Hebron is a city in the southern West Bank located about 30 km south of Jerusalem. It is located in the Judaean Mountains, at an elevation of 930 metres. The city is full of culture, history, and sorrow. However, despite its tragic past, Hebron has a lot to offer tourists.
Hebron is a small but beautiful city
If you are interested in Palestinian culture and history, Hebron is a great place to visit. It has a vibrant market where you can purchase local handicrafts. It is also a good place to learn about the occupation of Palestine. The city is also home to two of Palestine’s major football clubs. The city’s airport is located in the Hussein Bin Ali stadium.
Hebron is an old city, and visitors can explore the remains of its ancient kings. It is located in the West Bank, 12 miles from the Green Line that separates the Palestinian territory from the new state of Israel. Since 1967, the city has been occupied by Jewish settlers.
The city is divided into two sections. There are around seventy percent Palestinians living here and around eighty percent Jewish settlers. In 1993, the Oslo Agreement, which ended the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, established a Palestinian Authority. Each group had its own terms for controlling the city.
When visiting Hebron, you should avoid taking a taxi from a Palestinian driver. Palestinian taxi drivers are not allowed to drive into the Jewish side of the city. However, if your driver is an international, it is okay to take a taxi into the Jewish part.
The city has a vibrant Jewish community and is home to around 750 Jews. There are a handful of synagogues and Jewish schools in the city. Despite its small size, the city has an important place in Jewish history. The city was once the home of the rabbi.
It is a city of history
The city of Hebron has a long history. Its ancient history dates back to the Bronze Age. Archaeology has revealed that the city was an important center during the Early Bronze Age. The city’s walls were twenty feet thick, and it was heavily fortified during this period. In the Middle Bronze Age, the city was even larger.
The city has a plethora of ancient sites, including the Cave of the Patriarchs. This ancient structure is said to contain the tombs of the biblical Patriarchs and Matriarchs. Another important historical site is the Tel Hevron archaeological site. Hebron is also home to the Tomb of Machpela, the most famous of the city’s historical sites. This ancient site attracts more than 700,000 visitors annually. The Tomb of the Patriarchs was originally closed to Jews, but it was opened to all after the Six-Day War. Today, the Upper Sanctuary and Cave of the Patriarchs are shared between Jewish and Muslim worshippers.
The Jewish community and the Palestinians have long coexisted in Hebron. Relations between the two groups were generally friendly until the 1929 massacre, when Baruch Goldstein shot 29 people, including two Palestinian children. The British then began the evacuation of the remaining Jews. After the massacre, negotiations took place between the two sides. In 1997, a Hebron protocol was signed, which handed over eighty percent of the city to the Palestinian Authority while leaving twenty percent under the control of the Israeli army. The signing of the protocol did not end the military rule of Hebron, but it did end the Israeli occupation.
Herod also invested in the Jewish holy sites. This is an interesting fact to note, as Herod identified Hebron as a Jewish town, and he treated it as such. He was the king of the Judean people, and it makes sense that he would want to identify with their identity.
It is a city of culture
Although it has a recent history of conflict, Hebron has continued to represent a rich cultural and historic heritage. It is home to the Cave of Machpelah, which pilgrims visit to offer their prayers. The city’s Old City also boasts some of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world. There are also several surviving Mamluk and Ottoman structures. In 2006, following the Six-Day War, Hebron became the site of a major clash between Israeli and Palestinian forces.
The old city of Hebron recently was recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. However, Israel, which regards the city as an Islamic city, opposes the decision. Israel believes the UNESCO decision contradicts the ancient Jewish connection to Hebron. The city’s Jewish settlers, who live in a fortified enclave near the mosque, described the decision as “ridiculous.”
The city of Hebron has an extensive Jewish history, dating back to the Old Testament. According to the Book of Numbers, Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian town of Zoan. In ancient times, the city was located on the site of Tel Rumeida. Hebron’s history is also linked to the Cave of Machpelah, a cave which Abraham purchased for 400 silver shekels. This was the first piece of land owned by the Jewish people in the Promised Land.
The city also has a rich history of religion. Before the Arab conquest in 638, Jews inhabited Hebron. The Arabs were generally tolerant, welcoming the Jews after the harsh Byzantine rule. The city’s Byzantine church was converted into a mosque.
It is a city of conflict
The city of Hebron is located in the West Bank. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has left it badly damaged and its citizens have fled. However, there are initiatives underway to rebuild the old city and rebuild the lives of the Palestinian residents. One such initiative is the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee. This group has been working tirelessly to rebuild the old city and rehabilitate the homes and schools of the Palestinian citizens.
In the early 20th century, Hebron was a largely Arab city. There was a small Jewish community mainly made up of seminarians and pious Jews. However, as conflict escalated in the area, the Jewish community moved out. In 1929, Arab riots killed 67 Jews in Hebron. The Jewish community eventually left the city after the Arab uprising in 1936-39. Fortunately, after the 1967 Six-Day War, Orthodox settlers resumed their presence in Hebron. Today, there are several Orthodox Jewish communities in and around the city. These communities were approved by the Israeli government in the 1970s.
Although the history of Hebron is a complex one, it can be understood as part of a larger pattern. The city’s colonial and religious history has a common thread – it’s a city of conflict. This history is similar to that of European colonial enterprises in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Hebron has endured decades of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. As a result, it has required the international community to step in to help restore the city and prevent further violence. Today, the city is divided into two parts, H1 and H2, with the Israelis occupying around 20% and the Palestinians holding the rest. This makes visiting both sides of the conflict possible.
