Dayr al-Qassi
Encyclopedia
Dayr al-Qassi' or Deir el-Qasi is a former Palestinian
village located 26 km northeast of the city of Acre
.
border. It was linked by a paved road to Fassuta
in the north and Tarshiha in the southwest. The road divided the town into an eastern and one western quarter, or haras, the eastern quarter being higher up.
. According to the residents of the village, ancient artifacts from the Canaanite, Israelite and Roman period were unearthed in the Ottoman and British Mandate period.
In 1596, Dayr al-Qassi was a village in the Ottoman Empire
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Jira
under the liwa'
(district) of Safad, with a population of 132. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
and barley
, as well as on goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, the village of Dayr al-Qassi was described as being situated on a ridge, encircled by fig
trees, olive
trees and arable land. It then had a population of about 200.
According to a 1945 census the village had a population of 2,300 and was a part of larger town also containing the two villages of Fassuta
(existent) and al-Mansura
. The town was mostly Muslim but had a large Palestinian Christian
minority. Its total land area was 34,011 dunums of which only about 8,092 dunums were built upon.
Dayr al-Qassi was defended by the Arab Liberation Army
but was defeated by the Israel Defence Force during its offensive Operation Hiram
on October 30, 1948. The town's residents were expelled on May 27, 1949 and most migrated north into Lebanon
.
Elqosh, established in 1949, occupies part of the village site. Netu'a
, founded in 1966, Mattat
, founded in 1979 and Abbirim, founded in 1980, are also on village land. Netu'a
is near the neighboring village of al-Mansura
.
The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
described the remaining structures on the village land in 1992:
"A few stone houses still are used as residences or warehouses by the inhabitants of Elqosh. The debris of destroyed houses is strewn over the site. The school building stands deserted. Fig and olive trees and cactuses grow on the site."
In 2004, the "ruins of the village were removed by mechanical equipment."
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 located 26 km northeast of the city of Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
.
Geography
The village was located 26 km northeast of the city of Acre, on a rocky hill about 5 km south of the LebaneseLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
border. It was linked by a paved road to Fassuta
Fassuta
Fassuta is a Israeli Arab town on the northwestern slopes of Mount Meron in the Northern District of Israel, south of the Lebanese border.In 2005, the population of Fassuta was 2,900.-History:...
in the north and Tarshiha in the southwest. The road divided the town into an eastern and one western quarter, or haras, the eastern quarter being higher up.
History
The first part of the village name, Dayr ("monastery") suggest that the village might have had a monastery and a Christian population. However, in modern times the population was MuslimMuslim
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...
. According to the residents of the village, ancient artifacts from the Canaanite, Israelite and Roman period were unearthed in the Ottoman and British Mandate period.
In 1596, Dayr al-Qassi was a village in 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...
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Jira
JIRA
Jira may refer to:* JIRA, software-engineering package* Journal of Iranian Research and Analysis* Jira, also known as Zilla, fictional character* Jira * Jira...
under the liwa'
Liwa (arabic)
Liwa or Liwa is an Arabic term meaning district, banner, or flag, a type of administrative division. It was interchangeable with the Turkish term "Sanjak" in the time of the Ottoman Empire. After the fall of the empire, the term was used in the Arab countries formerly under Ottoman rule...
(district) of Safad, with a population of 132. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, as well as on goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, the village of Dayr al-Qassi was described as being situated on a ridge, encircled by fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
trees, olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
trees and arable land. It then had a population of about 200.
According to a 1945 census the village had a population of 2,300 and was a part of larger town also containing the two villages of Fassuta
Fassuta
Fassuta is a Israeli Arab town on the northwestern slopes of Mount Meron in the Northern District of Israel, south of the Lebanese border.In 2005, the population of Fassuta was 2,900.-History:...
(existent) and al-Mansura
Al-Mansura, Acre
al-Mansura was a Palestinian village that was captured by the Israel Defence Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-External links:** from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center*, from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh...
. The town was mostly Muslim but had a large Palestinian 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...
minority. Its total land area was 34,011 dunums of which only about 8,092 dunums were built upon.
1948 and aftermath
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...
Dayr al-Qassi was defended by 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...
but was defeated by the Israel Defence Force during its offensive Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion...
on October 30, 1948. The town's residents were expelled on May 27, 1949 and most migrated north into Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Elqosh, established in 1949, occupies part of the village site. Netu'a
Netu'a
Netu'a is an moshav in northern Israel. Located near the Lebanese border, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 251....
, founded in 1966, Mattat
Mattat
Mattat is a small communal settlement in northern Israel. Located near the Lebanese Border between the cities of Ma'alot-Tarshiha and Safed, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council...
, founded in 1979 and Abbirim, founded in 1980, are also on village land. Netu'a
Netu'a
Netu'a is an moshav in northern Israel. Located near the Lebanese border, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 251....
is near the neighboring village of al-Mansura
Al-Mansura, Acre
al-Mansura was a Palestinian village that was captured by the Israel Defence Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-External links:** from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center*, from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh...
.
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 remaining structures on the village land in 1992:
"A few stone houses still are used as residences or warehouses by the inhabitants of Elqosh. The debris of destroyed houses is strewn over the site. The school building stands deserted. Fig and olive trees and cactuses grow on the site."
In 2004, the "ruins of the village were removed by mechanical equipment."
External links
- Palestine Remembered - Dayr al-Qasi
- Dayr Al-Qasi 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...
- Der al-Qasi, from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh