Bint Jbeil
Encyclopedia
Bint Jbeil is the second largest town in the Nabatiye Governorate
in Southern Lebanon
.
The town has an estimated population of 30,000. Its exact population is unknown, because Lebanon
has not conducted a population census
since 1932.
, which the Book of Joshua
describes as having been occupied by the Biblical Tribe of Naphtali
, was located in the vicinity.
According to some historians, the name of the town is derived from a Yemen
i name. They argue that the name is linked to Yemeni tribes that immigrated to the Levant
centuries ago from Yemeni towns such as Jibla
, Jabalan Al Ardaba, and Jabalan Al Raymah, or the two territories of the Jubail
lowland
and Jubail highland
. Other historians claim that the founders of Bint Jbeil were the Phoenicia
ns, who came from the northern Lebanese town of Jbeil (Byblos
); they may have been Shia Muslims escaping the Seljuk occupation of Byblos. Bint Jbeil literally means 'Daughter of Byblos
.'
The town is predominately inhabited by Shia Muslim
s (90%), though the surrounding area also has a significant Christian
(10%) minority . It has been the site of violent conflict on several occasions during the last century.
Bint Jbeil was occupied by Israel
in 1978 during Operation Litani
, and again from 1982 until 2000 during the 1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict
, during which time it was severely depopulated; as much as 75% of the population was reported to have left for other parts of Lebanon. It was the scene of occasional violent attacks on Israeli forces (that were occupying the Lebanese border regions of Israel), such as a deadly suicide car bombing carried out by a Hezbollah member on 25 April 1995. Hezbollah took control of the town following the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon.
As the largest town in the area, Bint Jbeil is sometimes known as the "Capital of the Liberated South" (among Lebanese Shi'ites), or the "Capital of Hezbollah" (among Israelis). It is considered one of the centers with symbolic history for Hezbollah. Under Lebanon's complicated system of sectarian electoral representation, Bint Jbeil's electoral district
is allocated 3 Shi'ite seats in the country's parliament. Hezbollah did well in the area in the 2005 elections in Lebanon
, winning the local seats to add to its nationwide tally of 14.
Bint Jbeil was again contested by Israeli and Hezbollah forces in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
, during which it suffered heavy damage (See Battle of Bint Jbeil
). Reconstruction as of early 2007 had been going very slowly, leading to reports of dissatisfaction among the residents. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the town in 2010 to show solidarity for Hezbollah and the local victims of Israel's attacks.
Nabatiye Governorate
Nabatieh Governorate is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. The area of this governorate is 1,058 km². The capital is Nabatieh.-Districts:The governorate is divided into four districts containing 115 municipalities...
in Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
.
The town has an estimated population of 30,000. Its exact population is unknown, because Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
has not conducted a population census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
since 1932.
History
The area around Bint Jbeil has been inhabited for millennia. Archaeologists have suggested that the ancient fortified city of En-hazorEn-hazor
En-hazor is a fortified settlement named in the Book of Joshua as part of the inheritance of Naphtali, distinct from Hazor. Its location has not been identified, though a number of possible sites have been proposed. Some archaeologists have suggested that it lay in the vicinity of the modern town...
, which the Book of Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
describes as having been occupied by the Biblical Tribe of Naphtali
Tribe of Naphtali
The Tribe of Naphtali was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes...
, was located in the vicinity.
According to some historians, the name of the town is derived from a Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i name. They argue that the name is linked to Yemeni tribes that immigrated to the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
centuries ago from Yemeni towns such as Jibla
Jibla
Jibla is a town in southwestern Yemen, close to Ibb. It is located at around , at the elevation of around 2,200 meters. The town and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List due to its purported universal cultural value....
, Jabalan Al Ardaba, and Jabalan Al Raymah, or the two territories of the Jubail
Jubail
Jubail , is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. It consists of the Old Town of Al Jubail, which was originally a small fishing village, up to 1975 and the new industrial area....
lowland
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
and Jubail highland
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
. Other historians claim that the founders of Bint Jbeil were the Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns, who came from the northern Lebanese town of Jbeil (Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
); they may have been Shia Muslims escaping the Seljuk occupation of Byblos. Bint Jbeil literally means 'Daughter of Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
.'
The town is predominately inhabited by Shia Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s (90%), though the surrounding area also has a significant Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
(10%) minority . It has been the site of violent conflict on several occasions during the last century.
Bint Jbeil was occupied by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1978 during Operation Litani
Operation Litani
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
, and again from 1982 until 2000 during the 1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict
1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict
The South Lebanon conflict refers to nearly 20 years of warfare between the Israel Defense Force and its Lebanese proxy militias and Lebanese Muslim guerrillas led by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah within what was defined by Israelis as the "Security Zone" in South Lebanon...
, during which time it was severely depopulated; as much as 75% of the population was reported to have left for other parts of Lebanon. It was the scene of occasional violent attacks on Israeli forces (that were occupying the Lebanese border regions of Israel), such as a deadly suicide car bombing carried out by a Hezbollah member on 25 April 1995. Hezbollah took control of the town following the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon.
As the largest town in the area, Bint Jbeil is sometimes known as the "Capital of the Liberated South" (among Lebanese Shi'ites), or the "Capital of Hezbollah" (among Israelis). It is considered one of the centers with symbolic history for Hezbollah. Under Lebanon's complicated system of sectarian electoral representation, Bint Jbeil's electoral district
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
is allocated 3 Shi'ite seats in the country's parliament. Hezbollah did well in the area in the 2005 elections in Lebanon
Elections in Lebanon
Elections in Lebanon gives information on election and election results in Lebanon.- Parliamentary electoral system :Lebanon's national legislature is called the Assembly of Representatives...
, winning the local seats to add to its nationwide tally of 14.
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
, during which it suffered heavy damage (See Battle of Bint Jbeil
Battle of Bint Jbeil
The Battle of Bint Jbeil was one of the main battles of the Litani offensive in the 2006 Lebanon War. It consisted of a series of military actions and clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the...
). Reconstruction as of early 2007 had been going very slowly, leading to reports of dissatisfaction among the residents. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the town in 2010 to show solidarity for Hezbollah and the local victims of Israel's attacks.
Notable people
- The Rebel Poet 'Moussa AlZein Sharara' (1902–1986) الشاعر الثائر موسى الزين شرارة بقلم إحسان شرارة, Link to PDF Book (12 MB), Another Link to PDF Book (12 MB).
- MP Ali Ahmad BazziAli Ahmad BazziAli Ahmad Bazzi is a member of the Lebanese Parliament. He represents the Bint Jbeil district of South Lebanon.-See also:* Lebanese Parliament* List of Lebanese Members of Parliament* Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah...
- Mohamad BazziMohamad BazziMohamad Bazzi , is a Lebanese-American award-winning journalist. He is the former Middle East bureau chief at Newsday and a current faculty member of New York University. Bazzi was the 2007-2008 Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations...
, American journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
News articles
- "IDF in control of Bint Jbeil" - Ynet Israel News, Article Published: 07.25.06
- Israel Troops Killed in Bint Jbeil - Ynet Israel News, Article Published: 08.07.06