Beit Jala
Beit Jala | ||
---|---|---|
Hebrew בית ג'אלא | | |
Governorate Bethlehem | | |
Government | ||
• Type | Municipality | |
• Head of Municipality | Nicola Khamis [1] | |
Area | ||
• Municipality type B | 12,911 dunams (13.0 km2 or 5.0 sq mi) | |
Population (2017)[2] | ||
• Municipality type B | 13,484 | |
• Density | 1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi) | |
• Metro | 97,559 | |
Name meaning | House of Jala[3] | |
Website | www |
Beit Jala (
Saint Nicholas – the inspiration for Santa Claus – is the patron saint of Beit Jala, where the Church of Saint Nicholas was built over a crypt where it is believed he lived for a couple years during his time in Palestine.
Etymology
Conder and Kitchener identified Beit Jala with Galem or Gallim (Γαλλιμ) of the Septuagint,[4] a place in the 9th district of the inheritance of Judah; homonymous with a settlement in Benjamin NE of Jerusalem.[5]
History
Byzantine period
A crypt, dating to the 5th or 6th century C.E., was located under the Church of Saint Nicholas in Beit Jala.[6]
Crusader period
In the Crusader era, the village was called Apezala, and the Church of Saint Nicholas was possibly rebuilt during that time.[6]
Ottoman period
In 1516, the village was included in the
In the 1596
In 1697 Henry Maundrell passed Beit Jala, and noted that: "no Turk can live in it above two years. By virtue of this report, whether true or false, the Christians keep the Village to themselves without molestation; no Turk being willing to stake his life experimenting the truth of it."[12]
Beit Jala's inhabitants participated in the
In 1838, it was noted as a Greek Christian village, located in the Beni Hasan area, west of Jerusalem.[14] The population was estimated to be around 2000 people.[15]
By the mid-19th century, there were 10 Catholics living in Beit Jala. The Latin Patriarchate founded its first
Albert Socin found from an official Ottoman village list from about 1870 that Beit Jala had 234 houses and a population of 874 "Latins", though the population count included men, only.[21] Martin Hartmann found that Beit Jala had 232 houses.[22]
In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described Beit Jala as: "A large and flourishing village of white well-built stone houses, on the slope of a steep hill. The water supply is artificial, with a well in the valley below. The population is said by Pere Lievin to amount to 3,000, of whom 420 are Catholics, and the rest Orthodox Greeks. There is a Greek and a Latin church in the village. There are remarkably fine groves of olives round and beneath the village, and the hill is covered with vineyards which belong to the place."[23]
In 1896 the population of Beit Jala was estimated to be about 2,880 persons.[24]
British Mandate period
In the
In the 1945 statistics the population of Beit Jala was 3,710; 200 Muslims and 3,510 Christians,[28] with 13,307 (rural) and 737 (urban) dunams of land according to an official land and population survey.[29] 9,860 dunams were plantations and irrigable land, 1,064 for cereals,[30] while 737 dunams were built-up (urban) land.[31]
Jordanian period
In the wake of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Beit Jala came under Jordanian rule.
The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) began relief operations for refugees in the West Bank in 1950. They also worked with Palestinians who had retained their houses and so were not technically refugees, but who had lost their land or means of making a living because of the war. As part of this relief, the MCC founded a school in Beit Jala which was still in operation as of 1979.[32]
In 1952, an
In 1961, the population of Beit Jala was 7,966.[34]
Post 1967
Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Beit Jala has been under Israeli occupation. Control of the town was assumed by the Palestinian Authority following the 1993 Oslo Accords. According to the Beit Jala Municipality, the city's land holdings have been relegated under different areas of administration. Area A comprises approximately 3,500 dunums, or about 25% of the town's land, which is under Palestinian control. The remaining 75% (Area C) is under Israeli jurisdiction, and 7% of the total Area C is located inside the Municipality border.[35]
According to
During the Second Intifada, militants from the Fatah-affiliated Tanzim group used Beit Jala as a base for launching sniper and mortar attacks[37] on the Israeli settlement of Gilo.[38] Gilo is located on a hilltop across from Beit Jala, partially built on the lands of Beit Jala, Beit Safafa and Sharafat.[39] The Israeli government built a concrete barrier and installed bulletproof windows in homes and schools facing Beit Jala.[40]
Militants were reported to have used the houses of Palestinian Christian residents to fire on Israeli targets in Gilo. Fighters were initially welcomed by residents, but after their homes were attacked by Israeli retaliatory fire and several fighters and residents were killed, they no longer tolerated the militants' presence.[41] According to John Bunzl, the Israeli press used the incident to suggest there was a Christian-Muslim conflict in the incidents, with the former trying to prevent an attack until the Muslims forced them to surrender. Numerous statements taken from Christian residents appear to refute this.[42] In August 2001, the Israeli Army occupied the northeastern corner of Beit Jala, declaring that it would only leave when the gunfire on Gilo stopped.[43] Two days later, the troops withdrew.[44] Palestinian militants subsequently increased their attacks, adding mortars and heavy machine guns. According to Time magazine, the Palestinian militants were not locals, but took up positions in Beit Jala due to its proximity to Gilo.[45] In August 2010, after a long period of calm, the concrete barrier built to protect Gilo was removed.[46]
The Israel barrier in the West Bank will separate over 50 Beit Jala families from their land; although Israel says it is a vital security measure.[47] Palestinians believe the ultimate aim of the barrier is a land grab as it is built inside the occupied West Bank on land Palestinians want for a future independent state. Local church leaders - Latin Catholic and Greek Orthodox - have been involved in the campaign to prevent the construction of the barrier.[47]
Geography
The Israel
Demographics
This town's Christian inhabitants are made up of five Christian tribes that trace their origins as Aramaic-and Arabic speaking people who lived in that area near Bethlehem prior to the
Economy
The
Health care
Beit Jala has a government-run 113-bed hospital, and a 77-bed privately run specialized surgery hospital operated by the Arab Society for Rehabilitation. Primary health care is provided by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health. In addition, there are many charities, medical institutions and private health clinics.[55] Societies for the disabled in Beit Jala include the Bethlehem Arab Society,[56] Lifegate Rehabilitation[57] and House Jemima, a Dutch-founded home and daycare-center for children with mental disabilities.[58] Al-Hussein Governmental Hospital, Beit Jala is a government hospital here.[citation needed]
Schools and religious institutions
Beit Jala is home to educational institutions run by a variety of Christian denominations, including the Arab Orthodox Benevolent Society. A
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) has a congregation in Beit Jala.[59] The denomination also runs the Talitha Kumi School in Beit Jala, which was founded by Lutheran deaconesses in the 19th century and relocated in Beit Jala in 1961.[60] The school has developed an environmental education program and operates the only bird-ringing station in the Palestinian sector. The school also runs a guesthouse.[60]
The Beit Jala skyline is dominated by several churches, among them the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Church of St. Michael, and the Church of Saint Nicholas. According to tradition, St. Nicholas spent four years in a cave beneath the Church.[61] These three churches belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. The Latin Church of Annunciation is the Catholic church built in 1850.
The Syriac Orthodox Church runs the Mar Afram school in Beit Jala. In 2007, Mar Afram started offering classes in Aramaic (more specifically, Syriac Aramaic) to its students, which were taught by elderly residents of the town who still spoke the waning language fluently.[62]
Local government
In the
Sports
The Beit Jala Lions is a rugby club active in Beit Jala since 2007. Hailed as the first all-Palestinian rugby team in history, the team is made up almost exclusively of residents of Beit Jala.[64]
Prominent people from Beit Jala
See also
References
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- ^ a b 2017 PCBS Census Archived 2010-12-10 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. p.118.
- ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 286
- ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP III, p. 20
- ^ Marom, Roy; Zadok, Ran (2023). "Early-Ottoman Palestinian Toponymy: A Linguistic Analysis of the (Micro-)Toponyms in Haseki Sultan's Endowment Deed (1552)". Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins. 139 (2).
- ^ a b Pringle, 1993, pp. 93-95
- ^ Singer, 1994, pp. 34-35.
- ^ Singer, 1994 p. 165
- ^ Singer, 1994, p. 80 Archived 2023-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Singer, 1994 pp. 81-82.
- ^ Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 121
- ^ Maundrell, 1703, p. 90
- ^ Thomson, 1860, p. 647.
- ^ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p. 123
- ^ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 2, pp. 322 ff
- ^ Kildani, 2010, p. 320
- ^ Kildani, 2010, pp. 324-325.
- ^ Kildani, 2010, p. 326
- ^ Kildani, 2010, p. 558
- ^ Kildani, 2010, p. 343
- ^ Socin, 1879, p. 145
- ^ Hartmann, 1883, p. 124
- ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1883, SWP III, p. 20
- ^ Schick, 1896, p. 126
- ^ Barron, 1923, Table VII, Sub-district of Bethlehem, p. 18
- ^ Barron, 1923, Table XIV, p. 45
- ^ Mills, 1932, p. 35
- ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 24
- ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 56 Archived 2008-08-05 at the Library of Congress Web Archives
- ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 101 Archived 2018-06-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 151 Archived 2018-06-22 at the Wayback Machine
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- ^ E H Hutchison, "Violent Truce" A Military Observer Looks at the Arab-Israeli Conflict 1951–1955, pp. 12–16.
- ^ Government of Jordan, Department of Statistics, 1964, p. 07 Archived 2018-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Background - Beit Jala Municipality | بلدية بيت جالا". www.beitjala-city.org. Archived from the original on 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
- ^ Beit Jala City Profile Archived 2022-06-21 at the Wayback Machine ARIJ pp. 23-24
- ^ Haberman, Clyde (30 August 2001). "Gilo Waits for Deliverance As Mideast Violence Goes On". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ^ Rees, Matt (18 December 2000). "Fields Of Fire". Time. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
- ^ "One more Obstacle to Peace": A new Israeli Neighborhood on the lands of Jerusalem city Archived January 31, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem, 10 March 2007
- ^ "It's Back-to-School Day for Israeli children on Gilo's front line" Archived 2012-07-16 at archive.today. Los Angeles Times. 3 September 2001.
- ^ "The ravaged palace that symbolizes the hope of peace". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ John Bunzl (2004). Islam, Judaism, and the Political Role of Religions in the Middle East. University Press of Florida. pp. 78-79.
- ^ "Israel: We'll Leave Beit Jala if Firing Stops". Haaretz. 29 August 2001. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ "Israel leaving Beit Jala, say Palestinians". Archived from the original on 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
- ^ Karon, Tony (29 August 2001). "Battle of Beit Jala Highlights Mideast Cease-fire Woes". Time. Archived from the original on September 2, 2001.
- ^ "In gesture of peace progress, Israel demolishes massive concrete barrier". 15 August 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ a b Knell, Yolande (21 August 2015). "Christians appeal on W Bank barrier". BBC News. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
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- JSTOR 4282623.
- ^ Jahsan, Ruby. "Wine". The Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation. Archived from the original on 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ^ "Jerusalem Post - Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World". www.mafhoum.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
- ^ "Beit Jala Pharmaceutical-english". www.beitjalapharma.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Yolande Knell (3 May 2012). "Bethlehem nuns in West Bank barrier battle" Archived 2023-03-08 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News.
- ^ "Beit Jala Municipality". Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
- ^ ":: (BASR)". www.basr.org. Archived from the original on 2006-04-24. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
- ^ "Lifegate Rehabilitation". Archived from the original on June 13, 2004.
- ^ "Home - Jemima". www.jemima.eu. Archived from the original on January 15, 2006.
- ^ "History and Mission". The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ a b "Talitha Kumi Evangelical Lutheran School, Beit Jala". Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ Crux: "West Bank town takes pride in links to St. Nicholas" By Judith Sudilovsky Archived 2014-12-20 at the Wayback Machine December 19, 2014
- ^ Diaa Hadid (June 2, 2012). "Attempts to revive language spoken in Jesus' time". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
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External links
- Official Site of Beit Jala
- Welcome To The City of Bayt Jala
- Survey of Western Palestine, Map 17: IAA, Wikimedia commons
- Beit Jala City (Fact Sheet), Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem (ARIJ)
- Beit Jala City Profile, (ARIJ)
- Beit Jala City Area Photo, (ARIJ)
- The priorities and needs for development in Beit Jala city based on the community and local authorities’ assessment, (ARIJ)
- Talitha Kumi School
- House Jemima
- Lifegate Rehabilitation
- Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation
- Nativity Hotel in Beit Jala