Ta'amreh

Ta'amreh (in Arabic: التعامرة) is a large Bedouin tribe in Palestine. Today, most of the tribe's members live in the Palestinian Authority territories south and east of Bethlehem, and in the Kingdom of Jordan. Members of the tribe have established several permanent settlements in the Bethlehem area, known as the 'Arab et-Ta'amreh village cluster (Za'atara, Beit Ta'mir, Hindaza, Tuqu' with Khirbet al-Deir, Nuaman, Ubeidiya, Al-Masara and al-Asakra).

The Ta'amreh, also known as the Ta'amirah, is an Arab Tribe originating from the wilderness stretching from the Western Dead Sea Shores to Bethlehem and Tekoah.^[1][2] They were considered to be Bedouins (i.e. nomadic Arabs), and the tribe underwent through sedentarization alike several nomadic tribes. They were involved in the Qays–Yaman rivalry, and belonged to the Yemenite party.^[3]

The Ta'amreh tribe descend from the Bani Harith tribe of Wadi Musa. Moreover, The Ta'amreh consists of 3 sub-tribes: Bani Sa'ad, Bani Hajjaj, and Obayat-Kasaba.^[4]

In 1531, records from the Jerusalem Sharia Court mention an individual named 'Ali al-Ta'amari of the Ta'amreh tribe. This record places the Ta'amreh in the vicinity of Bethlehem, marking their involvement in legal matters during the early Ottoman period.^[5]

In 1603/4 (1012 A.H) a Bedouin named Sha‘ala of ‘Arab al-Ta‘āmira sold a beast of burden, originally stolen from Jindas near Lydda to Sālim b. Ghunaym, resident of the village of Dayr al-Sinna in the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem.^[6]

In 1799 (1214 A.H), local leaders of the Ta'amreh tribe, along with other leaders of the Nahiyat al-Wadiyah, formed alliances to resist Napoleon's military campaigns in Palestine. This coalition was organized to muster a group of 500 warriors dedicated to defending their territory. This mobilization is documented in the Sharia court registers of Jerusalem (register number 281, page 132), which reflect the administrative efforts of the Ottoman authorities to record local responses to external threats during this period.^[7]

These records highlight the Ta'amreh's active role in the social and judicial landscape of the region throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.

On May 13, 1605, the Ta'amreh tribe, in collaboration with the Bani Sakher and Bani Abbad tribes of Jordan, conducted a raid on the village of Beit Sahour near Jerusalem. This attack was part of a series of Bedouin incursions that exploited the weakened Ottoman authority in the region. The Ta'amreh's involvement highlights their prominent role in the shifting power dynamics of the time.^[8]

In 1632, Ottoman records document an ambush in which the Ta'amreh tribe, along with the Arab tribes of Ka'abneh, Zuwaydiyin, Baraghithah and Ain Silwan Arabs, attacked traders from the Balaqina Arabs (from Balqa in Jordan). The traders were returning to Abu Dis after selling their goods in Jerusalem. The attackers killed several members of Muhammad bin Mansi’s group from the Balaqina, killed thirteen camels and seized additional camels, highlighting the ongoing tribal conflicts and the Ta'amreh's significant involvement during this period.^[9]

In 1799, leaders from the Ta'amreh tribe, together with other leaders from Nahiyat al-Wadiyah, formed alliances to resist Napoleon's campaign in Palestine. This coalition assembled a force of 500 warriors committed to defending their homeland under the Ottoman Sultan's leadership.^[7] The overall resistance was deemed to be successful, as it effectively hindered Napoleon's advance into the region and showcased the unity and strength of local tribes and groups.

The tribe participated in the 1834 Peasants' Revolt. The Ta'amrah Bedouins and the peasants of Sa'ir engaged in a fierce battle against an Ottoman Egyptian force that had been sent to pacify the Sa'ir peasants in Hebron. The battle resulted in the death of 25 Egyptian soldiers and the retreat of the remaining forces from Hebron.^[10]

The Ta'amreh tribe also played a significant role in the Jerusalem front of the 1834 Peasants' Revolt. They actively participated in the capture of Jerusalem as part of the leading force against Ottoman control, standing as one of the last groups to resist the Turkish government. Their involvement highlighted their resilience and influence within the region during this tumultuous period.^[11]

In 1852, the Ta'amreh tribe participated in a conquest against the Druze. The tribe had been part of the troops of Nablus (4,000 warriors) under the Ottoman Sultan's leadership.^[12]

The tribe numbered a total of 6000 people, of whom were 2800 men and 3200 women.^[13]

The Ta'amreh tribe numbered a total of 5,000 people, of whom 1,000 were men. They had around 400 tents at that time.^[14]

The Ta'amreh were numbered 1700 gunmen and 10 horsemen.^[4]

The tribe had 300 tents.^[15]

Members of the Ta'amra tribe were involved in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran caves and the Murabba'at caves in the Judaean Desert.^[16]

• Other Arab and Bedouin tribes
  • Tiyaha, Negev Bedouin tribe
  • Bani Sakher, Jordanian Bedouin tribe
  • Hanajira, Negev Bedouin tribe
• Palestinian Bedouin