Abu Tor, also Abu Thor or ath-Thori, (; , lit. Arabic meaning "Father of the Bull"; In Hebrew also called גבעת חנניה (Giv'at Hanania), lit. "Hananiah's hill") is a mixed Jewish and Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem, built on a prominence south of the Old City,[ East Jerusalem, the capital of dropouts Haaretz. 5 September 2012] Jebel Abu Tor. The traditional Christian name is Hill of Evil Counsel (see #Location).[Warren and Conder (1884), p. 397]
Geography
Abu Tor is bounded by the Valley of Hinnom on the north, by the Valley of Azal (Wadi Yasul/Nahal Azal) on the south, Hebron Road and the old Jerusalem Railway Station to the west, and the Sherover Promenade,
Armon HaNetziv and
Peace Forest to the south.
[ About Abu Tor - Har Refaim Synagogue, Abu Tor, Jerusalem] The official Hebrew name of the neighborhood is
Givat Hananya ("Hananya's Hill").
[Zecharia Kallai, Studies in Historical Geography and Biblical Historiography]
Etymology
According to a traditional story, during the
Ayyubid dynasty after
Saladin captured Jerusalem in 1187, the area of Abu Tor was assigned by
Al-Aziz Uthman to an officer in Saladin's army.
[Mujir ed-Din (1876), p. 290, orig. page 488, cited in Canaan (1927), p. 286] His name was Sheikh Shehab ed Din, but he was called "Sheikh Ahmed et Toreh" (Sheikh Ahmed of the bull) or "Abu Tor" (the man with the bull, or the father of the bull) as he was said to have accompanied Saladin riding on a bull.
[Palmer (1881), p. 318][
]
Location
The hill on which Abu Tor stands was called "Jebel Deir Abu Tor" (mountain of the monastery of Abu Tor), or the "Hill of Evil Counsel", referring to a legend that it was the site of the house of Caiaphas, where Judas Iscariot plotted to betray Jesus.[ A monastery or convent dedicated to St. Mark (whose emblem was an ox) may have once been there.][Canaan (1927), p. 287 ]
History
Late Ottoman period
Abu Tor was developed as a residential quarter in the late 19th century by Muslim and Christian Arabs from Jerusalem.[
]
British Mandate
Abu Tor was incorporated into the Jerusalem municipal district during the British Mandate period.
Israel
From the establishment of Israel in 1948 until 1967, the border between Israel and Jordan ran through Abu Tor.[ In January 1949, Israel and Jordan, represented by Moshe Dayan and Abdullah el-Tell, held talks on the status of Jerusalem. Dayan presented the partition of Jerusalem as a common interest, and offered an exchange of territories that included the military post in Abu Tor, but his offer was turned down.]
Demography
Abu Tor is one of the few Jerusalem neighborhoods with a mixed Arab and Jewish population. Due to its mixed population, many journalists, diplomats and United Nations employees choose to live there.
Urban development
A large multiplex cinema, the Sherover complex, is located in Abu Tor.[ The rising star at Jerusalem City Hall, Haaretz] The center, just off Hebron Road, houses seven movie theaters, coffee shops and restaurants, an auditorium, a library, classrooms and art galleries.[
]
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> In calm J'lem neighborhood of Abu Tor, big construction project angers residents, The Jerusalem Post The complex, which began operating in 2015, also screens films on the Sabbath.
Bibliography
External links
