Hebron

:This article is about the place in the Middle East. For other uses of the name, see Hebron (disambiguation).

History

Hebron is one of most ancient cities in the Middle East, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and was an ancient Canaanite royal city. According to archeological findings it was probably founded in the 35th century BC. 18th century BC. It is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. In particular, a cave near it, called the Cave of the Patriarchs ( Arabic:المسجد الإبراهيمي, Hebrew: ma'arat ha-machpela), is the place Jews believe is the place where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah are buried. This cave is considered holy by both Jews and Muslims, and is the second holiest site in Judaism. Part of the structure is used by the Muslims as a mosque, as Muslims also revere the site as the burial place of Abraham. According to the Bible, after the settlement of the Israelites in the area, Hebron became one of the principle centers of the Tribe of Judah, and the Judahite David was anointed King of Israel in Hebron and reigned in the city until the capture of Jerusalem, when the capital was moved to that city. It was also one of the six Biblical Cities of Refuge. Herod the Great built the current structure over the Cave of the Patriarchs and Byzantine emperor Justinian I had turned it into a church in the sixth century CE which was later destroyed by the Sassanids.

Related Topics:
Middle East - Canaanite - 35th century BC - 18th century BC - Cave of the Patriarchs - Abraham - Sarah - Isaac - Rebekah - Jacob - Leah - Jews - Muslims - Tribe of Judah - David - Jerusalem - Biblical - Cities of Refuge - Herod the Great - Byzantine emperor - Justinian I - Sixth century CE - Sassanid

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The Islamic rule of Hebron started in 638. It lasted until the Crusaders occupied Hebron in 1099. They called the city Abraham. Then the name changed back to Hebron after their defeat by Saladin in 1187. Mamluks took control of Hebron until 1516, when it fell under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. In 1831, Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt took over Hebron until 1840.

Related Topics:
638 - Crusaders - 1099 - Saladin - 1187 - Mamluks - 1516 - Ottoman Empire - 1831 - Ibrahim Pasha - 1840

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In December 1917 and during World War I, the British occupied Hebron. The city suffered the worst effects of the riots that shook Palestine in 1929, with some 67 Jews massacred and many others wounded by their Muslim neighbors. It remained as a part of the British mandate until 1948. In 1949, Jordan took over the control of Hebron and the rest of the West Bank; after the Six Day War, in June 1967, Hebron and the rest of the West Bank fell under Israeli control (See Occupation of the Palestinian territories). Since early 1997 the city has been divided into two sectors: H1 and H2. H1 part of the town has been controlled by the Palestinian Authority, in accordance with Hebron Protocol http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/c7d7b824004ff5c585256ae700543ebc?OpenDocument. After the massacre of Muslims at prayer by Baruch Goldstein in 1994, an international unarmed observer force - the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) was established in order to maintain a buffer between the Palestinian Arab population and Jews residing in the ancient Jewish quarter.

Related Topics:
World War I - Riots that shook Palestine in 1929 - 1948 - Jordan - West Bank - Six Day War - 1967 - Occupation of the Palestinian territories - 1997 - Palestinian Authority - Baruch Goldstein - 1994 - Temporary International Presence in Hebron

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