Al-Bikai'a
Encyclopedia
al-Bikai'a also spelled al-Buqei'a is a Palestinian
village cluster in the Tubas Governorate
that includes the three hamlets of Khirbet al-'Atuf, al-Hadidiyah and al-Humsa. The area spans 29,250 dunam
s, most of which is covered by Khirbet al-'Atuf. It is situated on a flat plain surrounded by mountains and with an altitude of 50 meters above sea level. The total population of al-Bikai'a was 227 in 1997 and 1,850 in 2005. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
, al-Hadidya had a population of 183 inhabitants.
The Abu Bakr as-Sadiq Mosque is the only mosque
in al-Bikai'a and is located in Khirbet al-'Atuf. There is one school, and one kindergarten. Most residents go to nearby Tammun
for education. About 72.3% of the inhabitants are literate with women comprising nearly two-thirds of the literate population. Agriculture constitutes 95% of the labor force while the remaining 5% work in Israeli construction.
era of rule in Palestine
. The villages in the area were abandoned including one named al-Sakaif. Eventually Arab
s from nearby Tammun
, mainly the Bani Odeh and Bsharat families settled in the area. Khirbet al-'Atuf was named after 'Atif, an Ayyubid soldier who died during the Crusades and al-Hadidiya was named after its black soil.
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...
village cluster in the Tubas Governorate
Tubas Governorate
The Tubas Governorate is an administrative district of the Palestinian National Authority in the northeastern West Bank. It district capital or muhfaza is the city of Tubas. In 2007, the population was 50,267.-Village councils:*Bardala*Ein al-Beida...
that includes the three hamlets of Khirbet al-'Atuf, al-Hadidiyah and al-Humsa. The area spans 29,250 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, most of which is covered by Khirbet al-'Atuf. It is situated on a flat plain surrounded by mountains and with an altitude of 50 meters above sea level. The total population of al-Bikai'a was 227 in 1997 and 1,850 in 2005. 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....
, al-Hadidya had a population of 183 inhabitants.
The Abu Bakr as-Sadiq Mosque is the only mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in al-Bikai'a and is located in Khirbet al-'Atuf. There is one school, and one kindergarten. Most residents go to nearby Tammun
Tammun
Tammun is a Palestinian town in the Tubas Governorate, located 23 kilometers northeast of Nablus and five kilometers south of Tubas in the northeastern West Bank. Tammun has a population of approximately 10,500 inhabitants.-History:...
for education. About 72.3% of the inhabitants are literate with women comprising nearly two-thirds of the literate population. Agriculture constitutes 95% of the labor force while the remaining 5% work in Israeli construction.
History
Al-Bikai'a has been settled since the OttomanOttoman 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...
era of rule 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....
. The villages in the area were abandoned including one named al-Sakaif. Eventually 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...
s from nearby Tammun
Tammun
Tammun is a Palestinian town in the Tubas Governorate, located 23 kilometers northeast of Nablus and five kilometers south of Tubas in the northeastern West Bank. Tammun has a population of approximately 10,500 inhabitants.-History:...
, mainly the Bani Odeh and Bsharat families settled in the area. Khirbet al-'Atuf was named after 'Atif, an Ayyubid soldier who died during the Crusades and al-Hadidiya was named after its black soil.