Qarawat Bani Hassan
Encyclopedia
Qarawat Bani Hassan is a Palestinian
town in the Salfit Governorate
, located thirty kilometers southwest of Nablus and seven kilometers northwest of Salfit
in the northern West Bank
. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
, the town had a population of over 3,700 inhabitants in mid-year 2006.
Its total land area is 9,684 dunam
s, of which 507 dunams is built-up area. Since the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
, 10.7% of its municipal jurisdiction is under the civil administration of the Palestinian National Authority
and the security of Israel
, while 89.2% is under complete Israeli control.
commander of the Rashidun army
, was said to have been injured in the village. According to local tradition, a tree was planted on the spot where his blood was spilled. The story was written up in the village history in the year 1919. Arab
geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi
in 1226, visited Qarawat Bani Hassan, stating it was "a village in the District of Nablus
."
Qarawat Bani Hassan was later founded in 1948, after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
. Initially, at the beginning of the conflict, some residents of the Arab town of Kafr Bara
fled to the further part of Kafr Bara's lands. There they established a new town.
and 10% in other work inside the village. Today, 10% of the working population worked in agriculture, 10% in Israeli settlement
s, and 10% as traders and store merchants.
Primary agricultural products include olives, wheat, almonds, figs. Olive oil is the main product and the village produces an average of 102,000 litres of oil per year. Its inhabitants mostly export to Jordan
.
of nine members. Each three members represent one of the three families of the village: 'Asi, Mar'ai and Rayan. Local elections do not take place, but family heads select their representatives. Israel
is in charge of security affairs and the Palestinian National Authority
is responsible for civil affairs of the village. However, agricultural land is under the complete control of Israel.
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
town 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...
, located thirty kilometers southwest of Nablus and seven kilometers northwest 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....
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...
. According to 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....
, the town had a population of over 3,700 inhabitants in mid-year 2006.
Its total land area is 9,684 dunam
Dunam
A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum, dynym, dulum was a non-SI unit of land area used in the Ottoman Empire and representing the amount of land that can be plowed in a day; its value varied from 900–2500 m²...
s, of which 507 dunams is built-up area. Since the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
The Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, also known as the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, the Interim Agreement, Oslo 2, Oslo II, and Taba, was a key and complex agreement governing several aspects of the Palestinian territories of Gaza Strip and the West Bank.-History:It...
, 10.7% of its municipal jurisdiction is under the civil administration of 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...
and the security of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, while 89.2% is under complete Israeli control.
History
Qarawat Bani Hassan contains the remains of an old Roman castle and Roman and Byzantium tombs. Amr ibn al-A'as, a prominent ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
commander of the Rashidun army
Rashidun army
The Rashidun Caliphate Army or Rashidun army was the primary military body of the Rashidun Caliphate's armed forces during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century, serving alongside the Rashidun Navy...
, was said to have been injured in the village. According to local tradition, a tree was planted on the spot where his blood was spilled. The story was written up in the village history in the year 1919. Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yāqūt ibn-'Abdullah al-Rūmī al-Hamawī) was an Islamic biographer and geographer renowned for his encyclopedic writings on the Muslim world. "al-Rumi" refers to his Greek descent; "al-Hamawi" means that he is from Hama, Syria, and ibn-Abdullah is a reference to his father's name, Abdullah...
in 1226, visited Qarawat Bani Hassan, stating it was "a village in the District of Nablus
District of Nablus
The District of Nablus also known as Sanjak Nablus is a historical administrative area that existed throughout Ottoman rule of Palestine and to a lesser extent during British rule. It exists today as the Nablus Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority...
."
Qarawat Bani Hassan was later founded in 1948, 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...
. Initially, at the beginning of the conflict, some residents of the Arab town of Kafr Bara
Kafr Bara
Kafr Bara or Kfar Bara is an Israeli-Arab local council in Israel's Center District. The small town, located near the Green Line, is often considered a part of the Little Triangle along with Kafr Qasim and Jaljulia.- History :...
fled to the further part of Kafr Bara's lands. There they established a new town.
Economy
Prior to the Second Intifada, about 50% of the Qarawat Bani Hassan's residents of working age were employed. About 40% worked in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and 10% in other work inside the village. Today, 10% of the working population worked in agriculture, 10% in 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, and 10% as traders and store merchants.
Primary agricultural products include olives, wheat, almonds, figs. Olive oil is the main product and the village produces an average of 102,000 litres of oil per year. Its inhabitants mostly export to 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...
.
Government
Qarawat Bani Hassan is governed by 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 nine members. Each three members represent one of the three families of the village: 'Asi, Mar'ai and Rayan. Local elections do not take place, but family heads select their representatives. Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is in charge of security affairs and 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...
is responsible for civil affairs of the village. However, agricultural land is under the complete control of Israel.