Beitin

Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Beitin


imgsize=250
caption=The ruins of al-Burj in Beitin, 1935
arname=بيتين
meaning=
founded=19th century
type=mund
typefrom=1996
altOffSp=Baytin
altUnoSp=Bittin
governorate=rb
latd=31|latm=55|lats=42.02|latNS=N
longd=35 |longm=14|longs=17.41|longEW=E
population=3,050
popyear=2006
area=
areakm=
mayor=Diab Yassin

Beitin ( _ar. بيتين) is a Palestinian town in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank, located five kilometers northeast of Ramallah along the Ramallah-Nablus road. It is surrounded by the Palestinian towns of Dura al-Qar' and Ein Yabrud to the north, Rammun to the east, Deir Dibwan to the southeast and al-Bireh to the southwest, as well as by the Israeli settlement of Beit El to the northwest.

There are several springs around Beitin and the town is well-known for its olives, almond, fig and especially its plum groves. [http://www.jmcc.org/palculture/sites.htm#beitin Beitin - Ramallah] Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre.]

History

Human settlement at the site of Beitin dates back to the Chalcolithic period. Archaeological excavations in 1950 uncovered flint tools, pottery and animal bones from that time. In the early Bronze Age, normally nomadic populations settled in the area. Canaanite tombs, houses and olive presses were discovered to the north and southeast of the village and by the Middle Bronze Age, Bethel was transformed from a village to a fortified Canaanite town. It is believed that this town was named "Luza" during this time period. The Jews, who later inhabited the village, referred to it as "Betheletou". [http://198.62.75.1/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/048discuss.html Luza, also Bethel - (Beitin)] Studium Biblicum Franciscanum - Jerusalem. 2000-12-19.]

Luza is associated with the Biblical town of Bethel. According to Christian tradition, Jacob encountered God in Luza and renamed the town "Bethel" or "house of God". However, according to a phrase by Josephus "weyatsai mibbet-iel luzah" ("from Bethel to Luza") Luza and Bethel were two distinct geographical sites.

Bethel held annual festivals on October 18, during its rule by the Byzantine Empire. At this time Bethel had a Eastern Orthodox Christian population and regularly received monks from the Sinai Peninsula, in particular Zosimas of Palestine. Bethel's church fell into ruin during sometime during after the Arabs under the Muslim Rashidun army conquered the area, but was rebuilt by the Crusaders in the 1100s.

After the Crusaders were defeated by the Muslim Ayyubid forces of Saladin in 1187, the church was destroyed and the village was soon abandoned. In the early 19th century, Bedouins from Jordan migrated to the site, inhabited it, built a mosque near the church's old site, [http://www.visitpalestine.ps/index.php?lang=en&page=sites.what_to_see.ramallah.bittin Visit Palestine: Bittin] Visit Palestine.] and renamed it "Beitin". Today, Beitin's entire population is Muslim. The Byzantine church exists as an ancient ruin in the town called "al-Muqater" or "Khirbet al-Kenise" ("Ruins of the Church") and is adjacent to a monastery. There is another ruin called "al-Burj" ("The Tower") in western Beitin — which is believed to be built on the site where Abraham built an altar. The tower was used as a watch tower by the Crusaders.

Demographics

In a 1922 British Mandate census, Beitin had a population of 446. [ [http://www.palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/Beitin_897/index.html Welcome to Beitin] PalestineRemembered.] In 1997, Palestinian refugees accounted for exactly 30% of the population which was 1,510 at the time. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/phc_97/ram_t6.aspx Palestinian Population by Locality and Refugee Status] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.] According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Beitin had a population of over 3,050 inhabitants in mid-year 2006. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/populati/pop07.aspx Projected Mid -Year Population for Ramallah & Al Bireh Governorate by Locality 2004- 2006] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)]

References