Beit Jala / Occupied Palestinian Territories /PNN /
Ramzi Khoury, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Presidential Higher Committee for Church Affairs, praised the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation for what he described as its high professional standards and specialised services that respond to pressing community needs, most recently the launch of a new prosthetics manufacturing unit.
Khoury made the remarks during a visit to the association, which included a tour of several departments alongside an accompanying delegation that included Ambassador Jihad Khair, a member of the Presidential Higher Committee for Church Affairs, and Raed Hanania, the committee’s public relations director.
They were received by Dr Samir Habboun, chairman of the Arab Society’s board, along with board members Dr Bishara Abu Ghannam and Zaidoun Darwish, medical director Dr Nizar Qumsiyeh, administrative director Jihan Zidan, financial director George Ghanem and his deputy Sameh Bannoura, and Mehran Al-Tawil, director of programmes and project development.
Khoury, who also serves as head of the Palestinian National Fund, said the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation has a long history of serving Palestinian communities wherever they are, stressing that its doors “have always been open to everyone”.
“All relevant parties must preserve this institution and support the ongoing development of its departments and programmes,” he said.
Khoury said he was impressed by the society’s advanced and specialised units, including the cardiology department, which he said has helped save thousands of lives since its establishment through a skilled medical staff and modern equipment.
He also highlighted the newly established prosthetics manufacturing department, saying it is equipped with advanced technology that allows for the rapid production of artificial limbs. The unit, he said, is now working to manufacture prosthetics for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including children, with the capacity to complete a prosthetic limb within 24 hours, tailored to precise measurements.
Khoury called on local and international actors to support the institution to ensure its continuity and ability to serve residents of Bethlehem and other Palestinian governorates.
Asked by PNN about accumulated debts owed by the Ministries of Finance and Health, Khoury said he would follow up with the health minister and relevant authorities and brief the president and prime minister to address any obstacles, with the aim of supporting the institution’s development and service delivery, particularly in the southern governorates.
He stressed that the society represents a long-standing model of giving and should be supported and its mission facilitated in line with the directives of President Mahmoud Abbas.
For his part, Dr Samir Habboun said the association continues to develop its performance across multiple medical and rehabilitation fields, operating in accordance with Palestinian law. He thanked Khoury for the visit, noting that efforts are under way to facilitate access to the society’s services, particularly for residents of the Gaza Strip.
“The board, executive management and staff are pleased by this visit,” Habboun told PNN, adding that Khoury toured both new and long-established departments, including the advanced prosthetics unit, which has been equipped with machinery capable of producing prosthetic limbs to international standards in a short time.
Habboun said the unit is expected to play a vital role in serving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, especially after the war, which has left thousands with permanent disabilities.
He described the prosthetics department, which uses 3D systems, as a model of advanced services urgently needed by Palestinian society, alongside the cardiology department, which has continued to develop despite difficult conditions.
“The cardiology unit has saved thousands of lives and eased suffering, particularly given the fragmentation of cities by checkpoints and barriers,” Habboun said, noting it is the only such department in the governorate and requires sustained support to ensure its continuity.
He said Khoury also met department heads and managers, who briefed him on the challenges and efforts involved in delivering medical, health and rehabilitation services under harsh conditions.
Habboun said Khoury was informed of the association’s difficult circumstances on several fronts, including restrictions related to its location in Area C and a severe financial crisis that has affected service levels due to shortages of medical supplies. He said the association has borne significant costs to maintain services in cooperation with Beit Jala Hospital and the Ministry of Health, but warned that the situation requires urgent intervention.
He added that the association remains committed to meeting all requirements set by the Ministry of Health and its local directorates, stressing that Khoury’s visit affirmed the institution is fulfilling its social and humanitarian role in line with official guidance.
Meanwhile, the director of the community-based rehabilitation programme briefed Khoury and the delegation on the prosthetics project, implemented in cooperation with UNICEF. He said the project is among the most advanced and fastest of its kind, meeting international standards and responding to urgent needs in Gaza, with the society seeking to extend its services to Palestinians there.
The financial management also presented a detailed overview of the association’s financial and administrative situation, explaining how it continues to operate under severe constraints. They said the institution had been forced to reduce services and staff numbers due to the ongoing financial crisis, stemming from the government’s inability to settle outstanding payments amid the broader political and economic fallout.
