Bir Nabala
Encyclopedia
Bir Nabala is a Palestinian
town in the West Bank
located eight kilometers northeast of Jerusalem. In mid-year 2006, it had an estimated population of 6,100 residents. Three Bedouin
tribes — Abu Dhak, Qa'abneh and Jahalin — live in Bir Nabala.
Bir Nabala has a built-up area of 1,904 dunam
s, which combined with nearby al-Jib, Beit Hanina al Balad
and al-Judeira
form an enclave in the Seam Zone
, home to approximately 15,000 Palestinians. It is currently walled in by the Israeli West Bank barrier
along with three other adjacent villages. The enclave will be linked to Ramallah by underpasses and a road that is fenced on both sides. From Biddu
enclave, they will travel along a fenced road that passes under a bypass road to Bir Nabala enclave, then on a second underpass under Bypass Road 443 to Ramallah. Prior to the construction of the barrier, Bir Nabala was a commercial center linking Jenin
and Tulkarm
with the Jerusalem area and the town contained about 600 shops and six tyre factories. In 2007, there were 180 shops and two tire factories.
Bir Nabala is the place where Israeli soldier Nachshon Wachsman was being held captured by Hamas
, and killed by his captors during an attempted rescue operation.
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 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...
located eight kilometers northeast of Jerusalem. In mid-year 2006, it had an estimated population of 6,100 residents. Three Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
tribes — Abu Dhak, Qa'abneh and Jahalin — live in Bir Nabala.
Bir Nabala has a built-up area of 1,904 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, which combined with nearby al-Jib, Beit Hanina al Balad
Beit Hanina
Beit Hanina is a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem on the road to Ramallah. It is bordered by Hizma to the east, Shuafat to the south, Beit Iksa and Nabi Samwil to the west, and Bir Nabala, al-Jib, Kafr Aqab and ar-Ram to the north. The total area of Beit Hanina is 20 sq. kilometers...
and al-Judeira
Al-Judeira
al-Juderia is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate, located 9 kilometers Northwest of Jerusalem in the central West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 2,121 in 2006....
form an enclave in the Seam Zone
Seam Zone
Seam Zone is a term used to refer to a land area in the West Bank located east of the Green Line and west of Israel's separation barrier, populated largely by Israelis in settlements such as Alfei Menashe, Ariel, Beit Arye, Modi'in Illit, Giv'at Ze'ev, Ma'ale Adumim, Beitar Illit and Efrat.As of...
, home to approximately 15,000 Palestinians. It is currently walled in by the Israeli West Bank barrier
Israeli West Bank barrier
The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
along with three other adjacent villages. The enclave will be linked to Ramallah by underpasses and a road that is fenced on both sides. From Biddu
Biddu, Jerusalem
Biddu is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate, located 6 kilometers Northeast of Jerusalem in the northern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 6,368 in 2006. Biddu is at an altitude of 806m to 834m...
enclave, they will travel along a fenced road that passes under a bypass road to Bir Nabala enclave, then on a second underpass under Bypass Road 443 to Ramallah. Prior to the construction of the barrier, Bir Nabala was a commercial center linking 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...
and Tulkarm
Tulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
with the Jerusalem area and the town contained about 600 shops and six tyre factories. In 2007, there were 180 shops and two tire factories.
Bir Nabala is the place where Israeli soldier Nachshon Wachsman was being held captured by 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...
, and killed by his captors during an attempted rescue operation.