Beit Ummar
| Beit Ummar | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | بيت اُمّر |
| • Also spelled | Bayt Ummar (official) Beit Omar (unofficial) |
Beit Ummar, in 2011
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 Beit Ummar
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| Coordinates: 31°37′17″N 35°06′08″E / 31.62139°N 35.10222°ECoordinates: 31°37′17″N 35°06′08″E / 31.62139°N 35.10222°E | |
| Governorate | Hebron |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality (from 1997) |
| • Head of Municipality | Nasri Sabarna |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Jurisdiction | 19,892 |
| Name meaning | "House of Ummar" |
Beit Ummar (Arabic: بيت اُمّر) is a Palestinian town located eleven kilometers northwest of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2016, the town had a population of 17,892 inhabitants. Over 4,800 residents of the town are under the age of 18. Since the Second Intifada, unemployment ranges between 60 and 80 percent due mostly to the inability of residents to work in Israel and a depression in the Palestinian economy. A part of the city straddles Road 60 and due to this, several propositions of house demolition have occurred.
Beit Ummar is mostly agricultural and is noted for its many grape vines. This has a major aspect on their culinary tradition of stuffed grape leaves known as waraq al-'inib and a grape syrup called dibs. Beit Ummar also has cherry, plum, apple and olive orchards.
Beit Ummar is believed to be the site of Biblical village of Maarath. According to some traditions, the town was named after the Islamic Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab because he supposedly frequented the town. Many of the town's predominantly Muslim residents are descendants of Arab Christian families and the old city contains Christian ruins.
The main mosque in Beit Ummar houses the tomb of Nabi Matta. Matta meaning Matthew or Amittai, father of Jonah. Mujir ad-Din writes that Matta was "a holy man from the people of the house of the prophecy." Nearby Halhul houses the tomb of Jonah with the inscription reading "Yunus ibn Matta" or "Jonah son of Amittai", confirming that Matta is indeed the Arabic name for Amittai and the Beit Ummar tomb is dedicated to Amittai.
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