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Acre (Akka) City - The port entrance to Palestine because of its location by the Mediterranean sea that made Akka an excellent seaport.
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Akka City

Akka has for long been considered to be the port entrance to Palestine because of its location by the Mediterranean sea that made Akka an excellent seaport,perfect for trading and culture-exchange.

At the Akka sea borders the Muslims built their first own marina and a ship great yard.Palestine has always been a passage for trade of caravans before and after the coming of Islam. The Arab caravans used to head to Palestine from the Arab peninsula in the summer as part of the summer and winter journeys mentioned in the Holy Qur'an.

Akka was also a passage for the Arabian tribes that traveled from the Arab peninsula on their way to Belad El-Sham or northern Africa. Some of these tribes settled in Palestine, while others settled in the neighbouring Arab regions.

Palestine still enjoys the importance of its commercial location because it represents a connection between the seasonal and circular environments in southern Asia and the Near East on the one hand and the environments of the Mediterranean Sea and middle and western Europe on the other. There is no doubt, however, that the different environments with their varied products share a great deal of commercial transactions. Thus the location of Palestine connects the agricultural civilization of the East with the industrial civilization of the West. Therefore Palestine became an important passage for the international trade and travelers alike on land, sea and air.

On the other hand, the Palestinian ports provided its neighbours to the east in Syria and Jordan with its services till the year 1948. The Jordanian international trade depended highly upon these ports, but it changed its geographical direction after the Zionist occupation of Palestine took place. Thereafter, the Jordanian traders headed to the Lebanese and the Syrian ports, in addition to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Iraqi oil that was flowing from the field of Karkouk to the north of Iraq to Haifa's refinery also stopped in 1948.

If we exclude the Gaza port, whose services were limited to the Gaza district, the rest of the Palestinian ports, whether on the Mediterranean such as Haifa, Jaffa, Isdud (Ashdod), Akka, al-Majdal (Ashkelon) or on the Gulf of Aqaba such as Elat, still provide the Zionist entity with a great service. This is because the direction of the Palestinian trade stretches across the ports of the Mediterranean Sea to Europe and North America and Latin America and across the Elat port to southern Asia and the Far East and to the eastern side of Africa.

As to the military significance of the Palestinian location, it issues in the fact that Palestine was the centre of so many military campaigns because it was a passage to other countries in for the military incursions that took place. So many nations and forces occupied Palestine such as the Babylonians, the Ashourians, Al-Hethyeen, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans,until it was finally joined with the great Islamic State and became a very important part of it.

In the present century, Palestine was subject to a British invasion during the First World War, which led to the ousting of the Ottomans and the occupation of Palestine under the pretext of a British mandate. Britain and the allied forces took great advantage of Palestine's location in the Second World War. Before leaving Palestine on 25 May 1948, the British paved the way for the erection of a Zionist entity in Palestine to serve as a base for Western countries and as a separation point that divides the body of the Muslim Arab nation.

Akka After 1948:

Since 1948 up to the present, the Zionist entity still holds Palestine captive and exploits its merits and makes use of its strategic geographical location for its hostile and malicious anti-Arab plans.

Akka History:

The importance of the commercial location of Palestine increased during the Mamaleek era when it used to be a passage for commercial caravans that carried goods from the Far East to Europe and vice verse. The trade ships used to stop at Aden and unload their cargo so that it would be transported by caravans across Yemen and Hejaz and then to the Palestinian ports on the Mediterranean Sea and to Akka. The ships in the ports waited to be loaded with different kinds of goods such perfumes, jewelry, silk and myrra.

In 1750 Thaher El-Omar Al Zidany( 1740-1785) constitutes the first Independent State of Palestine. Akka establish as the great Capital of the Palestinian people.The period under the rule of Thaher Al Zidany become significantly prosperous and happy.Akka became famous in trading and manufacturing and in establishment of great architecture- the city experienced a building - boom.

In 1799 the high judge of Akka Ahmed al-Jazzar, the Ottoman leader, also known as Jezzar Pasha, built the new city-plan of Akka - and destroyed many old buildings - but made Akka a strong fortified port,strong as the rocks it is situated on.

In the late eighteenth century, Palestine was attacked by the campaign led by Napoleon Bonaparte, whose aim was to occupy Belad El-Sham. He failed at occupying Akka because of the great bravery shown by the people of Palestine and the leader of Akka, Ahmed El-Azaz. Akkas army and its people and the walls surrounding the city gave Akka the strength to stop and resist the Napoleon Bonaparte project to move toward the east and occupy the eastern lands.

The inhabitants of Akka was able to stop Napoleon in a great victory, that made a lot of changes in the world at that time.

In historic time Akka was a place of many wars between Arabs - Muslims and Cristi ans.The wars destroyed many historic buildings but Akka recovered and the life come back in grandeur to the beautiful city.

There are a many great Islamic historical landmarks in Akka ( see the video ) the Mosque Basha Al Jazar,the walls of the Akka city from the west,a tunnel leading to a 13th century fortress of the Knights Templar,Hamam al Basha,The Citadel,The Knights' Halls,Bahá'í holy places, Christian Temples, Palestinian Patricio Buildings and Old Oriental Bazaars.

Akka today battle a very difficult economical and social situation.The ancient and historical buildings of Akka needs restorations - As everywhere else on occupied Palestine lands,the Zionists " Israel" is preventing the Palestinian inhabitants to start their own projects of restorations of their ancient historical landmarks.On the contrary the "Israeli government" are deliberately destroying all Arabic Islamic signs and old buildings from the past.The Arab Palestinians love their old culture and buildings that remind them of their great past history.

Akka Population:

The population of Akka today is approx fifth thousand inhabitants and about 41% of them are of Arabic Palestinian origin. Akka with its many great historical Palestinian landmarks is on the UNESCO list of " World Heritage in Danger" - The old city of Akka is considered as one of the most crowded cities in the world - and is lacking many essential social facilities - like public schools and colleges - there are few parks for recreation or playgrounds for the children.

Source: http://palestinefreevoice.blogspot.com/2006/10/save-akka-old-city-palestinian-great.html and others
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Acre (Akka)