Beit Jala

Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Beit Jala


imgsize=
caption=
arname=بيت جالا
meaning=Carpet of Grass
founded=
type=munb
typefrom=
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=Bayt Jala
governorate=bl
latd=31|latm=42|lats=53.82|latNS=N
longd=35 |longm=11|longs=13.60|longEW=E
population=16,690
popyear=2006
area=12,911
areakm=13.0
mayor=Raji George Jadallah Zeidan

Beit Jala (Arabic: Audio|ArBeitJala.ogg|بيت جالا (lit. Aramaic 'grass carpet') is a Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Beit Jala is located 10 km south of Jerusalem, on the western side of the Hebron road, opposite Bethlehem, at m to ft|825 altitude. In 1997, Beit Jala had 12,239 inhabitants, predominantly Christian Palestinians with a Muslim minority, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

Economy

3,500 acres (14 km²) of land are planted with olives, grapes and other crops. Cremisan Cellars, located in the Cremisan monastery, is an important local winemaker. Beit Jala is famous for its olive wood souvenirs. Other economic branches are tobacco, textiles, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Fact|date=June 2008

Local infrastructure

Hospitals and health care

Beit Jala has a hospital and three societies for the disabled: the Bethelehem Arab Society, [ [http://www.basr.org Bethlehem Arab Society] ] Lifegate Rehabilitation [ [http://www.lifegate-reha.de/english/index/e_index.html Lifegate Rehabilitation] ] and House Jemima, [ [http://www.jemima.nl/eng House Jemima] ] a Dutch-founded home and daycare-center for children with mental disabilities.

chools and churches

Beit Jala is home to educational institutions run by a variety of Christian denominations. A Russian Orthodox school was established in 1870. The Latin Patriarchate Seminary, which supervises religious liturgical education in the Jerusalem Patriarchate, moved to Beit Jala in 1936. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the West Bank runs the Talitha Kumi School, which is closely linked to the German Lutheran community. The school runs an environmental education program and operates the only bird-ringing station in the Palestinian sector.The Beit Jala skyline is dominated by six churches and two mosques. The Church of the Virgin Mary is the oldest church and the Church of Saint Nicholas is regarded as the most important. According to tradition, St. Nicholas spent four years in the Holy Land. Both of these churches are Orthodox Christian.

Conflicts

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Following a Israel Defense Forces reprisal raid in Beit Jala in 1952, that resulted in the deaths of seven civilians, a complaint was lodged that Israel had violated the General Armistice agreement. The United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation issued a condemnation of Israel for breaching the agreement. [ [http://ia301304.us.archive.org/3/items/violenttrucearab006617mbp/violenttrucearab006617mbp.pdf E H Hutchison “Violent Truce”] A Military Observer Looks at the Arab-Israeli Conflict 1951 1955]

During the Second Intifada, Tanzim militants used Beit Jala as a base for shooting at the Jewish neighborhood of Gilo, which is located on an hilltop directly across from it, on land allegedly confiscated from Beit Jala, Beit Safafa and Sharafat. [http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1025 "One more Obstacle to Peace": A new Israeli Neighborhood on the lands of Jerusalem city] Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem, 10 March 2007] [http://www.israelinsider.com/views/articles/views_0124.htm "Is Beit Jala burning?"] Inside Israel, 4 September 2001] According to some Israeli journalists, the gunmen positioned themselves in or near Christian homes and churches in the knowledge that a slight deviation in Israeli return fire would harm Christian buildings. [Associated Press, as reported in Yoram Ettinger, "The Islamization of Bethlehem by Arafat," Jerusalem Cloakroom #117, Ariel Center for Policy Research, December 25, 2001.]

Government

In the 2005 municipal election, 6 seats went to the United Beit Jala list (Fatah and Palestinian People's Party), 5 seats went to Sons of the Land (PFLP and independents), one seat went to Independent Beit Jala Group and one candidate was elected as an independent. The most popular candidate was Raji George Jadallah Zeidan of United Jala with 2,892 votes, followed by Nadir Antoun Issa Abu Amsha of Sons of the Land with 1764 votes. [ [http://www.elections.ps/pdf/Municipal_Elections_Results_EN_(2).pd Municipal Election results] ]

Sports

Arab Orthodox Club (Basketball, Football)

The Beit Jala Lions is a rugby club active in Beit Jalla. Fact|date=October 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.BeitJala-city.org/ Official Site of Beit Jala City]
* [http://www.talithakumi.org Talitha Kumi School]
* [http://www.jemima.nl/eng House Jemima]
* [http://www.lifegate-reha.de/english/index/e_index.html Lifegate Rehabilitation]
* [http://www.basr.org Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation]
* [http://www.nativityhotel.com Nativity Hotel in Beit Jala]
* [http://www.alharah.org Al-Harah Theater] the only theater in the Bethlehem area.