Remember the name Beit Iksa. This Palestinian village holds stories within its boundaries.
Beit Iksa sits northwest of Jerusalem. It is in the Jerusalem Governorate. The village’s history stretches back centuries.
Beit Iksa means “The house of Iksa”. Some say Iksa refers to a full moon festival. Others link it to Kisa the village founder. Locals once called it Umm-el-ela. During Crusader times people knew it as Jenanara.
Archaeological digs show ancient settlements nearby. These remains date from the Hellenistic to Umayyad periods. Beit Iksa was on a route connecting the coast and Jerusalem.
In 1517 Beit Iksa became part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1552 the tax revenues supported a Jerusalem soup kitchen. Residents farmed the lands of Kharruba.
The 1596 tax records list Beit Iksa as Bayt Kisa. It had 79 Muslim households. They paid taxes on crops like wheat, barley and olives.
In 1838 Beit Iksa was noted as a Muslim village. Abd al-Qadir al-Khatib built an Ottoman castle in 1841. A smaller castle followed five years later.
Around 1870 Beit Iksa had 70 houses and 147 men. The Beni Zeid tribe inhabited the village. By 1883 Beit Iksa had stone houses and a well. A sacred tree stood near the well.
Around 1896 about 714 people lived in Beit Iksa. By the early 20th century residents settled Kharruba. Kharruba became a satellite village.
The British Mandate authorities counted 791 Muslims in 1922. By 1931 the population grew to 1003. In 1945 Beit Iksa had 1410 Muslims. They cultivated over 8000 dunams of land.
In April 1948 villagers fled after the Deir Yassin massacre. The Haganah entered and destroyed buildings. After the 1948 war Beit Iksa fell under Jordanian rule. Jordan annexed it in 1950.
In 1961 Beit Iksa had 1177 residents.
Since the Six-Day War in 1967 Beit Iksa has been under Israeli occupation.
Much of Beit Iksa’s land lies beyond the West Bank barrier. Israeli settlements have been built on village land.
Movement is restricted today. Entry is controlled through a checkpoint. Only registered residents and permit holders can enter.
In 2017 Beit Iksa had 1773 residents. Many are Palestinian refugees.
Beit Iksa had several shrines. Es-seh Mubarak/Imbarak had a shrine in the cemetery. Sheik Hasan’s shrine was damaged in World War I. Sheik Iteyim’s shrine served as a guest room and school.
Beit Iksa’s story reflects resilience. It is a story of a village striving to preserve its heritage. Despite challenges Beit Iksa remains a testament to Palestinian identity.