Jordanian Rule Research Articles

Third Father’s Authority in Family Upbringing in Palestinian Society

This study aims to analyze the impact of the third father’s authority on the family upbringing processes of children in the Palestinian community and to evaluate the effect of using technological media on children’s educational and cognitive achievement. Additionally, it examines the influence of the recreational and behavioral content of technological media on children’s behavior and habits and analyzes the impact of technological media on children’s social interactions and social relationships. This study used the descriptive-analytical method, with the study population consisting of all Palestinian children aged between 6-14 years in the West Bank governorates. The study sample comprised 413 children. The results showed a statistically significant impact of the third father’s authority on family upbringing processes in the Palestinian community. The use of technology for educational and cognitive purposes enhances children’s academic and cognitive achievement. Moreover, the recreational and behavioral aspects of technological media have a positive effect on children’s behaviors and provide rich recreational experiences, in addition to improving their social interactions and communication skills. Based on these results, it is recommended to set specific time schedules for technology use, guide children towards beneficial educational content, choose games that promote positive values, and encourage physical and social activities to ensure balanced and healthy development for children.

Challenges of sporadic land registration in Palestine

This research aimed to identify the challenges of sporadic land registration in the West Bank of Palestine. It recommended several legislative amendments based on problems identified by field research and comparative research. Following an intensive literature review, free discussions were conducted with a focused group of 19 experts in the West Bank to explore sporadic land registration related-problems. A quantitative questionnaire targeting a random sample of 202 persons who accomplished sporadic land registration transactions was conducted to identify their difficulties. In addition, legislative updates of some neighboring countries (Egypt and Jordan) have been highlighted to achieve the desired goals of the research. The research identified several legislative challenges for sporadic land registration in the West Bank. The conditions and procedures for sporadic land registration were issued in the sixties of the last century during the Jordanian rule of the West Bank and many military orders issued by the Israeli occupation authorities. The Palestinian Authority did not develop this legislation. Instead, it imposed high financial costs on citizens for land registration, contrary to the law's provisions. This paper recommended that the Palestinian Authority benefits from neighboring countries' experiences to facilitate sporadic land registration procedures and expenses.

Performance Level of the Public Transportation in the West Bank

Developed countries pay great attention to Public transport (PT), their development and evaluation as it is one of the bases of success for that nation. In the West Bank (WB), the PT is generally neglected and worn out. There is no periodic study about the quality of the services provided and the passengers’ satisfaction and their needs. Despite of the relatively large number of daily passengers, only 19% of them use buses because of their lack of confidence in the service. This study aims to investigate passengers’ satisfaction in the PT to identify strengths and weaknesses and evaluating their Level of Service (LOS), which consists of reliability and performance. Required data were collected through field surveys in the WB governorates, from the relevant official authorities or previous studies, interviews with service providers, and a questionnaire to measure the satisfaction of passengers for all intercity bus lines (22 lines). Generally, the PT system in Palestine is inefficient and non-productive. There is an imbalance between demand and supply, imbalance between number of buses and shared taxis, poor infrastructure, low LOS, non-efficient management, and number of ridership is low; therefore, the productivity is low. Passenger trust in buses should be revamped by modernizing the fleet, adopting a regular schedule, providing a smart service system, and providing services at all times where demand is available. It is also essential to carry out periodic studies for this sector and collect statistical information.

Role of Kindergarten Curriculum in Instilling Ethical Values among Children in Governorates of Northern West Bank, Palestine

Objectives: This study aims to identify the role of kindergarten curricula in instilling ethical values among children from the point of view of kindergarten’s principals and teachers in the northern governorates in West Bank, Palestine.
 Methods: The study relies on an analytical descriptive approach. The sample of the study consisted of (317) kindergarten principals and teachers selected in a random manner. A survey consisting of (40) paragraphs spread over four areas (objectives, content, methods and activities, calendar) was designed; the validity and reliability coefficients of the questionnaire were verified.
 Results: The results of the study show that the role of kindergarten curricula in instilling ethical values in children from the point of view of kindergarten principals and teachers in the governorates of the northern West Bank was average. They also showed that there were statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05α=) in the average responses of the study sample members due to job title, kindergarten type, qualification, and teachers experience.
 Conclusions: Based on the above results, it is recommended to conduct a study of the same title dealing with primary school teachers in public and private schools in the northern West Bank governorates.

The Role of the Elite in City Expansion: Nablus City in the Palestinian Central Mountains as a Case Study

The growth of cities has been facilitated by a variety of factors. One of these is the land annexation by municipality with the assistance of elite individuals. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the elite influenced Nablus—in central Palestine Municipality’s expansion. The study scanned Nablus Municipality Archives, conducted interviews with the annexed villages’ people and used master plans to trace out the city’s expansion across time from 1960 to 2016 (Jordanian rule, Israeli occupation, and Palestinian Authority rule). The ‘elite’ theory has been used to explain how the expansion process succeeded. The analysis found that elite groups proposed and oversaw Nablus Municipality’s expansion boundaries at various times, delayed master plan’s approval and influenced the distribution plots for popular housing projects.

Authentic Leadership and its Impact on Crisis Management: An analytical Study in a Sample of Palestinian Central Ministries in the West Bank Governorates

This study aims at identifying the impact of the practice of Authentic Leadership on the Crisis Management in the sample of Palestinian central ministries in the West Bank in order to achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher used the descriptive analytical method, and the questionnaire was used as a tool for collecting the necessary data from the study community, which represents the managers of categories (A, B, C), whose number is (298) managers distributed over a sample of (11) ministries .The study reached several results the most: important of which are The Palestinian ministries under study are generally concerned with practicing all dimensions of Authentic Leadership to a moderate degree, where the highest level of practice of these dimensions, respectively, was associated with self-awareness, followed by Relational Transparency hen the Balanced information processing, while the lowest level of practice was associated with the dimension of the Internalized Moral Perspective. The results of the study also indicated that the Palestinian ministries under study are generally interested in applying all stages of crisis management to a high degree. Where the highest level of application of these phases was associated with the phase of restoring activity, followed by the phase of containing and limiting damages. Then the stage of strategic learning, then discovering early warning signals, while the lowest level of application was associated with the stage of preparedness and prevention. The study results also showed that all dimensions of Authentic Leadership have a positive moral impact on the stages of crisis management in the Palestinian ministries under study, the dimensions of Authentic Leadership were the most influential in predicting the stages of crisis management, respectively (Balanced information processing, self-awareness, Internalized Moral Perspective, Relational Transparency), in light of the findings of the study, several recommendations were presented aimed at enhancing the practice of Authentic Leadership and its impact on the stages of crisis management in Palestinian ministries.

Rainwater Harvesting to Address Current and Forecasted Domestic Water Scarcity: Application to Arid and Semi-Arid Areas

This paper discusses the effectiveness of rooftops rainwater harvesting (RRWH) in addressing domestic water scarcity, emphasizing the West Bank (Palestine) as an example of arid to semi-arid areas with limited water resources. The paper deals with the actual and future water demand by considering climate-change impact and urban growth. The analysis is based on the evaluation of (i) the supply–demand balance index (SDBI), which designates the ratio between the total water supply (TWS) and total water demand (TWD), and (ii) the potential of RRWH. Applying this methodology to the West Bank shows that the potential RRWH can contribute by about 40 million cubic meters/year in 2020, which is approximately the same amount of water as the municipal water supply (42 million cubic meters/year). This contribution can effectively reduce the suffering governorates from 64% to 27% in 2020. Furthermore, it can support water-related decision-makers in the arid to semi-arid areas in formulating efficient and sustainable water resources strategies. The analysis also shows that the domestic water scarcity in 2050 will be worse than in 2020 for all governorates. For example, 73% of the West Bank governorates are expected to suffer from extreme to acute water scarcity in 2050 compared to 64% in 2020. Thus, RRWH appears to be highly efficient in mitigating the current and future domestic water scarcity in the West Bank.

Maps of the West Bank in Jordanian Postage Stamps, 1952–1985

This article examines Jordanian postage stamp depiction of the West Bank as part of the Hashemite Kingdom from 1952 to 1985. The majority of maps of the West Bank are featured as part of Jordan, both during Jordanian rule of the West Bank (1948–1967) and after Israel conquered the land during the 1967 war. Sometimes the West Bank is delineated from Jordan to suggest a territorial dispute with Israel, while other times, the West Bank is shown as part of Palestine. The ambiguous representations of the West Bank as Jordanian territory, disputed territory, and Palestinian territory reinforce Hashemite sovereignty claims to the West Bank while also supporting Palestinian rights and acknowledging Jordanian rule of the West Bank was conditional upon settlement of the Palestinian issue. Finally, this analysis seeks to explain why stamps stopped showing the West Bank as part of Jordan in 1985, three years before the kingdom formally severed all legal and administrative ties to the land.

Adapting Modernity: Designing with Modern Architecture in East Jerusalem, 1948–1967

Abstract This study examines the influence of modernity on residential buildings as a new form of expansion built during the Jordanian Rule (1948–1967) outside the Old City of East Jerusalem. Through investigating a sample of houses, the study shows how building typologies, layouts and architectural characteristics depict and inform reinterpretations and adaptations of modernity. Unlike the modernity that emerged out of the western locus, these buildings do not ignore their vernacular roots but adapt to the Palestinian socio-cultural lifestyle, and at the same time borrow from the aesthetic and ideological characteristics of the modern idiom. Based on architectural documentation and ethnographic research, the analyses show that the peasants (Fallahin) made an important contribution to the adaptive modernity of residential buildings in East Jerusalem. The designs were influenced by some aspects of modernity but were also subject to local and cultural determinants. The study contributes to the literature on ‘other modernities’ outside the west, and to an architectural history that is informed by people’s private and individual experience rather than by those working in the profession. This is considered to be a neglected heritage that this article aims to redress.

Optimal Sizing of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting Tanks for Sustainable Domestic Water Use in the West Bank, Palestine

In highly water-poor areas, rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) can be used for a self-sustaining and self-reliant domestic water supply. The designing of an optimal RRWH storage tank is a key parameter to implement a reliable RRWH system. In this study, the optimal size of RRWH storage tanks in the different West Bank governorates was estimated based on monthly (all governorates) and daily (i.e., Nablus) inflow (RRWH) and outflow (domestic water demand, DWD) data. In the estimation of RRWH, five rooftop areas varying between 100 m2 and 300 m2 were selected. Moreover, the reliability of the adopting RRWH system in the different West Bank governorates was tested. Two-time series scenarios were assumed: Scenario 1, S1 (12 months, annual) and scenario 2, S2 (8 months, rainy). As a result, reliable curves for preliminary estimation of optimal RRWH storage tanks for the different West Bank governorates were obtained. Results show that the required storage tank for S1 (annual) is more than that of the S2 (rainy) one. The required storage tank to fulfill DWD is based on the average rooftop area of 150 m2, the average family members of 4.8, and the average DWD of 90 L per capita per day (L/c/d) varies between (75 m3 to 136 m3) and (24 m3 to 84 m3) for S2 for the different West Bank governorates. Further, it is found that the optimal RRWH tank size for the 150 m2 rooftop ranges between 20 m3 (in Jericho) to 75 m3 (in Salfit and Nablus) and between 20 m3 (in Jericho) to 51 m3 (in Jerusalem) for S1 and S2 scenarios, respectively. Finally, results show that the implementation of an RRWH system for a rooftop area of 150 m2 and family members of 4.8 is reliable for all of the West Bank governorates except Jericho. Whereas, the reliability doesn’t exceed 19% for the two scenarios. However, the reduction of DWDv is highly affecting the reliability of adopting RRWH systems in Jericho (the least rainfall governorate). For instance, a family DWDv of 3.2 m3/month (25% of the average family DWDv in the West Bank) will increase the reliability at a rooftop area of 150 m2 to 51% and 76% for S1 and S2, respectively.

Assessment of the Urban Water Security in a Severe Water Stress Area–Application to Palestinian Cities

This paper presents an assessment of the urban water security in a severe water stress area using a semi-quantitative risk-based approach. Water security indicators are selected according to the recommendations of international institutions, the literature review and the opinion of a panel of water experts. Selected indicators cover three fields: water resources, water services and water governance. The field of water resources is described by indicators related to the water resources availability, annual precipitation and the ratio of treated water, while the water services field is described by indicators related to the water service coverage, water losses and the continuity of water supply. Water governance includes three indicators: role and responsibility, access to water information and stakeholder engagement. Water security assessment is conducted in three stages: (i) data collection for five Palestinian cities in the West Bank of Jordan, (ii) determination of the risk score for each indicator using collected data and an expert’s opinion, (iii) determination of the global water security score and water security index using the matrix risk assessment and the wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) methods. Results show that water risk is ranked as extreme for all cities. Risk related to water resources is a major contributor to global risk, followed by water governance.

Psychological and social implications of students with speech and language disorders from the point of view of specialists and ways to treat them in the northern West Bank - Palestine

This study aimed to identify the psychological and social effects of students with speech and language disorders from the point of view of specialists and ways to address them in the West Bank governorates, as well as to identify the role of the study variables, and to achieve the goal of the study a questionnaire was developed and its sincerity and stability factor were confirmed, and after an operation the collection of questionnaires was encoded and entered to the computer. The computer was used to analyze the data by the statistical packages program. The study reached the following results: 1. The stability coefficient (93%), which is an excellent stability coefficient that meets the objectives of the study. 2. The size of the study sample for speech therapy centers was 25 3. The percentage of psychological and social effects on students with speech and language disorders from the point of view of specialists and ways of treating them in the Nablus governorate (74%) is high. 4. It was found that there are no statistically significant differences in there are no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (a≤0.05) psychological and social effects on students with speech and language disorders from the point of view of the specialists and ways to address them in the Nablus governorate due to the variable of gender, age, specialization Scientific. Based on the Results of the Study, the Researcher Recommends the Following Recommendations: 1. The need to pay attention to the role of parental treatment methods in developing linguistic development among children as a priority, by holding courses for parents, to train them on how to deal with their children in building linguistic growth. 2. The teacher education programs in universities include courses related to the detection of speech and speech disorders, and how to deal with them. 3. Caring for group school activities, especially in the field of sports activities, committees, and school radio

Psychological Loneliness and Its Relationship to Social Support Among Female Detainees Released from the Occupation Prisons in the Governorates of the West Bank: الوحدة النفسية وعلاقتها بالمساندة الاجتماعية لدى الأسيرات المحررات من سجون الاحتلال في محافظات الضفة الغربية

This study aimed to identify the level psychological loneliness and social support among female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank, identify the statistically significant differences in the degrees of the scale of psychological loneliness and social support and its dimensions in the freed detainees from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank according to the (age, marital status, educational level, duration of detention) variables, and to know the nature of the relationship between the psychological loneliness and social support of the freed detainees from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank. The study followed the descriptive analytical method, and its population consisted of all female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank, with a random sample of (40) female detainees were taken. The study used a measure of psychological loneliness and social support. The results showed the following: A) The level of psychological loneliness among female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank reached 71.8% and level of social support reached 58.4%. B) There is statistically significant relationship between the psychological loneliness and social support of female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank. C) There are no statistically significant differences in the degrees of the psychological loneliness scale of female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank due to age, educational level, marital status, and length of detention variables. D) There are no statistically significant differences in the scores for the scale of social support among female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the governorates of the West Bank due to age, educational level, and marital status variable. E) There are statistically significant differences in the scores for the scale of social support among female detainees released from the occupation prisons in the West Bank governorates due to the variable period of detention. In light of the results, the study recommended the following: 1) The necessity of holding sessions, conferences and seminars to improve the psychological state of the freed female detainees after the prison period to identify the most important psychological problems that were reflected on them. 2) The necessity of designing educational and psychosocial support programs for freed women detainees to solve psychological and social problems.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of dry eye disease in 16 northern West bank towns in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDry Eye Disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of the interpalpebral ocular surface and tear film that leads to discomfort, fatigue and disturbance in vision. DED affects patients’ quality of life and leads eventually to decrease of productivity. Moreover, it has a considerable socioeconomic burden. It is a growing underdiagnosed health issue and the possible associated risk factors are very common and keep growing worldwide.PurposeTo assess the prevalence of DED and potential associated risk factors in the Northern West Bank of Palestine.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in 16 selected towns in Northern West Bank governorates during December 2016 to September 2017. An interviewer-assisted Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire was used to study DED symptoms in the study population. Further evaluation of clinical signs of DED was performed using the following objective tests: tear film break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein corneal staining (FL/S) and Schirmer test. Subjects with an OSDI score of 13 or above were considered symptomatic of DED, and DED was defined if an OSDI score ≥ 13 is accompanied by at least one of the following signs in the worse eye: TBUT ≤10 s, Schirmer score ≤ 5 mm and fluorescein corneal staining ≥ grade 1.ResultsSeven hundred sixty-nine subjects were recruited from the general non-clinical population in the West Bank. The mean age of participants was 43.61 ± 18.57 years ranging from 18 to 90 years. Females constitute 52.7% of the study population. Based on the diagnostic criteria, the prevalence of DED was 64% (95% confidence interval 60.6–67.3). DED was significantly associated with female gender p = (0.001) and older age p = (0.001).ConclusionThe prevalence of DED is high in the study population. Older age and female gender were associated risk factors with the development of DED.

Mahmoud Darwish: Literature and the Politics of Palestinian Identity

Mahmoud Darwish: Literature and the Politics of Palestinian Identity

Reducing dietary salt consumption in the occupied Palestinian territory: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the occupied Palestinan territory accounts for a large part of general mortality. WHO recommends a 30% reduction in mean population intake of salt or sodium as a cost-effective option to decrease the burden of cardiovascular disease. Results of surveys show that salt consumption is 7 g per day in Palestine, almost 50% higher than the recommended daily amount per person. Bread is consumed in large amounts and is an important contributor to salt intake. The aim of this study was to assess the content of salt in the bread sold in the West Bank with the aim of setting a reliable salt reduction target. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, ad-hoc trained inspectors from the ministry of mealth visited 135 bakeries in all West Bank's Governorates in August, 2015. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to bakers with questions about the amount of salt added to flour during the preparation of 281 bread products. The sample size was calculated for a level of accuracy of 7%. Data were analysed using SPSS 17.0. FindingsThe average amount of salt added to flour during bread preparation was 1·33 g per 100 g of flour (SD 0·62; range 0·00–4·00), corresponding to 1•11 g salt per 100 g bread. InterpretationSalt content in bread sold in the West Bank was highly variable. The salt reduction target for 2016 was set by the Palestine Standard Institute at 1·3 g of salt per 100 gram of flour, with a gradual reduction of 0·1 g of salt per year in the next 3 years to adjust consumers' palates to less salty products. The compliance to the regulation is monitored by the ministry of health and the Palestine food producers association assures full support. According to the available literature, the occupied Palestinian territory is the first Arab country to establish a mandatory programme for salt reduction in foods. FundingThe Italian Cooperation.

The Impact of the Implementation the Concept of Knowledge Management on Security Crisis Management

This study aimed to identify the impact of applying the concept of knowledge management on security crisis management in the joint operations rooms of the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank governorates. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher used the analytical descriptive method, and the questionnaire was used as a tool for collecting the necessary data from the study society, which represents all the officers in the joint operations room, which number (352) officers. The results of the study showed significant effect with statistically significant at the level of significance (α ≤ 0.05) for knowledge management processes (knowledge diagnosis, knowledge generation, knowledge storage, knowledge distribution, and knowledge immplementation) on stages of security crises management in the joint operations rooms of the Palestinian security services.

HIV and HCV prevalence and incarceration-related risks among injecting drug users in three West Bank governorates

ABSTRACTIn the Middle East, the HIV epidemic among injecting drug users (IDUs) seems to be in an early phase, which increases the importance of prevention and systematic risk surveillance. To gain information about HIV and HCV infection rates among IDUs in the West Bank, a biobehavioral survey was conducted using time-location sampling in the Ramallah, Hebron, and Bethlehem governorates in 2013. The researchers recruited 288 Palestinian IDUs ages 16–64 (Mage = 39.2, SD = 11.11). While no HIV cases were found in the sample, 41% of participants tested positive for HCV. Imprisonment was common among participants (83%), so we explored the association of incarceration experience with HCV infection and HIV testing. In multivariate assessments, incarceration was shown to increase the odds of being infected with HCV and ever tested for HIV. HIV prevention should be strengthened in West Bank prisons and correctional facilities, and imprisonment for drug use re-examined.

Cancer mortality in the West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territory.

BackgroundThe burden of cancer is difficult to study in the context of the occupied Palestinian territory because of the limited data available. This study aims to evaluate the quality of mortality data and to investigate cancer mortality patterns in the occupied Palestinian territory’s West Bank governorates from 1999 to 2009.MethodsDeath certificates collected by the Palestinian Ministry of Health for Palestinians living in the West Bank were used. Direct and indirect age-standardised mortality rates were computed and used to compare different governorates according to total and specific cancer mortality. Furthermore, standardised proportional mortality ratios were calculated to compare mortality by urban, rural and camp locales.ResultsThe most common cause of death out of all cancer types was lung cancer among males (22.8 %) and breast cancer among females (21.5 %) followed by prostate cancer for males (9.5 %) and by colon cancer for females (11.4 %). Regional variations in cancer-specific causes of death were observed. The central- West Bank governorates had the lowest mortality for most cancer types among men and women. Mortality for lung cancer was highest in the north among men (SMR 109.6; 95%CI 99.5-120.4). For prostate cancer, mortality was highest in the north (SMR 103.6; 95%CI 88.5-120.5) and in the south (SMR 118.6; 95%CI 98.9-141.0). Breast cancer mortality was highest in the south (SMR 119.3; 95%CI 103.9-136.2). Similar mortality rate patterns were found in urban, rural and camp locales.ConclusionThe quality of the Palestinian mortality registry has improved over time. Results in the West Bank governorates present different mortality patterns. The differences might be explained by personal, contextual and environmental factors that need future in-depth investigations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-2715-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A List of Important Honeybee Nectariferous and Polleniferous Plant Species in the West Bank Governorates, Palestine

A List of Important Honeybee Nectariferous and Polleniferous Plant Species in the West Bank Governorates, Palestine