Kirad al-Baqqara
Encyclopedia
Kirad al-Baqqara was a Palestinian
Arab
village in the District of Safad
. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach
. It was located 11 km northwest of Safad and Wadi Mushayrifa ran between the two Kirad villages (al-Ghannama and al-Baqqara).
After the 1948 Palestine war
, according to the armistice agreements of 1949 Between Israel and Syria, it was determined that a string of villages, including Al-Nuqayb
Al-Hamma
, Al-Samra
in District of Tiberias
and Kirad al-Baqqara and Kirad al-Ghannama
further north in District of Safad
, would be included the demilitarized zone
(DMZ) between Israel and Syria
. The villagers and their property were formally protected by Article V of the Israeli-Syrian agreement of 20 July that year. However, Israel thought the villagers could pose a security threat, and Israeli settlers and settlement agencies coveted the land. Israel therefore wanted the Palestinian
inhabitants, a total of 2,200 villagers, moved to Syria.
In the spring of of 1951, Israel decided to assert its sovereignty over the DMZ, including "the transfer of Arab civilians from the area.." On the night of the 30 March they forcibly transferred all the 800 inhabitants of Kirad al-Ghannama
and Kirad al-Baqqara to Sha'ab. A United Nations
decision allowed the villagers to return, however, Israel pressured them to remain in Sha'ab. In spite of this, many of the villagers returned to their homes in the DMZ. In 1956 Israel expelled the two Khirad-villages again, and this time the sites were physically destroyed and ploughed over. Most of the villagers went to Syria, a few went back to Sha'ab.
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...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
village in the District of Safad
District of Safad
The District of Safad was an administrative district, situated in the British Mandate of Palestine around the city of Safad. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated.-Depopulated settlements:...
. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
The 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine lasted from 30 November 1947, the date of the United Nations vote in favour of the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the UN Partition Plan, to the termination of the British Mandate itself on 14 May 1948.This period constitutes the...
on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach
Operation Yiftach
Operation Yiftach was an offensive of the Israeli Haganah between 28 April and 29 May 1948 aimed at capturing the eastern Galilee. The central objectives were the capture of Safed and the securing of the Lebanese and Syrian borders before the British Mandate ended on 14 May 1948...
. It was located 11 km northwest of Safad and Wadi Mushayrifa ran between the two Kirad villages (al-Ghannama and al-Baqqara).
History
In 1945 it had a population of 360 people.After the 1948 Palestine war
1948 Palestine war
The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events in the British Mandate of Palestine between the United Nations vote on the partition plan on November 30, 1947, to the end of the first Arab-Israeli war on July 20, 1949.The war is divided into two phases:...
, according to the armistice agreements of 1949 Between Israel and Syria, it was determined that a string of villages, including Al-Nuqayb
Al-Nuqayb
Al-Nuqayb was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on May 15, 1948. It was located 10 km east across the lake from Tiberias. bordering the Wadi al-Muzaffar and Wadi Samakh...
Al-Hamma
Al-Hamma, Tiberias
Al-Hamma is a depopulated Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias, 12 km southeast of Tiberias. Situated on a narrow strip of land in the Yarmouk valley, it was one of the stations on the Jezreel Valley railway, linking the Hejaz Railway to Haifa.-History:The Old Testament...
, Al-Samra
Al-Samra
Al-Samra was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 21, 1948. It was located 10 km southeast of Tiberias....
in District of Tiberias
District of Tiberias
The District of Tiberias was an administrative district, situated in the British Mandate of Palestine around the city of Tiberias. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated.-Depopulated settlements:...
and Kirad al-Baqqara and Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach. It was located 11 km northeast of Safad...
further north in District of Safad
District of Safad
The District of Safad was an administrative district, situated in the British Mandate of Palestine around the city of Safad. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated.-Depopulated settlements:...
, would be included the demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
(DMZ) between Israel and 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....
. The villagers and their property were formally protected by Article V of the Israeli-Syrian agreement of 20 July that year. However, Israel thought the villagers could pose a security threat, and Israeli settlers and settlement agencies coveted the land. Israel therefore wanted the Palestinian
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...
inhabitants, a total of 2,200 villagers, moved to Syria.
In the spring of of 1951, Israel decided to assert its sovereignty over the DMZ, including "the transfer of Arab civilians from the area.." On the night of the 30 March they forcibly transferred all the 800 inhabitants of Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach. It was located 11 km northeast of Safad...
and Kirad al-Baqqara to Sha'ab. A United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
decision allowed the villagers to return, however, Israel pressured them to remain in Sha'ab. In spite of this, many of the villagers returned to their homes in the DMZ. In 1956 Israel expelled the two Khirad-villages again, and this time the sites were physically destroyed and ploughed over. Most of the villagers went to Syria, a few went back to Sha'ab.
External links
- Welcome To Kirad al-Baqqara
- Kirad al-Baqqara at 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...