About the house
An ancient Palestinian palace that served as the Mukhtar’s residence and the village council for the villages North-West of Nablus, known as Wadi Al Sha’ir, in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Mukhtar at the time was known as Abdel Hamid Daghlas and has been a strong ruler for his time.
Although the exact age of the building has not been identified, an educated estimation traces back to the late 1800 or early 1900 (presumed to be built between 1890-1910). The architect that built Abdel Hamid Palace also built Imm Nassar’s house in 1911. He was a famous architect from Jifna village, a village outside Ramallah.
The Palace, which represents the visible attraction of the village was the source of prosperity for Nisf Jubeil, creating jobs, hosting guests, and ensuring stability.
The building was used as the home of Abdel Hamid Daghlas – the Mukhtar of Nisf Jubeil, Burqa, Jnisinya, Sebastiya and other villages surrounding. It was a building open 24/7 to serve the village and its guests.
Although Abdel Hamid Daghlas died prior to the 1960’s, the palace’s use continued to serve the village until 1967. The palace was abandoned in 1967 when Israel occupied the area known as the West Bank – the remaining areas of historical Palestine. The owners of the palace, at the time, the sons and wives of Abdel Hamid, fled to Jordan, Kuwait and other countries that hosted Palestinian refugees. The palace remained standing, in spite of the natural decay caused by time, war and more until the year 2010.
Today we are conserving that use but in a manner suitable to our community. It is being used as a cultural center and an education center that serves the community and responds to its various needs.