Love Nablus
Nablus is a city living under military occupation. Despite this it is growing and developing with Palestine’s largest university (An Najah National University), several industries and the Palestine stock exchange.
Nablus has a beautiful location lying in a valley between the dramatic heights of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerazim. It is in the northern West Bank about 550m above sea level.
Most of the people are Muslim but Nablus also has a significant Christian community as well as the Samaritans for whom Mount Gerazim is the original Holy Place of Israel.
Nablus is particularly known for its knafeh. This iconic sweet has sweetened cheese within strands of pastry, covered with pistacchios and orange colouring with sugar syrup. Far more delicious than it might sound. It’s the special local cheese that gives it the edge over its rivals.
Meet the people of Nablus:
History of Nablus
Nablus was one of the cities of the Canaanites whose history goes back to 3,000 years BC. It was then called Shakeim (the high place) on top of Balata Hill.
Because of its position among the countries of the ancient world Nablus was influenced by the cultures of ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. According to the Bible, Jesus stopped here for a drink at Jacob’s Well.
Recent times
Recent relaxations have led to more visitors, more trade and a general improvement. But all foreign visitors and all import/exports still have to go through Israeli border controls which continues to inhibit tourism and trade.
Palestinians have their travel restricted by Israeli checkpoints within the West Bank, and the need to get Israeli permits to travel beyond the West Bank – even to visit Jerusalem, Gaza or other parts of Palestine (such as those parts behind the separation wall.
Israel continues to invade Nablus, destroying buildings, arresting and killing Palestinians. Illegal Israeli settlers live in colonies around Nablus and are the source of much aggression and land theft.
Palestinians do not have a vote for the power that effectively rules them and controls their lives – Israel. This situation has endured for over 5 decades since 1967. Self-determination is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law; it is included in the United Nations Charter.
More Nablus History
Roman Destruction and Islamic revival
The Romans demolished the original Shakeim city in 69AD. Thereafter, in 72AD, the Roman emperor Vespasian reconstructed an adjacent city that he called ‘Neapolis’ (the new city); hence the name Nablus.
In 636AD Islamic rule came when Nablus was “opened” by Amir bin el As during the caliphate of Abu Bakir.
Islamic rule continued until Nablus was taken by the Crusaders in 1100. It was recaptured by Saladin 87 years later in the battle of Hittin.
Tartar, Marmluk and Ottoman occupations
The Tartars ruled Nablus after the fall of Baghdad in 1260, only to be recaptured by the Mamluks, who revived the city and provided it with numerous mosques and schools.
In 1517 the Ottomans occupied Nablus and ruled until the area was invaded by the British in September 1918.
British occupation and its demise
The area was invaded by the British in September 1918.
In 1927 the area was destroyed by an earthquake which ruined 300 buildings, killed 150 people and injured 250.
British rule covered all Palestine (including Nablus, Jerusalem and all the lands of modern Israel and Jordan).
The British withdrew after the United Nations, in 1947, passed a Resolution which allocated part of the country to Israel and part (including Nablus) to Palestine.
Following British withdrawal there was considerable fighting. Many Palestinians fled from their homes to refugee camps where most remain to this day. Palestinians call this the catastrophe (Nakba). It had a profound effect on Nablus which came under Jordanian rule.
The 1967 Six-Day War and Israeli occupation
In June 1967, the Six-Day War brought Nablus under Israeli military occupation. The Oslo accords of the early 90s resulted in official withdrawal of Israeli forces from the city in December 1995.
Israeli army incursions continued and Nablus still hosts several refugee camps. It was cut off from the rest of Palestine by Israeli military checkpoints for almost 8 years and this severely curtailed its traditional commercial activity.