Government
Bani Zeid is governed by a municipal council of 13 members, including the chairman (mayor) and vice-chairman under the name Municipality of West Bani Zaid. It holds election every four years, the most recent being in 2005. Hamas won five of the municipal seats including the role of mayor which was won by a female candidate Fathiya Barghouti Rheime—who, along with Janet Mikhail became the first woman to hold the post of municipality head. Fatah won five seats, the Palestinian People's Party (PPP) won one, and a socialist party won the remaining seat.
During an Israeli raid in Bani Zeid in 2007, two members of the municipal council and representing Hamas were arrested by Israeli authorities with dozens of other Palestinian mayors, parliament members and ministers belonging to Hamas. The arrest of the two put the number of West Bani Zeid Municipality Hamas members to three, (member 'Ala Rimawi was elected to his post while serving a prison sentence).
In 2000, Bani Zeid was incorporated into Area A giving the Palestinian National Authority full control—security and civilian affairs—over the town.
Read more about this topic: Bani Zeid
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