Eilabun
Encyclopedia
Eilabun is an Israeli-Arab
local council
in Israel
's North District
, located in the Beit Netofa Valley
. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Eilabun had a population of 4,400 inhabitants in 2005. The population is predominantly Christian
. In 1973, Eilabun achieved local council status by the Israeli government.
, meaning "hard, rocky ground." An Israeli theory is that the place was built on the ancient site of "Ailabu" , a possible variation of the name Ein Levon.
In 1596, the population was recorded as 13 Muslim
families. In 1881, it was described as "a stone village, well built, containing about 100 Christian Arab. It is situated on a ridge, surrounded by brushwood, with arable land in the valley. A good spring exsist to the west of the village."
At the time of the 1931 census
, 'Ailabun had 85 occupied houses and a population of 404, 32 Muslims and 372 Christians
In 1945, the population comprised 530 Christians and 20 Muslims, who owned a total of 11,190 dunam
s of land, while 3,522 dunams of land was public.
's Golani Brigade
's 12th Battalion captured Eilabun on October 30, 1948—during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
—from the Arab Liberation Army
(ALA). After the town's surrender, negotiated by four priests, the commander of the Golani troops selected 14 young Arab men and had them executed, in what became known as the Eilabun massacre
. The village was then looted. Most of the town's residents were marched out to the Lebanese border
, while hundreds fled to nearby gullies, caves and villages. As part of an agreement between Archbishop Hakim and the leader of the "Arab Section" in the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Eliabun exiles in Lebanon were allowed to return in summer of 1949.
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
local council
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's North District
North District (Israel)
The Northern District is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km², which increases to 4,638 km² when both land and water are included...
, located in the Beit Netofa Valley
Beit Netofa Valley
The Beit Netofa Valley is a valley in the Lower Galilee region of Israel, midway between Tiberias and Haifa. Covering 46 km2, it is the largest valley in the Galilee and one of the largest in the southern Levant...
. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Eilabun had a population of 4,400 inhabitants in 2005. The population is predominantly Christian
Palestinian Christian
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic , Protestant, and others...
. In 1973, Eilabun achieved local council status by the Israeli government.
Overview
Eilabun is a small town in the Galilee; in Northern Israel, it consists of a Christian and Muslim Arabic population. Christians being the majority and they consist of about 70% of the town's total population.History
According to the Survey of Western Palestine, the name Eilabun comes from ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, meaning "hard, rocky ground." An Israeli theory is that the place was built on the ancient site of "Ailabu" , a possible variation of the name Ein Levon.
In 1596, the population was recorded as 13 Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
families. In 1881, it was described as "a stone village, well built, containing about 100 Christian Arab. It is situated on a ridge, surrounded by brushwood, with arable land in the valley. A good spring exsist to the west of the village."
At the time of the 1931 census
1931 census of Palestine
The 1931 census of Palestine was the second census carried out by the authorities of the British Mandate of Palestine. It was carried out on 18 November 1931 under the direction of Major E. Mills. The first census had been conducted in 1922...
, 'Ailabun had 85 occupied houses and a population of 404, 32 Muslims and 372 Christians
In 1945, the population comprised 530 Christians and 20 Muslims, who owned a total of 11,190 dunam
Dunam
A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum, dynym, dulum was a non-SI unit of land area used in the Ottoman Empire and representing the amount of land that can be plowed in a day; its value varied from 900–2500 m²...
s of land, while 3,522 dunams of land was public.
1948 War
IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's Golani Brigade
Golani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
's 12th Battalion captured Eilabun on October 30, 1948—during 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...
—from the Arab Liberation Army
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...
(ALA). After the town's surrender, negotiated by four priests, the commander of the Golani troops selected 14 young Arab men and had them executed, in what became known as the Eilabun massacre
Eilabun massacre
The Eilabun massacre was committed by soldiers of Israel Defence Force during Operation Hiram on 30 October 1948. A total of 14 men from the Palestinian Christian village of Eilabun were killed, 12 of them executed by the Israeli forces after the village had surrendered...
. The village was then looted. Most of the town's residents were marched out to the Lebanese border
Blue Line (Lebanon)
The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the purposes of determining whether Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon...
, while hundreds fled to nearby gullies, caves and villages. As part of an agreement between Archbishop Hakim and the leader of the "Arab Section" in the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Eliabun exiles in Lebanon were allowed to return in summer of 1949.