PRCS Inaugurates its New Premises in Salfit

(Salfit – 11/4/2018): PRCS inaugurated new premises in Salfit which shall host the Society’s branch in the Governorate. The inauguration ceremony was attended by PRCS’ President Dr. Younis Al Khatib, PRCS’ Director General Dr. Khaled Joudeh, Salfit Governor representative Mr. Salim Abdelrahman, Salfit Mayor Abdelkarim Al Zubeidi, Mr. Thafer Alkam, Head of the Society’s branch in Salfit as well as by numerous PRCS’ staff and volunteers and representatives from governmental and civil society organizations.

In his opening speech, Dr. Al Khatib welcomed local, national and international organizations’ representatives. He addressed a very warm welcome to partners from the International Movement of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies who support many of the Society’s programs and activities in Palestine and the Diaspora.

Al Khatib said that Palestinians feel a sense of ownership towards PRCS, whose strength stems from the strength of local communities. Therefore, a key PRCS’ priority is to build the resilience of those communities. He also lauded the heroic acts undertaken by PRCS’ emergency medical teams and volunteers in five advanced medical stations on the Gaza Strip borders where the wounded are treated. “Occupation forces have targeted medical missions in the field. 21 members of our medical teams have been wounded over the past two weeks, including two who were shot with live ammunition in the lower extremities”, he said.

Al Khatib also touched on the Society’s 50th anniversary. “This year, PRCS celebrates its 50th anniversary. To mark this important milestone, the Society shall enhance its services, including through the construction of a school for the hearing-impaired in Ramallah and a hospital in Al Baddawi refugee camp in Lebanon. Moreover, it shall inaugurate a new building at PRCS’ Al Quds hospital in the Gaza Strip which was largely destroyed during the Israeli war at the end of 2008.

Mr. Alkam spoke about the new PRCS’ premises in Salfit Governorate. “These new premises mark a new beginning for the Society’s branch and shall enable it to offer a comprehensive set of humanitarian, social and medical services to the local population”, he said. Alkam also thanked those who supported this project, mainly Dr. Al Khatib, Salfit Municipality which donated the land on which the premises were built, and the Qatari Red Crescent Society which donated several medical equipment.

Mr. Abdelrahman lauded the humanitarian and patriotic role played by PRCS since its creation in 1968 by late Dr. Fathi Arafat. He commended PRCS for the sacrifices made by its staff and volunteers in Palestine and the Diaspora.

As for mayor Zubeidi, he said that “PRCS is the backbone of Palestinian communities and has stood by Palestinians at all times”.

At the end of the ceremony, the Salfit branch’s Administrative Committee honored PRCS’ President, Salfit Municipality and the Qatari Red Crescent Society. Dr. Abdallah Sabri, Head of the Society’s branch in Jerusalem, offered the new branch a present and wished its staff all success in a Governorate which suffers greatly because of Israeli settlement activity. Participants then attended several artistic, theatrical and folkloric performances. The branch’s success stories were also showcased.

End.