History of Nablus

Nablus was one of the cities of the Canaanites whose history goes back to 3,000 years B.C. It was then called Shakeim (the high place) on top of Balata Hill.

Because of its position among the countries of the ancient world Nablus was influenced by the cultures of ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. According to the Bible, Jesus stopped here for a drink at Jacob’s Well.

The Romans demolished the city in the year 69, and in the year 72 Vespasian, the Roman emperor, reconstructed an adjacent city that he called ‘Neapolis’ (the new city); hence the name Nablus.

In 636 Islamic rule came when Nablus was “opened” by Amir bin el As during the caliphate of Abu Bakir. Islamic rule continued until Nablus was taken by the Crusaders in 1100. It was recaptured by Saladin 87 years later in the battle of Hittin.

The Tartar ruled Nablus after the fall of Baghdad in 1260, only to be recaptured by the Mamluks, who revived the city and provided it with numerous mosques and schools.

In 1517 Nablus was occupied by the Ottomans, and remained under their rule until it was invaded by the British in September 1918. In 1927 the area was destroyed by an earthquake. (This is a sentence from the Dundee CC booklet. Should it be left in, do you think?) Thereafter the British Mandate covered all Palestine, ending when the British withdrew after the United Nations passed the Partition Resolution in 1947.

Nablus saw a very unnatural growth after the disaster (nakba) of 1948. In 1950 the city, as well as other West Bank cities, was integrated in a union with the Emirate of Jordan under the Hashemite Kingdom.

In June 1967, during the Six Days War, Nablus came under occupation by Israel. The Israeli forces finally withdrew officially from the city in December 1995. [based on a document from Dept of Public Relations, Nablus Governate]