improve water services and infrastructure, create jobs, and promote democracy and good governance.