What does “Grass Carpet” mean to you? That’s the poetic meaning of Beit Jala. We’re standing in front of the Beit Jala Municipality. It is the heart of a city with a history stretching back millennia.
Beit Jala sits on a hill next to Bethlehem. Its Christian community is among the world’s oldest. Evidence suggests people lived in the Bethlehem area since the Stone Age. That was 200,000 years ago. The Canaanites likely settled here around 3,000 BC. This is about the same time as in neighboring Bethlehem. Beit Jala may be the biblical city of Gilo. It is mentioned in Joshua and II Samuel.
The oldest ruins here date to the early Christian period. That was the 3rd-4th century AD. Monks like St. Nicolas sought closeness to Jesus’ birthplace. Beit Jala’s large hill was ideal for a monastery. It was near the Nativity site but outside Bethlehem. St. Nicolas Monastery was built with local help. You can still see its ruins beneath St. Nicolas Church. The cave where Nicolas lived is also there. The town grew around the monastery. Beit Jala has been inhabited by Christians ever since.
The monastery faced destruction and rebuilding. Beit Jala weathered many changes and strife. In 529 AD, Samaritans sacked Bethlehem and Beit Jala. In 637, Caliph Umar conquered the region. He spared Christian and Jewish communities. In 1099, Crusaders replaced the Greek Orthodox clergy. Saladin expelled them in 1187.
The Ottomans conquered Palestine in 1516. They ruled for four centuries. Palestinians enjoyed security and prosperity at Ottoman height. As the empire declined, life became difficult. They levied huge taxes. They also forced conscription. In 1831, Muhammad Ali of Egypt conquered the region. The Turks regained control in 1840. They were helped by the British and Austrians. Many Palestinians left for South America because of these issues. They were mainly from Beit Jala, Bethlehem, and other neighboring cities. Chile and Argentina now host 400,000 Palestinians.
The Ottomans allowed European churches into Palestine. This was in return for help against Muhammad Ali. British Anglicans, Prussian Lutherans, and others built churches. They also built schools and hospitals. Missionaries focused on the Bethlehem area. They founded modern schools and churches in Beit Jala. Between 1848 and 1900, Beit Jala saw much construction. Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran churches rose. Palestine’s premier seminary opened here. It was the country’s most modern school. Cremisan monastery was also built. Beit Jala gained access to advanced education. It became a municipality in 1912.
The British ruled Palestine after the Ottoman collapse in 1917. They made strides in public health and infrastructure. However, they limited Arab participation in government. Zionist immigrants settled on the coast. Their influence grew. Jewish population rose between the world wars. Tensions rose between Jews and Arabs. A Jewish state seemed likely. Riots broke out. The British lost control during the ‘Great Arab Revolt’ of 1936-1939. In 1947, the UN resolved to partition Palestine. Israel declared independence in 1948. Neighboring countries invaded. The Palestinian Nakba began.
Beit Jala fell under Jordanian occupation after Israel’s victory. The city’s demographics shifted. This happened again after the 1967 war. Refugees fled Israeli troops. Beit Jala took in a Muslim minority. Two mosques were founded.
Israel occupied the West Bank after 1967. It annexed 22% of Beit Jala’s land. This formed new Jerusalem borders. In 1971, another 24% was confiscated. This created settlements like Gilo. These actions led to the 1st Intifada in 1987.
During the second Intifada, fighters used Beit Jala to fire on settlements. Israeli troops besieged Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. This lasted for five weeks.
Today, Beit Jala is home to around 15,670 people. Most are Christian. The rest are mainly Muslim. Beit Jala continues to evolve. It stands as a testament to resilience and faith. Its story is etched in its stones and its people. Remember this layered history as you explore further.