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Hebron: A tale of two cities

Vanessa O'BrienSeptember 28, 2013

Historically, Hebron was a biblical place of refuge. Now, the city has become symbolic of the bitter conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Residents are forced to live in a divided city.

https://p.dw.com/p/19pdK

Hebron is an ancient city located in the southern part of the West Bank, 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Jerusalem.

It is the largest city in the West Bank and the second largest in the Palestinian territories, after Gaza. In addition to being home to 250,000 Palestinians there are also some 800 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter of the city.

Hebron is divided into two sectors: H1, controlled by the Palestinian Authority and H2, roughly 20 percent of the city, administered by Israel. The settlers are governed by their own municipal body, the Committee of the Jewish Community of Hebron.

The city is considered the second-holiest city in Judaism after Jerusalem. It is also very important for Muslims due to its association with Abraham.