Al-Mansi
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansi and also called ('Arab Baniha ) was a Palestinian
town in the District of Haifa
. It was occupied on April 12, 1948 by Israel
i troops during the Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
.
), and 30 km South East of Haifa
city, and it is at an elevation of 125 meters above the sea level. The total land area is (12,272 Dunums;12,272,000 m²)
and a mill. The land used to be planted with olives, cereals and vegetable. Al-Mansi had six springs in its vicinity which supplied it with drinking water.
reported that Zionist forces had infiltrated Al-Mansi on 9 April, resulting in an exchange of fire with the village defenders. According to Fawzi al-Qawuqji
, the ALA
forces withdrew to Al-Mansi on 11 April, after a "violent" counter-attack.
On April 12, 1948, al-Mansi as well as adjacent towns, were ethnically cleansed and destroyed by the Israeli troops and its people became refugee
, and the most of them are living now in the Palestinian refugee camps, Jordan
, Syria
, Germany
and the United States
.
The Israeli settlement Midrakh Oz
was built close to the village site in 1952, and is occupying part of the town land. The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
, described the village in 1992: "The remains of the school and the mosque are still standing in the midst of a thick undergrowth composed of vines and thorny bushes. The exposed foundations of the village buildings, surrounded by stone rubble, can be seen throughout the site. The agricultural kibbutz of Midrakh Oz
occupies part of the adjacent land. The rest is used for growing avocado trees and raising poultry and cattle."
Some of the people of Al-Mansi in Jordan
formed a social club in Amman
called Diwan al-Mansi , and in 2005 a book on Al-Mansi was published.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
town in the District of Haifa
District of Haifa
The District of Haifa was an administrative district of the British Mandate of Palestine that covered the northern Mediterranean coast of regional Palestine, southwestern Galilee, and the Wadi Ara region. It was disintegrated after the British withdrawal from the area. Prior to and during the 1948...
. It was occupied on April 12, 1948 by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i troops during the Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
The Battle of Mishmar HaEmek was a ten-day battle fought from 4 to 15 April 1948 between the Arab Liberation Army commanded by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and the Haganah commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh...
.
Geography
Al-Mansi is located in the western side of Marge Bin Amer ' onMouseout='HidePop("13170")' href="/topics/Jezreel_Valley">Jezreel ValleyJezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
), and 30 km South East of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
city, and it is at an elevation of 125 meters above the sea level. The total land area is (12,272 Dunums;12,272,000 m²)
History
In 1944/45, the population of al-Mansi was 1,200 and had 292 houses, most constructed from stone. It had one elementary school, a mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and a mill. The land used to be planted with olives, cereals and vegetable. Al-Mansi had six springs in its vicinity which supplied it with drinking water.
1948 war, and aftermath
The newspaper FilastinFilastin (newspaper)
Filastin was a twice-weekly newspaper published from 1911-1948 in Palestine. Published from Jaffa, the principal publishers were Isa al-Isa and his cousin Yusef al-Isa. Both al-Isas were Greek Orthodox, opponents of British administration, and supporters of pan-Arab unity...
reported that Zionist forces had infiltrated Al-Mansi on 9 April, resulting in an exchange of fire with the village defenders. According to Fawzi al-Qawuqji
Fawzi Al-Qawuqji
Fawzi al-Qawuqji was the field commander of the Arab Liberation Army during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War in Palestine, and a rival of the principal Palestinian Arab leader, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini.-Biography:...
, the ALA
Arab Liberation Army
The Arab Liberation Army , also translated as Arab Salvation Army, was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji...
forces withdrew to Al-Mansi on 11 April, after a "violent" counter-attack.
On April 12, 1948, al-Mansi as well as adjacent towns, were ethnically cleansed and destroyed by the Israeli troops and its people became refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
, and the most of them are living now in the Palestinian refugee camps, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Israeli settlement Midrakh Oz
Midrakh Oz
Midrakh Oz is a moshav in northern Israel. Located in the Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 447....
was built close to the village site in 1952, and is occupying part of the town land. The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi is an Oxford University-educated Palestinian historian who has written extensively on the Palestinian exodus. He is General Secretary and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies, established in Beirut in December 1963 as an independent research and publishing center...
, described the village in 1992: "The remains of the school and the mosque are still standing in the midst of a thick undergrowth composed of vines and thorny bushes. The exposed foundations of the village buildings, surrounded by stone rubble, can be seen throughout the site. The agricultural kibbutz of Midrakh Oz
Midrakh Oz
Midrakh Oz is a moshav in northern Israel. Located in the Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 447....
occupies part of the adjacent land. The rest is used for growing avocado trees and raising poultry and cattle."
Some of the people of Al-Mansi in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
formed a social club in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
called Diwan al-Mansi , and in 2005 a book on Al-Mansi was published.
See also
- Battle of Mishmar HaEmekBattle of Mishmar HaEmekThe Battle of Mishmar HaEmek was a ten-day battle fought from 4 to 15 April 1948 between the Arab Liberation Army commanded by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and the Haganah commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh...
- List of Arab towns and villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
External links
- Welcome to al-Mansi Palestine Remembered.
- Al-Mansi photos from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh
- al-Mansi from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural Center is an organization established in 1996. It is located at 4 Raja Street, Ramallah in the West Bank. The traditional manor that houses the centre was the former family home of Khalil Salem Salah, the mayor of Ramallah between 1947/1951, is now owned by the Palestinian...
- http://aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4C29AFF6-53A6-45F6-AA53-156CFC0CB365.htm Al-Jazeera.