Jifna is governed by a village council consisting of ten members including the chairman . The council was founded in 1954 , when a prominent resident , Nasri Ilias Samara , pressured the Jordanian authorities to recognize the institution , even though a village was normally required to have a population of at least 1 @,@ 000 inhabitants for permission to establish a village council . The decision was approved by Jordan 's then prime minister . Representatives from Jifna 's largest families formed the original council 's body , appointing Smara as chairman and Salim Issa Musleh as vice chairman . Jabi Na 'im Kamil was elected as the chairman in 2005 and the Badil ( Alternative ) list — which represent a leftist alliance of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Palestinian People 's Party — won most of the council seats .