Mar Saba

The Judaean Desert or Judean Desert (Arabic: برّ الخليل, romanized: Barr al-Khalil, Hebrew: מִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה, romanized: Midbar Yehuda) is a desert in the West Bank and Israel that lies east of Jerusalem and descends to the Dead Sea. Under the name El-Bariyah, it has been nominated to the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in the State of Palestine, particularly for its monastic ruins.

Hyrcania (Ancient Greek: Ὑρκανία; Arabic: خربة المرد "Khirbet el-Mird"; Hebrew: הורקניה Horcania) was an ancient fortress in the Judean Desert. It was built by Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus or his son Alexander Jannaeus in the 2nd or 1st century BCE (in the Hellenistic part of the Second Temple period). The fortress was rebuilt and greatly expanded by King Herod (r. 37-4 BCE; Roman period). After Herod's death Hyrcania was abandoned, only to be resettled during the Byzantine period, when a late-5th century monastery named Kastellion was established on the ruined fortress, which remained active until the early 9th century. There was a short-lived attempt by monks to rebuild in the 1920s-30s. The ancient ruins can still be seen today. The site is located on an isolated hill about 200 m above the Hyrcania valley, on its western edge. It is about 5 km west of Qumran, and 16 km east of Jerusalem. Until the start of a 2023 archaeological campaign, the site had not yet been thoroughly excavated. Until then, knowledge about the ruins of the site was based on a limited number of test pits.

Al-Ubeidiya (Arabic: العبيدية) is a Palestinian town located 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) east of Bethlehem. The town is a part of the Bethlehem Governorate in the central West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), al-Ubeidiya had a population of over 14,460 in 2017.The Monastery of St. Theodosius, the Mar Saba Monastery and the 'Ayn Fashkhah tourist area are all on Al-Ubeidiya land.

The Monastery of St. Theodosius, also known as Deir Dosi and Deir Ibn Ubeid in Arabic, is a monastery founded around 476 by Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch and that since at least the 12th century contains his (today empty) tomb. It is located within the village of al-Ubeidiya, some 8 kilometres east of Bethlehem, on the road towards Mar Saba (St Sabbas) Monastery, in the West Bank, Palestine.

Kedar (Hebrew: קֵדָר) is a rural Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located to the south of Ma'ale Adumim and organised as a community settlement, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gush Etzion Regional Council. In 2021 it had a population of 1,617. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

Wadi al-Arayis is a Palestinian village located ten kilometers east of Bethlehem.The village is in the Bethlehem Governorate Southern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village had a population of 2,169 in mid-year 2006. The primary healthcare is obtained in al 'Ubeidiya where the Ministry of Heath have classified the care facilities as level 3.

Ashawawra (Arabic: الشواورة) is a Palestinian village located twelve kilometers southeast of Bethlehem. The village is in the Bethlehem Governorate central West Bank.

The Bethlehem Governorate (Arabic: محافظة بيت لحم, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat Bayt Laḥm) is one of 16 Governorates of Palestine. It covers an area of the West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Its principal city and district capital is Bethlehem. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, its population was estimated to 199,463 in 2012.

Juhdum is a Palestinian village located eight kilometers east of Bethlehem.The village is in the Bethlehem Governorate Southern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village had a population of 1,391 in mid-year 2006.

as-Sawahira ash Sharqiya (Arabic: السواحرة الشرقية) or Al-Sawahreh al-Sharqiyeh is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate, located 6 kilometers south-east of East Jerusalem in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), as-Sawahira ash Sharqiya had a population of approximately 5,210 inhabitants in mid-year 2006. as-Sawahira ash Sharqiya shares the facilities, particularly schools and health amenities of the villages of Jabal Mukaber and ash-Sheikh Sa'd. The healthcare facilities for as-Sawahira ash Sharqiya are designated as Ministry of Health level 2.

Ma'ale Adumim (Hebrew: מַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּים; Arabic: معالي أدوميم) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers (4.3 miles) east of Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2015, its population was 37,555. It is located along Highway 1, which connects it to Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

ʿArab al-Jahalin also known as al-Jabal (Arabic: عرب الجهالّين; Hebrew: ערב אל-ג'האלין) is a Palestinian Bedouin neighborhood in the Jerusalem Governorate, located five kilometers southeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), ʿArab al-Jahalin had a population of approximately 1,856 inhabitants in mid-year 2017. The village is situated on a hillside outside al-Eizariya and 300 meters away from the Jerusalem Municipal dump. It is located in Area C of the West Bank. While the Israeli government has full control over the village, the populace hold Palestinian IDs. ʿArab al-Jahalin contains a mosque, a seven-class school and a 12-class school. The village is linked to the East Jerusalem electricity system and has running water. As-Sawahira ash-Sharqiya shares the facilities, particularly schools and health amenities with the villages of ʿArab al-Jahalin, Jabal Mukaber and ash-Sheikh Sa'd. The healthcare facilities for as-Sawahira ash Sharqiya are designated as Ministry of Health level 2. All residents of the ʿArab al-Jahalin are refugees and have UNRWA refugee papers.