Al-Muharraqa
Encyclopedia
Al-Muharraqa was a Palestinian
Arab
village in the District of Gaza
, located 14.5 kilometres (9 mi) east of Gaza City. The village laid on rolling terrain on the southern coastal plain of Palestine
, on a bend in the wadi
. It had an elevation of 125 metres (410.1 ft) and a total land area of 4,855 dunam
s, most of which was public property, while its built-up area of 29 dunams was Arab
-owned. Al-Muharraqa was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
.
sources, al-Muharraqa was inhabited during this period, according to archeological evidence. During the Mamluk
period from the 13th to 15th centuries, the lands and surplus agricultural produce of al-Muharraqa were dedicated as a waqf
for the maintenance of the Dome of the Rock
in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Gaza
. It was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire
in 1517, and by 1596, it was under the administration of the nahiya of Gaza, part of the Sanjak of Gaza, and had a population of 457. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat, barley, beehives, and goats.
Al-Muharraqa was likely abandoned in either the 17th or 18th centuries, since it lacked mention by travelers, but was repopulated in the late 1870s. During the British Mandate period, the overall layout of the village was rectangular, and continued to expand in a rectangular pattern along the roads leading the highway and the village of Kawfakha. The houses of the village were constructed of mud bricks, and there was a mosque
and a school; the latter opened in 1945 with an enrollment of 60 students. The mosque, school, and a number of small shops constituted al-Muharraqa's nucleus. Water for household use was primarily obtained from a slightly salty 90 metres (295.3 ft) well, but was supplemented with rainwater which collected in some shallow domestic wells. Agriculture was the main source of income, especially the village's chief crop, barley. Figs, grapes, and almonds were also cultivated.
, the village with Kawfakha
was raided by the Palmach
's Negev Brigade
on May 27-28, and a New York Times correspondent reported it was officially captured on May 29. Israel
i historian Benny Morris
claims most of al-Muharraqa's inhabitants were driven out at that time, but it was not thoroughly destroyed and depopulated until August 16; Israeli forces were officially observing the second truce, however, Morris writes that they proceeded to mine and destroy the village for "military reasons".
Jewish localities established afterward include the settlement of Yakhini built north of the village site in 1950, and T'kuma
in 1949, although the latter was built on lands belonging to the city of Gaza, but just 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of al-Muharraqa's village site. Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
described the village remains:
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 Gaza
District of Gaza
The District of Gaza was an administrative district, situated in the southern Mediterranean coastline of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated, with Israel controlling the northern and eastern portions while Egypt held control of the southern...
, located 14.5 kilometres (9 mi) east of Gaza City. The village laid on rolling terrain on the southern coastal plain of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, on a bend in the wadi
Wadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
. It had an elevation of 125 metres (410.1 ft) and a total land area of 4,855 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, most of which was public property, while its built-up area of 29 dunams was 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...
-owned. Al-Muharraqa was depopulated 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...
.
History
Although not mentioned in ByzantineByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
sources, al-Muharraqa was inhabited during this period, according to archeological evidence. During the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
period from the 13th to 15th centuries, the lands and surplus agricultural produce of al-Muharraqa were dedicated as a waqf
Waqf
A waqf also spelled wakf formally known as wakf-alal-aulad is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The donated assets are held by a charitable trust...
for the maintenance of the Dome of the Rock
Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock is a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. The structure has been refurbished many times since its initial completion in 691 CE at the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik...
in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Gaza
Great Mosque of Gaza
The Great Mosque of Gaza also known as the Great Omari Mosque is the largest and oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip, located in Gaza's old city....
. It was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1517, and by 1596, it was under the administration of the nahiya of Gaza, part of the Sanjak of Gaza, and had a population of 457. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat, barley, beehives, and goats.
Al-Muharraqa was likely abandoned in either the 17th or 18th centuries, since it lacked mention by travelers, but was repopulated in the late 1870s. During the British Mandate period, the overall layout of the village was rectangular, and continued to expand in a rectangular pattern along the roads leading the highway and the village of Kawfakha. The houses of the village were constructed of mud bricks, and there was a mosque
Mosque
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 school; the latter opened in 1945 with an enrollment of 60 students. The mosque, school, and a number of small shops constituted al-Muharraqa's nucleus. Water for household use was primarily obtained from a slightly salty 90 metres (295.3 ft) well, but was supplemented with rainwater which collected in some shallow domestic wells. Agriculture was the main source of income, especially the village's chief crop, barley. Figs, grapes, and almonds were also cultivated.
1948 War
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War1948 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...
, the village with Kawfakha
Kawfakha
Kawfakha was a Palestinian village located east of Gaza that was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-Location:The village stood on a stretch of sandy, rolling land in the northern Negev...
was raided by the 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...
's Negev Brigade
Negev Brigade
The 12th Negev Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade that served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. It was commanded by Nahum "Sergei" Sarig and consisted of four Palmach battalions...
on May 27-28, and a New York Times correspondent reported it was officially captured on May 29. Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i historian 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...
claims most of al-Muharraqa's inhabitants were driven out at that time, but it was not thoroughly destroyed and depopulated until August 16; Israeli forces were officially observing the second truce, however, Morris writes that they proceeded to mine and destroy the village for "military reasons".
Jewish localities established afterward include the settlement of Yakhini built north of the village site in 1950, and T'kuma
Tkuma, Israel
Tkuma is a religious moshav in southern Israel. Located north-west of Netivot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sdot Negev Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 514.-History:...
in 1949, although the latter was built on lands belonging to the city of Gaza, but just 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of al-Muharraqa's village site. 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 remains:
The site is overgrown with thorny plants and short grasses and surrounded by eucalyptusEucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees. It is marked by piles of rubble from buildings, including the village diwan (a meeting and guest house). There are also the remnants of a mill and a well. The cemetery, overgrown with wild vegetation, still exists, in a dilapidated condition, and the fallen superstructure of one of the tombs is visible. The lands in the vicinity are cultivated by farmers.
External links
- Welcome To al-Muharraqa
- al-Muharraqa 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...