Hosh Al-Atout (Quarter)
Al-Hosh is part of the Al-Yasmina neighborhood, and the neighborhood usually includes several Ahwash (Quarters). The Old City consists of six quarters: Al-Gharb neighborhood, Al-Yasmina neighborhood, Al-Qarioun neighborhood, Al-Aqaba neighborhood, Al-Qaysaria neighborhood, and Al-Habla neighborhood. Each quarter was allocated to one of the extended Nabulsi families, or to more than one family in which a large number of families lived.
The Al-Atout quarter, also known as Al-Fakhoura, is located in the heart of the Al-Yasmina neighborhood. The buildings in Al-Hosh are usually two or three floors of varying sizes, and it includes more than 25 inhabited houses. Most of the houses have three rooms, while some have five. The houses were originally owned by the Al-Atout family, but are now inhabited by families from different parts of the city.
The only entrance to the quarter overlooks Al-Yasmina Street from the west, facing the A-Choufia quarter. This entrance leads to a narrow, somewhat dark road that takes an irregular path, helping to provide privacy for the residents and obscuring the view of passers-by from inside the yard. Some sections of the road were roofed, while others were open.
The quarter dates back to the Ottoman period, and many of the building stones, especially in the foundations, were reused from the Roman period. The road ends in a small square surrounded by the buildings, overlooked by beautiful wooden drinking fountains.
Al-Hosh is significant for its association with the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. In 1967, Arafat made it his headquarters, where he held meetings with revolutionaries from the city and neighboring areas to resist the occupation. However, in 2002, the neighborhood was severely damaged and destroyed due to an invasion by occupation forces. In 2012, it was completely restored and reconstructed.