Human Resources of the Palestinian Banking Sector and Branching Geography at End of 2018

The banking sector constitutes one of the most important pivots of the national economy and the foundations of its development, and given the importance of the role expected of the banking sector in Palestine in the period after the end of the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, and in the phase of addressing the economic repercussions of confronting this outbreak, I will recount some facts about the activities, components and geography of this sector, to shed light on the geographical map of this sector and some other aspects in terms of concentration in logistical and automated branching, noting that the financial data relating to the deposits of the Palestinian banking sector and its banking facilities as of 31-1-2020 were written about in a previous post on my page dated 29-3-2020, in which the total deposits amounted to 13 billion and 516 million US dollars, while its banking facilities amounted to 9 billion and 278 million US dollars.

- Today, we present information on statistics of human resources in the Palestinian banking sector, as at the end of 2018, according to the latest statistics published on the Association of Banks in Palestine website.

· Human resources in the banking sector at the end of 2018

- The number of employees working in banks in Palestine up to 31-12-2018 reached 7,209 employees working at 14 banks; of them 70 were in senior management, while middle management numbered 945 employees, and executive staff numbered 5,377 employees... while support staff numbered 817 users.

- Most employees in the Palestinian banking sector hold a Bachelor's degree, as the number of holders of this certificate was 5,361 employees, including holders of the higher diploma... Those holding a Master's degree numbered 315 employees, and four employees hold a PhD. Holders of institute diplomas numbered 569 employees, and holders of the Tawjihi certificate numbered 143 employees...

- The number of female employees in this sector amounted to 2,262 employees.

- As for the geographic distribution of employees in the banking sector, the central West Bank holds the largest share in the number of employees (about half), as their number reached 3,526 employees; in the northern West Bank they numbered 1,239 employees, while in the southern West Bank they numbered 759 employees.. As for the Gaza Strip, their number reached 868 employees.

- Banking sector employees are predominantly young: the number of employees in the banking sector whose ages range from 25 to 35 years was 3,248 employees; those aged between 36 and 45 years numbered 1,473 employees. Those aged between 46 and 55 years numbered 714 employees. Those under 25 years numbered 808 employees. Those older than 55 years numbered 151 employees in the banking sector.

- By contrast, regarding banking experience, the number of employees who have been working in the banking sector for up to 5 years amounted to 2,994 employees; those who have worked from 6 to 10 years numbered 1,321 employees; from 11 to 15 years they numbered 962 employees; those who have worked from 16 to 20 years numbered 380 employees. The number of employees who have worked for more than 20 years in the banking sector reached 735 employees.

- From my review of human resources statistics on the Association of Banks in Palestine page for previous years, the number of employees working in the banking sector in Palestine at the end of 2017 was 6,946 employees; in 2016 they numbered 6,528 employees; and in 2015 they numbered 6,125 employees. It is noticeable that the annual rate of new jobs in the banking sector in Palestine ranges between 200 and 400 new jobs per year!!.

- Bank branching - number of branches - and automated banking branching – number of ATMs – at the end of 2018.

- The number of operating bank branches in the West Bank at the end of 2018 was 292 branches and 596 ATMs, while the number of branches in the Gaza Strip was 59 branches and 94 ATMs... The distributions of branches and ATMs were as follows:

· West Bank:

The population of the northern West Bank is 1,163,416 persons, and the number of bank branches there is 113 branches, at a rate of one branch per 10,296 persons, and the number of ATMs is 216 ATMs, at a rate of one ATM per 5,386 persons. Noting that the clients' deposits at the end of 2018 amounted to 3 billion and 395 million US dollars, while the total banking facilities provided to the northern West Bank amounted to 1 billion and 849 million US dollars. Nablus governorate was the largest governorate in the northern West Bank with 43 branches, i.e. 12% of the total number of bank branches, and 87 ATMs, i.e. 13% of the total number of bank ATMs, while Tubas was the smallest governorate in terms of number of branches with 5 branches and 10 ATMs.

The population of the central West Bank is 834,366 persons, and the number of branches in this area reached 103 branches, i.e. at a rate of one branch per 8,101 persons, and 229 ATMs, i.e. at a rate of one ATM per 3,644 persons. Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate accounted for 74 branches representing 21% of the total number of branches, and 190 ATMs, representing approximately 28% of the total number of bank ATMs. Noting that total deposits of customers in the central West Bank at the end of 2018 amounted to approximately 5 billion and 533 million US dollars, while the banks' facilities to the central West Bank amounted to 4 billion and 644 million US dollars.

The population of the southern West Bank is 956,161 persons, and the number of branches reached 76 branches, i.e. at a rate of one branch per 12,581 persons, and the number of ATMs is 151 ATMs, i.e. at a rate of one ATM per 4,048 persons. Hebron accounted for 50 branches, i.e. 14% of the total number of bank branches, and 96 ATMs, approximately 14% of the total number of bank ATMs. Noting that the deposits of the southern West Bank at the end of 2018 amounted to approximately 2 billion and 142 million US dollars, while the banking facilities for this area amounted to about 996 million US dollars.

· Gaza Strip:

- The number of branches in Gaza and Beit Lahia reached 27 branches, and the number of ATMs 46 ATMs...

· Statistical information regarding cards at the end of 2018

- The number of ATM withdrawal cards reached 115,000 ATM cards, and the number of credit cards reached 129,000 credit cards,

Date 7-4-2022