May 8, 2001

The simple exterior of Zababdeh’s Municipality.

One of our visits yesterday garnered an invitation to visit the Baladiyye, Zababdeh's municipal offices. It is here that taxes are collected, water and electricity bills are paid, and building permits are secured.

All of Zababdeh relies on rooftop water tanks.

The municipality has a full-time architect, who showed Marthame the extensive maps of the village, including which lands are owned by whom, where the water and electricity routes run, and where Palestinian "Area A" ends to be met by "Area C" (Israeli military control). There are plans afoot for municipal improvements, including the digging of a water reservoir partially funded by USAID. Zababdeh relies on a broken water pump in Area C, which is caught in "Corporate Occupation" - the Israeli's independent water company is refusing to cooperate with the Palestinian's independent water company due to the current unrest, which means Zababdeh gets water about once a week (roof water tanks are automatically refilled from the pump when they get below a certain level, if there is water). At the same time, there is the problem of ancient pipes underground, which break and cause seepage - plans are underway to replace them, as are plans to begin badly-needed road improvements.

After Mass, Marthame hitched a ride to the university to for a round of Scrabble with some of the other ex-pats - the construction crew finally finished the road there today (which has lain in dust since the Fall). Meanwhile, Elizabeth worked away getting ready for exams. So little time...