Zeitoun
الزيتون | |
---|---|
Neighborhood | |
Zaitoun | |
Coordinates: 31°29′28.28″N 34°26′38.8″E / 31.4911889°N 34.444111°E | |
State | State of Palestine |
Governorate | Gaza Governorate |
City | Gaza |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | +3 |
Al-Zaytun (also spelled Zeitoun or Harat az-Zaytoun; Arabic: الزيتون; Arabic translation: "the Quarter of Olive trees"[1]) is the southwestern and largest quarter of the Old City of Gaza.[2] Prior to the demolition of the Old City's walls, it was one of the three walled quarters of Gaza's Old City, the other two being al-Tuffah in the northeast and al-Daraj in the northwest. Omar Mukhtar Street, Gaza City's main thoroughfare, separates al-Zaytun from al-Daraj.[3]
The old city of Gaza, where all the remnants of the ancient, medieval and early Ottoman city are found, is divided into four quarters, a few of which are subdivided. Three of these quarters (at-Tuffäh, ad-Daraj, and az-Zaytun) were within the walls of the ancient city. The southeastern quarter, as-Saja'iyyah, developed later than the others, mainly outside these walls… The four quarters of the city are as follows… In the southwest (generally: south): Hãrat (or Hayy) az-Zaytün (the "Olive Quarter") called thus because of its olive groves. It is the largest quarter of Gaza… The Daraj Quarter is separated from the Zaytün Quarter by a wide road built during WWI by Jamãl Pasha. He ordered the demolition of a great part of the medieval Khãn az-Zayt to make room for the road to which he gave his name. The city council however, decided to change its name to 'Umar al-Mukhtär Street…