Vera George Ghattas Baboun | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Palestinian Ambassador to Chile | |
| Assumed office 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Imad Al Jada |
| Mayor of Bethlehem | |
| In office October 2012 – 27 May 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Victor Batarseh |
| Succeeded by | Anton Salman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 October 1964 Bethlehem |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Hanna (Johnny) Baboun (passed away 25 April 2007) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Bethlehem University Hebrew University |
Vera George Ghattas Baboun (Arabic: فيرا جورج غطاس بابون, born 6 October 1964) is a Palestinian politician who served as the first female mayor of Bethlehem.[1][2] Baboun has a master's degree in African-American literature.[3] Prior to her election, she became the principal of the Roman Catholic High School in Beit Sahour[3] (2010-2012) and was an English literature lecturer at Bethlehem University,[4][5] (1990-2010) where she was also the Assistant Dean of Students (2000-2006).[5] Additionally, she is the chairperson of the Board of Directors for Guidance and Training Centre for Family and Children[3][5] as well as a gender studies researcher in GRACE (Gender Research in Africa and the Middle East into ICTs for Empowerment) network looking at the role of information technology in empowering women in the Arab world.[3][4][5] Baboun is the mother of five children.[2] She is a Palestinian Christian.[1][6]
Baboun led the Independence and Development bloc,[7] made up of 12 Muslims and Christians in the Fatah movement campaigning to improve services and promote the tourism potential of Bethlehem.[4] Her bloc was described generally as professionals and technocrats by Al-Ghad.[8] Few expected Baboun to win. She ran against well-known male candidates as well as individuals supported by Islamists and left-wing Palestinians.[2] By 12 Oct 2012, Fatah was leading polling by AWRAD research centre at 49%.[9] Her bloc won the election on 20 Oct 2012[2] and Baboun was officially chosen as mayor in a closed session of the Bethlehem Municipal Council by the nine council members of her bloc who were popularly elected. Her opponents got six seats on the council.[10]
As mayor, Baboun presided over a city with the highest unemployment in the West Bank. Bethlehem has a changing demographic, due to an outflux of the Christian population. She cited the presence of the Israeli West Bank barrier as an obstacle to growth by restricting the movement of people, ideas and goods.[1][11] Of Bethlehem she stated, "We are a strangulated city, with no room for expansion due to the settlements and the wall."[11] She hoped to stop the flow of emigration by creating job opportunities for young people. She also hoped to regain international support lost while Hamas was in power.[12][13] Baboun terminated her post on 27 April 2017. She did not participate in the local elections that took place in Bethlehem and all the West Bank in May 2017.[14]
On 8 December 2022, she was appointed as the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Chile.[15]
