About Us
Al-Dhahiriya City
Al-Dhahiriya is located at the far southern edge of the West Bank, approximately 22 km south of Hebron, and is considered the southern gateway of the West Bank. The city was established on the ruins of an ancient Canaanite town known as “Goshen.” Its ruler, Sultan Al-Zahir, made it a strategic site within his sultanate, and the city derives its name from him.
Al-Dhahiriya is bordered by the lands of Beersheba and As-Samu‘, and by the villages of Al-Burj, Deir Al-‘Asal, Beit Al-Roush, and Dura. The population is about 50,000 residents, rising to nearly 70,000 when the surrounding villages are included, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (2018).
The urban center of Al-Dhahiriya covers 15,198 dunums according to the municipal structural plan, while the total surrounding land area is 120,854 dunums—more than 70% of its historical area of 167,000 dunums. Al-Dhahiriya is the third largest city in Hebron Governorate after Hebron and Yatta, and it is the last major population center in the southern West Bank.
Vision of Al-Dhahiriya
“Al-Dhahiriya is a prosperous, modern, developed, and safe city with a distinctive and pioneering cultural character.”
Strategy
This vision will be achieved through coordinated efforts to improve the quality of services provided and to strengthen the Municipality’s leadership and developmental role. To ensure success, the Municipality seeks to achieve financial self-reliance with support from citizens, civil society institutions, the private sector, the national government, and the international donor community.
Accordingly, priority programs and projects are implemented within four main development sectors:
- Environment and Community Infrastructure
- Local Economic Development
- Social Development and Empowerment
- Good Governance
Economy of Al-Dhahiriya
The city’s geographic location has made it a commercial hub serving more than 100,000 residents from the Negev area. It also functions as a central gathering point for workers employed in Beersheba inside the Green Line from the southern West Bank.
According to municipal records, more than 1,040 commercial licenses have been issued to professionals and institutions providing a wide range of goods and services, including a fully integrated market that meets citizens’ needs. The city also hosts one of the most important livestock markets in the Palestinian territories.
The workforce constitutes 68.6% of the total population. Of those employed, 52% work inside the Green Line, 17% are in official government jobs, 15% work in agriculture, 11% in trade, and 5% in the industrial sector.
Key Institutions
Al-Dhahiriya includes a number of governmental and non-governmental institutions that provide essential services to residents of the city and surrounding areas. These include: the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture of Southern Hebron; Al-Dhahiriya Sports Club; the Central Police Station; the Emergency and Ambulance Center; the Safe Maternity Center; and various health clinics.
Other institutions include: the Directorate of Agricultural Extension; the Central Post Office; the Directorate of the Ministry of Interior; the Sharia Court; the Southern Electricity Company; the Islamic Da‘wa College; a local radio network including Rotana Radio; women’s centers and associations; the Directorate of the Ministry of Labor; the Red Crescent Society; a children’s hospital; the Teachers’ Forum; agricultural cooperative associations; four bank branches (Bank of Palestine, Bank of Jerusalem, Palestine Islamic Bank); and the Islamic Charitable Society.
Livestock Market
The city hosts a historic livestock market that is more than 130 years old, bringing together livestock traders from the Negev, the Galilee, Gaza, and northern Palestine. The market is located at the heart of livestock-breeding areas and is currently considered the most important livestock market in the West Bank due to the large number of experienced breeders.
The market plays a key role in determining livestock prices across the West Bank. The Municipality has received a grant from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop and equip the market with veterinary services, quarantine facilities, and feed storage warehouses.
History and Tourism
The Old Town of Al-Dhahiriya is an important historical heritage site. It contains 972 buildings of architectural and historical value, representing approximately 2.5% of all historic buildings in Palestine. Initiatives by donors and the Municipality have contributed to restoring several historic buildings and public squares and converting them into tourism-related facilities and services.
Among the most prominent landmarks is a structure known as “Al-Khawkhah,” a complex in the Old Town that now serves as the Fawzi Pasha Center. Fawzi Pasha, a former Ottoman army commander, constructed a fortress distinguished by its arches and striped decorative architecture. Rock-cut wells and caves with harmoniously designed geometric patterns are also found throughout the area.
In addition to the Old Town, numerous archaeological sites exist in the surrounding villages and communities dating back to different historical periods, including: Kafr Joul, Al-Ras, Deir Al-Louz, Umm Seir, Al-Rahwa, Al-Ja‘bari, ‘Asila, Badghoush, Deir Sa‘ida, Deir Al-Hawa, ‘Atir, Umm Al-Damna, Tell ‘Awad, and Umm Al-Nakhla.
Recreation and Sports
Residents of Al-Dhahiriya are well known for their strong passion for sports, especially football. The city’s football team, nicknamed “The Southern Gazelles,” is among the top teams nationally.
The club was founded in 1974 by a group of amateur youth and has since become a prominent national club that has won numerous championships, including: the West Bank Cup (1983), the Palestinian Federation Cup (2005), the Abu Ammar Cup (2012), the Palestine Cup (2012 and 2014), the Abu Ammar Cup (2015), the most recent Jawwal Cup, in addition to other official and local tournaments.
Al-Dhahiriya Recreational Park
Al-Dhahiriya Municipality established Abu Kharouba Park in the southwestern part of the city on an area exceeding 20 dunums, transforming what had previously been a landfill site. In 2015, the Municipality established an amusement park through self-funding—the first of its kind in the area—and continues to develop it on an ongoing basis.
Al-Dhahiriya Municipality
Al-Dhahiriya Municipality was established in 1963. In 1997, the village council was upgraded to a municipality and its first municipal council was formed. The municipal council currently consists of thirteen members headed by Eng. Ali Abbas Al-Shubaan, and approximately 120 employees work across various departments and divisions.
The Municipality is classified as Category (B) by the Ministry of Local Government and received a (B++) classification in the 2025 Municipal Fund assessment. It carries out its duties in accordance with Local Authorities Law No. (1) of 1997. These responsibilities include road construction and paving, school construction, water services provision, solid waste collection, building permit issuance, licensing of trades and industries, and implementation of various development projects.
Through investment in infrastructure, education, youth initiatives, digital transformation, and environmental sustainability, Al-Dhahiriya Municipality aspires to build a prosperous urban future that meets citizens’ aspirations and strengthens the city’s role as a leading urban and developmental center in southern Palestine.
