Deir Istiya
Encyclopedia
Deir Istiya is a Palestinian
town of 3,106 located in the Salfit Governorate
in the northern West Bank
, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Nablus
and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Salfit
. The built-up area of Deir Istiya is 74 dunams, and its old city has about thirty families.
and Moshe Sharon is the alternated form of the Arabic name for Isaiah
. In 1394, Deir Istiya was required to supply lentil
s, olive oil
and flour as a religious endowment (waqf
) to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
on the orders of the Mamluk
sultan Barquq.
Since the Mamluk-era of rule, Deir Istiya has been a center of olive-based agriculture. Today, it possesses one of the largest amount land used for olive groves, at nearly 10,000 dunams. It was a part of Sanjak Nablus in Ottoman
times. In the early 17th century, Deir Istiya was, along with Beit Wazan
, the ancestral seat of the Qasim family who controlled Jamma'in
and most of eastern Sanjak Nablus. The Qasim fortified and made Deir Istiya their primary southern base. The Rayyan clan from Majdal Yaba
also exercised some control over the village. During the "civil war" period in the Nablus area (1853-57), the Qasim family led by Qasim al-Ahmad vacated Deir Istiya and were said to have sought refuge with the Nimr family in Nablus.
In the second half of the 19th century, however, the village was ruled by the Abu Hijleh clan, who continue to live there. The Abu Hijleh were dominant in the area, and had great wealth. The Zidan family was also prominent and both families had shared control of Deir Istiya.
In 1870, Victor Guerin remarked that Deir Istiya had been much larger and that it was probably inhabited since "ancient times", noting that in the Mosque of Deir Istiya were marble columns (some with chiseled out crucifixes) dating back to the Christian
era in Palestine
.
wrested control of Palestine
from the Ottomans in 1917, and in 1921, a resident was publicly beat to death in Deir Istiya for allegedly possessing weapons. The British appointed the role of leadership to one branch of Abu Hijleh clan, fomenting rivalry with the other branch. The British established a school in the village in 1923, and during the years of British Mandate of Palestine, Deir Istiya was one of the main villages in the central-western Samaria
.
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, it was annexed by Jordan
, and from 1950 to 1960, the Palestine Communist Party
became prominent in the village earning it the local name of "Little Berlin". During the 1967 Six-Day War
between Israel
and coalition of Arab states, the village was targeted by Israeli forces. Most of the inhabitants were rounded up, with the women in the mosque and the men in the school, and the mayor Jamal Abu Hijleh was ordered to implement Israeli orders in the village.
After its occupation by Israel, from 1960 to 1990, nearly half of the population emigrated to Kuwait
or other Persian Gulf States
. In the 1970s, local resistance in the form of sumud
increased in the village, including the raising of Palestinian flag
s, graffiti, and blocking roads. As a result, in 1974, about 50 men were arrested and served prison terms ranging from six months to three years.
recorded a population of 1,190 in 1945. In 1961, while a part of Jordan, there were 1,641 residents, decreasing drastically after its occupation by Israel with nearly half of the residents gradually emigrating mostly to Kuwait. In 1982, there were 1,500 people living in Deir Istiya, rising to 2,100 in 1987.
In a 1997 census carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
(PCBS), Deir Istiya had a population of 2,802, of which only 2.1% were Palestinian refugee
s. Over half of the population is under the age of 20 (51.8%). People between the ages of 20 and 44 make up 33.3% of the population, 14.8% between 45 and 64, and 6% over the age of 65. According to the PCBS 2007 Census, the town's population had increased to 3,106
There are primarily eighteen clans in the village. The Abu Hijleh, Salman, Mansour, and Diab families comprise three-fifths of the population. The Abu Hijleh own the most land in Deir Istiya, and hold lands in Biddya
and Sanniriya
, as well as some in Qalqilya and Nablus.
, mostly police or teachers. Between 1967 and 1993, most of the working inhabitants were employed mainly in farming or labor in Israel, which the village was highly dependent upon. However, after Israel closed the border in 2000 due to the Second Intifada, most of these laborers turned to farming their own fields.
Deir Istiya has the largest land area in the Salfit Governorate, and the second largest in the West Bank after Tubas
. Since the Intifada, agriculture — the backbone of the village's economy — has drastically been reduced. Prior to the violence, there were sixteen goat farms and nine dairy farms, decreasing to five goat farms and one dairy farm presently. Olive oil is the main commodity and there are vast amounts of olive trees. Most of the oil is either exported to the Gulf States or sold to Palestinian merchants.
Prior to the Intifada, 40 families raised livestock, but this dramatically decreased to just five families after the Intifada. Residents claim that the decrease was due to Israel's confiscation of 20,000 dunams of village lands, and fear of attack by Israeli settlers. In 2008, over 70% of the village was unemployed. There are three oil presses and two marble processing plants in Deir Istiya. Marble is supplied by Hebron
, Jenin
or imported from Italy
. About 15 women are employed in a sewing factory where pieces are received and assembled.
of eleven members administrates Deir Istiya. The members are nominated by the prominent families of the village, and are approved by the Palestinian National Authority
. In the 2005 Palestinian municipal elections, Fatah
won three seats, Hamas
won three, the Communist Palestinian People's Party
(PPP) won three, including the mayoral seat, and a local group won two seats. PPP member Nafiz Mansour won the post of mayor.
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 of 3,106 located in the Salfit Governorate
Salfit Governorate
The Salfit Governorate is one of 16 Governorates of the Palestinian National Authority. It is located in the northwestern West Bank, bordered by the governorates of Ramallah and al-Bireh to the south, Nablus to the east and Qalqilya in the north as well as, Israel to the west. Its district capital...
in the northern 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...
, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of 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...
and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Salfit
Salfit
Salfit also spelled Salfeet is a Palestinian town in the central West Bank. Salfit is located at an altitude of in the central Samarian highlands adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Ariel. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the City had a population of 8,796 in 2007....
. The built-up area of Deir Istiya is 74 dunams, and its old city has about thirty families.
History
The town is named for the nearby tomb of Istiya which according to Tawfiq CanaanTawfiq Canaan
Tawfiq Canaan was a pioneering physician, medical researcher, ethnographer and Palestinian nationalist. Born in Beit Jala during the rule of the Ottoman Empire, he served as a medical officer in the Ottoman army during World War I...
and Moshe Sharon is the alternated form of the Arabic name for Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
. In 1394, Deir Istiya was required to supply lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
s, olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
and flour as a religious endowment (waqf
Waqf
A waqf also spelled wakf formally known as wakf-alal-aulad is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The donated assets are held by a charitable trust...
) to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
on the orders of the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
sultan Barquq.
Since the Mamluk-era of rule, Deir Istiya has been a center of olive-based agriculture. Today, it possesses one of the largest amount land used for olive groves, at nearly 10,000 dunams. It was a part of Sanjak Nablus in Ottoman
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...
times. In the early 17th century, Deir Istiya was, along with Beit Wazan
Beit Wazan
Beit Wazan is a Palestinian town in the Nablus Governorate in northern West Bank, located 4 kilometers northwest of Nablus. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the town had a population of 1,120 inhabitants in mid-year 2006....
, the ancestral seat of the Qasim family who controlled Jamma'in
Jamma'in
Jamma'in is a Palestinian town in the northern West Bank located southwest of Nablus, northwest of Salfit and north of Ramallah. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 6,227 in 2007.-History:...
and most of eastern Sanjak Nablus. The Qasim fortified and made Deir Istiya their primary southern base. The Rayyan clan from Majdal Yaba
Majdal Yaba
Majdal Yaba was a Palestinian Arab village located northeast of Ramla and east of Jaffa. A walled city stood at the same site as early as 3000 BCE, and Majdal Yaba is first mentioned by the name Aphek in Egyptian Execration texts dating to the 19th century BCE...
also exercised some control over the village. During the "civil war" period in the Nablus area (1853-57), the Qasim family led by Qasim al-Ahmad vacated Deir Istiya and were said to have sought refuge with the Nimr family in Nablus.
In the second half of the 19th century, however, the village was ruled by the Abu Hijleh clan, who continue to live there. The Abu Hijleh were dominant in the area, and had great wealth. The Zidan family was also prominent and both families had shared control of Deir Istiya.
In 1870, Victor Guerin remarked that Deir Istiya had been much larger and that it was probably inhabited since "ancient times", noting that in the Mosque of Deir Istiya were marble columns (some with chiseled out crucifixes) dating back to the 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...
era in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Twentieth century
The BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wrested control of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
from the Ottomans in 1917, and in 1921, a resident was publicly beat to death in Deir Istiya for allegedly possessing weapons. The British appointed the role of leadership to one branch of Abu Hijleh clan, fomenting rivalry with the other branch. The British established a school in the village in 1923, and during the years of British Mandate of Palestine, Deir Istiya was one of the main villages in the central-western Samaria
Samaria
Samaria, or the Shomron is a term used for a mountainous region roughly corresponding to the northern part of the West Bank.- Etymology :...
.
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, it was annexed by Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, and from 1950 to 1960, the Palestine Communist Party
Palestine Communist Party
The Palestine Communist Party was a political party in British Mandate of Palestine formed in 1923 through the merger of the Palestinian Communist Party and the Communist Party of Palestine...
became prominent in the village earning it the local name of "Little Berlin". During 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...
between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and coalition of Arab states, the village was targeted by Israeli forces. Most of the inhabitants were rounded up, with the women in the mosque and the men in the school, and the mayor Jamal Abu Hijleh was ordered to implement Israeli orders in the village.
After its occupation by Israel, from 1960 to 1990, nearly half of the population emigrated to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
or other Persian Gulf States
Persian Gulf States
Persian Gulf States can refer to:* Countries in the Middle East bordering the Persian Gulf and sometimes known as the Gulf States: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates....
. In the 1970s, local resistance in the form of sumud
Sumud
Sumud meaning "steadfastness" or "steadfast perseverance" is an ideological theme and political strategy that first emerged among the Palestinian people through the experience of the dialectic of oppression and resistance in the wake of the Six-day war...
increased in the village, including the raising of Palestinian flag
Palestinian flag
The Palestinian flag is based on the Flag of the Arab Revolt, and is used to represent the Palestinian people , and the Palestinian Authority.-Description:...
s, graffiti, and blocking roads. As a result, in 1974, about 50 men were arrested and served prison terms ranging from six months to three years.
Islamic structures
The Mosque of Deir Istiya located in the middle of the village. It consists of three aisles, each having three bays and nearby are the remains of an ancient wall. To the west of the village is the Mosque of Nabi Allah Amisiya, which consists of two aisles and two bays. The mosque is adjacent to Maqam Istiya. It is a square chamber with a dome constructed of small stones. About 50 meters north of Deir Istiya is a shrine for Nabi Khatir who according to inscriptions, died in 1148 CE.Demographics
According to Victor Guerin in June 1870, Deir Istiya had roughly 400 inhabitants. In the 1922 British survey, it had a population of 674 inhabitants , rising to 886 in a 1931 census. Sami HadawiSami Hadawi
Sami Hadawi was a Palestinian scholar and author. He is known for documenting the effects of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on the Arab population in Palestine and published statistics for individual villages prior to Israel's establishment. Hadawi worked as a land specialist until he was exiled from...
recorded a population of 1,190 in 1945. In 1961, while a part of Jordan, there were 1,641 residents, decreasing drastically after its occupation by Israel with nearly half of the residents gradually emigrating mostly to Kuwait. In 1982, there were 1,500 people living in Deir Istiya, rising to 2,100 in 1987.
In a 1997 census carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
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....
(PCBS), Deir Istiya had a population of 2,802, of which only 2.1% were Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
s. Over half of the population is under the age of 20 (51.8%). People between the ages of 20 and 44 make up 33.3% of the population, 14.8% between 45 and 64, and 6% over the age of 65. According to the PCBS 2007 Census, the town's population had increased to 3,106
There are primarily eighteen clans in the village. The Abu Hijleh, Salman, Mansour, and Diab families comprise three-fifths of the population. The Abu Hijleh own the most land in Deir Istiya, and hold lands in Biddya
Biddya
Biddya is a Palestinian town in the Salfit Governorate, located 32 kilometers southwest of Nablus and half that distance from Salfit in the northern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , Biddya had a population of 8,325 inhabitants in mid-year 2006...
and Sanniriya
Sanniriya
Sanniriya is a Palestinian town in the Qalqilya Governorate in the western area of the West Bank, located south of Qalqilya and southwest of Nablus...
, as well as some in Qalqilya and Nablus.
Economy
Compared to other villages in the Salfit District, Deir Istiya has a high percentage of professional workers (doctors, office workers, lawyers). About 20% of the people work in government related jobs, with the Palestinian National AuthorityPalestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
, mostly police or teachers. Between 1967 and 1993, most of the working inhabitants were employed mainly in farming or labor in Israel, which the village was highly dependent upon. However, after Israel closed the border in 2000 due to the Second Intifada, most of these laborers turned to farming their own fields.
Deir Istiya has the largest land area in the Salfit Governorate, and the second largest in the West Bank after 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...
. Since the Intifada, agriculture — the backbone of the village's economy — has drastically been reduced. Prior to the violence, there were sixteen goat farms and nine dairy farms, decreasing to five goat farms and one dairy farm presently. Olive oil is the main commodity and there are vast amounts of olive trees. Most of the oil is either exported to the Gulf States or sold to Palestinian merchants.
Prior to the Intifada, 40 families raised livestock, but this dramatically decreased to just five families after the Intifada. Residents claim that the decrease was due to Israel's confiscation of 20,000 dunams of village lands, and fear of attack by Israeli settlers. In 2008, over 70% of the village was unemployed. There are three oil presses and two marble processing plants in Deir Istiya. Marble is supplied by Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
, Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
or imported from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. About 15 women are employed in a sewing factory where pieces are received and assembled.
Government
A village councilVillage council (Palestinian Authority)
A Village council is a type of local government used in the Palestinian National Authority for Palestinian localities that usually number between 800-3,000+ inhabitants. The village council is also known D-level municipalities...
of eleven members administrates Deir Istiya. The members are nominated by the prominent families of the village, and are approved by the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
. In the 2005 Palestinian municipal elections, Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
won three seats, Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
won three, the Communist Palestinian People's Party
Palestinian People's Party
The Palestinian People's Party , founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Party, is a socialist political party in the Palestinian territories and among the Palestinian diaspora....
(PPP) won three, including the mayoral seat, and a local group won two seats. PPP member Nafiz Mansour won the post of mayor.