Hubbry Logo
Beit She'anBeit She'anMain
Open search
Beit She'an
Community hub
Beit She'an
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Beit She'an
Beit She'an
Beit She'an
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Archaeological excavation at Tell Beth Shean in 1937. The town is seen at the top half of the picture

Key Information

Beit She'an (Hebrew: בֵּית שְׁאָן Bēṯ Šəʾānⓘ), also known as Beisan (Arabic: بيسان Bisānⓘ),[2] or Beth-shean, is a city in the Northern District of Israel. The town lies at the Beit She'an Valley about 120 m (394 feet) below sea level. In 2022, 98% of the population was Jewish and 2% was counted as other.[3]

Beit She'an is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the region. It has played an important role in history due to its geographical location at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley. Beth She'an's ancient tell contains remains beginning in the Chalcolithic period. When Canaan came under Imperial Egyptian rule in the Late Bronze Age, Beth She'an served as a major Egyptian administrative center.[4] The city came under Israelite rule in the monarchic period. It probably fell under Philistine control during the time of Saul, when, according to the Bible, his body was displayed there along with his sons.[5]

During the Hellenistic period, the settlement was known as Scythopolis (Ancient Greek: Σκυθόπολις). After the region came under Roman rule, Scythopolis gained imperial free status and was the leading city of the Decapolis. A multi-cultural metropolis under Byzantine rule, it served as the capital of the province of Palaestina Secunda, and had a mixed population of Christians, pagans, Jews and Samaritans. After the Arab conquest of the Levant, and following a series of devastating earthquakes (most notably in 749), the city lost its prominence, and became a medium-sized country town.[4][6]

The population of the town was completely changed from 1948 to 1950. It had been entirely Muslim and Christian, designated to be part of the Jewish state in the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, and was captured by the Haganah in May 1948. The battle over the town during Operation Gideon caused most of its inhabitants to flee, and the remainder were expelled.[7] The town was then resettled by Jewish immigrants.[7] Today, Beit She'an serves as a regional centre for the towns in the Beit She'an Valley. The ancient city ruins are now protected within the Beit She'an National Park. The town is located near the Jordan River Crossing, one of three crossing points between Israel and Jordan.

Geography

[edit]
Ancient ruins of Beit She'an

Beit She'an's location has always been strategically significant, due to its position at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley, essentially controlling access from Jordan and the inland to the coast, as well as from Jerusalem and Jericho to the Galilee.

Beit She'an is situated on Highway 90, the north–south road which runs the length of the eastern edge of Israel and the West Bank. The city stretches over an area of 7 square kilometers with a substantial national park in the north of the city. Beit She'an has a population of 20,000.[8]

Today the town is under the administration of the Emek HaMa'ayanot Regional Council.

Climate

[edit]

Beit She'an has a hot semi-arid climate, with mild, rainy winters and very hot, dry summers. Beit She'an is one of the hottest cities in Israel, due to its location in Beit She'an valley, which is part of the Jordan Valley. The annual precipitation is 305 mm, which make it the driest city in Northern Israel. The cause of the relative aridity is the location in the rain shadow of the Samaria mountains and Mount Gilboa, which blocks some of the rain from reaching the area.

History of archaeological exploration

[edit]

The University of Pennsylvania carried out excavations of ancient Beit She'an in 1921–1933. Relics from the Egyptian period were discovered, most of them now exhibited in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. Some are in the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.[9] Excavations at the site were resumed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1983 and then again from 1989 to 1996 under the direction of Amihai Mazar.[10] The excavations have revealed no less than 18 successive ancient towns.[11][12]

History

[edit]

Prehistory (Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods)

[edit]

In 1933, archaeologist G.M. FitzGerald, under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania Museum, carried out a "deep cut" on Tell el-Hisn ("castle hill"), the large tell, or mound, of Beth She'an, in order to determine the earliest occupation of the site. His results suggest that settlement began in the Late Neolithic or Early Chalcolithic periods (sixth to fifth millennia BC.)[13] Occupation continued intermittently throughout the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, with a likely gap during the Late Chalcolithic period (ca. 4000–3300 BC).[14]

Early Bronze Age

[edit]
House of the Egyptian governor on Tell el-Husn

Settlement seems to have resumed at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age IB (c. 3300–3050/3000 BC) and continues throughout this period, is then missing during the Early Bronze Age II (c. 3050/3000-2720 BC), and then resumes in the Early Bronze Age IIIA (c. 2720-2500 BC).[14]

Middle Bronze Age

[edit]

A large cemetery on the northern mound was in use from the Bronze Age to Byzantine times.[15] Canaanite graves dating from 2000 to 1600 BC were discovered there in 1926.[16]

Late Bronze Age

[edit]

Egyptian period

[edit]

After the conquest of Beit She'an by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BCE, as recorded in an inscription at Karnak,[17] the small town on the summit of the mound became the center of the Egyptian administration of the region.[18] The Egyptian newcomers changed the organization of the town and left a great deal of material culture behind. A large Canaanite temple (39 m (128 ft) in length) excavated by the University of Pennsylvania Museum (Penn Museum) may date from about the same period as Thutmose III's conquest, though the Hebrew University excavations suggest that it dates to a later period.[19] Artifacts of potential cultic significance were found around the temple. Based on an Egyptian stele found at the place, the temple was dedicated to the god Mekal.[20] The Hebrew University excavations determined that this temple was built on the site of an earlier one.[21]

Lion and Lioness, 14th century BC

One of the most important finds near the temple is the Lion and Lioness (or a dog[22]) stela, currently in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, which depicts the two playing.[23]

During the three hundred years of rule by the New Kingdom of Egypt, the population of Beit She'an appears to have been primarily Egyptian administrative officials and military personnel. The town was completely rebuilt, following a new layout, during the 19th dynasty.[24] The Penn Museum excavations uncovered two important stelae from the period of Seti I and a monument of Ramesses II.[25] One of those steles is particularly interesting because, according to William F. Albright,[26] it testifies to the presence of a Hebrew population: the Habiru, which Seti I protected from an Asiatic tribe. Pottery was produced locally, but some was made to mimic Egyptian forms.[27] Other Canaanite goods existed alongside Egyptian imports, or locally made Egyptian-style objects.[28]

During the 20th Dynasty, invasions of the "Sea Peoples" upset Egypt's control over the Eastern Mediterranean. Though the exact circumstances are unclear, the entire site of Beit She'an was destroyed by fire around 1150 BC. The Egyptians did not attempt to rebuild their administrative center and finally lost control of the region. The 20th Dynasty saw the construction of large administrative buildings in Beit She'an, including "Building 1500", a small palace for the Egyptian governor.[29]

Over 50 clay anthropoid coffins were found at the site mainly from the 13th and 12th centuries BC. Most are in the typical Egyptian style but some are of a "grotesque" type linked to the Aegean which caused earlier archaeologists to suggest they were of the "sea peoples" which pharaoh Ramses III claimed to have resettled in the region.[30]

Iron Age

[edit]
Terracotta sarcophagus Beth Shean northern cemetery tomb 202A Iron IA 1200–1150 BCE Penn Museum 02

An Iron Age I (1150–1000 BC) Canaanite city was constructed on the site of the Egyptian center shortly after its destruction.[31] According to the Hebrew Bible, around 1000 BC the town became part of the larger Israelite kingdom. 1 Kings (1 Kings 4:12) refers to Beit She'an as part of the kingdom of Solomon, though the historical accuracy of this list is debated.[32] Nevertheless, recent archaeomagnetic dates suggest that the first Israelite urban settlement was established either during the Solomonic period or in the pre-Omride phase of the early kingdom of Israel at the latest, and that it was probably destroyed around 935–900 BC.[33]

The Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel under Tiglath-Pileser III (732 BC) brought about the destruction of Beit She'an by fire.[27]

Minimal reoccupation occurred until the Hellenistic period.[27]

Biblical narrative

[edit]

The Hebrew Bible identifies Beit She'an as where the bodies of King Saul and three of his sons were hung by the Philistines after the Battle of Gilboa.[34][35][36] According to the biblical narrative, the battle was fought at Mount Gilboa, around the year 1010 BC. The Philistines prevailed and Saul died in battle together with three of his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, (1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, 1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10). 1 Samuel 31:10 states that "the victorious Philistines hung the body of King Saul on the walls of Beit She'an". Later, the people of Jabesh-Gilead took the remnants, carried them into their city, and burned them. No archeological evidence was found of a Philistine occupation of Beit She'an, but it is possible the force only passed there.[22]

Hellenistic period

[edit]
Map of the Decapolis showing the location of Beit She'an, here called by its Greek name, Scythopolis

The Hellenistic period saw the reoccupation of the site of Beit She'an under the new name "Scythopolis" (Ancient Greek: Σκυθόπολις),[37] meaning "City of the Scythians", possibly named after the Scythian mercenaries who settled there as veterans.[38]

Little is known about the Hellenistic city, but during the 3rd century BCE a large temple was constructed on the tell.[39] It is unknown which deity was worshipped there, but the temple continued to be used during Roman times. Graves dating from the Hellenistic period are simple, singular rock-cut tombs.[40] From 301 to 198 BCE the area was under the control of the Ptolemies, and Beit She'an is mentioned in 3rd–2nd century BCE written sources describing the Syrian Wars between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties. In 198 BCE the Seleucids finally conquered the region.

Roman period

[edit]

In 63 BCE, Pompey made Judea a part of the Roman Republic. Beit She'an was refounded and rebuilt by Gabinius.[41] The town center shifted from the summit of the mound, or tell, to its slopes. Scythopolis prospered and became the leading city of the Decapolis, the only one west of the Jordan River.[42]

The city flourished under the "Pax Romana", as evidenced by high-level urban planning and extensive construction, including the best preserved Roman theatre of ancient Samaria, as well as a hippodrome, a cardo and other trademarks of the Roman influence. Mount Gilboa, 7 km (4 mi) away, provided dark basalt blocks, as well as water (via an aqueduct) to the town. Beit She'an is said to have sided with the Romans during the early phase of the First Jewish–Roman War in 66 CE.[41] Excavations have focused less on the Roman period ruins, so not much is known about this period.[dubious – discuss] The Penn. University Museum excavation of the northern cemetery, however, did uncover significant finds. The Roman period tombs are of the loculus type: a rectangular rock-cut spacious chamber with smaller chambers (loculi) cut into its side.[40] Bodies were placed directly in the loculi, or inside sarcophagi which were placed in the loculi. A sarcophagus with an inscription identifying its occupant in Greek as "Antiochus, the son of Phallion", may have held the cousin of Herod the Great.[40] One of the most interesting Roman grave finds was a bronze incense shovel with the handle in the form of an animal leg, or hoof, now in the University of Pennsylvania Museum.[43]

  • The Roman theatre
    The Roman theatre
  • Roman cardo
    Roman cardo
  • Roman baths
    Roman baths

Byzantine period

[edit]
Mosaic from 5th–7th century synagogue in northern Beit Shean, possibly Samaritan, Israel Museum[44]

Copious archaeological remains were found dating to the Byzantine period (324 – 636) and were excavated by the Penn Museum from 1921 to 1923. A rotunda church was constructed on top of the tell, and a wall enclosed the entire city.[45] Textual sources mention several other churches in the town.[45] Scythopolis was primarily Christian, as attested to by many churches, but evidence of Jewish habitation and a Samaritan synagogue indicate established communities of these minorities. The pagan temples in the city center went out of use, but the nymphaeum and the thermae were restored, and a Sigma-shaped complex was added.[46] Many of the buildings of Scythopolis were damaged in the 363 Galilee earthquake. In 409, Syria Palaestina was divided and Scythopolis became the capital of the northern region of Palaestina Secunda.[47] and the See of Scythopolis was the Metropolitan archdiocese.

Dedicatory inscriptions indicate a preference for donations to religious buildings. Many colourful mosaics were preserved, such as that featuring the zodiac in the Lady Mary's Monastery, or the one with a temple menorah and the phrase shalom in the House of Leontius synagogue. The Samaritan synagogue's mosaic was unique in its aniconic abstention from human or animal images, instead using floral and geometrical motifs. Elaborate decorations were also found in the settlement's many luxurious villas, and in the 6th century especially, the city reached its maximum size of 40,000 and spread beyond its period city walls.[47]

The Byzantine-era portion of the northern cemetery was excavated in 1926. The tombs from this period consisted of small rock-cut halls with vaulted graves on three sides.[48] A great variety of objects were found in the tombs, including terracotta figurines possibly depicting the Virgin and Child, many terracotta lamps, glass mirrors, bells, tools, knives, finger rings, iron keys, glass beads, bone hairpins, and many other items.[48]

Influential Christian personalities who lived or passed through Scythopolis are Procopius of Scythopolis (died July 7, 303), Cyril of Scythopolis (ca. 525–559), Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403) and Joseph of Tiberias (c. 285 – c. 356) who met there around the year 355.

Early Muslim period

[edit]
Main article: Jund al-Urdunn

In 634, Byzantine forces were defeated by the Rashidun army under the Rashid caliph Umar, and the city reverted to its Semitic name, being named Baysan in Arabic. The day of victory came to be known in Arabic as Yawm Baysan "day of Baysan."[2] The city was not damaged; newly arrived Muslims lived alongside the Christian population until the 8th century. The town formed one of the districts of Jund al-Urdunn, itself a part of the Bilad al-Sham, until the Crusades.[49]

The city declined; structures were built in the streets, narrowing them to mere alleys, and makeshift shops were opened among the colonnades. The city reached a low point in the 8th century, witnessed by the removal of marble for producing lime, the blocking off of the main street, and the conversion of a main plaza into a cemetery.[50]

However, some recently discovered counter-evidence may be offered to this picture of decline. In common with state-directed building work carried out in other towns and cities in the region during the 720s,[51] Baysan's commercial infrastructure was refurbished: its main colonnaded market street, once thought to date to the sixth century, is now known—based on a mosaic inscription—to be a redesign dating from the time of the Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik (r. 724–43).[52] Al-Bakri of al-Andalus noted that the wine produced there was delicious.[2]

On January 18, 749, Umayyad Baysan was devastated by a catastrophic earthquake. A few residential neighborhoods grew among the ruins, probably established by the survivors, but the city never recovered its magnificence. The city center moved to the southern hill, where the Crusaders later built a castle.[53]

Jerusalemite historian al-Muqaddasi visited Baysan in 985, during the Abbasid Caliphate and wrote that it was "on the river, with plentiful palm trees, and water, though somewhat heavy (brackish.)" He further noted that Baysan was notable for its indigo, rice, dates, and grape syrup known as dibs.[54] Its principal mosque was situated in the center of its marketplace.[55]

Crusader period

[edit]
Crusader castle with moat and inner tower.

In the Crusader period, the Lordship of Bessan was occupied by Tancred, Prince of Galilee in 1099; it was never part of the Principality of Galilee, despite its location, but became a royal domain of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1101, probably until around 1120. According to the Lignages d'Outremer, the first Crusader lord of Bessan once it became part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem was Adam, a younger son of Robert III de Béthune, peer of Flanders and head of the House of Béthune. His descendants were known by the family name de Bessan.

It occasionally passed back under royal control until new lords were created. The town became part of the Belvoir fiefdom.[56]

A small Crusader fortress surrounded by a moat was built in the area southeast of the Roman theatre, where the diminished town had relocated after the 749 earthquake.[53] The fortress was destroyed by Saladin in 1183.[57]

During the 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut, retreating Mongol forces passed near the town, but did not enter it.

Mamluk period

[edit]
Plan of Beisan-Scythopolis from the 1871–1877 PEF Survey of Palestine

Under Mamluk rule, Beit She'an was the principal town in the district of Damascus and a relay station for the postal service between Damascus and Cairo. It was also the capital of sugar cane processing for the region. Jisr al-Maqtu'a, "the truncated/cut-off bridge", a bridge consisting of a single arch spanning 25 ft (7.6 m) and hung 50 ft (15 m) above a stream, was built during that period.[58]

Ottoman period

[edit]
Ottoman Saraya

During this period, the inhabitants of Baysan were mainly Muslim, but there were some Jews. The 14th century topographer Ishtori Haparchi settled there and completed his work "Bulb and Flower" (Hebrew: כפתור ופרח, romanized: Kaftor vaFeraḥ) in 1322, the first Hebrew book on the geography of the Land of Israel.[59][60]

During the 400 years of Ottoman rule, Baysan lost its regional importance. During the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II when the Jezreel Valley railway, which was part of the Haifa to Damascus extension of the Hejaz railway was constructed, a limited revival took place. The local peasant population was largely impoverished by the Ottoman feudal land system, which leased tracts of land to tenants and collected taxes from them for their use.[2]

The Swiss–German traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt described Beisan in 1812: "The present village of Bysan contains seventy or eighty houses; its inhabitants are in a miserable condition, from being exposed to the depredations of the Bedouins of the Ghor, to whom they also pay a heavy tribute."[61]

In 1870/1871, an Ottoman census listed the village in the nahiya (sub-district) of Shafa al-Shamali.[62]

In the early 20th century, though still a tiny and obscure village, Beisan was known for its plentiful water supply, fertile soil, and producing olives, grapes, figs, almonds, apricots, and apples.[2]

British Mandate period

[edit]
Detailed map of the town in the 1930s from the Survey of Palestine

Under the Mandate, the city was the center of the District of Baysan. According to a census conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities, Beit She'an (Baisan) had a population of 1,941, consisting of 1,687 Muslims, 41 Jews and 213 Christians.[63]

In 1934, Lawrence of Arabia noted that "Bisan is now a purely Arab village," where "very fine views of the river can be had from the housetops." He further noted that "many nomad and Bedouin encampments, distinguished by their black tents, were scattered about the riverine plain, their flocks and herds grazing round them."[2] Beisan was home to a mainly Mizrahi Jewish community of 95 until 1936, when the 1936–1939 Arab revolt saw Beisan serve as a center of Arab attacks on Jews in Palestine.[60][64][65] In 1938, after learning of the murder of his close friend and Jewish leader Haim Sturmann, Orde Wingate led his men on an offensive in the Arab section of Baysan, the rebels’ suspected base.[66]

According to population surveys conducted in British Mandate Palestine, Beisan consisted of 5,080 Muslim Arabs out of a population of 5,540 (92% of the population), with the remainder being listed as Christians.[67] In 1945, the surrounding District of Baysan consisted of 16,660 Muslims (67%), 7,590 Jews (30%), and 680 Christians (3%); and Arabs owned 44% of land, Jews owned 34%, and 22% constituted public lands. The 1947 UN Partition Plan allocated Beisan and most of its district to the proposed Jewish state.[2][68][69]

  • Beisan in 1936
    Beisan in 1936
  • Beit She’an 1939
    Beit She’an 1939
  • Pioneers of Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv settle in Bet She'an, 1946
    Pioneers of Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv settle in Bet She'an, 1946

1948 Palestine war

[edit]
Further information: 1948 Palestine war and 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight

Jewish forces and local Bedouins first clashed during the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine in February and March 1948, part of Operation Gideon,[2] itself part of Plan Dalet.[70] Joseph Weitz, a leading Yishuv figure, wrote in his diary on May 4, 1948, that, "The Beit Shean Valley is the gate for our state in the Galilee...[I]ts clearing is the need of the hour."[2]

Beisan, then an Arab village, fell to the Jewish militias three days before the end of the Mandate. After Israel's Declaration of Independence in May 1948, during intense shelling by Syrian border units, followed by the recapture of the valley by the Haganah, the Arab inhabitants fled across the Jordan River.[71][better source needed] The property and buildings abandoned after the conflict were then held by the State of Israel.[2] Most Arab Christians relocated to Nazareth.[citation needed]

Historian Saleh Abdel Jawad claims that Beisan experienced a massacre via aerial bombardment by Israeli forces that was "entirely without military justification" and which was used as "a tool of expulsion".[72]

State of Israel

[edit]
War monument, Al Mansfeld and Munio Weinraub, 1960
A neighborhood in Beit She'an

A ma'abarah (immigration camp) inhabited mainly by North African Jewish olim (immigrants) [73] was erected in Beit She'an, and it later became a development town.

From 1969, Beit She'an was a target for Katyusha rockets and mortar attacks from Jordan.[74] In the 1974 Beit She'an attack, militants of the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, took over an apartment building and murdered a family of four.[64]

In 1999, Beit She'an was incorporated as a city.[75] Geographically, it lies in the middle of the Emek HaMaayanot Regional Council, formerly the Beit She'an Valley Regional Council.[76]

Beit She'an was the hometown and political power base of David Levy, an Israeli politician.

During the Second Intifada, in the 2002 Beit She'an attack, six Israelis were killed and over 30 were injured by two Palestinian militants, who opened fire and threw grenades at a polling station in the center of Bet She'an where party members were voting in the Likud primary.

Seismicity

[edit]

Beit She'an is located above the Dead Sea Transform (a fault system that forms the transform boundary between the African Plate to the west and the Arabian Plate to the east) and is one of the cities in Israel most at risk to earthquakes (along with Kiryat Shmona, Safed, Tiberias, and Eilat).[77] Historically, the city was destroyed in the Golan earthquake of 749.

Demographics

[edit]

According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the population of the municipality was 20,249 at the end of 2023.[1] In 2005, the ethnic makeup of the city was 99.5% Jewish and other non-Arab (97.3% Jewish), with no significant Arab population. See Population groups in Israel. The population breakdown by gender was 8,200 males and 8,100 females.[78]

The age distribution was as follows:

Age 0–4 5–9 10–14 15–19 20–29 30–44 45–59 60–64 65–74 75+
Percentage 9.9 9.4 9.4 9.4 17.6 17.7 16.7 2.7 4.4 2.8
Source: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics[78]

Economy

[edit]
Beit She'an municipality
Beit She'an park
Bank Leumi branch in Beit She'an

Beit She'an is a center of cotton-growing, and many of residents are employed in the cotton fields of the surrounding kibbutzim. Other local industries include a textile mill and clothing factory.[60]

Tourism

[edit]

Ancient Beit She'an, one of the most spectacular Roman and Byzantine sites in Israel, is a major tourist attraction.[79]

When the ancient city of Beit She'an was opened to the public in the 1990s and turned into a national park, tourism became a major sector of the economy.[80]

Transportation

[edit]
New railway station, Beit She'an

Beit She'an had a railway station that opened in 1904 on the Jezreel Valley railway which was an extension of the Hejaz railway. This station closed together with the rest of the Jezreel Valley railway in 1948.

In 2011–2016 the valley railway was rebuilt and the new Beit She'an railway station,[81] located at the same site as the historical station was opened. Passenger service offered at the station connects the city to Afula, Haifa and destinations in between. In addition to passenger service, the station also includes a freight rail terminal.

Sports

[edit]

The local football club, Hapoel Beit She'an spent several seasons in the top division in the 1990s, but folded in 2006 after several relegations. Maccabi Beit She'an currently plays in Liga Bet.[citation needed]

Notable people

[edit]

Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]

Beit She'an is twinned with:

Historic images

[edit]
  • Historic railway station, 1930s
    Historic railway station, 1930s
  • Beit She'an after conquest, 1948
    Beit She'an after conquest, 1948
  • Ottoman Saray building used by Yiftach Brigade as company barracks, 1948
    Ottoman Saray building used by Yiftach Brigade as company barracks, 1948
  • Beit Shean ruins
    Beit Shean ruins
  • Lions playing sculpture, roundabout in Beit Shean
    Lions playing sculpture, roundabout in Beit Shean
  • Beit She'an in 1970
    Beit She'an in 1970

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Beit She'an

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Beit She'an is a city in northern located in the Beit She'an Valley at the confluence of the and the , featuring one of the country's largest and most significant archaeological sites with ruins spanning from the period through the Byzantine era. The ancient tel, or mound, preserves evidence of continuous settlement for over 6,000 years, including Egyptian administrative centers from the Late and fortifications, while the expansive lower city reveals the Hellenistic renaming to Nysa-Scythopolis and its prosperity as a Roman member with monumental structures like a theater seating 7,000, public baths, and a paved cardo maximus. The site's strategic crossroads position facilitated trade and military control across empires, from Egyptian garrisons in the 15th–12th centuries BCE to Hellenistic and Roman urban development, until a devastating in 749 CE led to its abandonment as a major center. In modern times, Beit She'an serves as a regional hub with a population of around 17,000, primarily sustained by agriculture in the fertile valley, tourism to the , and light industry, following Jewish resettlement in the and expansion after 1948.

Physical Setting

Geography

Beit She'an is located in the northern of , within the Beit She'an Valley, at approximately 32°30′N 35°30′E. The site sits about 120 meters below , characteristic of the Jordan Rift Valley's depression. This positioning places it at the confluence of the Harod Valley to the west and the broader extending northward and southward. The topography features flat, low-lying terrain ideal for water accumulation and soil deposition, bordered by rising escarpments. To the east, the Jordan River flows roughly 5 kilometers distant, providing a natural hydrological boundary and sediment source. Southwestward, the Gilboa Mountains ascend sharply, while the adjoins to the north, creating a funnel-like gateway between rift lowlands and higher plateaus. Geologically, the area is dominated by alluvial soils formed from fluvial deposits of the and Harod streams, comprising a significant portion of the valley floor and supporting high fertility through nutrient-rich sediments. These soils, often brown alluvial types with colluvial influences near valley edges, overlay basin strata and enable intensive via natural moisture retention and potential from proximate watercourses. The combination of low , proximity, and fertile plains has historically favored settlement by leveraging reliable access and arable expanses.

Climate

Beit She'an has a Mediterranean , with long, hot, and mostly dry summers from May to and mild winters from to , during which nearly all precipitation occurs. Average high temperatures peak at 36°C in , while lows remain around 23°C; July highs average 37°C with lows of 21°C. In , the coolest month, highs average 18°C and lows 8°C. Annual precipitation averages about 300 mm, predominantly falling between and as a result of Mediterranean frontal systems, with recording the highest monthly total of approximately 76 mm. The dry season extends for roughly six months, with negligible rainfall from onward and zero recorded in and . Relative is lowest in spring and fall but rises during summer, contributing to muggy conditions despite the aridity, as high temperatures drive elevated rates exceeding potential. Historical records from regional stations indicate variability, including occasional summer heatwaves where temperatures surpass 45°C, as observed in Beit She'an during extreme events. Winters occasionally feature light frost, though rare, with daily temperature fluctuations often exceeding 10°C due to clear skies and low outside the rainy season.

Seismicity

Beit She'an lies in the northern , adjacent to the Dead Sea system, also known as the fault, which accommodates left-lateral strike-slip motion between the Arabian and African plates. This tectonic setting exposes the region to recurring seismic activity, with the Fault and associated branches exhibiting clustered earthquakes along surface traces and local grabens. The most devastating historical event was the 749 CE earthquake, magnitude approximately 7.0, which leveled much of the Byzantine city of Scythopolis (ancient Beit She'an), collapsing colonnades, walls, roofs, arches, and other structures in a uniform direction indicative of seismic shaking. Archaeological excavations reveal thick layers of destruction debris, including fallen building elements and post-event dumps, corroborating literary accounts of widespread ruin across the Jordan Valley. This quake contributed to the abrupt decline of the urban center, with limited rebuilding thereafter. Earlier seismic layers appear in the stratigraphic record, such as collapsed structures from the Late Bronze Age, aligned with regional fault activity patterns that show episodic fault ruptures over millennia. In modern times, the (magnitude 6.2) caused observable damage to ancient ruins at Beit She'an, including toppled columns, though impacts on contemporary settlements were less severe compared to nearby and . Contemporary seismicity remains low, averaging about 10-11 events per year in the vicinity, mostly minor, monitored by the Seismic Network established in with seismometers spaced at intervals along fault zones. 's geophysical institutions maintain real-time detection and early warning systems, such as TRUAA with 120 sensors, emphasizing preparedness given the potential for larger ruptures along the under-monitored northern segments.

Archaeological Investigations

Early Explorations

In 1838, American biblical scholar Edward Robinson visited the ruins at Beisan during his travels in Palestine, identifying the site as ancient Beth Shean based on its geographical position in the Jordan Valley and visible remains linking to scriptural accounts. He documented the prominent mound (tell) rising about 70 feet above the surrounding plain, along with scattered Roman-era architectural fragments including Corinthian capitals, theater seats, and colonnades, noting their extent across the valley floor. These observations emphasized the site's strategic location at the junction of major trade routes, without systematic excavation but highlighting potential for deeper investigation into its multilayered history. Subsequent 19th-century surveys built on such initial accounts. French explorer Victor Guérin examined Beisan around 1875, recording inscriptions, sarcophagi, and structural remnants from Greco-Roman periods amid the Ottoman-era village, which provided empirical data on surface artifacts and topography. His descriptions underscored the preservation of pagan and early Christian elements, informing later identifications of the site's continuity from Canaanite settlements. The Palestine Exploration Fund's Survey of Western Palestine, executed between 1871 and 1877 under Claude Reignier Conder and Horatio Herbert Kitchener, offered the first comprehensive topographic mapping of Beisan (rendered as Beisan-Scythopolis). Their work delineated the tell's contours, measured the Roman theater's dimensions at approximately 300 feet in diameter, and cataloged visible aqueducts and city walls, establishing baseline coordinates (latitude 32°30' N, longitude 35°30' E) that facilitated future archaeological targeting. These surveys, grounded in trigonometric measurements and on-site sketches, shifted focus from anecdotal visits to methodical documentation, revealing artifact scatters that hinted at undisturbed strata beneath. Early amateur collections of coins and from the area, reported sporadically during the Ottoman period, further spurred interest but lacked stratigraphic context, underscoring the need for professional excavations.

20th-Century Excavations

The University of Pennsylvania Museum initiated systematic excavations at Tel Beth-Shean in 1921, continuing until 1933 under the British Mandate, with Clarence S. Fisher directing the first seasons (1921–1923) and Alan Rowe leading subsequent campaigns. These efforts employed stratigraphic trenching and area excavation techniques, revealing a multi-layered sequence from Bronze Age Canaanite temples to Roman and Byzantine structures atop the tell. Key discoveries included five superimposed temples from the Late (circa 15th–12th centuries BCE), featuring hybrid Egypto-Canaanite architecture such as the Egyptian governor's residence with orthostats and a victory stela of , confirming direct pharaonic administration. Roman layers yielded theater foundations and civic remnants, while Byzantine strata exposed churches with floors, all documented through typology and architectural phasing to establish occupational continuity. Over 5,000 artifacts, including scarabs and anthropoid coffins, were recovered, with findings published in detailed volumes emphasizing empirical over interpretive bias. After Israel's independence in 1948, Israeli archaeologists resumed work, culminating in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's project from 1989 to 1996, directed by Amihai Mazar across nine seasons. Focusing on the tell's southern and central sectors, teams used refined stratigraphic methods, including balk preservation and micromorphological sampling, to clarify Penn-era ambiguities and map the site's 10-hectare extent. Excavations in Areas C and R uncovered fortifications, including a wall from the 10th–9th centuries BCE, alongside Byzantine complexes with inscribed lintels and geometric mosaics, yielding over 20,000 sherds for refined . These digs corroborated earlier sequences through cross-dating with regional ceramics, revealing destruction layers from earthquakes and conquests, while prioritizing data-driven reconstruction over narrative assumptions.

Recent Discoveries and Methods

In the and , excavations at Tell Iẓṭabba, a component of ancient Beth Shean, have integrated geophysical surveys, including magnetic prospection, to map subsurface features prior to targeted digging, revealing Hellenistic fortifications and destruction layers attributable to the Hasmonean conquest around 100 BCE. These methods, employed by the German-Israeli Tell Iẓṭabba Excavation Project since 2019, facilitated the identification of architectural sequences without extensive initial disturbance, supporting reinterpretations of urban continuity from the Seleucid period into Byzantine times, including an ancient monastic complex known as the Kyria Maria Monastery. (GPR) surveys have also been applied at Beth Shean sites to detect buried structures and habitation layers, enhancing non-invasive exploration of multi-period strata. Salvage excavations by the (IAA), such as the 2019–2022 work at the Bet She'an Railway Station ahead of infrastructure development, utilized for precise 3D documentation of features like an Early Roman with niches and limestone sarcophagi lids, dated to the 1st century BCE–CE. These efforts uncovered high-status s, including bronze rings from a Middle–Late Roman cist grave (2nd–3rd centuries CE), and Byzantine glass fragments, with pottery and material analyses confirming occupational phases that challenge assumptions of abrupt abandonments by evidencing sustained use amid regional shifts. Geographic information systems (GIS) have been incorporated into site management at Beit She'an to model spatial relationships between ancient remains and modern urban expansion, aiding preservation during development projects. Ongoing IAA initiatives, including 2024 excavations at Bet She'an, continue to prioritize data-driven approaches like stratigraphic sequencing and specialized artifact studies to document and protect features exposed by construction, ensuring empirical verification of continuous settlement patterns across to Islamic eras without relying on prior interpretive biases. These methods have yielded quantitative insights into and administration, such as Hellenistic stamped handles indicating regional connectivity, while avoiding overinterpretation of isolated finds.

Ancient History

Prehistory and Chalcolithic Period

The earliest evidence of human occupation at Tel Beit She'an dates to the Pottery Neolithic period during the fifth millennium BCE, as indicated by stratigraphic Level XIX. Excavations have yielded flint tools and pottery shards consistent with this phase, reflecting initial sedentary communities exploiting local resources through hunting, gathering, and incipient agriculture. Two stone figurines discovered in the tel's lower strata are attributed to the /Early transition, around 4500 BCE, providing insight into symbolic practices of these pre-urban groups. In the broader Beit She'an Valley, multiple sites attest to early farming activities, with evidence of domesticated cereals and adapted to the region's alluvial soils and perennial water sources from the Harod Spring and nearby . During the period (ca. 4500–3300 BCE), settlement density in the valley increased approximately threefold, supported by expanded dryland and irrigated cultivation that sustained growing populations. A awl unearthed in the valley, dated to the Middle (5200–4600 BCE), marks one of the region's oldest metallurgical artifacts, produced via cold-working of ores likely sourced from local or proximate deposits. This innovation, alongside ground stone tools for processing wild and cultivated plants, underscores the valley's role as a resource-rich corridor enabling technological and demographic advances before the onset of urbanism.

Bronze Age Developments

The Early Bronze Age (c. 3300–2000 BCE) marked the initial urban foundations at Tel Beth-Shean, with evidence of social complexity emerging in EB IB (late fourth millennium BCE). Excavations uncovered an unusual building complex in two phases, alongside administrative structures and grain storage facilities sufficient for about 20 individuals in strata XIX–XIII, signaling organized surplus economy and settlement continuity characteristic of early Canaanite society. Fine local pottery vessels from these layers underscore material culture continuity without evidence of major foreign disruptions. By EB III (c. 2750–2300 BCE), the site had developed into a Canaanite urban center at the crossroads of and Jezreel valleys, incorporating three massive public buildings with wide walls and large foundations indicative of monumental . While regional trends favored extensive fortifications, Beth-Shean's defenses appear more modest compared to smaller fortified sites elsewhere, an exceptional trait possibly tied to its strategic location rather than isolation. The period concluded with destruction layers around 2200 BCE, contributing to site abandonment in the Intermediate , as evidenced by stratigraphic breaks and shifted pottery styles. Settlement reoccupied the tell in the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000–1550 BCE), forming a permanent of roughly 500 inhabitants with structured layouts in MB II strata, reflecting urban revival amid Levantine-wide expansion. Canaanite continuity is evident in homogeneous assemblages, including cooking pots and vessels of local style, recovered from domestic contexts and tombs such as a MB IIA–B yielding typical forms without stratification. Defensive enhancements aligned with MB II (Hyksos-era) strategies, incorporating ramparts and gates influenced by broader Canaanite-Egyptian interactions, as seen in scarabs and imports like bottles from early MB IIB tombs. Trade expansion is implied by the site's position on key routes, supported by diverse ceramic imports and bone artifacts, though empirical data prioritize local Canaanite production over foreign dominance in non-elite contexts.

Late Bronze Age and Egyptian Influence

Beit She'an emerged as a pivotal Egyptian stronghold in during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550–1200 BCE), following the New Kingdom's expansion into the . (r. 1479–1425 BCE) conquered the region, including Beth She'an, during his seventeenth military campaign around 1457 BCE, as part of efforts to subdue Canaanite city-states and secure trade routes. The site was refortified as a town, hosting Egyptian troops and administrators to enforce imperial control and extract resources such as grain, timber, and copper from nearby areas. Archaeological strata, particularly Level IX, reveal extensive Egyptian influence through monumental architecture, including temples dedicated to deities like and a governor's residence with Egyptian-style planning. Artifacts such as a 14th-century BCE , imported vessels, and administrative seals underscore the site's role in Egyptian colonial administration. The , a corpus of diplomatic clay tablets from c. 1350 BCE, depict Beth She'an (Bit-sa-ni) as a loyal under Egyptian oversight, with correspondence highlighting tribute demands, local ruler Lab'ayu’s alliances, and pleas for against 'Apiru incursions, evidencing a system of where Canaanite elites managed daily affairs while remitting taxes to pharaohs like . Later pharaohs reinforced dominance; (r. 1290–1279 BCE) erected a victory stela at the site commemorating campaigns against nomads, while (r. 1279–1213 BCE) dedicated temples and inscribed monuments affirming Egyptian . This period balanced imperial exploitation—via labor for quarrying and fortifications—with limited local autonomy, as Canaanite pottery and cultic practices persisted alongside Egyptian imports, suggesting pragmatic coexistence rather than total cultural erasure. Economic integration tied Beth She'an to Valley supply lines, facilitating chariot garrisons and oversight of the Jezreel Valley's fertility. The Egyptian era culminated in destruction layers around 1150 BCE, coinciding with the broader , potentially triggered by ' raids, earthquakes, or revolts against overstretched imperial tribute systems, as evidenced by burnt structures and abandoned Egyptian artifacts in Stratum VI. This event severed direct pharaonic control, paving the way for diminished Egyptian footholds in the region.

Iron Age and Biblical Accounts

Biblical texts allocate Beth Shean to the within the territory of and Asher during the Israelite conquest of , dated approximately 1400–1200 BCE, yet record that the tribe failed to fully dispossess the Canaanite inhabitants, who continued to dwell in the city and its dependencies. This partial conquest is corroborated by archaeological evidence of continuity in Canaanite material culture into the early , with limited disruption at the tel following the around 1200 BCE. In the account of King Saul's reign circa 1000 BCE, Beth Shean features prominently as the site where displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons on the city walls after their victory at , underscoring Philistine dominance over the region during this period of Israelite monarchy formation. Excavations reveal substantial fortifications on the tel, including massive walls and gates from I (c. 1150–1000 BCE), consistent with its role as a strategic stronghold capable of such public displays, though direct Philistine pottery remains are scarce, suggesting administrative rather than settlement-based control. By the Davidic-Solomonic era in the 10th century BCE, Beth Shean transitioned into an administrative center within Solomon's district system, as noted in the oversight of Baana son of Ahilud encompassing Beth Shean, Taanach, and Megiddo. Archaeological strata from IIA (c. 1000–900 BCE) at the tel exhibit monumental public buildings, including a large pillared structure and increased presence of collared-rim jars associated with highland Israelite pottery traditions, indicating Judahite administrative influence and integration into the early united monarchy's network amid waning Philistine power.

Classical and Medieval Periods

Hellenistic and Roman Prosperity

Following the conquests of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, the site of Beit She'an experienced reoccupation during the Hellenistic period, adopting the name Scythopolis, likely referencing Scythian mercenaries or mythological elements associated with the region. Under Seleucid control, Antiochus IV Epiphanes granted it polis status circa 170 BCE, renaming it Nysa-Scythopolis to honor the mythical birthplace of Dionysus on Mount Nysa, which facilitated Greek cultural integration through temples and urban layouts. This era marked initial Hellenistic urbanization, with settlements on nearby Tel Iztabaa emphasizing civic institutions that supported agricultural exploitation of the fertile Jezreel and Jordan Valleys. Roman incorporation after Pompey's campaign in 63 BCE elevated Scythopolis to the status of an imperial free city, positioning it as the preeminent member of the Decapolis league, a confederation of ten semi-autonomous Hellenized poleis that enhanced regional trade networks. The city's prosperity peaked in the 2nd–3rd centuries CE, with an estimated population of around 40,000 sustained by imperial engineering, including a grand theater capable of seating over 7,000 spectators, a hippodrome for chariot races built in the early 2nd century CE, and a nymphaeum featuring ornate fountains fed by aqueducts. Colonnaded streets (cardos) and bath complexes with hypocaust heating systems exemplified Roman infrastructural realism, channeling water from springs and distant sources to support dense urban life and public hygiene. Economic evidence from numismatic hoards and dedicatory inscriptions underscores Scythopolis's role as a commercial hub, minting local coins depicting deities and imperial figures while facilitating trade in grains, textiles, and goods along crossroads linking , , and the Mediterranean. Pagan temples to , , and emperors dotted the civic center, reflecting cultural and fiscal prosperity derived from Decapolis-wide market integration and valley agriculture, unencumbered by direct Jewish theocratic constraints.

Byzantine and Early Islamic Eras

During the Byzantine era, Scythopolis (the Greek name for Beit She'an) emerged as a prominent Christian center, serving as the capital of from 409 CE and reaching a peak population of approximately 40,000 inhabitants. The city featured numerous churches, including a distinctive on the tel possibly adapted from earlier pagan structures, as well as a small adorned with mosaics depicting Christian themes akin to those in regional . Archaeological evidence reveals a fortified urban layout enclosed by a 4.5 km wall with towers, spanning 400 acres, alongside continued use of Roman-era infrastructure like bathhouses and agoras, reflecting sustained economic activity despite a primarily Christian demographic. A in the House of and a at nearby Tel Iztaba indicate the presence of minority Jewish and communities amid Christian dominance. The city endured significant seismic disruptions, including the Galilee earthquake of 363 CE, which damaged many structures but prompted reconstruction, as evidenced by rebuilt Roman monuments and continued coinage and pottery finds. By the , signs of deterioration appeared due to inadequate maintenance and waning imperial investment, though urban life persisted with secular complexes like the sigma-shaped marketplace featuring mosaic floors and dedicatory inscriptions. Muslim forces conquered Scythopolis in 635 CE following Byzantine defeats at the Battle of Yarmouk, renaming it Beisan while initially preserving the existing urban fabric through coexistence of Christian and Muslim populations. Early Islamic adaptations included repurposing Roman and Byzantine architectural elements for new storefronts, but neglect of led to narrowed streets and reduced prosperity. Gradual depopulation ensued from ongoing raids, structural decay, and further earthquakes, culminating in near-total destruction by the 749 CE seismic event, which left collapsed colonnades, fires, and buried artifacts and skeletons as markers of abandonment. By the 8th-10th centuries, the once-vibrant city had declined into a modest settlement, with its classical heritage largely unmaintained under shifting caliphal priorities.

Crusader, Mamluk, and Ottoman Rule

During the Crusader period in the 12th century, a small fortress known as Beisan was erected southeast of the Roman theater to secure the strategic crossroads against Muslim incursions into the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This modest fortification reflected the site's reduced scale compared to its classical heyday, serving primarily defensive rather than expansive urban functions amid ongoing feudal conflicts. However, the structure proved inadequate; following Saladin's decisive victory over Crusader forces at the Battle of Hattin on July 4, 1187, his Ayyubid army swiftly captured and razed the fortress, contributing to the rapid collapse of Crusader control in the region. Under subsequent rule from the late , limited reconstruction occurred, including the erection of a indicative of administrative revival as a relay station in the postal network between and . The site functioned as the principal town in the Damascus district, yet fortifications remained intermittent and vulnerable, underscoring persistent defensive shortcomings against nomadic raids and seismic events that exacerbated structural decay. Economic activity centered on , with feudal disruptions hindering broader recovery and perpetuating stagnation. Ottoman administration from 1517 onward saw Beisan revert to a minor village status, with sparse population evidenced by traveler observations of modest habitation amid overgrown ruins. Tax assessments highlighted an agrarian economy dominated by grain and olive cultivation, but recurrent insecurity and poor infrastructure stifled growth, maintaining low densities—estimated at around 70-80 households by early 19th-century accounts. European explorers like noted in 1812 the site's "ruined grandeur," with ancient columns and theaters enveloped in debris, symbolizing centuries of neglect under Ottoman oversight. A devastating in 1837 further demolished remnants, including khans and baths, reinforcing the pattern of intermittent fortification failures and economic torpor until the late .

Modern Era

Ottoman Decline and British Mandate

In the late Ottoman era, Beisan functioned as a modest Arab village centered on by Muslim fellahin, with a estimated at around 2,500 amid widespread neglect of the overlying ancient ruins, which had largely reverted to scrubland and marsh. The Ottoman administration's administrative disarray and heavy taxation exacerbated , leaving the site as a peripheral settlement in the Beisan subdistrict with limited or development. British forces captured Beisan in September 1918 during the , transitioning the area into the established in 1920, which aimed to administer the territory while facilitating a Jewish national home per the 1917 . Early Mandate efforts included archaeological surveys and excavations led by the Museum from 1921 to 1933, which systematically mapped and unearthed the Roman theater, cardo maximus, and bath complexes, revealing the site's potential for heritage preservation amid the valley's malarial swamps. These works, the first major American dig in the post-Ottoman , documented over 20 stratified layers but prioritized scholarly recovery over immediate , though they informed later British planning for the ruins. Zionist land acquisitions intensified under Mandate policy, notably via the 1921 Ghor-Mudawwarra Agreement, which leased approximately 225,000 dunams of uncultivated, swamp-ridden valley land to the for drainage and settlement, transforming arid expanses into productive farms and prompting the establishment of Jewish agricultural outposts like those precursors to kibbutzim in the surrounding Jezreel and Beit She'an valleys by . This development, which cleared malarial thickets through empirical engineering like swamp drainage, boosted regional productivity but fueled Arab grievances over land loss, as fellahin tenants faced eviction from state and absentee-owned properties. By 1945, Beisan's urban population stood at 5,540, overwhelmingly (92% per Mandate censuses), within a totaling 24,950 and negligible Jewish residents in the town itself, though Jewish valley settlements had swelled to several thousand amid waves of immigration. Escalating Arab-Jewish frictions manifested in localized violence, including attacks on Jewish convoys and farms during the 1929 riots and the 1936–1939 , where Beisan-area settlers endured ambushes and economic sabotage, exacerbating mutual distrust rooted in competing land claims and Arab rejection of Jewish statehood aspirations, culminating in opposition to the 1947 UN partition plan.

1948 War of Independence

Following the Arab rejection of the Partition Plan on , , which proposed a alongside an Arab one, violence escalated in , with Arab forces imposing blockades and launching attacks on Jewish settlements in the Beit She'an Valley, including assaults on kibbutzim such as Tirat Tzvi. These actions, coordinated by local Arab militias and irregulars under the , aimed to prevent Jewish control of allocated territories and disrupt supply lines, necessitating defensive operations by the to secure isolated communities amid the impending full-scale invasion by Arab armies. In early May 1948, as the British Mandate neared its end, the launched Operation Gideon (May 10–15), targeting Arab population centers in the eastern and to preempt threats from Syrian and other invading forces poised at the borders. Beit She'an (then Beisan), a strategic town of approximately 5,000 Arab residents serving as a hub for irregular fighters, was captured by forces under battalion commander Avraham Yoffe on May 12, with minimal resistance reported as local defenders fled northward. The operation reflected doctrine of securing defensible lines against coordinated Arab assaults, rather than initiating unprovoked attacks, amid a broader pattern where Arab towns evacuated voluntarily or under militia orders to avoid encirclement, as evidenced by the absence of expulsion directives in Israeli records for this site. Israeli forces entering Beit She'an found the town largely deserted, with the Arab population having evacuated en masse during the preceding days of regional fighting, consistent with flights from nearby captured sites like and . Post-capture assessments indicated limited destruction—primarily from sporadic exchanges and a mid-May aerial bombing to disrupt retreating forces—allowing for rapid Jewish resettlement by demobilized soldiers and pioneers without extensive rebuilding needs. This outcome underscored the defensive imperative of the conquest, as the valley's vulnerability to cross-border incursions from and demanded control to protect nascent Israeli lines during the war's conventional phase beginning May 15.

State of Israel: Resettlement and Growth

Following 's independence in , Beit She'an underwent resettlement starting in , primarily by Jewish immigrants fleeing in Arab countries. The town's population, which had dwindled to negligible levels amid prior abandonment, reached about 1,200 by 1950 through initial organized settlement efforts focused on immigrant absorption. The 1950s saw rapid demographic expansion driven by mass Jewish immigration from , including significant numbers from , where over 200,000 Jews departed for amid rising and instability between and the 1960s. By 1968, Beit She'an's population had grown to 12,800, with roughly half originating from North African communities, supported by state programs providing temporary in repurposed structures and new construction to accommodate families. This influx laid the foundation for sustained development, including the expansion of in the fertile Beit She'an —known for crops like tomatoes yielding up to 40% improvements via modern techniques—and the establishment of industrial plants in the to foster local and economic self-sufficiency. Government initiatives reversed earlier stagnation by investing in permanent projects, schools, and vocational , enabling the to surpass 16,000 by the early 2000s. As of 2025, the estimated population stands at 19,377, reflecting continued modest growth amid ongoing infrastructure enhancements like industrial parks and community regeneration programs aimed at attracting families and boosting trade.

Security Incidents and Challenges

On November 28, 2002, during the Second Intifada, two Palestinian gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades infiltrated Beit She'an and opened fire at a Likud party polling station, killing six Israeli civilians and wounding more than 20 others in an attack timed to disrupt national elections. The assailants, originating from nearby Jenin in the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank, exploited the town's proximity to the Jordan Valley for the cross-border raid, highlighting vulnerabilities in border security during a period of heightened Palestinian militant activity. Beit She'an's location in the northern exposes it to persistent threats of infiltration and aerial attacks from Islamist groups operating across , the , and proxy networks backed by . In March 2025, (IDF) troops identified and killed two suspects who had crossed the Jordanian border near the city overnight, preventing a potential terror incursion amid rising attempts by operatives to exploit porous eastern frontiers. Drone and interceptions have become routine defensive measures; for instance, on September 22, 2024, Israeli air defenses neutralized a swarm of drones targeting the Beit She'an area launched from by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-aligned militia, with sirens warning residents for the first time since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. Similar events included a June 21, 2025, IDF shoot-down of an Iranian drone triggering alerts in the Beit She'an Valley and an October 23, 2024, interception of two from aimed at the region, underscoring coordinated aggression from multiple axes rather than isolated incidents. These threats necessitate robust IDF countermeasures, including border patrols, aerial surveillance, and rapid response units, which have effectively thwarted numerous plots without equivalent Israeli-initiated aggression toward civilian targets in or the Palestinian Authority. Local Arab residents, comprising families historically cooperative with during and after the 1948 war, have aided in intelligence sharing and community vigilance, contributing to threat mitigation despite occasional tensions from external agitators such as settlers. This dynamic contrasts narratives of mutual escalation, as empirical data on attacks—predominantly unidirectional from Islamist militants—reveals defensive Israeli actions as responses to initiated violence rather than symmetric conflict.

Demographics and Society

The population of Beit She'an increased from 16,900 residents at the end of 2009 to 18,900 by the end of , reflecting consistent annual growth driven primarily by natural increase. This expansion continued, reaching 19,286 inhabitants as of February 2024. Such trends align with broader patterns in Israel's northern periphery, where higher fertility rates—often exceeding the national average—contribute to population gains amid policies promoting regional balance and settlement in border areas. Beit She'an's growth rate, approximately 1-1.5% annually in recent years, outpaces that of densely populated coastal cities like , where land constraints and elevated housing costs limit expansion. This disparity stems from national initiatives to develop the and northern regions, including incentives for and infrastructure investments that facilitate family-oriented settlement. Limited immigration directly to the locality supplements these dynamics, though overall inflows support sustained demographic vitality. Urban planning efforts underpin projected continued growth, with estimates placing the population near 20,000 by late 2025. Projects such as the neighborhood, featuring around 300 new housing units in mixed residential formats, exemplify preparations for expansion amid valley-wide development. These measures align with Israeli strategies to bolster peripheral localities, ensuring capacity for natural increase without straining existing resources.

Ethnic and Religious Composition

As of , Beit She'an's population is approximately 98% Jewish, comprising the vast majority, with the remaining 2% classified as other non-Arab groups. The Jewish residents reflect a blend of ethnic origins, including both Ashkenazi and , consistent with patterns in Israeli peripheral development towns settled by diverse immigrant waves post-1948. This composition underscores a predominantly homogeneous community, with minimal non-Jewish presence reported in official tallies. Religious life centers on , evidenced by multiple synagogues serving Orthodox and traditional observances, alongside secular elements typical of Israeli towns. The small minority, lacking significant or Muslim segments, integrates with limited reported intergroup discord, differing from dynamics in more diverse urban centers. Recent data from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics affirm the stability of this near-uniform Jewish demographic profile into the early .

Social Integration and Tensions

The community in Beit She'an, comprising families resettled from the over the past three decades, largely originated from those who collaborated with during operations. This cooperation enabled their integration into the city, fostering pragmatic local alliances rather than the adversarial dynamics often amplified in broader narratives of -Jewish relations. Empirical records indicate that such ties have sustained a fabric of coexistence, with residents participating in shared civic life alongside the Jewish majority, distinct from tensions in like or Acre. In June 2024, a group of Jewish extremists from outside the region entered Beit She'an, targeting Arab neighborhoods with threats of expulsion and , an episode that disrupted routine interactions but was contained by local authorities. These actors, motivated by ideological campaigns against perceived collaborators, represented external agitation rather than endogenous town conflict; no widespread violence ensued, and incidents did not escalate into communal clashes as seen elsewhere post-October 7, 2023. In response, numerous Jewish residents visited Arab homes to affirm solidarity and safeguard communal bonds, underscoring causal factors of local mutual interest over ideological friction. Ongoing integration efforts emphasize resilience against national threats, such as rocket fire from Gaza or Jordan Valley border incursions, where Arab residents' historical alignment with Israeli defense has reinforced joint vigilance. Community-level initiatives, including shared facilities serving , , and , continue to prioritize practical collaboration amid these pressures, countering portrayals—prevalent in outlets like , which exhibit systemic left-wing bias—of perpetual strife by highlighting verifiable patterns of accommodation.

Economy and Development

Primary Industries

The economy of Beit She'an centers on , leveraging the fertile soils of the Beit She'an Valley for field crop production, supplemented by light manufacturing. Intensive irrigated farming predominates, with as a principal crop grown across surrounding kibbutzim and moshavim, where many local residents find employment. infrastructure, including canals and pipelines drawing from the and the National Water Carrier, enables year-round cultivation despite the , supporting yields that contribute to Israel's commercial agricultural output. The Water Association, formed in 1978, coordinates water allocation for this zone, facilitating efficient distribution to over 20,000 hectares of farmland in the broader valley. Manufacturing activities, established post-1948 , include a prominent mill—the largest such facility locally—alongside clothing factories and plastics , which process raw materials from agricultural sources and employ a significant portion of the . These sectors emerged through state-supported industrial development, transitioning the region from pre-state subsistence farming to integrated agro-industrial operations focused on domestic and markets. Food tied to valley produce, such as ginning and basic handling, occurs in adjacent facilities, though scale remains modest compared to central Israel's hubs. Following national irrigation expansions in the mid-20th century, shifted toward export viability, with output integrated into Israel's and agricultural advancements reducing use per hectare by up to 50% via drip systems piloted in the valley. This evolution has sustained employment amid , though challenges like salinization from intensive use persist, addressed through monitored blending of fresh and recycled sources.

Tourism and Heritage

Bet She'an National Park encompasses the extensive ruins of the Roman city of Scythopolis, including a well-preserved theater capable of seating approximately 7,000 spectators, public bathhouses with heating systems, and a monumental colonnaded cardo maximus lined with shops and monuments. These structures, dating primarily to the 2nd-3rd centuries CE, highlight the city's role as a key urban center in the league and attract visitors seeking insight into Roman provincial and . The site's biblical significance further enhances its appeal for , as it is identified in the (1 Samuel 31:10-12) as the location where the fastened the bodies of King Saul and his three sons to the walls after their defeat at around 1000 BCE. Tours emphasizing this event draw Jewish and Christian pilgrims, integrating the archaeological remains with narratives of ancient Israelite history and resilience against Philistine incursions. Preservation initiatives by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority involve ongoing restoration, such as the rehabilitation of bathhouses and the provision of accessible pathways and audio guides, ensuring the site's durability against and heavy foot traffic. These efforts, including in conservation activities, maintain the ruins' integrity while facilitating educational programming. Although precise annual visitor figures fluctuate—impacted by events like the —the park's role as an economic driver is evident through entrance fees (₪31 for adults as of recent data) and ancillary spending on guided tours and local amenities, bolstering the regional economy despite challenges in quantifying direct GDP contributions amid broader dependencies.

Infrastructure and Transportation

Beit She'an is linked to regional centers via Highway 71, which runs east-west through the Beit She'an Valley, connecting the city to approximately 30 kilometers to the west, and Highway 90, a north-south route extending northward to and southward along the toward the border crossing with . These highways form a key junction supporting , with Highway 90's alignment enabling efficient access to cross-border routes while necessitating enhanced protocols due to the city's proximity—about 5 kilometers—to the Jordanian frontier. A major upgrade to Highway 71 between and Beit She'an involves doubling it to a dual-lane, dual-carriageway standard, as outlined in Israel's national infrastructure plans to accommodate rising traffic volumes and foster economic connectivity in the northern periphery. This development addresses bottlenecks in the corridor, where freight and passenger movement has increased alongside in peripheral areas. Rail connectivity was restored with the reopening of the Beit She'an railway station in October 2016 as part of the 60-kilometer Jezreel Valley line extending from via . The line, inaugurated in August 2016, provides direct passenger services to central , reducing travel time to to under an hour and integrating Beit She'an into the national rail network for the first time since the original Ottoman-era station closed in 1948. This infrastructure has facilitated daily commuter flows, with over 2 million passengers recorded in its initial years of operation. Utility , including and networks, has undergone expansions to sustain urban growth, with national programs allocating funds for reliable supply in development towns like Beit She'an amid rising from residential and industrial expansion. These upgrades, part of broader 2018-2022 initiatives, prioritize resilient systems to support a exceeding 18,000 while mitigating vulnerabilities near international borders.

Cultural and Civic Life

Sports and Recreation

Hapoel Beit She'an, the city's principal football club, was established in 1953 and merged briefly with Hapoel Sde Nahum in 1969 before reverting to its original name. The team reached Israel's top division in the , competing there for several seasons, but suffered relegations leading to its dissolution in 2006; it was refounded in 2009 and now plays in , the third tier. Outdoor recreation centers on the Beit She'an Valley's natural features, with trails in offering eight routes averaging 4.9-star ratings for and scenery. Adjacent areas like feature spring-fed paths along Mount Gilboa's base, supporting low-impact activities tied to the region's terrain. Eucalyptus Park includes dedicated sports zones for informal games, enhancing local family outings. Youth development occurs via Hapoel Beit She'an's under-19 team, which trains emerging players in structured soccer sessions to build skills and participation. These programs emphasize discipline and teamwork, drawing from the club's facilities to engage adolescents in regular physical pursuits.

Notable Figures

In biblical accounts, Beit She'an is linked to King Saul, the first king of Israel, whose body and those of his sons were fastened to the city walls by the Philistines after their victory over Israelite forces at Mount Gilboa circa 1010 BCE, as described in 1 Samuel 31:10-12. Archaeological evidence from the site, including Philistine presence in the region during the late 11th century BCE, corroborates the strategic importance of Beit She'an as a Philistine stronghold overlooking the Jezreel Valley. Cyril of Scythopolis (c. 525–559 CE), a native of the city then known as Scythopolis, emerged as a key early Christian and , authoring the "," which documents the monastic communities in and their theological disputes, including opposition to Origenist doctrines. His works provide primary insights into 6th-century religious life in the region, drawing from his local upbringing amid a predominantly Christian population. Ishtori Haparchi (Eztori ha-Parḥi, c. 1280–1355), a Jewish physician and scholar, settled in Beit She'an around 1313 CE, where he composed Kaf ha-Perach, the first medieval Hebrew topographical survey of the , emphasizing its biblical boundaries and refuting claims that the area lay outside halakhic sanctity. His residence there facilitated fieldwork amid the site's abundant water sources and agricultural fertility, influencing later Jewish geographical studies. David Levy (1937–2024), who immigrated from to Beit She'an in 1957, served as the town's deputy mayor from 1964 and mayor until 1977, rising to become a prominent politician, including roles as foreign minister (1990–1992, 1996–1998) and , advocating for peripheral development towns like Beit She'an. His tenure focused on infrastructure improvements for Moroccan Jewish immigrants, reflecting the demographic shifts post-1948. Orly Levy-Abekasis (b. 1973), born in Beit She'an as the daughter of David Levy, entered politics as a member (2009–2019) before founding the Gesher party, serving as a (2019–2020) with emphases on social welfare and peripheral economic issues tied to her upbringing in the Jordan Valley . Her career highlights intergenerational political influence from Beit She'an's Moroccan-Israeli community.

References

  1. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/beth-shean-a-tale-of-two-sites/
  2. https://www.seetheholyland.net/beit-shean/
  3. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/beth-shean-revisited/
  4. https://www.livius.org/articles/place/scythopolis-beth-shean/
  5. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/beit-she-an
  6. https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/israel
  7. https://us.maptons.com/96241
  8. https://elevation.maplogs.com/poi/beit_she_an_israel.276679.html
  9. https://www.biblewalks.com/beitshean/
  10. https://www.seekthelamb.com/blogs/the-chief/biblical-places-spiritual-spaces-beth-shean-1
  11. https://www.academia.edu/29238697/Maeir_A_M_2016_Preprint_of_Chapter_1_The_Beth_Shean_Valley_Geographical_and_Environmental_Background_Pp_1_11_in_Excavations_at_Tel_Rehov_1997_2012_Vol_1_eds_A_Mazar_and_N_Panitz_Cohen_Jerusalem_Institute_of_Archaeology
  12. https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/rozenbaum-et-al-report-2005/he/report_2005_TR_TR-GSI-12-2005.pdf
  13. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2389.1960.tb02205.x
  14. https://weatherspark.com/y/99135/Average-Weather-in-Bet-She%25E2%2580%2599an-Israel-Year-Round
  15. https://weatherspark.com/m/99135/7/Average-Weather-in-July-in-Bet-She%25E2%2580%2599an-Israel
  16. https://www.timesofisrael.com/weather-experts-predict-shattering-of-records-as-extreme-heatwave-hits-israel/
  17. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022TC007247
  18. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195196001084
  19. https://www.deadseaquake.info/EarthquakeCatalogOfTheDeadSea/SabbaticalYearQuakes.html
  20. https://dannythedigger.com/the-749-ce-destrcution-of-beit-shean/
  21. https://deadseaquake.info/EarthquakeCatalogOfTheDeadSea/Sites/Archaeo/BetShean.html
  22. https://biblereadingarcheology.com/2018/02/05/earthquakes-in-the-bible/
  23. https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/place/233374/earthquakes/bet-shean.html
  24. https://seismo.berkeley.edu/press_pdfs/20220208_TimesOfIsrael.pdf
  25. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plan_of_Beisan-Scythopolis_from_the_1871-77_Palestine_Exploration_Fund_Survey_of_Palestine.jpg
  26. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/bet-h-shean
  27. https://aamw.sas.upenn.edu/aamw/resources/fieldwork/beth-shean-israel
  28. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/contextualizing-penns-excavations-at-beth-shean/
  29. https://www.pennpress.org/9781606181249/beth-shean-studies/
  30. https://books.google.com/books/about/Beth_Shan_Excavations.html?id=gJW1xwEACAAJ
  31. https://www.israelexplorationsociety.com/product-page/excavations-at-tel-beth-shean-1989-1996-vol-i
  32. https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/book/the-new-encyclopedia-of-archaeological-excavations-in-the-holy-land/beth-shean/
  33. https://www.centuries.co.uk/beth-shean-review.pdf
  34. https://sites.google.com/view/tel-beth-shean/excavations-at-tel-beth-shean-1989-1996-volume-ii
  35. https://www.academia.edu/37224993/Mazar_A_2006_Excavations_at_Tel_Beth_Shean_1989_1996_Volume_I_From_the_Late_Bronze_Age_IIB_to_the_Medieval_Period_Jerusalem_Israel_Exploration_Society_and_the_Hebrew_University_of_Jerusalem
  36. https://cris.huji.ac.il/en/publications/the-excavations-at-tel-beth-shean-in-1989-1990
  37. https://www.uni-muenster.de/Archaeologie/forschen/projekte/german-israelitelliztabbaproject/index.html
  38. https://www.uwec.edu/sites/default/files/profile-file-uploads/Jol%2520CV%25202024_0.pdf
  39. https://hadashot.iaa.org.il/report_detail_eng.aspx?id=26199&mag_id=134
  40. https://www.getty.edu/conservation/our_projects/education/shelters/ProtectiveShelters_web.pdf
  41. https://hadashot.iaa.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=26532
  42. https://www.academia.edu/14735848/Two_Late_Neolithic_Early_Chalcolithic_Figurines_Pp_432_434_in_A_Mazar_ed_Excavations_at_Tel_Beth_Shean_1986_1996_Volume_IV_The_Fourth_and_Third_Millennia_BCE_Jerusalem_2012
  43. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/peq.1958.90.1.44
  44. https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2014-08-19/ty-article/.premium/mideasts-oldest-metal-object-in-found-in-israel/0000017f-e6a6-dc7e-adff-f6af36d60000
  45. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225594441_The_Chalcolithic_Period_of_the_Southern_Levant_A_Synthetic_Review
  46. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233649349_Tel_Beth_Shean_During_the_EB_IB_Period_Evidence_for_Social_Complexity_in_the_Late_4th_Millennium_BC
  47. https://www.academia.edu/2579699/Tel_Beth_Shean_History_and_Archaeology
  48. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269990302_Beth_Shean-Bronze_and_Iron_Age
  49. https://armstronginstitute.org/860-uncovering-the-bibles-buried-cities-beth-shean
  50. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388289188_A_Middle_Bronze_Age_IIA-B_Tomb_at_Bet_She%27an_Hebrew_pp_11-20_English_summary_pp_195-196
  51. https://sites.google.com/view/tel-beth-shean/introduction
  52. https://www.academia.edu/37225212/Mazar_A_and_Mullins_R_editors_2007_Excavations_at_Tel_Beth_Shean_1989_1996_Volume_II_The_Middle_and_Late_Bronze_Age_Strata_in_Area_R_Jerusalem_Israel_Exploration_Society_and_the_Hebrew_University_of_Jerusalem
  53. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Plan-of-Tel-Beth-Shean-and-the-Principal-Areas-of-Excavation_fig1_319269451
  54. https://drbarrick.org/?p=5912
  55. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27926435
  56. https://www.academia.edu/6245256/Beth_Shean_Bronze_and_Iron_Age
  57. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/bas-onsite/onsite-beth-shean/
  58. https://jjar.huji.ac.il/sites/default/files/jjar/files/mazar_2021_jjar_1_241-271_01.pdf
  59. https://www.academia.edu/88391132/The_Beth_Shean_Valley_and_its_Vicinity_in_the_10th_Century_BCE
  60. https://publications.iaa.org.il/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=1&article=1012&context=iaareports&type=additional
  61. https://www.gov.il/en/pages/beit-shean-a-biblical-city-and-scythopolis-a-roman-byzantine-city
  62. https://www.jpost.com/in-jerusalem/the-beit-shean-national-park-486923
  63. https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2014-10-07/ty-article/.premium/israeli-archaeologists-find-evidence-of-huge-quake/0000017f-e6dc-dc7e-adff-f6fd362d0000
  64. https://dannythedigger.com/beit-shean-sigma/
  65. https://israel21c.org/history-comes-alive-at-beit-shean/
  66. https://www.biblestudyguide.org/geography/mcg-lob/LOB206.HTM
  67. https://www.palestineremembered.com/images/pdf/McCarthy-Justin-The-Population-of-Palestine.pdf
  68. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283332940_City_of_Farmers_and_Merchants_Beisan_in_the_Palestine_Mandate_Period_1918-1948
  69. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/palmanda.asp
  70. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/beth-shan/
  71. https://lessons.myjli.com/survival/index.php/2017/03/26/land-ownership-in-palestine-1880-1948/
  72. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4283296
  73. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-210930/
  74. https://brewminate.com/a-history-of-mandatory-palestine-1920-1948/
  75. https://www.[researchgate](/page/ResearchGate).net/publication/283332940_City_of_Farmers_and_Merchants_Beisan_in_the_Palestine_Mandate_Period_1918-1948
  76. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/bet-she-an
  77. https://www.ou.org/life/israel/the_defense_of_tirat_tzvi/
  78. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/myths-and-facts-the-refugees
  79. https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2024/06/09/the-lions-trail-beit-shean/
  80. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-mass-migration-of-the-1950s/
  81. https://www.resetdoc.org/story/the-jews-of-morocco-a-journey-through-a-community-become-diaspora/
  82. https://www.salicrop.com/post/an-experiment-conducted-by-salicrop-in-beit-shean-valley-israel-shows-up-to-40-increase-in-tomatos
  83. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Land-use-in-the-Beth-Shean-Valley-1942-1956-1975_fig4_271662054
  84. https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/israel/beit-she%27an
  85. https://www.btf.org.il/post/beit-shean
  86. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/29/israel
  87. https://www.timesofisrael.com/bulgarian-terror-attack-survivor-also-survived-attack-in-beit-shean/
  88. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2002-11-29/statement-attributable-spokesman-secretary-general-beit-she39an
  89. https://www.jns.org/idf-kills-suspects-who-infiltrated-from-jordan/
  90. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1w400ptac
  91. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/air-force-downed-drone-that-triggered-sirens-in-beit-shean-valley-northern-west-bank-idf-says/
  92. https://israelpalestine.liveuamap.com/en/2024/23-october-13-two-missiles-launched-from-lebanon-at-the-beit
  93. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-06-25/ty-article-magazine/.premium/jews-and-arabs-were-good-neighbors-in-this-city-then-settlers-showed-up-with-guns/00000190-4e8e-da42-a1ba-7fee2d330000
  94. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-821284
  95. https://101israel.com/tiberias-2018/sites-2/b-sites/beit-shean/
  96. https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/publications/doclib/2023/local_authorities21_1919/78_9200.pdf
  97. https://www.calcalist.co.il/real-estate/article/hjaw4l811c
  98. https://www.taubcenter.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Demography-Overview-ENG-2022.pdf
  99. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW?locations=IL
  100. https://www.inss.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/the-demographic-threat.pdf
  101. https://tnmlimited.com/index.php/projects/eucalyptus-neighborhood-beit-shean/
  102. https://www.britannica.com/place/Beit-Shean
  103. https://goldcarpettours.com/beit-shean-then-and-now/
  104. https://www.cbs.gov.il/en/mediarelease/pages/2022/population-of-israel-on-the-eve-of-2023.aspx
  105. https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/community/my_israel/memorable-beit-shean-experience/article_363cf120-006e-11e8-a795-6f2cdcdf914c.html
  106. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309173144_The_Jordan_Valley
  107. https://www.genevawaterhub.org/sites/default/files/document/Yarmouk%2520HP%2520Baseline%2520-%2520Qualitative%2520Annex%2520A.pdf
  108. https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/growingil
  109. https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/15/129/2022/gmd-15-129-2022.pdf
  110. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2011WR011285
  111. https://en.parks.org.il/reserve-park/bet-shean-national-park/
  112. https://www.holylandsite.com/beth-shean-saul-s-disobedience
  113. https://en.parks.org.il/article/touching-time-betshean-national-park-invites-you-to-touch-the-stones-2/
  114. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374031147_COVID-19_AND_THE_IMPACT_ON_CULTURAL_TOURISM_THE_CASE_OF_BEIT_SHE%27AN_VALLEY_ISRAEL
  115. https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/plan-infrastructure-2025/he/files_Infrastructure030425.pdf
  116. https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/jezreel-valley-railway-inaugurated/43080.article
  117. https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/news/spoke_book030219/he/Spoke_growth140219.pdf
  118. https://bsportsfan.com/t/48246/Hapoel-Beit-Shean
  119. https://betsapi.com/t/53749/Hapoel-Beit-Shean-Mesilot
  120. https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/hapoel-beit-shean-mesilot/186000
  121. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/israel/northern-district-hazafon/beit-shean-national-park/walking
  122. https://www.kkl-jnf.org/hiking_and_walking_tracks/park-hamaayanot-trail/
  123. https://evendo.com/locations/israel/beit-she-an/attraction/eucalyptus-park
  124. https://betsapi.com/t/193380/Hapoel-Beit-Shean-U19
  125. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/beth-shean-in-the-bible-and-archaeology/
  126. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-visits-of-st-sabas-to-beth-shean/
  127. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/2930189/366991.pdf
  128. https://mizrachi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/HaMizrachi_Yom-Ha_Atzmaut_Israel_2021_47.pdf
  129. https://trmarvin.substack.com/p/estori-ha-parchi-medieval-geographer-6d2
  130. https://www.gov.il/en/pages/david_levi
  131. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/02/obituaries/david-levy-dead.html
  132. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/orly-levy-abekasis
  133. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/orly-levy-like-father-like-daughter-620593
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.