Al-Bireh
Encyclopedia
al-Bireh or el-Bira is a Palestinian
city adjacent to Ramallah
in the central West Bank
, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Jerusalem. It is situated on the central ridge running through the West Bank and is 860 metres (2,821.5 ft) above sea level, covering an area of 22.4 square kilometres (8.6 sq mi). Its name means “Water Well,” and is believed to be derived from the biblical Beeroth.
Because of its location al-Bireh served as an economic crossroad between the north and south, along the caravan route between Jerusalem and Nablus
. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
(PCBS), the town had a population of approximately 39,538 inhabitants in mid-year 2006.
. It belonged to the Jewish Tribe of Benjamin
.(Information is probably False or Inaccurate) It is mentioned by Saint Jerome
who described it as "a large village on the way to Emmaus
(Imwas
), 7 miles from Jerusalem."
The Crusader
s captured and named the town Birra. They built a castle, church and hospice there. The latter two buildings were built by the Templars in 1146 and belonged to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
. The Ayyubids under Saladin
drove away the Crusaders from Birra when they reconquered interior Palestine after the Battle of Hittin in 1187, and completely demolished the town. Yaqut al-Hamawi
mentions seeing the ruins a few times during his travels in the area. Nearing the end of Ayyubid rule, in 1280, the modern town of al-Bireh was an inhabited village. The Ayyubids built a mosque
in the town dedicated to Umar ibn al-Khattab adjacent to the church ruins.
Until 1917, the city served as a political and administrative center for the Ottoman Empire
. On June 6, 1967, Israeli troops took control of the city during the Six-Day War
. In 1994, the civil administration of the city was turned over to the Palestinian National Authority
under the Oslo Accords
. Al-Bireh is the second largest center of Palestinian administration after Gaza. Besides the governor’s headquarters, it also hosts a considerable number of governmental, non-governmental, and private organizations, including the Ministries of Transportation, Supply, Information
, Public Works and Higher Education, as well as the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Due to its proximity with Ramallah, the towns form a single constituency for elections to the Palestinian National Authority.
, the town's residents numbered 2,920.
The 1997 census carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics counted 27,856 residents, of which the gender distribution was exactly half male and half female. The majority of the inhabitants were Palestinian refugee
s who made up 55.4% of the total population. According to the PCBS, in mid-year 2006, al-Bireh had a population of 39,538 inhabitants. In the 2007 PCBS census, there were 38,202 people living in the city.
Al-Bireh is inhabited by five major clan
s: Abed, Quraan, Hamayyel, Tawil, and Karakrah. Rafidi, a Christian
family, was accepted into the Tawil clan.
dissolved the council. They replaced it with the Civil Administration of Al-Bireh led by an Israeli officer. In 1986, Israel appointed a temporary council, but the municipal council
was established in 1996 by the Palestinian National Authority
(PNA) and consisted of 12 member with Sheikh Jamal al-Tawil as mayor.
In the Palestinian municipal elections, 2005 the Hamas
-backed Reform and Change List won 9 of the 15 seats, while independent lists won the remaining 6. The current and elected mayor is Umar Hammayil.
Al-Bireh, located in Area A, is under the complete control of the PNA.
settlement and the advocacy group Regavim petitioned the High Court of Justice to order the stadium's demolition on November 2, citing concerns that "10,000 inflamed Palestinians would rise up after a soccer game" and throw stones at Psagot.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
city adjacent to Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
in the central West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Jerusalem. It is situated on the central ridge running through the West Bank and is 860 metres (2,821.5 ft) above sea level, covering an area of 22.4 square kilometres (8.6 sq mi). Its name means “Water Well,” and is believed to be derived from the biblical Beeroth.
Because of its location al-Bireh served as an economic crossroad between the north and south, along the caravan route between Jerusalem and Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is the statistical organization under the umbrella of the Palestinian Cabinet of the Palestinian National Authority....
(PCBS), the town had a population of approximately 39,538 inhabitants in mid-year 2006.
History
Al-Bireh has been identified as the Biblical Be'erothBeeroth (north)
Beeroth was a Biblical town seven miles northwest of Jerusalem.The town was an ancient Hivite settlement, and is mentioned in Joshua 9:17, 18:25, 2 Samuel 4:2, Ezra 2:25 and Nehemiah 7:29....
. It belonged to the Jewish Tribe of Benjamin
Tribe of Benjamin
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BCE, the Tribe of Benjamin was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes...
.(Information is probably False or Inaccurate) It is mentioned by Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is a Christian church father, best known for translating the Bible into Latin.Saint Jerome may also refer to:*Jerome of Pavia , Bishop of Pavia...
who described it as "a large village on the way to Emmaus
Emmaus
Emmaus was an ancient town located approximately northwest of present day Jerusalem...
(Imwas
Imwas
Imwas was a Palestinian Arab village located southeast of the city of Ramla and from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank. Often identified with the biblical Emmaus, over the course of two millennia, Imwas was intermittently inhabited and was ruled by the Romans , Arab caliphates,...
), 7 miles from Jerusalem."
The Crusader
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
s captured and named the town Birra. They built a castle, church and hospice there. The latter two buildings were built by the Templars in 1146 and belonged to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
. The Ayyubids under Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
drove away the Crusaders from Birra when they reconquered interior Palestine after the Battle of Hittin in 1187, and completely demolished the town. Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yāqūt ibn-'Abdullah al-Rūmī al-Hamawī) was an Islamic biographer and geographer renowned for his encyclopedic writings on the Muslim world. "al-Rumi" refers to his Greek descent; "al-Hamawi" means that he is from Hama, Syria, and ibn-Abdullah is a reference to his father's name, Abdullah...
mentions seeing the ruins a few times during his travels in the area. Nearing the end of Ayyubid rule, in 1280, the modern town of al-Bireh was an inhabited village. The Ayyubids built a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in the town dedicated to Umar ibn al-Khattab adjacent to the church ruins.
Until 1917, the city served as a political and administrative center for the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. On June 6, 1967, Israeli troops took control of the city during the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
. In 1994, the civil administration of the city was turned over to the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
under the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
. Al-Bireh is the second largest center of Palestinian administration after Gaza. Besides the governor’s headquarters, it also hosts a considerable number of governmental, non-governmental, and private organizations, including the Ministries of Transportation, Supply, Information
Information Minister of the Palestinian National Authority
The Information Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the minister in charge of election polls, media and has a role in advising the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority...
, Public Works and Higher Education, as well as the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Due to its proximity with Ramallah, the towns form a single constituency for elections to the Palestinian National Authority.
Population
In a 1922 survey by the British Mandate, al-Bireh had a population of 1,479, rising to 2,292 inhabitants in the 1931 census. In a 1945 land and population survey by Sami HadawiSami Hadawi
Sami Hadawi was a Palestinian scholar and author. He is known for documenting the effects of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on the Arab population in Palestine and published statistics for individual villages prior to Israel's establishment. Hadawi worked as a land specialist until he was exiled from...
, the town's residents numbered 2,920.
The 1997 census carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics counted 27,856 residents, of which the gender distribution was exactly half male and half female. The majority of the inhabitants were Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
s who made up 55.4% of the total population. According to the PCBS, in mid-year 2006, al-Bireh had a population of 39,538 inhabitants. In the 2007 PCBS census, there were 38,202 people living in the city.
Lineage
The vast majority of today's al-Bireh non-refugee inhabitants descend from the ancient Palestinian-Canaanites who mixed with Arabs from the Bani Umar tribe when they came to Palestine in late 16th-century.Al-Bireh is inhabited by five major clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
s: Abed, Quraan, Hamayyel, Tawil, and Karakrah. Rafidi, a Christian
Palestinian Christian
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic , Protestant, and others...
family, was accepted into the Tawil clan.
Government
Al-Bireh established a city council headed by mayor Eid Musa in 1928 under the British Mandate. Eight other mayors took office either through elections or government appointments following Musa, until 1982, when IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
dissolved the council. They replaced it with the Civil Administration of Al-Bireh led by an Israeli officer. In 1986, Israel appointed a temporary council, but the municipal council
Municipality (Palestinian Authority)
In the territories administrated by the Palestinian Authority, a municipality is an administrative unit of local government similar to a city. They were established and decided after the creation of the Local Government Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994. All municipalities are...
was established in 1996 by the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
(PNA) and consisted of 12 member with Sheikh Jamal al-Tawil as mayor.
In the Palestinian municipal elections, 2005 the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-backed Reform and Change List won 9 of the 15 seats, while independent lists won the remaining 6. The current and elected mayor is Umar Hammayil.
Al-Bireh, located in Area A, is under the complete control of the PNA.
Stadium
The the 7,000-seat Majed Ass'ad or Al Bireh International Stadium was completed in 2010; originally constructed in 1996, it was upgraded to international standards from 2006 to 2010 at a cost of €3 million. The work was funded by France, the German Development Bank, the UN Development Agency, and FIFA. Construction was halted by the Israeli Supreme Planning Council on November 1, 2009, but resumed in late December. The PsagotPsagot
Psagot is a communal Israeli settlement in the West Bank located north of Jerusalem on Tawil hill adjacent to Ramallah, al-Bireh, and Kokhav Ya'akov. Psagot, established in 1981, falls under the jurisdiction of Binyamin Regional Council, with the council's headquarters located there...
settlement and the advocacy group Regavim petitioned the High Court of Justice to order the stadium's demolition on November 2, citing concerns that "10,000 inflamed Palestinians would rise up after a soccer game" and throw stones at Psagot.