Al 'Arish
Encyclopedia
Arish or el-Arīsh is the capital and largest city (with 114,900 inhabitants ) of the Egyptian governorate
of North Sinai, lying on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai
peninsula, 344 kilometres (213.8 mi) northeast of Cairo
. Al `Arīsh is distinguished by its clear blue water, widespread fruitful palmy wood on its coast, and its soft white sand. It has a marina
, and many luxury hotels.
The city also has some of the faculties of Suez Canal University
.
El Arish is by a big valley
called the Wadi el Arish, which receives flash flood
water from much of north and central Sinai.
The city grew around a Bedouin
settlement near the ancient Ptolemaic Dynasty
outpost of Rhinocolura
. In the Middle Ages
, pilgrims misidentified the site as the Sukkot
of the Bible
. Arīsh means "palm huts" in Arabic
.
New fortifications were constructed at the original site by the Ottoman Empire
in 1560. During the Napoleonic Wars
, the French
laid siege to the fort, which fell after 11 days on February 19, 1799. The fort was destroyed by British
bombers during World War I
. It was also the location of the 45th Stationary Hospital which treated casualties of the WWI Palestine campaign. The remains of those who died there were alter moved to Kantara Cemetery.
On December 8, 1958, an air battle occurred between Egyptian and Israeli air forces over Al Ariesh.
El Arish was under military occupation by Israel from 1967 to 1979 and briefly in 1956. It was returned to Egypt in 1979 after the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. An increasingly popular tourist destination, El Arish is situated at 31°07′N 33°48′E.
. The construction of the northern coast high way in Egypt (North Sinai part) is expected to be finished by 2008 linking Qantara at Suez Canal (in the west) to Gaza strip border passing by Al Arish. The railway line from Cairo is also under re-construction and it recently reached the "Ser and Qawarir zone" west of Al 'Arish. This route was formerly part of the Palestine Railway built during World War I
and World War II
to connect Egypt with Turkey. The railway was cut during the formation of Israel. The North Sinai is a milestone for the Egyptian government planners to re-distribute the high-density population in the Delta, and it is expected that by accomplishing the transportation and irrigation projects, 3 million Egyptians will settle in North Sinai.
Governorates of Egypt
Egypt is divided for administrative purposes into 27 governorates . Egyptian governorates are the top tier of the country's five-tier jurisdiction hierarchy. A governorate is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Egypt and serves at the president's discretion...
of North Sinai, lying on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
peninsula, 344 kilometres (213.8 mi) northeast of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. Al `Arīsh is distinguished by its clear blue water, widespread fruitful palmy wood on its coast, and its soft white sand. It has a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, and many luxury hotels.
The city also has some of the faculties of Suez Canal University
Suez Canal University
The Suez Canal University is an Egyptian university serving the Suez Canal area, having its faculties divided among the Suez Canal governerates . It was established in 1976. It is notable for its non-classic research...
.
El Arish is by a big valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
called the Wadi el Arish, which receives flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
water from much of north and central Sinai.
History
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
settlement near the ancient Ptolemaic Dynasty
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
outpost of Rhinocolura
Rhinocorura
Rhinocorura or Rhinocolura was the name of a region and associated town and rivers lying between Ancient Egypt and the Land of Israel. The name may refer explicitly to:...
. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, pilgrims misidentified the site as the Sukkot
Sukkot (place)
The name Sukkot appears in a number of places in the Hebrew Bible as a location:* An Egyptian Sukkot is the second of the stations of the Exodus. Pharaoh orders the Israelites to leave Egypt, and they journey from their starting point at Rameses to Succoth...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Arīsh means "palm huts" in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
New fortifications were constructed at the original site by 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...
in 1560. During the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
laid siege to the fort, which fell after 11 days on February 19, 1799. The fort was destroyed by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bombers during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was also the location of the 45th Stationary Hospital which treated casualties of the WWI Palestine campaign. The remains of those who died there were alter moved to Kantara Cemetery.
On December 8, 1958, an air battle occurred between Egyptian and Israeli air forces over Al Ariesh.
El Arish was under military occupation by Israel from 1967 to 1979 and briefly in 1956. It was returned to Egypt in 1979 after the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. An increasingly popular tourist destination, El Arish is situated at 31°07′N 33°48′E.
Transport
The city is served by El Arish International AirportEl Arish International Airport
El Arish International Airport is an airport near El Arish, Egypt.- Operations :The airport is home to Palestinian Airlines however the airline has not been operational since 2000. It is the closest airport to the Gaza Strip. The airline relocated to this airport after Yasser Arafat International...
. The construction of the northern coast high way in Egypt (North Sinai part) is expected to be finished by 2008 linking Qantara at Suez Canal (in the west) to Gaza strip border passing by Al Arish. The railway line from Cairo is also under re-construction and it recently reached the "Ser and Qawarir zone" west of Al 'Arish. This route was formerly part of the Palestine Railway built during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to connect Egypt with Turkey. The railway was cut during the formation of Israel. The North Sinai is a milestone for the Egyptian government planners to re-distribute the high-density population in the Delta, and it is expected that by accomplishing the transportation and irrigation projects, 3 million Egyptians will settle in North Sinai.
External links
- Falling Rain Genomics, Inc. - Al `Arish, Egypt