Jaffa - يافا

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GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHY:-

Elevation from the sea = 32 meters

Map:

Coastal shore length = 5.5 (km)

Distance from other towns:    

al-Latrun = 32 (km) west

Bab al-Wad = 39 (km) west

Beersheba = 105 (km) south west

al-Lydd airport = 19 (km) west

Safad = 162 (km) north West

Qisaryah = 63 (km) north

al-Matalah = 201 (km) north

Naharya = 130 (km) north

Jinin = 99 (km) north west via R'as al-'Ayn

Amman, Jordan = 165 (km)

New York, USA = 9,143 (km)

Jaffa's name though history:

(Inhabitant) Canaanites = Jaffa was first founded by the Canaanites and they used to call it Yafi (gorgeous).

(Inhabitant) Ancient Egyptians = Yapu or Iapu

(Inhabitant) Israelites = Yafo (its current name)

(Inhabitant) Assyrians = Ya-ap-pu

(Inhabitant) Greeks = Yoppa

(Inhabitant) Arabs = Arabs called Jaffa Yafa, and some geographic Arabic books referred it by Yefeh too.

Nearby rivers and wadies = al-'Awja River terminates 9 km north of Jaffa, and Rubin River (also known by Wadi al-Sarar) terminates 13 km south of Jaffa.

City area size = In 1945, Jaffa city covered an area of 9,737 dunums, which didn't include the roads, wadies, and railroads, ... etc.

District's size = Jaffa's district covered an area of 334.8 square kilometers, which included 18.6 square kilometers for roads, wadies, railroads, ... etc. In 1945, Zionists owned 129.5 square kilometers from the total district size, which constituted 38.6% of the district's total size.

Villages and settlements = The district of Jaffa included 23 villages within its municipality, two German colonies (Sarounah and Weil Helma), and the following Jewish colonies:- Tel Aviv, Pitach Teqva (Mlabiss), Choloun, Tel Luftinski, and Beit Yam.

Population:

Before the 19th century, Jaffa's population varied between 500 to 5,000 people.

Port = Jaffa and Haifa ports were considered to be the major ports in Palestine, and both were publicly owned and operated by the Government of Palestine.

Before WW II, Jaffa's port was underdeveloped, and because of its treacherous sea ships often had to continue sailing north to Haifa. Usually, ships had to anchor few miles from the shore, and then unload their passengers and goods to small boats to transport them to the shoreline. As Haifa' port, Jaffa's port was developed just before WW II to receive steamers and passenger ships.

BEFORE OCCUPATION:-

Mayor = Jaffa's last mayor was Dr. Yosef Haykal.

City's income and expenses:

Agriculture = Jaffa was well known for its cash crops as citrus and Bananas. In 1945, Arabs planted 146,316 dunums with Citrus, while 66,403 dunums were planted by Jews.

Industries = Jaffa was the most advanced city in Palestine in the development of its commercial, banking, fishing, and agriculture industries. Jaffa had many factories specializing in cigarette making, cement making, tile and roof tile production, iron casting, cotton processing plants, traditional handmade carpets, leather products, wood box industry for Jaffa orange, textile, presses and publications. It should also be noted that the majority of all publications and newspapers in Palestine were published in Jaffa.

Since Israeli still maintains and enforces the "Law Of Absentees", all Jaffa's industries, farms, buses, cars, railroads, cattle, real states, ... etc. have been looted and became the property of the "Jewish state". When similar injustices were perpetrated against Europe's Jewish citizens (by the Germans and the Swiss during WWII), the Jews of the world demanded justice for their looted art works and properties.

Port's imports and exports:

Fishing industry:

Markets/Suqs:

Neighborhoods:

 Archeological sites:

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing:

JAFFA TODAY:-

Soon after occupation, the Zionists blew up and bulldozed most of Jaffa's (75%) Arab section, and only the al-'Ajami, Old City, and small part of al-Mansheyyah survived demolition. Mostly (if not all) Jaffa's Suqs were obliterated including Suq al-Nahaseen, Suq al-Balabseh, Suq al-Maslakh, ..etc. In 1954, Jaffa became the suburb of Tel Aviv, and since then both cities are known by Tel Aviv-Yafo. Currently, Jaffa's Old City neighborhood is being renovated, and mostly it is being inhabited by artists.
Jaffa's main port has been closed and all its shipping has been diverted either to Tel Aviv or Isdud ports. Jaffa's main Clock Square now called Kikea Hagana (The Haganah's Square) and Jaffa's main street Bistress-Iskandar 'Awad is now known by Rehev Mifrats Shelomo. Jamal Basha street name has been changed to Jerusalem street, and big portion of al-Manshiyyah neighborhood became a public park. It also should be noted that currently Jaffa's Arab population numbers around 10,000 people.

 Rahbani Brothers ~ Yafa