7 , 6 9 3 , ▁of ▁which ▁ 5 0 . 3 % ▁were ▁male ▁ 4 9 . 7 % ▁female . ▁ ▁The ▁Palest ine ▁Techn ical ▁College , ▁a ▁voc ational ▁and ▁technical ▁college ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah . ▁A ▁library ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁campus ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Government ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ' s ▁first ▁village ▁council ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁and ▁an ▁elected ▁local ▁government ▁continued ▁to ▁admin ister ▁the ▁city ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁when ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁military ▁authorities ▁dissol ved ▁the ▁council ▁and ▁appointed ▁a ▁mayor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁gained ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁a ▁city ▁by ▁the ▁Palest in ian ▁Author ity ▁( P NA ). ▁The ▁Palest in ian ▁president , ▁Y asser ▁A raf at , ▁appointed ▁Sam ir ▁Moh ammed ▁Az ay iza ▁as ▁mayor ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁when ▁he ▁replaced ▁him ▁with ▁Sam i ▁Ab u ▁Sal im , ▁a ▁wealth y ▁business man ▁from ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁services ▁and ▁functions ▁of ▁the ▁municipality ▁include ▁city ▁planning , ▁infrastr ucture ▁maintenance ▁and ▁repair , ▁providing ▁util ities , ▁school ▁administration ▁and ▁garbage ▁collection . ▁ ▁A ▁ 1 5 - member ▁municipal ▁council ▁currently ▁admin ister s ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah . ▁Although ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁a