Beit Sahour Municipality receives the British Consul General in Jerusalem

Beit Sahour Municipality, represented by Mayor Laith Hazim Qumsiyeh and in the presence of several members of the Municipal Council, received the British Consul General in Jerusalem, Mrs. Helen Winterton, on the afternoon of Monday 20 July 2026, on a visit to learn about the latest political and economic developments in the city.

The visit was made to congratulate the Mayor and members of the new Municipal Council and to learn about the main issues facing the city. The Mayor briefed the Consul General on the issue of the land in the Ush Ghurab area, the area that has been confiscated and the Municipality’s efforts to preserve it and curb settlement expansion, stressing that the area is the only remaining space for Beit Sahour’s urban expansion. The meeting also addressed the slump in tourism caused by the halt in visitor numbers, and its impact on restaurants, oriental antique shops and hotels.

The Mayor also presented the new Council’s development vision, which is based on carrying out sustainable development projects, raising the standard of services provided to residents and delivering a number of vital projects that meet the city’s needs.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides affirmed the importance of continued contact and stronger cooperation in support of local development, opening wider prospects for cooperation with British institutions and bodies for the benefit of Beit Sahour and its people.