- Beit Lahia
Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Beit Lahia
imgsize=
caption=
arname=بيت لاهيا
meaning="house of fatigue"
founded=
type=muna
typefrom=
altOffSp=Bayt Lahiya
altUnoSp=
governorate=ng
latd=31|latm=33|lats=14.04|latNS=N
longd=34 |longm=30|longs=04.97|longEW=E
population=59,540
popyear=2006
area=
areakm=
mayor=Beit Lahia ( _ar. بيت لاهيا) is a city located north of
Jabalia , nearBeit Hanoun and the 1949 Armistice Line withIsrael . According to thePalestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the city had a population of 59,540 in mid-year 2006. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/populati/pop12.aspx Projected Mid -Year Population] forNorth Gaza Governorate by Locality 2004- 2006Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics ]Hamas , an Islamic party, took control of it during the 2005 municipal elections.The word “Lahia” is
Syriac and means “desert” or “fatigue”. It is surrounded by sand dunes, some rise to convert|55|m|ft|0|abbr=on abovesea level . The area is renowned for its many largesycamore fig trees. The city is known for its fresh, sweet water, berries and citrus trees. It has an ancient hill and nearby abandoned village ruins. Amihrab , or mosque alcove indicating the direction ofsalaah (prayer), is all that remains of an ancient mosque to the west of Beit Lahia dating to the end of theFatamid period and beginning of theAyyubid Dynasty ofSaladin , and two other mosques dating to the Ottoman period. [ [http://www.mideasttravelling.net/palestine/gaza/gaza_culture.htm Beit Lahaia] Municipality of Gaza.]Israeli-Palestinian conflict
2005 killings
On
January 4 2005 sevencivilian residents of Beit Lahia, including six members of the same family, were killed when an IDF tank shell hit the agricultural area where they were working.2006 killings
On
June 9 ,2006 , eight civilians were killed while picnicking on the northern Gazan beach in Beit Lahia. The dead included seven members of the Ali Ghaliya family. [The Guardian : [http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1794536,00.html Death on the beach: seven Palestinians killed as Israeli shells hit family picnic] , June 10, 2006]External links
* [http://www.pnic.gov.ps/english/tourism/tour14.html Palestinian National Information Centre]
References
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