North Gaza Governorate:
Denomination and Location:
North Governorate of Gaza Strip includes Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia,
and Al Nazleh village.
Jabalia:
Its name may be literalized of “Azalia” or the Roman “Zilia” or Syriac
“Jabalia” which means the mountains, or Jabalia meaning Pottery and
earthenware.
Jabalia is attributed to “Jabaliya” who might come to it at the end of the
Bizante time. They were a mixture of Arwan, Egyptians and others who were
sent by Yansenianos at the outset of the sixth century of Christ in order
to protect the monastery which the priests of Tor Sinai had built.
Al Dabbagh, a Palestinian writer and historian said: “It is agreed that
Jabaliya, living around the monastery now, are those guards who adopted
the religion of Islam; It is well known that Sinjer Alameddin Al Jawily
who was Gaza chief prosecutor in 711Hj , had possessed the lands of
Jabaliya and endowed them to his mosque which he built in Gaza where the
Mamelukes were asked to stay.
Jabalia lies on a flat land of the southern coast plain to the Northeast
of Gaza City and it is (2km) far from it. It is connected with Gaza-Jaffa
Main Street by a local paved way.
The city is (35) meters above sea level. Jabalia has become worldly known
since the first sparkle flared up the first Palestinian people Intifada
due to the bloody clashes between the unarmed citizens and the Israeli
army which was fully armed with fatal weapons on the nineth of December
1987. Jabaliya camp is one of the most overpopulated camps. It locates in
the north of Gaza.
Beit Lahia:
The word “Lahia” is Syriac, meaning, “desolate” of “tiresome”. Beit Lahia
is 7 KMs northeast of Gaza. It was surrounded by dunes, which were (55m)
above sea level. It looks like- from a distance- a nice looking forest
surrounded with high trees and many huge Sycamore Trees. Apples are the
famous fruits known for its good smell and taste, so it has become a
saying. Moreover there are peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, almonds,
strawberry trees and flowers. The Israeli occupied authorities possessed a
considerable parts of its lands and constructed the settlements of “Nissanit”,
“Eilly Sinai”, and “Dogeit”
Beit Hanoun:
Hanoun means, “compassionate”. It was believed that it was a name of a
king or one of Gaza leaders who resisted Assyrians in the eighth century
BC In 637 Hij there was a war between Europeans and Muslims in Beit Hanoun
where the Europeans were defeated as it is recorded on a big slab tile
fixed on the façade of the village mosque which was specially built to
commemorate that battle and is called “Al Nassr Mosque”. At the Mamluke
time, Beit Hanoun was a post station between Gaza and Damascus. It was
named “Heenin” by the companion of “Soboh Ala’ashi”.
Beit Hanoun lies in the northeast of Gaza and it is (50m) above sea level.
The most important crops are oranges, figs, grapes, apples, almonds,
strawberry, and flowers. Beit Hanoun is the border area and the crossing
between 1948 areas and Gaza Strip.
Al Nazlah village
This village lies in the northwest of Jabalia which forms with it one
town. Al Nazlah is a modern village on the place where the Roman village
of “Izalia” existed.
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Added: May 2006