Ein as-Sultan
Encyclopedia
'ʿEin as-Sulṭān also'ʿAin Sulṭān Camp is a village and Palestinian
refugee camp in the Jericho Governorate
in the eastern West Bank
situated in the Jordan Valley
, located 1 kilometers north-west of Jericho
near the spring ʿEin as-Sulṭān. ʿEin as-Sulṭān had a population of over 1,469 inhabitants in mid-year 2006. In 1997, refugee
s constituted 81% of the population.
ʿEin as-Sulṭān camp was established in 1948, on 870 dunums of arid land below the Mount of Temptation
. Just before the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, the camp had accommodated some 20,000 refugees. During the hostilities the majority of the refugees fled across the Jordan River to Jordan
.
In 1987 the authorities tried to expel as many of the refugees as they could. The US reports state that the refugees were suffering from "deteriorating economic circumstances".
Today, ʿEin Sulṭān has a small population of only 1,732 registered refugees. Some non-refugees have moved onto the camp's lands and built illegal homes as there is over-crowding and Israel authorities controls the issuing of building permits.
The Crusaders improved the water mills at Ein as Sultan to crush sugar cane in tawahin es-sukkar (sugar mills) and exported the sugar to Jerusalem. The Crusaders are credited with introducing sugarcane
production to the city.
and Ayn al Duyuk were utilised during the Roman occupation for irrigation to cultivate the land. After 1975 the water from the spring Ein as-Sultan, was collected in 4 small basins. UNRWA supplies Ein Sultan with water by pumping it from a nearby spring. The out fall of spring is close to Tell el-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho. During the summer months, water shortages in the camp cause tremendous hardship for the refugees. However, the Israel
i water company Mekorot
has become the main supplier of water to the camp after Israel took control of water sources.
Following the signing of the Cairo Agreement
in 1994 and Israeli army redeployment, the camp came under the control of the Palestinian National Authority
.
In 2002, two stories were added to Ein Sultan School, including a new library, multi-purpose room, additional three class rooms and computer lab.
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...
refugee camp in the Jericho Governorate
Jericho Governorate
The Jericho Governorate is one of 16 Governorates of the Palestinian National Authority within the Palestinian territories. It is located along the eastern areas of the West Bank, along the northern Dead Sea and southern Jordan River valley bordering Jordan...
in the eastern 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...
situated in the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
, located 1 kilometers north-west of Jericho
Jericho
Jericho ; is a city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories. It is the capital of the Jericho Governorate and has a population of more than 20,000. Situated well below sea level on an east-west route north of the Dead Sea, Jericho is the lowest permanently...
near the spring ʿEin as-Sulṭān. ʿEin as-Sulṭān had a population of over 1,469 inhabitants in mid-year 2006. In 1997, 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 constituted 81% of the population.
History
The first permanent settlement built near ancient Jericho was by the Ein as-Sultan spring between 8000 and 7000 BC by an unknown people, and consisted of a number of walls, a religious shrine, and a 23-foot (7.0 m) tower with an internal staircase. After a few centuries, it was abandoned for a second settlement established in 6800 BC close by.ʿEin as-Sulṭān camp was established in 1948, on 870 dunums of arid land below the Mount of Temptation
Mount of Temptation
The Mount of Temptation was the hill in the Judean Desert where Jesus was tempted by the devil . The exact location is unknown, and impossible to determine. It is generally identified with Mount Quarantania, a mountain approximately 366 m high, located about north-west of the West Bank town of...
. Just before the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, the camp had accommodated some 20,000 refugees. During the hostilities the majority of the refugees fled across the Jordan River to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
In 1987 the authorities tried to expel as many of the refugees as they could. The US reports state that the refugees were suffering from "deteriorating economic circumstances".
Today, ʿEin Sulṭān has a small population of only 1,732 registered refugees. Some non-refugees have moved onto the camp's lands and built illegal homes as there is over-crowding and Israel authorities controls the issuing of building permits.
The Crusaders improved the water mills at Ein as Sultan to crush sugar cane in tawahin es-sukkar (sugar mills) and exported the sugar to Jerusalem. The Crusaders are credited with introducing sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
production to the city.
Water
Water scarcity is a major problem in this arid area, especially during the summer. The springs Ein as-Sultan, Ayn al-Nuway'miaAn-Nuway'imah
al-Nuway'imah is a Palestinian village in the Jericho Governorate in the eastern West Bank, located five kilometers north of Jericho. It is situated in a low elevation below sea level in the central Jordan Valley. The village contains one primary and secondary school. In 1945, the village's...
and Ayn al Duyuk were utilised during the Roman occupation for irrigation to cultivate the land. After 1975 the water from the spring Ein as-Sultan, was collected in 4 small basins. UNRWA supplies Ein Sultan with water by pumping it from a nearby spring. The out fall of spring is close to Tell el-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho. During the summer months, water shortages in the camp cause tremendous hardship for the refugees. However, the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i water company Mekorot
Mekorot
Mekorot is the national water company of Israel and the country's top agency for water management.Mekorot was founded in 1937. It supplies 90% of Israel's drinking water and 80% of its water supplies. The company runs 3,000 installations throughout the country for water supply, water quality,...
has become the main supplier of water to the camp after Israel took control of water sources.
Following the signing of the Cairo Agreement
Cairo agreement
The Cairo agreement or Cairo accord was an agreement reached on 2 November 1969 during talks between Yassir Arafat and the Lebanese army commander General Emile Bustani...
in 1994 and Israeli army redeployment, the camp came under the control of 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...
.
In 2002, two stories were added to Ein Sultan School, including a new library, multi-purpose room, additional three class rooms and computer lab.
External links
- Ein el-Sultan, articles from UNWRA