Bayt Naqquba
Encyclopedia
Bayt Naqquba was a Palestinian
village in British Mandate Palestine, located 9.5 kilometers west of Jerusalem, near Abu Ghosh
. Before Palmach
and Haganah
troops occupied the village during Operation Nachshon
on April 1, 1948 approximately 300 Palestinian Arabs lived there. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
, a moshav
named Beit Nekofa
was founded close to the site by Jewish immigrants from Yugoslavia
. In 1962, residents of Bayt Naqubba built a new village named Ein Naqquba, south of Beit Nekofa.
Benny Morris
writes: "It is possible that the inhabitants of Beit Naqquba had received both an order to evacuate from Arab military commanders in Ein Karim
and "strong advice" to the same effect from Lisser and Navon
. But it is likely that the "advice" given in the name of the Harel Brigade
, which physically controlled the area, was more potent of the two factors in precipitating the evacuation."
Between 1948 and 1964 the inhabitants of Bayt Naqquba lived at Sataf
, "under trees, because the Arabs had not allowed them to come over their lines, out of distrust and revenge". Afterwards they were allowed to stay temporarily in Abu Ghosh. In 1962, they established a new village, Ein Naqquba
on some of their land south of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.
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...
village in British Mandate Palestine, located 9.5 kilometers west of Jerusalem, near Abu Ghosh
Abu Ghosh
Abu Ghosh is an Israeli Arab town in Israel, located west of Jerusalem on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. It is situated 610–720 meters above sea level. In 2010, it set the Guinness World Record for largest dish of hummus...
. Before Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
and Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
troops occupied the village during Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon was an Jewish military operation during the 1948 war. Lasting from 5–20 April 1948, its objective was to break the Siege of Jerusalem by opening the Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem road blockaded by Palestinian Arabs and to supply food and weapons to the isolated Jewish community of...
on April 1, 1948 approximately 300 Palestinian Arabs lived there. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, a moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
named Beit Nekofa
Beit Nekofa
Beit Nekofa is a moshav in the Jerusalem District of Israel, subordinate to the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. It was founded in August 1949 by seven families that immigrated from Yugoslavia....
was founded close to the site by Jewish immigrants from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. In 1962, residents of Bayt Naqubba built a new village named Ein Naqquba, south of Beit Nekofa.
History
In the late nineteenth century, Bayt Naqquba was a village built on a slope with a spring to the south. Its residents were Muslims. They planted olive trees and vineyards, which grew mainly west of the village and on the valley floors, and irrigated their crops with water drawn from the village springs. Olive trees covered 194 dunum of land. In 1944/45 a total of 515 dunums was allocated to cereals; 303 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards, including 194 dunums planted with olive trees.1948, and after
Like the people of Abu Ghosh, the inhabitants of Bayt Naqquba were known for their friendly relations with their Jewish neighbors in Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim.Benny Morris
Benny Morris
Benny Morris is professor of History in the Middle East Studies department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in the city of Be'er Sheva, Israel...
writes: "It is possible that the inhabitants of Beit Naqquba had received both an order to evacuate from Arab military commanders in Ein Karim
Ein Kerem
Ein Kerem , lit. “Spring of the Vineyard”, and - ‘Ein Kārem), is an ancient village of the Jerusalem District and now a neighbourhood in southwest of Jerusalem. According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist was born in Ein Kerem, leading to the establishment of many churches and monasteries....
and "strong advice" to the same effect from Lisser and Navon
Yitzhak Navon
Yitzhak Navon is an Israeli politician, diplomat, and author. He served as the fifth President of Israel between 1978 and 1982 as a member of the center-left Alignment party...
. But it is likely that the "advice" given in the name of the Harel Brigade
Harel Brigade
Harel Brigade is a reserve brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, today part of the Northern Command. It played a critical role in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.- War of Independence :...
, which physically controlled the area, was more potent of the two factors in precipitating the evacuation."
Between 1948 and 1964 the inhabitants of Bayt Naqquba lived at Sataf
Sataf
Sataf was an Arab village in the District of Jerusalem depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It is located 10 km west of Jerusalem, with Sorek riverbed bordering the east....
, "under trees, because the Arabs had not allowed them to come over their lines, out of distrust and revenge". Afterwards they were allowed to stay temporarily in Abu Ghosh. In 1962, they established a new village, Ein Naqquba
Ein Naqquba
Ein Naqquba is an Arab village in central Israel. Located west of Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 2,000....
on some of their land south of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.
The village today
See also
- List of Arab towns and villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
- List of villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
- Jerusalem DistrictJerusalem DistrictThe Jerusalem District is one of six administrative districts of Israel. The district capital is Jerusalem. The Jerusalem District has a land area of 652 km². The population of 910,300 is 67.8% Jewish and 30.6% Arab...
- Arab localities in Israel
See also
- Bayt Naqquba 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...