▁become ▁a ▁large ▁village ▁of ▁mud ▁houses ▁" with ▁well s ▁and ▁a ▁small ▁tower ". ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁it ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁see ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁of ▁Jerusalem . ▁ ▁Modern ▁era ▁ ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁following ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁Khan ▁Y un is ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁By ▁April ▁an ▁aer od rome ▁and ▁an ▁army ▁camp ▁were ▁established ▁there ▁and ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁became ▁a ▁launch ing ▁point ▁for ▁British ▁forces ▁against ▁Ott oman - h eld ▁Gaz a ▁and ▁Be ers he ba ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁n ortheast , ▁respectively . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 2 5 ▁British ▁war ▁c em eter ies ▁d ating ▁from ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁largest ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁It ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁until ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁and ▁contains ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 7 2 4 ▁gra ves . ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Mand ate ▁of ▁Palest ine ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁A ▁municipal ▁council ▁to ▁admin ister ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁authorities ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁but ▁it ▁had ▁limited ▁juris diction ▁over ▁civil ▁affairs ▁and ▁provided ▁a ▁few ▁basic ▁services . ▁ ▁In ▁ ▁the ▁ 1 9 4