Jabalia
Encyclopedia
Jabalia also Jabalya is a Palestinian
city located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Gaza City
. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Gaza Governorate
, in the Gaza Strip
. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
, Jabalia had a population of 82,877 in mid-year 2006. The Jabalia refugee camp is adjacent to the city to the North.
dating to the 8th century BC was found near Jabalia. The workmanship indicates that the Christian community in Gaza
was still very much in existence in the early Islam
ic era of rule in Palestine
, and capable of artistic achievements. The remains of the pavement spared by the iconoclasts show depictions of wild game, birds and country scenes. The late dating of the mosaic pavement proves that the intervention of the iconoclasts, after 750, is later than previously thought and is associated with Abbasid
conservatives.
While working on the Salah ad-Din Road, laborers accidentally uncovered a monastery from the Byzantine period. The site was excavated by the Palestinian Department of Antiquities. Now the stunning Byzantine mosaics of the monastery are covered with sand to shield them from erosion caused by the direct impact of the winter rain.
Jabalia was known for its fertile soil and citrus
trees. The Mamluk
ruler Alam al-Din Sanjar al-Jawli ruled the area in the 14th century and donated land for the Omeri Mosque
that anchors the village. No structures from the ancient part of the mosque remain, except the portico
and minaret
. The rest of the mosque is of modern construction. The portico consists of three arcade
s supported by four stone column
s. The arcades have pointed arches and the portico is covered by crossing vaults.
In late 2006 it was the scene of a mass protest against Israeli attacks when a large number of people formed a human shield to protect a house which was about to be demolished by Israel
forces.
Residents celebrated in the streets after prayers, urged on by the imam over the loudspeakers of the mosque, when news came of the August 2010 West Bank shooting
.
is the reason why pseudohermaphrodite births are relatively prevalent. Because Gaza has a lower standard of medical care than many places in the Western world
, pseudohermaphrodite conditions often go undetected for years after the births occur.
with the following:
Groningen in Netherlands
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 located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Gaza City
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Gaza Governorate
North Gaza Governorate
The North Gaza Governorate is one of 16 Governorates of the Palestinian National Authority in the Gaza Strip which is administered by the Palestinian National Authority aside from its border with Israel, airspace and maritime territory...
, in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. 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....
, Jabalia had a population of 82,877 in mid-year 2006. The Jabalia refugee camp is adjacent to the city to the North.
History
A large cemeteryCemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
dating to the 8th century BC was found near Jabalia. The workmanship indicates that the Christian community in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
was still very much in existence in the early Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic era of rule in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, and capable of artistic achievements. The remains of the pavement spared by the iconoclasts show depictions of wild game, birds and country scenes. The late dating of the mosaic pavement proves that the intervention of the iconoclasts, after 750, is later than previously thought and is associated with Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
conservatives.
While working on the Salah ad-Din Road, laborers accidentally uncovered a monastery from the Byzantine period. The site was excavated by the Palestinian Department of Antiquities. Now the stunning Byzantine mosaics of the monastery are covered with sand to shield them from erosion caused by the direct impact of the winter rain.
Jabalia was known for its fertile soil and citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
trees. The Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
ruler Alam al-Din Sanjar al-Jawli ruled the area in the 14th century and donated land for the Omeri 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...
that anchors the village. No structures from the ancient part of the mosque remain, except the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
. The rest of the mosque is of modern construction. The portico consists of three arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
s supported by four stone column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s. The arcades have pointed arches and the portico is covered by crossing vaults.
In late 2006 it was the scene of a mass protest against Israeli attacks when a large number of people formed a human shield to protect a house which was about to be demolished by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
forces.
Residents celebrated in the streets after prayers, urged on by the imam over the loudspeakers of the mosque, when news came of the August 2010 West Bank shooting
August 2010 West Bank shooting
The August 2010 West Bank shooting attack was an attack near Kiryat Arba, carried out by Hamas militants. Four Israeli settlers were killed after gunmen attacked their vehicle...
.
Demographics
Jabalia has a higher than average rate of male pseudohermaphrodite births. A Canadian-Palestinian pediatrician and urologist named Jehad Abudaia said that inbreedingInbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
is the reason why pseudohermaphrodite births are relatively prevalent. Because Gaza has a lower standard of medical care than many places in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
, pseudohermaphrodite conditions often go undetected for years after the births occur.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Jabalia is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with the following:
Groningen in Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...