Bayt 'Awa

Beit Awwa ( ar, بيت عوّا) is a Palestinian town in the southern West Bank, in the Hebron Governorate of the State of Palestine, located 22 kilometers west of Hebron and 4 kilometers west of Dura. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Beit Awwa had a population of 8,064 inhabitants in 2007.2007 PCBS Census
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. p.119.

History

In 1838, during the Ottoman era, Edward Robinson noted ''Beit 'Auwa'' as a place "in ruins or deserted," part of the area between the mountains and Gaza, but subject to the government of el-Khulil.Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p.
117
/ref> He further remarked that the ruins "covering low hills on both sides of the path, exhibiting foundations of hewn stones, from which all that can be inferred is, that here was once an extensive town."

In 1863, Victor Guérin visited Beit Awwa, which he called ''Khirbet Beit el-Haoua''. He described finding many artificial caves, some of which were large and had shaped domes, other smaller with square ceilings. Most entries were surrounded by piles of stones from old demolished buildings.

In 1875, the PEF's Survey of Palestine visited Beit Awwa. They described several ruins, each with a different name;

"Khurbet es Sueity, Khurbet el Mehami, Khurbet el Kusah are all sites with foundations and caves. El Kusr is an ancient watch-tower, with drystone walls in ruins; el Keniseh seems to be a ruined church; foundations, capitals, shafts, and lintels with the Maltese cross on them, remain showing a Byzantine building. There is also a fine font fitted for immersion. In the centre a square basin, 2 feet 3 inches side, 7 inches deep ; four steps lead down, 5 inches high, 9 inches broad ; the whole surrounded by four segmental recesses, the external form of the font being that of a rounded cross, the longest measurement either way being 5 feet, and the total height outside 2 feet 4 inches."

British Mandate era

At the time of the 1931 census of Palestine the population of Beit Awwa was counted under Dura.Mills, 1932, p
29
/ref>

Jordanian era

In November 1948, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War soldiers from the Israeli 5th Brigade attacked Beit Awwa, Idhna and Kh. Sikka. At Beit Awwa, the attackers were driven off.
In March 1949, the 4th Brigade attacked Beit Awwa and surrounding villages. Their attack orders were to "hit every dult maleArab" they encountered. All in all, they drove out 7,000 people eastward. With UN the villagers were eventually allowed back.

In the wake of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and after the 1949 Armistice Agreements

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