Jaffa is a 4,000-year-old port city, deeply tied to Biblical, Islamic, and Christian traditions, once a thriving Palestinian cultural center, and today part of Tel Aviv–Yafo. Its history reflects the broader story of Palestine — ancient roots, diverse cultures, and modern displacement.
Ancient Origins
Over 4,000 years old – Archaeological evidence shows Jaffa was settled as early as the Bronze Age (c. 1800 BCE).
Mentioned in Egyptian records as a strategic port conquered by Pharaoh Thutmose III (15th century BCE).
Known in biblical tradition:
From Jaffa, Jonah is said to have boarded a ship before being swallowed by the whale (Book of Jonah).
Timber from Lebanon was shipped through Jaffa for the construction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem.
Christian & Islamic History
Early Christians passed through Jaffa, and it is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles – St. Peter stayed in Jaffa and had his vision leading to the spread of Christianity beyond Jews.
With the Muslim conquest (7th century CE), Jaffa became part of the early Islamic caliphates and developed as a key Palestinian port.
Crusaders captured it in the 12th century; Saladin retook it; it went back and forth until finally under Mamluk and then Ottoman control.
Ottoman Era (1517–1917)
Jaffa grew into a thriving Palestinian Arab town with a mixed population of Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
It became a hub for citrus exports, especially the famous Jaffa oranges, which became a global brand.
By the 19th century, it was the gateway to Jerusalem for pilgrims and travelers.
Modern Palestinian History
By the early 20th century, Jaffa was one of the largest Palestinian cities, with schools, newspapers, cultural life, and a flourishing economy.
It had a predominantly Arab population, alongside a growing Jewish minority, especially in the new suburb of Tel Aviv, founded in 1909 just north of Jaffa.
During the 1947–48 war, Jaffa was heavily attacked and besieged. After April 1948 (before the official declaration of Israel), most of its Palestinian Arab inhabitants were expelled or fled.
The city was then annexed to Tel Aviv and renamed Tel Aviv–Yafo.
Old Jaffa remains a historic quarter with ancient alleyways, mosques, churches, and markets.
It is a tourist destination but also a place where the remaining Palestinian Arab community of Jaffa still lives, often facing social and political struggles.
For Palestinians, Jaffa is remembered as a symbol of Palestinian urban culture and displacement during the Nakba of 1948.
