Chile: municipalities sign twinning agreements with Hebron/Al-Khalil in occupied West Bank

Middle East Monitor  /  May 22, 2023

The head of Hebron Municipality, Tayseer Abu Sneeneh, signed twinning agreements on Sunday with Daniel Jadue and Gonzalo Riquelme, his counterparts from the Chilean municipalities of Recoleta and Macul in the capital Santiago. The agreements were signed within the framework of cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, waste recycling, dealing with stray animals, sport and housing.

“Hebron deserves to be present on the world map,” said Abu Sneeneh. He added that such agreements have positive impacts on the improvement of services due to Chilean expertise.

“We made a tourist visit, but looked closely at the living conditions of the Palestinian people,” explained Riquelme. “There are many challenges facing the Palestinian municipalities that we in Chile can help to solve through the exchange of expertise, as well as social and cultural exchanges.”

He pointed out that the Chilean delegation will report on the suffering of the Palestinians in Hebron to supporters of the Palestine cause.

His colleague Jadue added that supporting the Palestinian people and reporting on their suffering is a “duty for all”, and stressed that municipalities have an effective role across all societies. “Such a role should be reinforced through international agreements and conventions.” He praised the Palestinians and their “decades-long resilience.”