Nablus
From World travel guide
Nablus (Arabic نابلس, Hebrew שכם, Shechem) is a large city (population, approximately 300,000) within the Palestinian Territories, located in the Central Highlands of the West Bank, some 63 km north of Jerusalem.
Understand
Nablus was founded in 72 AD as a new Greek-speaking city within the Roman Empire, known as Flavia Neapolis. (Neapolis is the source of the current name Nablus). The city was located approximately 2 km west of the ancient settlement of Shechem, an ancient Canaanite city later absorbed into the Israelite kingdoms.
Nablus has unfortunately more recently developed a reputation of being at the centre of armed resistance to Israeli occupation, with several suicide bombers originating from the town. Ghassan Shakaa, the Palestinian mayor of the city, resigned in February 2004 citing his inability to govern effectively with anarchy created by militant and fundamentalist groups.
The high profile of the city within the recent Intifada make it a place that Westerners should currently only visit with extreme caution. The hospitality of the inhabitants of Nablus is not in question - only the lengths to which some extremists may go.
Get in
See
- Tell Balata - the site of the ancient (Canaanite) city of Shechem, known for its many Biblical associations
- the Kasbah - the main suq, or market, of Nablus has some outstanding examples of public architecture
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