Housing
The First Palestinian Planned City Is Nothing if Not Divisive
As Rawabi continues to be built despite challenges, some tout it as a model for a Palestinian state. Others believe it hinders Palestinian rights.
Earlier this month, thousands of Palestinians flocked to the Roman-style amphitheater in Rawabi, Palestine’s first planned city. The enthusiastic, post-Ramadan crowd came to hear Palestinian singer and Arab Idol winner Muhammad Assaf belt out some of his most popular tunes.
Though the event was a success, Rawabi itself has struggled. The city, located about six miles north of Ramallah in the West Bank, aims to house 40,000 people, but only 300 families currently live in it. In May, the Guardian reported that only two of the 23 neighborhoods planned had been completed since work began in 2012. Rawabi has been likened to a ghost town, albeit an attractive and orderly one.