Al-Eizariya
| al-Eizariya | |
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| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | العيزرية |
| • Also spelled | al-'Eizariya (official) al-Izzariya (unofficial) |
al-Eizariya, as photographed in the 1940s
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 al-Eizariya
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| Coordinates: 31°46′12″N 35°15′52″E / 31.77000°N 35.26444°ECoordinates: 31°46′12″N 35°15′52″E / 31.77000°N 35.26444°E | |
| Palestine grid | 174/130 |
| Governorate | Jerusalem |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Head of Municipality | Isam Farun |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Jurisdiction | 17,606 |
| Name meaning | "The place of Lazarus" |
Al-Eizariya or al-Azariya (Arabic: العيزرية, lit. Place of Lazarus), sometimes referred to by its medieval name of Bethany, is a city in Area B of the West Bank, Palestine. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, it is the second largest Palestinian city in the Jerusalem Governorate (not including East Jerusalem), with a population of 17,606 inhabitants.
Located on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from Jerusalem, the city is commonly identified as the site of the Biblical village of Bethany. The name al-Eizariya refers to the New Testament figure Lazarus of Bethany, who according to the Gospel of John, was raised from the dead by Jesus. The purported site of the miracle, the Tomb of Lazarus, in the city is a traditional pilgrimage site.
The site of al-Eizariya is believed to have been continuously inhabited from the 6th century BCE until the 14th century CE. In 1923-1924, American archaeologist William F. Albright identified the village with Ananiah (or 'Ananyab). (Edward Robinson and others, however, identified Ananiah with present-day Beit Hanina.)
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