Arab Bank

Information

With seven investors and a startup capital of 15,000 Palestinian Pounds, Arab Bank was registered on May 21, 1930 and commenced its operations in Jerusalem on July 14 of the same year. Abdul Hameed Shoman, the founder, was named the Bank’s first chairman. Since its founding, the Bank’s legacy has been to act as an active and leading partner in the socio-economic development of the region. 

After the British Mandate Authority withdrew from Palestine in 1948, the Bank lost its branches in Jafa and Haifa. When customers who were obliged to leave the country asked for their deposits, Arab Bank fully redeemed all claims. This decision won the Arab Bank a great reputation and became a historical turning point in its growth: it fostered a strong commitment from the Bank towards its customers and ingrained an enormous loyalty from its customers, which prevails to this day. 

The lost branches were re-established: Haifa branch was relocated to Beirut followed by Amman, Jaffa branch in Nablus and later Ramallah. When the branch in Jerusalem was caught up in the civil disturbance, the Bank’s activities were moved to offices within the old city of Jerusalem. 

In 1948, the Bank’s headquarters were transferred to Amman, Jordan, where it was officially incorporated as a public shareholding company.