Hebron

The biblical name of Hebron is Kiryat Arba – “Village of the Four” – said to have originated by way of reference to the four biblical couples said to be buried here: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. The “four “could also refer to the four hills of Hebron on which the Canaanite tribes settled to form the first city. The modern city has a population of 150,000 making it the largest city in the West bank apart from east Jerusalem. Today however, Hebron is a city often plagued by conflict due to the tensions between Palestinians and Israeli settlers who occupy the centre of the old city. The sadness is compounded as Hebron is a beautiful city with many spectacular places of interest including the Haram al-Ibrahimi Mosque where Abraham is buried, a figure of great devotion to Christians, Jews and Moslems.