Ad-Dhahiriya

ad-Dhahiriya
Other transcription(s)
• Arabic	الظاهرية
• Also spelled	al-Dhahiriya (official) az-Zahiriya (unofficial)
Al-Dhahiriya, 1920s
ad-Dhahiriya Location of ad-Dhahiriya within the Palestinian territories
Coordinates: 31°24′27.44″N 34°58′20.28″E / 31.4076222°N 34.9723°E / 31.4076222; 34.9723Coordinates: 31°24′27.44″N 34°58′20.28″E / 31.4076222°N 34.9723°E / 31.4076222; 34.9723
Governorate	Hebron
Government
• Type	City
Population (2007)
• Jurisdiction	28,776

ad-Dhahiriya (also az-Zahiriya) (Arabic: الظاهرية‎) is a Palestinian city in the Hebron Governorate, 23 km southwest of the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, ad-Dhahiriya had a population of 28,776 in 2007.^[1]

History

According to Conder, Claude Reignier and H.H. Kitchener Ad-Dhahiriya was probably the site of the ancient biblical town of Debir. ^[2]

In 1856, a Scottish clergyman, Horatius Bonar described the village and its ruined castle: "Suddenly, at an abrupt elbow of the ravine, we are relieved by seeing the old castle, perched on its rocky height well in the setting sun; the poor village, which seems to hang about it, with, with its square yellow huts, rather helps, at this distance, to improve its appearance, and to give dignity to its towers and broken ramparts. From this point it looks much bolder and substantial than it is; not so isolated as El-Aujeh, which we passed some days ago, but well-set upon yon craggy perch. Like most of its fellow castles in the east and border “peels” in the north, it has seen better days, and has at one time, been a noble stronghold for Romans, or Crusaders, or Turks…"^[3]

According to the Survey of Western Palestine, the village had a population of 300-400 in 1874. In 1877, it was deserted due to "encroachment of the Arabs into the country of the fellahin." ^[4]

Modern era

The first village council was established in in 1963. In 1996, the Palestinian Authority appointed a municipal council. In 2004, a 13-member council was elected with paid employees.^[5]

The primary health care facilities for the municipality are designated by the Ministry of Health as level 3.^[6]

According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the entrance to the village was closed by an IDF earth mound on 14 April 2005, forcing all Palestinians in the area to travel via Dura.^{[7][dated info]}

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ad-Dhahiriya

External links

• Adh Dhahiriya Town (Fact Sheet)
• Adh Dhahiriya Town Profile

v t e Cities in Palestinian National Authority areas West Bank Bethlehem Beit Sahour Beit Jala al-Bireh ad-Dhahiriya Dura Halhul Hebron Jenin Jericho Nablus Qalqilyah Ramallah Rawabi Tubas Tulkarm Yatta

v t e Hebron Governorate Cities Dura Halhul Hebron (al-Khalil) Yatta ad-Dhahiriya Municipalities Bani Na'im Beit Awwa Beit Ula Beit Ummar Deir Sammit Idhna Kharas Nuba Sa'ir as-Samu Surif Taffuh Tarqumiyah Village Councils Beit 'Amra Beit Einun Beit Kahil Beit ar-Rush al-Fauqa Beit ar-Rush al-Tahta al-Burj Deir al-'Asal al-Fauqa Deir al-'Asal al-Tahta Deir Razih ad-Duwwara Hadab al-Fawwar al-Heila Hureiz Imreish al-Kum Karma al-Karmil Khalet al-Maiyya Khirbet Safa Khirbat al-Simia Khursa Kuseis al-Majd Qalqas Qila al-Ramadien ar-Rihiya ash-Shuyukh Shuyukh al-Arrub as-Sura at-Tabaqa Tarrama al-Uddeisa Zif Refugee camps al-Arroub Fawwar