[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: The website is still under construction
www.herbawicenter.com ]

A third factor which makes the change in the West Bank possible is the
Israel Defense Forces. Abu Tarek says the Israeli army was still carrying
out operations in the West Bank but became "a lot less violent." And one of
the Palestinians present, who witnessed his brothers' arrest recently,
chuckles: "They're very gentle nowadays. The come quietly, knock on the door
and say politely: Army, please open up."

Luxury Palestinian mall signals transformation of 'terror capital'
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent Last update - 07:14 21/06/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1094441.html

The skies lit up over Jenin last month, and it wasn't tracer bullets or
flash bombs but celebratory fireworks, set off to mark the occasion of the
opening of Hirbawi Home Center, a new luxury establishment on the city's
outskirts.

The five-story building near the Jalame checkpoint cost $5 million to build,
says its owner, and it is filled with deluxe, foreign-made products seen
mostly in the pages of newspaper supplements.

This shopping opportunity is intended to interest the upper crust of Jenin,
and while some might think the proposition suggests financial suicide, the
profit forecasts for the project have been so favorable the owner plans to
open four more shops in the West Bank and one in Jordan.

The next city to enjoy a Hirbawi Home Center is Ramallah, where one is
already in partial operation; then Hebron, Tul Karem and Nablus.

"It may sound mad to outsiders," says the chain's CEO, Ziad Turabi, "but to
us it makes perfect sense. We believe we can make a very handsome profit.
Many people in the occupied territories have money but they have nowhere to
spend it if they're after quality. We offer them the best quality there is."

This may not sound like the familiar description of the occupied
territories - the impoverished Palestinian village or the overcrowded
refugee camp, a population sustaining itself on international aid. But it
turns out that quite a few Palestinians consider a plasma screen, a surround
sound stereo and comfortable chairs to be fairly essential items.

Here, on the fifth floor of the Jenin operation, overlooking the fields
separating Israel from Jenin, are the in-demand electric gadgets: enormous
TV screens, vacuum cleaners, espresso machines, and the list goes on and on.
Turabi points out that some products are only available in Home Center
shops. "This is an espresso machine that grinds the coffee beans," he says.
"People want more and more of these products. They ask for the finest
quality." Most of the products on sale are imported through the port of
Ashdod. "We have exclusive deals with quite a few brands," says Turabi.
"They'll only market their products at Home Center."

The idea turns out to be approximately five years old. Mwafaq Hirbawi, a
prominent businessman in the carpet trade, was looking for a new avenue in
which to branch out. He put up a few buildings across the occupied
territories without determining their final purpose.

Turabi, who hails from the furniture business, has worked with the Hirbawi
family for 14 years, and he was the man they turned to to run the
enterprise. "We were making our evaluations for a few months and decided to
go for the luxury brands, like LG for electrics and Meselmani for kitchens.
After linking up the furniture I was dealing with the carpet business [and]
we realized we can grow further. We got several offers to give it up, to
rent out the buildings, but Mwafaq didn't want to, he was looking for
something different and new," Turabi says.

"But how will you profit? Who'll go to Jenin to buy luxury wares?"

"We've been working for a few months now and every day had been like opening
day. We are very pleased, and the profits have been very satisfying so far.
Don't worry, we're not going to lose, and we truly believe that. It's true
that Jenin is like a big village and wealthy people here are few. Everyone
told us to start off with Ramallah. But I came here a few months ago and ran
some profit estimates."

"And what if there's a closure on Jenin tomorrow?"

"Let's just say we don't pin much hopes on shoppers from other areas. If
something really major happens in the West Bank, well, there's not much we
can do. But let's also say that if I was a pessimist forever thinking about
all the things that could go wrong, we never would have opened. But we think
we can make a very handsome profit here."

The prices are not much cheaper than in Israel, perhaps except on the
furniture, arguably the true gem of the place. A decorated glass table is
sold on the second floor for NIS 2,800; Turabi suggest it would have cost 40
percent more in Israel. One can also find china plates, crystal, classical
furniture and more. The company is preparing to begin building the Hebron
branch, which will accommodate a retail area of about 12,000 square meters.
Curious would-be shoppers can see the display rooms of the business
live-cast on the Web.

"Abu Tarek," the Jenin area commander, seemed pleased. He and his
predecessor, "Abu Hadid," have turned "terrorism capital" into the quietest,
safest city in the West Bank. Jenin, the flagship project of the American
administration and the U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the
Palestinian Authority, Lieutenant-General Keith Dayton, has become the
success story of the new PA. "What brings Hirbawi and others is the security
situation", Abu Tarek says. "We solved quite a few issues and, Inshallah
(God willing, we will see many more investments. Even the refugee camp is
quiet now. There are no militants and we react very quickly to any incident.
The residents believed in the security apparatus. They trust us and assist
us."

"And you can see it on the street. Shops are open until late, women can go
around fearlessly."

"What about attacks on Israel?"

"It's been over two years since the last attack from Jenin against Israel.
We went to great length to prevent terror attacks, and your people know
that."

A third factor which makes the change in the West Bank possible is the
Israel Defense Forces. Abu Tarek says the Israeli army was still carrying
out operations in the West Bank but became "a lot less violent." And one of
the Palestinians present, who witnessed his brothers' arrest recently,
chuckles: "They're very gentle nowadays. The come quietly, knock on the door
and say politely: Army, please open up."