Aqabat Jaber

Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Aqabat Jaber


imgsize=250
caption=
arname=مخيّم عقبة جبر
meaning=
founded=
type=munc
typefrom=
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=
governorate=jr
latd=31|latm=50|lats=17.00|latNS=N
longd=35|longm=26|longs=30.20|longEW=E
population=6,523
popyear=2007
area=
areakm=
mayor="Aqabat Jaber"' ( _ar. مخيّم عقبة جبر) is a Palestinian refugee camp in the Jericho Governorate in the eastern West Bank situated in the Jordan Valley, located 3 kilometers southwest of Jericho.

History

Aqabat Jaber was established in 1948 on 1,688 dunams of arid land near the Dead Sea. Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War, the number of registered Palestinian refugees totaled around 30,000. During and after the hostilities, the majority of refugees fled the camp and crossed the Jordan River. Following the signing of the Cairo Agreement in 1994, the camp came under the control of the Palestinian National Authority. [http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/westbank/aqabatjabr.html Aqabat Jabr] United Nations Relief and Works Agency 2005-03-01.]

Today, Aqabat Jaber has a small population of only 5,566 registered refugees. Non-refugees have moved onto the camp's lands and built illegal homes.

Water availability

Water scarcity is a major problem in this desert area, especially during the summer. The UNRWA is able to provide some water to the camp by pumping it from a nearby spring. However, the Israeli water company Mekerot is the main supplier of water to the camp.

References