This page is subject to the extended confirmed restriction related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.Beit Ur al-Fauqa (Arabic: بيت عور الفوقا) is a Palestinian village located in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate of the State of Palestine, in the northern West Bank, 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) west of Ramallah and 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) southeast of Beit Ur al-Tahta.

Beit 'Ur al-Fauqa is identified with the ancient town of Upper Bethoron,[4][5] with archaeological evidence dating its origins to the Iron Age.

[6] Positioned on two hilltops near Route 443, the historic "ascent of Bethoron" pass, the site witnessed significant battles in biblical times and later during the Maccabean Revolt and the First Jewish–Roman War due to its strategic importance.

[7] During the later Roman and Byzantine periods, the town's significance waned, and by the early 5th century, it had become a small village, as noted by Jerome.

[14] Archaeological findings indicate that Lower Bethoron (Beit Ur al-Tahta) was established before Upper Bethoron; potsherds found in Beit Ur al-Fauqa date from the Iron Age onward, while potsherds from the lower town date from the Late Bronze Age.

[18] North of the village lies a series of rock-cut steps, approximately 2.5 meters wide, believed to be part of the ancient Roman road.

[8][22] An Arabic inscription with a verse from the Qur'an was found on a ruined stone structure in Beit Ur al-Fauqa and is attributed by Moshe Sharon to the Ayyubid period of rule in Palestine.

It had a population of 5 Muslim households and paid a fixed tax rate of 25% on various agricultural products, including wheat, barley, olives, goats and/or beehives; a total of 535 akçe.

[26] An official Ottoman village list from about 1870 showed that Bet Ur el-Foqa had 53 houses and a population of 159, though it only counted the men.

[27][28] In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described Beit Ur Al Foka as "A small village built of stone at the end of a spur on a knoll.

[38] Many village families use to dwell in nearby caves, but to improve their lives they built homes, many of which are now subject to a demolition order after Israel decided to define their area as an archaeological site.