Lod

Lod is a city in the Central District of Israel, about 15 kilometres southeast of Tel Aviv and 40 kilometres northwest of Jerusalem, set between the lower Shephelah to the east and the coastal plain to the west. It is also known as Lydda and, in Arabic, Lidd. The site has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic period and appears in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Around 200 CE it became a Roman colony under the name Diospolis, and tradition identifies it as the fourth century martyrdom site of Saint George. After the Arab conquest it served for a time as capital of Jund Filastin before the seat of power moved to Ramla. Its population changed sharply in 1948, when most Arab inhabitants were expelled and the city was resettled largely by Jewish immigrants. Today it is a mixed city and a major transport hub, with Ben Gurion Airport 8 kilometres to the north and an important railway and road junction.