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Ha Hadashot - Yigal Mosko - It is a breathtaking view: a new city, modern, but without inhabitants. Rawabi was supposed to be a city of the future for the Palestinians, but is stuck in for years, all because Israel refuses to connect it to the water. "Ulpan Shishi" team follows the frustrating story of the City of Hope.

The first Pre Planned Arab city, Rawabi, being built since 1,300 years, arouses strong emotions, and it is not just because that the Palestinian flag flies every way you look at. Bashar Masri, who built the city, knew where to buy land 13 kilometers north of Ramallah with a view towards the horizon, overlooking the chimneys of Hadera to chimneys of Ashkelon.

This is Bashar Masri lifelong project. If successful, he will be the Yoel Moshe Salomon of Palestine.

Within the next seven years, 40 thousand Palestinian "yuppies" are supposed to move in there, and the price for a 240 sqm apartment with balcony is just 160 thousand dollars. How can Masri sell so cheap? He is passionate that all the stones needed come from Rawabi itself, and cut in the stone factory he established himself, where the gravel is produced too. All the rest, down to the sapling, he buys from Israel.

Decision-makers are not concerned if Israel makes money. Masri was supposed to deliver the first 650 apartments, but there was a small problem: Israel refuses to connect Rawabi to water. Why is Israel supposed to provide water to a city under full Palestinian-controlled area? It is because Palestinians are forbidden to drill on their own.

There is no doubt at all, that at the end Israel will open the water supply to Rawabi, but just as usual it will be the long process, the zigzag way, after a phone call from Merkel or Obama may be.

Meanwhile, some of the families who paid advances are annoyed and gave up because of the delays and canceled their purchases. 

 

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