Qatanna

Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Qatanna


imgsize=
caption=
arname=قطنّه
meaning=
founded=
type=munc
typefrom=
altOffSp=Qatanaa
altUnoSp=Qatna
governorate=jl
latd=31|latm=49|lats=53.48|latNS=N
longd=35|longm=06|longs=31.76|longEW=E
population=7,500
popyear=2006
area=3,555
areakm=3.6
mayor=

Qatanna ( _ar. قطنّه) is a Palestinian town in the central West Bank part of the Jerusalem Governorate, located twelve kilometers northwest of Jerusalem. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of approximately 7,500 inhabitants in 2006. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/populati/pop08.aspx Projected Mid -Year Population for Jerusalem Governorate by Locality 2004- 2006] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.] Primary health care for the town is level 2. [ [http://wwww.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/luFullMap/BB0D1D0CC89A371F8525706F00517495/$File/healthinforum_HLT_westbank_opt110205.pdf?OpenElement West Bank Healthcare] ]

Qatanna contains three schools, three kindergartens, three clinics, a pharmacy and a medical center run by the Palestinian Red Crescent. There is also a sport's club and a women's center in the town. Qatanna is governed by a village council and Ramallah serves as the town's main urban provider. Four springs — al-Balad, as-Samra, an-Nimr and an-Namous — provide water for the town. The latter spring is completely isolated from the town by the Israeli West Bank barrier.

Geography and land

Qatanna has an elevation of 650 meters above sea level. Nearby towns and villages include Biddu to the east and Beit Liqya to the north. Currently, the town has a total land area of 3,555 dunams, of which 677 dunams are designated as built-up area. Prior to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Qatanna had a land area of 16,529 dunams, but most of this land was designated as "no-man's land" forming a part of the Demilitarized Zone between the armistice lines of Israeli and Jordanian territory. After the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, civil administration of 716 dunams of Qatanna's land (including the built-up zone) was transferred to the Palestinian National Authority. [http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=846 The effects of the Israeli practices on the Palestinian village of Qatanna] Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem. 2006-06-22.]

Enclave

Qatanna along with Biddu, Beit Duqqu, Beit Surik, Beit 'Anan, al Qubeida, Beit Ijaz, Kharayib Umm al Lahimand, at Tira form the "Biddu enclave". The enclave will be linked to Ramallah by underpasses and a road that is fenced on both sides. From the "Biddu enclave" Palestinians will travel along a fenced road that passes under a bypass road to Bir Nabala enclave, then on a second underpass under Bypass Road 443 to Ramallah. [ [http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/opt/docs/UN/OCHA/ochaHU0605_En.pdf OCHA] ]

References