Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati received a delegation from the Hungarian Representation to the State of Palestine, including Hungarian Representative Gabor Diksazzi, Deputy Representative Ms. Christina Tóth, and Honorary Consul of Hungary to Palestine Dr. Nassar Khamis. The meeting was attended by the municipality’s public relations and media staff.
At the beginning of the meeting, Canawati welcomed the visiting delegation and gave a presentation on the current political and economic situation in Palestine in general, and in the city of Bethlehem in particular. He highlighted the growing challenges facing the Palestinian people, including high unemployment rates and the worsening phenomenon of migration.
He pointed to the crises facing the city, including fuel shortages, which have negatively impacted the municipality’s ability to provide basic services, such as waste collection. He also stressed the urgent need to open new roads in the city to alleviate traffic congestion, which has become a daily struggle for citizens. The Mayor emphasized the importance of promoting Bethlehem as a safe and stable destination, calling for increased visits by international delegations, given their positive impact in supporting the resilience of the city and its residents. He also called on the Hungarian representative to share his experience in Bethlehem with the Hungarian community, to emphasize the city’s stability and security.
Canawati discussed the twinning relations between Bethlehem and the Hungarian cities of Kalusza and Budapest, emphasizing the importance of revitalizing these relations through joint projects that contribute to supporting and developing the city.
For his part, the Hungarian representative, Mr. Gabor Dikszasi, expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome, emphasizing that the visit aims to gain a closer understanding of the political and economic reality in Palestine and the daily challenges facing Bethlehem. He also expressed his willingness to support efforts to revitalize relations with the Hungarian twin cities and enhance joint cooperation in various fields.