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Beersheba

Basic Information

Overview

The modern urban center of Beersheba developed under Ottoman administration around 1900. The Australian War Memorial records the British-led attack and capture on 31 October 1917 during the First World War.

Historical Significance

Its wells and position on the Gaza–Beersheba defensive line shaped its strategic importance in 1917.

Historical periods

  • Ottoman Period: Administrative center established for Negev tribes
  • British Mandate: District capital
  • 1948 War: Captured by Israeli forces on October 21, 1948; population expelled

Sources and record limitations

Source detail varies by record. Some entries include document and page references; others supply source names only. Check the cited material and the record's limitations before relying on a specific claim.

  • Palestine Remembered
  • PCBS
  • Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Tel Beer Sheva National Park brochure, PDF p. 2
  • Australian War Memorial, Attack on Beersheba

The cited references support the overview and historical significance; other imported fields and period summaries have not been reviewed here.