In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “palestinian arab village located to mi southeast of the city of ramla and to mi from jerusalem in the latrun sa”. Today it says “ethnically cleansed palestinian village located 12 kilometres”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-02. In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “palestinian arab village located to mi southeast of the city of ramla and to mi from jerusalem in the latrun sa”. Today it says “ethnically cleansed palestinian village located 12 kilometres”.
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The opening as it read in 2025
Imwas or Emmaus ( Arabic : عِمواس , romanized : ʿImwās ), known in classical times as Nicopolis ( Ancient Greek : Νικόπολις , lit. ' City of Victory ' ), is an ethnically cleansed Palestinian village located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of the city of Ramla and 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank . It is traditionally (possibly from as early as the 3rd century, but probably incorrectly) identified with the biblical Emmaus . Its population was expelled and its buildings razed by Israeli forces during the Naksa of 1967. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war , Imwas fell under Jordanian rule . Its population at the time was predominantly Muslim although there was a Palestinian Christian minority. During the 1967 Six Day War , IDF troops ethnically cleansed Emwas and the village structures were eradicated . Imwas and the area surrounding Latrun were unilaterally 'annexed' by Israel along with the neighbouring villages of Yalo and Bayt Nuba . Today the area of the former village lies within Canada Park , which was established by the Jewish National Fund in 1973. Today 'Am'was (the native name) is a Mussulman village about eighteen miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Jaffa. There are still visible ruins of a beautiful basilica built in the fourth or the fifth century, and repaired by the Crusaders. Near 'Am'was, at El-Atroun, the Trappists founded a priory in 1890. In the opinion of many 'Am'was is the Emmaus of the Gospel (Luke 24:13-35), where Christ manifested Himself to two of His Disciples. Such is, indeed, the tradition of the Church of Jerusalem, attested as early as the fourth century by Eusebius of Cæsarea, Titus of Bostra, and St. Jerome, a tradition confirmed by all pilgrims, at least to the time of the Crusades; it may even date back to the third century to Julius Africanus and Origen. It is also supported by many Biblical commentaries, some of which are as old as the fourth or the fifth century; in these the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to have stood at 160 stadia from Jerusalem, the modern 'Am'was being at 176 stadia. In spite of its antiquity, this tradition does not seem to be well founded. Most manuscripts and versions place Emmaus at only sixty stadia from Jerusalem, and they are more numerous and generally more ancient than those of the former group. It seems, therefore, very probable that the number 160 is a correction of Origen and his school to make the Gospel text agree with the Palestinian tradition of their time. Moreover, the distance of 160 stadia would imply about six hours' walk, which is inadmissible, for the Disciples had only gone out to the country and could return to Jerusalem before the gates were shut (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:33). Finally, the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to be a village, while 'Am'was was the flourishing capital of a 'toparchy'. Jud. , VII, vi, 6) mentions at sixty stadia from Jerusalem a village called Ammaus, where Vespasian and Titus stationed 800 veterans. This is evidently the Emmaus of the Gospel. But it must have been destroyed at the time of the revolt of Bar-Cocheba (A.D. 132-35) under Hadrian, and its site was unknown as early as the third century. Origen and his friends merely placed the Gospel Emmaus at Nicopolis, the only Emmaus known at their time. The identifications of Koubeibeh, Abou Gosh, Koulonieh, Beit Mizzeh, etc. with Emmaus, as proposed by some modern scholars, are inadmissible. Children of catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian refugee camp to America . Journal of Palestine Studies . 3 (1). University of California Press on behalf of the Institute for Palestine Studies : 106– 118.
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 1294346628.
The opening as it stood in 2010
Former Arab villages in Palestine Imwas ( ) was a Palestinian Arab village located to mi southeast of the city of Ramla and to mi from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank . Often identified with the biblical Emmaus , over the course of two millennia, Imwas was intermittently inhabited and was ruled by the Romans (including the Byzantines ), Arab caliphates , Crusaders , Ottomans , and the British , as part of the Mandate in Palestine . After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war , Imwas fell under Jordanian control . Its population at the time was predominantly Arab Muslim , though there was an Arab Christian minority. Captured by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six-Day War on June 7, 1967 along with the neighbouring villages of Yalo and Bayt Nuba , Imwas was depopulated and then destroyed on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin . Reports of its destruction caused a minor controversy abroad. The residents of the three villages were offered compensation but were not allowed to return. Today the area of the former village lies within Canada Park , which was established by the Jewish National Fund in 1973.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 369386755.
The opening as it stood in 2015 2 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Former Arab villages in Palestine Imwas ( ) was a Palestinian Arab village located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of the city of Ramla and 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank . Often identified with the biblical Emmaus , over the course of two millennia, Imwas was intermittently inhabited and was ruled by the Romans (including the Byzantines ), Arab caliphates , Crusaders , Ottomans , and the British , as part of the Mandate in Palestine . After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war , Imwas fell under Jordanian occupation . Its population at the time was predominantly Arab Muslim , though there was an Arab Christian minority. Captured by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six-Day War on June 7, 1967 along with the neighbouring villages of Yalo and Bayt Nuba , the villagers of Imwas were expelled and the village destroyed on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin . Today the area of the former village lies within Canada Park , which was established by the Jewish National Fund in 1973.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 657462272.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Village in Ramle, Mandatory Palestine Imwas ( ) was a Palestinian Arab village located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of the city of Ramla and 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank . It is traditionally (possibly from as early as the 3rd century, but probably incorrectly) identified with the biblical Emmaus . After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war , Imwas fell under Jordanian rule . Its population at the time was predominantly Arab Muslim , though there was an Arab Christian minority. Captured by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six-Day War on June 7, 1967 along with the neighbouring villages of Yalo and Bayt Nuba , the villagers of Imwas were expelled and the village destroyed on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin . Today the area of the former village lies within Canada Park , which was established by the Jewish National Fund in 1973. There are still visible ruins of a beautiful basilica built in the fourth or the fifth century, and repaired by the Crusaders.Near 'Am'was, at El-Atroun, the Trappists founded a priory in 1890.In the opinion of many 'Am'was is the Emmaus of the Gospel (Luke 24:13-35), where Christ manifested Himself to two of His Disciples.Such is, indeed, the tradition of the Church of Jerusalem, attested as early as the fourth century by Eusebius of Cæsarea, Titus of Bostra, and St.Jerome, a tradition confirmed by all pilgrims, at least to the time of the Crusades; it may even date back to the third century to Julius Africanus and Origen.It is also supported by many Biblical commentaries, some of which are as old as the fourth or the fifth century; in these the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to have stood at 160 stadia from Jerusalem, the modern 'Am'was being at 176 stadia.In spite of its antiquity, this tradition does not seem to be well founded.Most manuscripts and versions place Emmaus at only sixty stadia from Jerusalem, and they are more numerous and generally more ancient than those of the former group.It seems, therefore, very probable that the number 160 is a correction of Origen and his school to make the Gospel text agree with the Palestinian tradition of their time.Moreover, the distance of 160 stadia would imply about six hours' walk, which is inadmissible, for the Disciples had only gone out to the country and could return to Jerusalem before the gates were shut (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:33).Finally, the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to be a village, while 'Am'was was the flourishing capital of a 'toparchy'.Jud. , VII, vi, 6) mentions at sixty stadia from Jerusalem a village called Ammaus, where Vespasian and Titus stationed 800 veterans.This is evidently the Emmaus of the Gospel.But it must have been destroyed at the time of the revolt of Bar-Cocheba (A.D. 132-35) under Hadrian, and its site was unknown as early as the third century.Origen and his friends merely placed the Gospel Emmaus at Nicopolis, the only Emmaus known at their time.The identifications of Koubeibeh, Abou Gosh, Koulonieh, Beit Mizzeh, etc. with Emmaus, as proposed by some modern scholars, are inadmissible."
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964119553.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Village in Ramle, Mandatory Palestine Imwas or Emmaus ( ), known in classical times as Nicopolis ( ), was a Palestinian Arab village located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of the city of Ramla and 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Jerusalem in the Latrun salient of the West Bank . It is traditionally (possibly from as early as the 3rd century, but probably incorrectly) identified with the biblical Emmaus . After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war , Imwas fell under Jordanian rule . Its population at the time was predominantly Arab Muslim , though there was an Arab Christian minority. Captured by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six-Day War on June 7, 1967 along with the neighbouring villages of Yalo and Bayt Nuba , the villagers of Imwas were expelled and the village destroyed on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin . Today the area of the former village lies within Canada Park , which was established by the Jewish National Fund in 1973. There are still visible ruins of a beautiful basilica built in the fourth or the fifth century, and repaired by the Crusaders. Near 'Am'was, at El-Atroun, the Trappists founded a priory in 1890. In the opinion of many 'Am'was is the Emmaus of the Gospel (Luke 24:13-35), where Christ manifested Himself to two of His Disciples. Such is, indeed, the tradition of the Church of Jerusalem, attested as early as the fourth century by Eusebius of Cæsarea, Titus of Bostra, and St. Jerome, a tradition confirmed by all pilgrims, at least to the time of the Crusades; it may even date back to the third century to Julius Africanus and Origen. It is also supported by many Biblical commentaries, some of which are as old as the fourth or the fifth century; in these the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to have stood at 160 stadia from Jerusalem, the modern 'Am'was being at 176 stadia. In spite of its antiquity, this tradition does not seem to be well founded. Most manuscripts and versions place Emmaus at only sixty stadia from Jerusalem, and they are more numerous and generally more ancient than those of the former group. It seems, therefore, very probable that the number 160 is a correction of Origen and his school to make the Gospel text agree with the Palestinian tradition of their time. Moreover, the distance of 160 stadia would imply about six hours' walk, which is inadmissible, for the Disciples had only gone out to the country and could return to Jerusalem before the gates were shut (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:33). Finally, the Emmaus of the Gospel is said to be a village, while 'Am'was was the flourishing capital of a 'toparchy'. Jud. , VII, vi, 6) mentions at sixty stadia from Jerusalem a village called Ammaus, where Vespasian and Titus stationed 800 veterans. This is evidently the Emmaus of the Gospel. But it must have been destroyed at the time of the revolt of Bar-Cocheba (A.D. 132-35) under Hadrian, and its site was unknown as early as the third century. Origen and his friends merely placed the Gospel Emmaus at Nicopolis, the only Emmaus known at their time. The identifications of Koubeibeh, Abou Gosh, Koulonieh, Beit Mizzeh, etc. with Emmaus, as proposed by some modern scholars, are inadmissible."
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1171034289.
Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “palestinian arab village located to mi southeast of the city of ramla and to mi from jerusalem in the latrun sa”. Today it says “ethnically cleansed palestinian village located 12 kilometres”. Read the current article and compare.
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apartheid
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Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined between 2010 and 6 October 2023.
Then
palestinian arab village located to mi southeast of the city of ramla and to mi from jerusalem in the latrun sa
Now
palestinian arab village located 12 kilometres
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.