Jordanian Rule Research Articles

Keratinophilic fungi on the hair of goats from the West Bank of Jordan.

The mycoflora of the hair in 178 goats from the West Bank of Jordan was analysed and the frequency of occurrence and the relative importance value for the different keratinophilic fungi found were calculated. One hundred and seven species which belong to 38 genera were isolated. Thirty six of these species were either well recognised agents of mycoses (Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. verrucosum, and M. nanum), or have been frequently isolated from human and animal lesions (Arthroderma spp., Acremonium kiliense, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Cladosporium carionii, and several other species). These potentially pathogenic fungal species comprised 66.9% of all keratinophilic fungi found on the hair of goats. The role of this animal as a reservoir for dermatophytes and other potentially pathogenic fungi is discussed.

Keratinophilic fungi on the hair of cows, donkeys, rabbits, cats, and dogs from the West Bank of Jordan.

The mycoflora of hair of 111 cows, donkeys, rabbits, cats, and dogs were analysed and the frequency of occurrence and the relative importance value of the different fungal species isolated were calculated. Total numbers of species 56, 45, 48, 23, and 11 were recovered from cows, donkeys, rabbits, cats, and dogs respectively. The majority of the keratinophilic fungi isolated were either well-known mycotic agents or have been recovered from various animal and human lesions. These comprised 87.8%, 66.7%, 61.4%, 59.3%, and 55.2% of the hair mycoflora in cats, dogs, rabbits, cows, and donkeys respectively. Seven species of dermatophytes were isolated: Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. verrucosum, Microsporum gypseum, M. nanum, T. ajelloi, and M. canis. Cats harboured the largest number of dermatophytes (5 species), followed by cows (4 spp), rabbits (3 spp), and donkeys and dogs (1 sp). The role of these animals in the persistence and transmission of pathogenic fungi is discussed.

Keratinophilic fungi isolated from children's sandpits in the Nablus area, West Bank of Jordan

The keratinophilic fungi of 29 sandpits from kindergarten schools and public parks in the city of Nablus was analysed to evaluate their role in the epidemiology of diseases caused by these fungi. Seventy two species were recovered 28 of which were common to both kindergartens and public parks sandpits. High percentage (57.4%) of fungal isolates found had been identified as the causes of various types of mycoses. Eight species of dermatophytes and closely related fungi were recovered, of which the followings were the most commonly found species in sandpits: Chrysosporium keratinophilum (20.7%), Microsporum gypseum (17.2%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (6.9%), and C. evolceanui (6.9%).

Isolation of keratinophilic fungi from the floor dust of Arab kindergarten schools in the West Bank of Jordan

The keratinophilic mycoflora of floor dust of seventy two classrooms in 24 kindergarten schools (children aged 2-5) in the city of Nablus was studied using a hair-baiting technique. The study was aimed at the evaluation of extent of diffusion of keratinophilic fungi in this environment in relation to human presence and the age of children in order to determine their role and impact in the epidemiology of human dermatophytoses. Thirty three species were isolated. A large proportion of these species are either well-known human and animal mycotic agents or have been isolated frequently from human and animal lesions. These pathogenic and potentially pathogenic fungi comprised about 85.8% of all keratinophilic fungal isolates found in the classroom dust. The results of this investigation have also been discussed in respect to previous studies on human dermatophytoses in the West Bank of Jordan.

Seasonal variation in population levels of Pythium species in irrigated and non-irrigated fields in the West Bank of Jordan and the Gaza Strip

Seasonal fluctuations in soil populations of Pythium spp. were studied from 27 irrigated and non-irrigated fields subject to different cropping practices in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip over a period of 13-29 months. Pythium populations showed significant seasonal variations in 14 of these fields. Generally, soil population levels were highest in the cooler seasons and lowest during midsummer. Individual taxa such as Pythium ultimum, P. oligandrum and P. group ‘HS’ followed the general seasonal pattern of total Pythium. P. aphanidermatum in irrigated fields followed a different seasonal pattern; it tended to peak in summer when soil temperatures were relatively high. The influences of biotic, chemical and physical environmental factors and cropping practices on the pattern of seasonal fluctuations of Pythium spp. populations are discussed.

The politics of Israeli policy in the West Bank

The West Bank experienced a series of riots in the spring of 1982 which momentarily caught the attention of the world. It is too soon to judge what the full impact of the disturbances will be on the political content of Israeli military rule in the Arab territories occupied since 1967. But this is an appropriate time to re-examine the underpinnings of Israeli control and its day-to-day workings through the governmental and economic structure of the area between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River. In fact, the West Bank has witnessed riots, bureaucratic disputes, and political dismissals in cycles since 1967. These also were not unknown under Jordanian rule. It is not paradoxical that Israeli action which precipitated the riots were part of an effort to heighten West Bank autonomy. The Begin Government was trying to create support for regional committees of politicians, and not surprisingly ran headlong into the municipal officials. This article comes out of research for a larger, unpublished work titled West Bank Agriculture: Economic Development under Military Occupation. A certain familiarity with the shifting economic and political context is useful for understanding events during the years of military administration in the West Bank, and this brief essay provides an overview of Israeli policies since 1967 and Jordanian policies both before and after the Six Day War, as these directly affect the livelihood of West Bank Arabs.

Palestinian Voting in the West Bank: Electoral Behavior in a Traditional Community without Sovereignty

THIS PAPER ANALYSES the effect of non-sovereignty on the electoral behavior of the West Bank Arab community. Since the annexation of the West Bank by Jordan in 19501 the Palestinians there became the only Palestinian population in the Arab world to enjoy citizenship and the right of political participation through an electoral process.2 They differed from other concentrations of Palestinians in other respects as well. The West Bank Arab community was the largest concentration of Palestinians anywhere, and the only one not in minority, being twice as large as Jordanrs original population. Half of the 900,000 Palestinians under Jordanian rule in 1948 were refugees.3 They were socially

Population Growth in Reference to Land Quality: The Case of Samaria, 1922-1975

The author examines trends in rural population distribution in Samaria between 1922 and 1975. Changes in the relationship between population density and use of agricultural resources during this period are analyzed. Population densities and inter-censal rates of growth for all available censuses (including two official estimates) [are] calculated and...correlated with indices of land use and relief. The main conclusion is that contrary to the widely accepted view no major shifts of population in relation to resources have occurred in the study area except during the period of Jordanian rule and the immediate aftermath of the 1967 war. (EXCERPT)

Changes in the settlement pattern of Judea and Samaria during Jordanian rule

From the War of 1948 until the Six Day War in 1967, Judea and Samaria were cut off from Israel by the Israel-Jordanian armistice lines. The two regions forming an integral part of cis-Jordanian Palestine have thus been deprived of their contacts with the adjacent Coastal Plain and Gaza Strip as well of their outlet to the Mediterranean. Their sole remaining contacts were with the Kingdom of Jordan (Fig. 1). To adapt to these enforced and unnatural political conditions, both the rural and urban settlement structure had to undergo far-reaching changes, which it is intended in this article to describe and analyse against the physical, economic and social background of the area.