▁discovery ▁of ▁a ▁substantial ▁res er voir ▁of ▁ground ▁water ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Six - Day ▁War ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ' s ▁mayor ▁S ula iman ▁al - Az ay iza ▁briefly ▁led ▁local ▁resistance ▁against ▁the ▁incoming ▁Isra eli ▁Army ▁until ▁formally ▁surrender ing ▁the ▁city ▁shortly ▁there after . ▁The ▁Isra eli ▁authorities ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁spr ings , ▁an ▁important ▁ir rig ation ▁source . ▁This ▁move ▁combined ▁with ▁increasing ▁competition ▁from ▁Isra eli ▁cit rus ▁far mers , ▁dam aged ▁the ▁local ▁cit rus ▁industry . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁mayor ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁and ▁the ▁municipal ▁council ▁of ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁was ▁dis band ed ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁an ▁Isra eli ▁military - app oint ed ▁administration . ▁During ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁occupation , ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ' s ▁urban ▁areas ▁extended ▁into ▁lands ▁designated ▁for ▁agricult ure , ▁largely ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁building ▁restrictions ▁which ▁h inder ed ▁organized ▁expansion . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁First ▁Int if ada ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ' s ▁residents ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁u pr ising ▁against ▁Isra eli ▁rule . ▁Ar ound ▁ 3 0 ▁residents ▁were ▁killed ▁during ▁the ▁u pr ising , ▁which ▁formally ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁with ▁the ▁Os lo ▁Acc ords ▁between