Gaza

From Free net encyclopedia

Gaza (Arabic غزة Ġazzah; Hebrew עזה Azza) is the largest city within the Gaza Strip, part of the Palestinian Territories]. The city, which has a population of approximately 400,000, is frequently termed "Gaza City" in order to distinguish it from the larger Gaza Strip.

1 Naming
2 History
- 2.1 Jewish communities in Gaza
3 People and Culture
4 Economy
5 Transport
6 See also
7 External links

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Naming

The word's original meaning is unclear. Some authorities derive it from Hebrew ʻAzzāh "strong"; however, the ʻ in ʻAzzāh is original (from proto-Semitic *ʻzz), whereas the ʻ in ʻAzza derives from original Ġ. The oldest attested records naming Gaza are ancient Egyptian, in which it is variously transcribed as q-ḏ-t or g-ḏ-t, in an attempt to render the Canaanite sounds ġ and z not found in the Egyptian of that period. The Tell el-Amarna tablets call it Qazati[1]. 5th-century BC Babylonian records call it Ḫazatu. In ancient Greek, it was termed Γάζα. In Hebrew, its pronunciation shifted from *Ġazzāh to Tiberian Hebrew ʻAzzāh around the first century AD, when the uvular fricatives were lost under the influence of other Semitic languages such as Aramaic. The Arabic form Ġazzah may derive from the Greek name. The earliest surviving written attestation of the name "Ghazza" in Arabic may be the Nessana bilingual entagion of 674 AD (54 AH), although the name is mentioned in pre-Islamic traditions. Other names: include 'Aza, Azzah, Beth-eglaim, Ghazzah, Ghazzeh, Maiumos, Pa-Canaan, tel al-'Ajjul, 'The Ruler Prize'. Template:Fact

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History

Strategically located on the Mediterranean coastal route, ancient Gaza was a prosperous trade center and a stop on the caravan route between Egypt and Syria. The city was occupied by Egypt around the 15th century BCE. Philistines settled the area several hundred years later, and Gaza became one of their chief cities.

In 145 BC Gaza was conquered by Jonathan the Hasmonean (Brother of Judah the Maccabee). There was a prospering Jewish presence in Gaza until the Roman ruler Gavinius expelled them in 61 CE. In the times of the Mishnah and the Talmud there was a large Jewish community in Gaza, and on one of the pillars of the Great Mosque of Gaza there was a Greek inscription which read "Hananiah bar Yaakov" (a Hebrew name) with a menorah carved above it. This sign of the building's previous role was vandelised during the intifada. The remains of the ancient Gaza synagogue, built around 500 CE, were found near the city wharf.

Gaza was captured by Arabs in the AC 600s. Believed to be the site where the Prophet Muhammad's great grandfather was buried, the city became an important Islamic center. In the 12th century, Gaza was taken by Christian Crusaders; it returned to Muslim control in 1187. The city fell to the Ottomans in the 16th century and was taken by the British during World War I (1914-1918).

Following World War I, Gaza became part of the British mandate for Palestine. After the first Arab Israel war in 1948, Egypt took control over Gaza and its surrounding area. Israel captured the city and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Six Day War, and Gaza remained under Israeli administration for the next 27 years.

With the onset of the Palestinian uprising known as the intifada in 1987, Gaza became a center of political unrest and confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians, and economic conditions in the city worsened.

In September 1993, leaders of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the Oslo Accords calling for Palestinian administration of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho, which was implemented in May 1994. Most of the Israeli forces left Gaza, leaving a new Palestinian Authority to administer and police the city, along with the rest of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority, led by Yasser Arafat, chose Gaza as its first provincial headquarters. In September 1995, Israel and the PLO signed a second peace agreement extending the Palestinian Authority to some West Bank towns. The agreement also established an elected 88-member Palestinian Council, which held its inaugural session in Gaza in March 1996.

The current mayor is Mr. Sa’ed Kharma.

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Jewish communities in Gaza

The Jewish community in Gaza was destroyed during the crusades, but returned and was rebuilt with the return of the Mamluk occupation. In February 1799, when the French forces led by Napoleon entered the city, it was struck by a terrible plague which caused the Jews to flee. By the year 1886, thirty Jewish families had returned to Gaza, but they were deported by the Ottomans during World War I. Jews returned to Gaza after the war ended but they were forced to leave once again after the 1929 massacres.

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People and Culture

Gaza's population is composed almost entirely of Muslim Palestinians, and also has a small Palestinian Christian community. A massive influx of Palestinian refugees swelled Gaza's population after the 1948 Arab Israeli war . By 1967 the population had grown to about six times its 1948 size. The city's population has continued to increase since that time, and poverty, unemployment, and poor living conditions are widespread. Gaza has serious deficiencies in housing and infrastructure, and an inadequate sewage system has contributed to serious problems of hygiene and public health.

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Economy

Gaza is the economic center for a region in which citrus fruits and other crops are grown. Many Gazans work in Israeli service and industry when the border is open. The city contains some small industry, including textiles and food processing. A variety of wares are sold in Gaza's street bazaars, including carpets, pottery, wicker furniture, and cotton clothing; commercial development in the city is minimal. Gaza serves as a transportation hub for the Gaza Strip, and contains a small port that serves a local fishing fleet.

Places of interest to the visitor are the Great Omari Mosque, the Mosque of Al Ssayed Hashem, the Mosque of Ibn Othman, the Mosque of Ibn Marwan, The Sheikh Abul Azm sanctuary, the Sheikh Ajlin sanctuary, Tell al Mintar, Napoleon's fort (Al Radwan Castle), and the Church of St. Porphyrius. The city also has many new resorts where tourists and local people can swim and relax by the beach or swimming pools.

The Great Mosque (Al-Omari Mosque)

Located in downtown Gaza, Al-Omari Mosque with its splendid minaret, reputedly occupying the site of the first ancient temple of Marnas and then a Greek Orthodox Church. The mosque was also the site of a Norman church built by the Crusaders in the 12th century.

Napoleon's Fort (Qasr El-Basha)

Also located in downtown Gaza, this imposing stone building dates back to the Mamluk period. It is known as Qasr El-Basha because Napoleon spent a few nights here on his way through the town in 1799.

St. Porphyrus Church

This 4th century church is where St. Porphyrus died and was buried (420 AD) It is located in the Gaza's old city and still in use today by the Greek Orthodox Community.

Sayyed Hashem Mosque

Located in Al-Daraj Quarter, the mosque is one of the largest and most beautiful ancient mosques in Gaza. The tomb of Hashem bin Abd-Manaf, Prophet Mohammad's grandfather who died in Gaza during a trading voyage, is believed to be under the dome of the mosque.

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Transport

Gaza shared Yasser Arafat International Airport with the rest of the Gaza Strip. It was opened in 1998, but is currently inoperational, having been largely destroyed by Israeli armed forces during the Al-Aqsa Intifada due to claims of weapons smuggling. Following the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in autumn 2005, discussions took place between the Palestinian and Israeli sides on its reopening. So far, Israeli negotiators have not agreed to allow the airport be reopened

Arriving to Gaza: