Hebron is a holy city for Jews, Muslims and Christians. It is also known as the city of the Patriarchs. Abraham, the forefather of the monotheistic religions, is believed to have lived in Hebron around 1800 BC. He presumably bought the cave on which the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of Machpela is built today, and where Abraham, his wife Sarah, their son Isaac and grandson Jacob are said to be buried. Throughout history, there have been periods with a Jewish minority living side by side with a Muslim majority in Hebron.
Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank with a population of around 170 000 people. It is the district capital of the Hebron Governorate, the largest governorate in the West Bank. Since early 1997, following the Hebron Protocol, the city has been divided into two parts: H1 and H2. The H1 area, home to around 140 000 Palestinians, came under the control of the Palestinian authorities. The H2 area, which is inhabited by around 30 000 Palestinians and approximately 500 Israeli settlers in four downtown settlements, remained under Israeli military control.
Hebron is a commercial and industrial centre in the region, and today accounts for around one third of the West Bank GDP. Hebron's stone industry is generating vast incomes. The special limestone found in the area is cut and then used for building throughout the region. Other important economic sectors are shoes and leather products as well as Hebron's pottery workshops and glassblowing factories. Yet many local producers face difficulties in exporting their products, or even sending them to Jerusalem, due to restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities.