Jabel Mukaber

Jabel Mukaber (Arabic: جبل مكبر, Hebrew: ג'בל מוכאבר) is a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in southern East Jerusalem. It is bordered by East Talpiot to the west, Abu Tor and Silwan to the north and Sur Baher to the south. Jabel Mukaber has a population of approximately 30,000 (2017).

Numerous Jewish burial caves, dating from the Second Temple period, have been found in the neighborhood. Most of them follow patterns typical of the period, including kokhim. In 2007, a particular burial cave with kokhim was discovered, displaying charcoal graffiti on its walls. The graffiti appeared to depict the names of the deceased, including the name Yismael (ישמעאל), a name commonly found among Jews of that era.

According to local legend, Jabel Mukaber is named after Umar ibn al-Khattab, a disciple of Muhammad and the second caliph of the Islamic Caliphate, who cried Allahu Akbar at this site. It was substantially settled by members of the Bedouin Sawarha tribe at the turn of the 20th century.

During the Mandatory Palestine, the offices of the British High Commissioner, the representative of British imperial rule in Mandatory Palestine were located on the ridge of Jabel Mukaber (known as the Hill of Evil Counsel in medieval Christian tradition, which identified it as the residence of Caiaphas where Judas plotted to kill Jesus). During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood battled Jewish forces in the area.

Jabel Mukaber and other Arab villages in East Jerusalem came under Jordanian control, with the division of the city formalized in the Armistice Agreement of 3 April 1949. Jordan subsequently unilaterally annexed the West Bank, a move that was largely unrecognized internationally.

After the 1967 Six-Day War, Jabel Mukaber has been under Israeli occupation. Israel unilaterally placed six of the Jabel Mukaber's seven neighbouring villages under the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Municipality, The exception was ash-Sheikh Sa'd, which was detached from Jabel Mukaber, though the two villages were locally considered to be one place, and excluded from Israel's incorporation of the area with its provision that the villagers would be treated as permanent residents of Israel.

According to ARIJ, Israel has confiscated the following areas of land from Jabel Mukaber in order to construct Israeli settlements:

East Talpiot was established in 1970 in close proximity to Jabel Mukaber during the upswing of building that followed the Six-Day War. When the Second Intifada (uprising) began, the mood changed. Since then, Jabel Mukaber has been the scene of numerous demonstrations, protests and riots in support of the Palestinian cause.