Hebron, << HEE bruhn >> (pop. 201,063), is a city in the West Bank, a region between Israel and Jordan. Israel occupies certain parts of the West Bank, including Hebron. Hebron is a West Bank marketing and administrative center. Its industries include tanning, food processing, and marble and stone quarrying; and the manufacture of clothes, glass, and shoes. Hebron University, an Islamic university, is there. Hebron’s population consists mainly of Palestinians. Next to Hebron, Israelis have built a large settlement called Kiriyat Arba.
Hebron is one of the world’s oldest cities. It is mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Genesis. The city has religious importance to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Hebron is the site of the Cave of Machpelah, believed to house the tombs of Abraham and his wife Sarah. Abraham is the ancestor of both the Arabs and the Jews. Today, both a mosque (Islamic house of worship) and a synagogue (Jewish house of worship) stand above the cave.
Hebron was part of Palestine until 1950, when it became part of Jordan. Israel gained control of Hebron during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. In 1997, Israeli troops withdrew from most of Hebron. They reoccupied the city in 2002.
See also Cities of refuge; Palestinian Authority; West Bank.
