Deir al-Balah

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This article is about a Palestinian city, for the nearby refugee camp see Deir el-Balah camp.

Deir el-Balah
Arabic	دير البلح
Government	City
Also Spelled	Deir al-Balah (officially) Dayr al-Balah (unofficially)
Governorate	Deir al-Balah
Population	62,000 (2006)
Jurisdiction	dunams
Head of Municipality	Ahmad Kurd

Deir el-Balah or Dayr al-Balah (Arabic: دير البلح‎) is located in the central Gaza Strip and is the capital or muhfaza (seat) of the Deir el-Balah Governorate. It well-known for its beaches and date palms. Recent archeological excavations uncovered a cemetery dating back to the late Bronze Age filled with pottery, tombs, bronze pots and a mosaic floor. A monastery was built in Deir al-Balah by St. Helena in 372 AD.

Deir el-Balah is a Hamas stronghold in terms of general support and legislative membership. Of the city's council seats 13 of the 15 were won by Hamas candidates in February of 2005.^[1] The city elected a Hamas member, Ahmad Kurd as mayor in late January 2005.^[2] The city has been a frequent target of Israeli incursions since the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2001, in part due to Qassam rocket-strikes.^[3][4][5]

Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Income 4 Al-Aqsa Intifada 5 Mayors 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links and references

[edit] History

During the Crusader period in 1149, Deir al-Balah or Darum became a stronghold of the Templar Knights and the Knights Hospitaller from Jerusalem, led by King Baldwin III.^[6] Forts were built in Deir al-Balah that were used as a base from which to attack the Fatimid forces who had withdrawn from Gaza and established independent rule in Ascalon.^[6] By the end of 1170, Saladin’s army had arrived, entering Palestine through Darum, now known as Deir al-Balah. ^[6]

The tug-of-war between the Crusaders and various Cairo-based Muslim forces continued.^[6] After the Ayyubids were overthrown by the Mamluks from within the palace walls in Cairo, Deir al-Balah came under Mamluk rule from 1250 to 1517.^[6] Regular mail routes run by mounted messengers with colored sashes were introduced from Cairo to Gaza via the towns of Rafah, Wadi as-Salqa, al-Darum (Deir al-Balah), Malkas, Bayt Jibrin, Beit Hanoun, Beit Daras, Qatra, Lydda, Auja, Tira, Qatoun, Fahmah and Jenin, and from there to Damascus.^[6] Roads, bridges, postal stations and khans were built to accommodate the messengers.^[6] Pigeon mail service was introduced for which towers were built.^[6] Produce available in this time period in Deir al-Balah included barley, wheat, grapes and grape leaves, olives, raspberries, lemons, figs, sweet melons, pomegranates and dates.^[6]

[edit] Demographics

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2005, Deir el-Balah had a population of 47,938 in which 24,061 were males and 23,877 were females. The Deir el-Balah camp had a total population of 19,534 refugees in June 2006.^[7] The city and its governorate became completely Muslim after the withdrawal of the Israeli settlement of Kfar Darom.

[edit] Income

The working population in Deir el-Balah was 24,304 in 2005, the vast majority being paid employees. Most workers are involved in service shops and markets and trading hand-made crafts. The city has a fishing industry although it is very minor. The United States and United Kingdom have imposed economic sanctions on the Palestinian territories that has severely damaged Deir el-Balah's economy along with those of most cities in the Gaza Strip.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Al-Aqsa Intifada

The city has been a frequent target of Israeli incursions since the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2001, in part due to Qassam rocket-strikes.^[8][9][10]

In January 2004, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported that the Israel Defense Forces issued "written orders to 10 Palestinian families in Deir el-Balah ordering the confiscation of their land and homes located northeast of Kfar Darom settlement. According to the owners of these properties, Israeli soldiers informed them orally when they were handed the orders that the land will be used to establish additional Israeli security facilities. The total area subject to these confiscation orders is approximately 700 dunums."^[11]

The areas surrounding city has also been frequent targets of razing. On January 4, 2004, "Israeli bulldozers destroyed more than 50 dunums of land mostly cultivated with olive trees in Abu El-‘Ajen area east of Deir el-Balah city." Later on January 7, 2004, "Israeli bulldozers staged into Al-Hikr area south of Deir el-Balah city under heavy barrage of gunfire and razed 70 dunums of land cultivated with guava and orange owned by Abu Holy and Abu Reziq families."^[12]

The Applied Research Institute (Jerusalem) reported that on November 2, 2004, the "house of Hassan Abu Maghseb was dynamited after the IDF planted it with heavy explosive devices in Wadi el-Salqa area to the east of Deir el-Balah, displacing all of its dwellers."^[13]

[edit] Mayors

• Ahmad Kurd
• Sami Abu Salim

[edit] See also

• Palestinian refugee camps
• Palestinian territories

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links and references

• Gaza Refugee Camp Profiles, UNWRA, 31 March, 2006.
• Laborers in Deir Al Balah Governorate
• Projected Mid -Year Population for Deir Al- Balah Governorate by Locality 2004- 2006, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
• Sixty Israeli tanks break into Deir al-Balah, two Palestinians shot Arabic News.com
• Map of the Deir-al Balah Governorate
• Article on Washington Post

v • d • e Deir al-Balah Governorate Cities Deir al-Balah Municipalities az-Zawayda Village councils al-Musaddar · Wadi as-Salqa Refugee camps Bureij · Deir al-Balah camp · Maghazi · Nuseirat ·

v • d • e Cities in the Gaza Strip Beit Hanoun (بيت حانون)  ·   Beit Lahia (بيت لاهية)  ·   Deir el-Balah (دير البلح)  ·   Gaza (غزة)  ·   Jabalia (جباليا)  ·   Khan Yunis (خان يونس)  ·   Rafah (رفح)

v • d • e Palestinian exodus   ·   Palestinian refugees1   ·   UNRWA
Gaza Strip 986,034 refugees Jordan 1,827,877 refugees Lebanon 404,170 refugees Syria 432,048 refugees West Bank 699,817 refugees Beach camp, 76,109 Bureij, 30,059 Deir al-Balah camp, 20,188 Jabalia, 103,646 Khan Yunis, 60,662 Maghazi, 22,536 Nuseirat, 64,233 Rafah camp, 90,638 Amman New Camp, 29,805 Baqa'a, 80,100 Husn, 19,573 Irbid, 23,512 Jabal el-Hussein , 27,674 Jerash, 15,696 Marka, 41,237 Souf, 14,911 Talbieh, 4,041 Zarqa, 17,344 Beddawi, 15,695 Burj el-Barajneh, 19,526 Burj el-Shemali, 18,134 Dbayeh, 4,223 Dikwaneh, destroyed Ein el-Hilweh, 44,133 El-Buss, 9,840 Jisr el-Basha, destroyed Mar Elias, 1,406 Mieh Mieh, 5,078 Nabatieh camp, destroyed in 1973 Nahr el-Bared, 28,358 Rashidieh, 24,679 Sabra Shatila, 11,998 Tel al-Zaatar, destroyed in 1976 Wavel, 7,357 Dera'a, 5,916 Dera'a (Emergency), 5,536 Hama, 7,597 Homs, 13,825 Jaramana, 5,007 Khan Dunoun, 8,603 Khan Eshieh, 15,731 Neirab, 17,994 Qabr Essit, 16,016 Sbeineh, 19,624 Latakia, 6,534 Yarmouk, 112,550 Ein Al-Tal, 4,329 Abu Dis Aida, 3,260 Am'ari, 8,083 Aqabat Jabr, 5,197 Arroub, 9,180 Askar, 13,894 Azaa, 1,828 Balata, 20,681 Deir Ammar, 2,189 Dheisheh, 10,923 Ein Beit al-Ma', 6,221 Ein el-Sultan, 1,888 Far'a, 6,836 Fawwar, 7,072 Jalazone, 9,284 Jenin, 14,050 Kalandia, 9,188 Nur Shams, 8,179 Shu'fat camp, 9,567 Tulkarm, 16,259
1The UNRWA definition of a "Palestinian refugee" is a person "whose normal place of residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948, who lost both their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict." "UNRWA's definition of a refugee also covers the descendants of persons who became refugees in 1948." (UNRWA)