Access road to Rawabi approved

• Tweet

RAWABI, West Bank, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- After a four-year wait, an access road to the new Palestinian town of Rawabi was approved by Israel, officials said.

Palestinian millionaire Bashar al-Masri, who owns the construction company that is building the town, made the announcement Wednesday, Ynetnews.com reported.

"I doubt whether the establishment of any other city in the world faced so many bureaucratic obstacles, but the important thing is that it's en route to being built," he said. "This is a big step in the right direction."

Rawabi, situated in the West Bank, will be the first Palestinian town to be created in the area since 1967.

Al-Masri said Rawabi will be a modern, Western-style city.

"We're not only building homes there, but also public parks, shopping malls, and a country club," he said. "We wish to change Palestinian mentality where life is confined to the home. … We wish to return to the warm neighborhood feeling I remember from my childhood in Jenin, where everyone knew everyone, but to do so in a modern fashion."