Al-Jiftlik
Encyclopedia
al-Jiftlik is a Palestinian
town in the West Bank
's Jordan Rift Valley
several kilometers from the Jordanian border. According to the PCBS
statistics for 2006, it was home to 4,401 and set on an area of 81,283 metric dunum
.
Jiftlik was established on the lands of the Abd-al-Hadi family from Nablus
, as well as on agricultural lands belonging to Tubas
for Palestinian refugees. It is located along the Wadi al-Far'a
.
The majority of the land in Al-Jiftlik belonged to Al Masaeed tribe, a powerful bedouin family whose land spanned from Damia on the east bank to the borders of Jericho on the west bank.
The town's name is derived from the Turkish word Chiflik
, the term for land tenure in the late Ottoman Empire
which was applied in this as in many other Ottoman locations. During the mandate period, there was a Tegart fort
known as the Jiftlik Police Post just west of the present village.
Jiftlik is designated as 'Area C' under the Oslo Accords
, meaning it is subject to Israeli military administration. Like several other villages in the Jordan Valley area, the village has in the past been subject to Israeli restrictions on construction and movement, which have been blamed in part for the lack of economic development. The village lacks electricity infrastructure, it has primary school managed by the UNRWA
with 950 students.
Jiftlik is within a few kilometers of the Israeli settlement
s Massua, Hamra
and Argaman
.
In the aftermath of Israel
's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War
, over 800 homes in Jiftlik were razed by the Israeli army and its 6,000 inhabitants were ordered to leave. Jiftlik's inhabitants, however, returned to the town.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
town in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
's Jordan Rift Valley
Jordan Rift Valley
The Jordan Rift Valley is an elongated depression located in modern-day Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. This geographic region includes the Jordan River, Jordan Valley, Hula Valley, Lake Tiberias and the Dead Sea, the lowest land elevation on Earth...
several kilometers from the Jordanian border. According to the PCBS
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is the statistical organization under the umbrella of the Palestinian Cabinet of the Palestinian National Authority....
statistics for 2006, it was home to 4,401 and set on an area of 81,283 metric dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
.
Jiftlik was established on the lands of the Abd-al-Hadi family from Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, as well as on agricultural lands belonging to Tubas
Tubas
Tubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
for Palestinian refugees. It is located along the Wadi al-Far'a
Wadi al-Far'a
Wadi al-Far'a is a Palestinian village in the Tubas Governorate in the northeastern West Bank located five kilometers southwest of Tubas. It has a land area of 12,000 dunams, of which 337 is built-up and 10,500 are for agricultural purposes. It is under the complete control of the Palestinian...
.
The majority of the land in Al-Jiftlik belonged to Al Masaeed tribe, a powerful bedouin family whose land spanned from Damia on the east bank to the borders of Jericho on the west bank.
The town's name is derived from the Turkish word Chiflik
Chiflik
Chiflik, or chiftlik , is a Turkish term for a system of land management in the Ottoman Empire. Before the chiflik system the Empire used a non-hereditary form of land management called the Timar System...
, the term for land tenure in the late Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
which was applied in this as in many other Ottoman locations. During the mandate period, there was a Tegart fort
Tegart fort
A Tegart fort is a style of militarized police "fortress" constructed throughout Palestine during the British Mandatory period.The forts are named after British police officer and engineer Sir Charles Tegart, who designed them in 1938 based on his experiences in the Indian insurgency.Tens of the...
known as the Jiftlik Police Post just west of the present village.
Jiftlik is designated as 'Area C' under the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, meaning it is subject to Israeli military administration. Like several other villages in the Jordan Valley area, the village has in the past been subject to Israeli restrictions on construction and movement, which have been blamed in part for the lack of economic development. The village lacks electricity infrastructure, it has primary school managed by the UNRWA
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a relief and human development agency, providing education, health care, social services and emergency aid to 5 million Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza...
with 950 students.
Jiftlik is within a few kilometers of the Israeli settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
s Massua, Hamra
Hamra, Bik'at HaYarden
Hamra is a moshav and Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the Jordan Valley and covering 3,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council...
and Argaman
Argaman
Argaman is a moshav and Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the Jordan Valley eight kilometres north of the Damia Bridge with an area of 4,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 166...
.
In the aftermath of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, over 800 homes in Jiftlik were razed by the Israeli army and its 6,000 inhabitants were ordered to leave. Jiftlik's inhabitants, however, returned to the town.