Ubeidiya, West Bank
Al-Ubeidiya () is a Palestinian town located 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. Name In 1881, Palmer called the place Kh. Deir Ibn Obeid, meaning "The ruin of the monastery of the son of Obeid; also called Mar Theodosius. According to the Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem (ARIJ), Al-Ubeidiya is named after a certain Al-‘Ubeidi Faris of the Shammar tribe, who came to the area from the Arabian Peninsula. History and archaeology Background: Roman and Byzantine periods A Roman period pool, built in order to collect water, is situated in the center of al-Ubeidiya. Two Greek Orthodox monasteries were first established during the Byzantine period in the late fifth century, and are now standing within the municipal jurisdiction of Ubeidiya. The Monastery of St. Theodosius, known in Arabic as Deir Ibn 'Ubeid (lit. 'Monastery of the Son of 'Ubeid') or as Mar Dosi ('Saint Theodosius'), named after its founder; and Mar Saba Monastery,