Mi'ar
Encyclopedia
Mi'ar was a Palestinian
village located 17.5 kilometers east of Acre
, depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
.
In 1596, Mi'ar was part of the Ottoman Empire
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Akka
under the Liwa of Safad, with a population of 55. It paid taxes on wheat
and barley
, fruit, as well as on goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, the village of Mi'ar was described as a large village situated on high ground that was rough and uncultivated. The villagers, whose number was estimated to be 1500 (in 1859), cultivated some 30 faddans. An elementary school was founded by the Ottomans in 1888, however, it closed its doors in the final years of the Empire.
During the Arab Revolt
in October 1938, the village was entirely destroyed by the British army
for its alleged support of the rebels.
All the villagers were Muslim
. In 1944/45 a total of 2,878 dunam of village land was used for cereals, while 113 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
, when the Israeli soldiers got tired of their killing spree, they began destroying the houses. 40 villagers were killed. One witness was a then 17 year old boy, the later writer Muhammad Ali Taha. The villagers later returned to Mi'ar and continued living there until the Israeli troops re-occupied it in mid-July 1948 and expelled them for good.
Its 893 inhabitants fled an attack by the Israel
i Sheva Brigade, part of the second stage of Operation Dekel
, on 15 July 1948, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
.
The Jewish localities of Segev
, Ya'ad and Manof
currently lie upon the former village's lands. According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
, the village in 1992 was: "Some truncated stone walls, simple graves, and fig and olive trees remain on the site, which is covered by cypress trees. The area has been turned into recreational and picnic grounds."
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 17.5 kilometers east 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....
, 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
Mi'ar contained the archaeological remains of buildings, fragments of columns, olive presses, and cisterns.In 1596, Mi'ar was part of 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 Akka
Akka
Akka is traditionally a female spirit in Sámi and Finnish mythology.In Sámi mythology, the first akka was Maderakka and her daughters were Sarakka, Uksakka and Juksakka. Some Sámi thought they lived under their kota tents....
under the Liwa of Safad, with a population of 55. It paid taxes on 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...
, fruit, as well as on goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, the village of Mi'ar was described as a large village situated on high ground that was rough and uncultivated. The villagers, whose number was estimated to be 1500 (in 1859), cultivated some 30 faddans. An elementary school was founded by the Ottomans in 1888, however, it closed its doors in the final years of the Empire.
During the Arab Revolt
Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
in October 1938, the village was entirely destroyed by the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
for its alleged support of the rebels.
All the villagers were 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...
. In 1944/45 a total of 2,878 dunam of village land was used for cereals, while 113 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
1948 War and aftermath
On 20 June 1948 Israeli soldiers entered the village of Mi'ar and shot indiscriminately against the villagers while they were working in their fields. According to Ilan PappéIlan Pappé
Ilan Pappé is a professor with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK, director of the university's European Centre for Palestine Studies, co-director of the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies, and political activist...
, when the Israeli soldiers got tired of their killing spree, they began destroying the houses. 40 villagers were killed. One witness was a then 17 year old boy, the later writer Muhammad Ali Taha. The villagers later returned to Mi'ar and continued living there until the Israeli troops re-occupied it in mid-July 1948 and expelled them for good.
Its 893 inhabitants fled an attack by the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Sheva Brigade, part of the second stage of Operation Dekel
Operation Dekel
Operation Dekel , was the largest offensive in the north of Israel after the first truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was carried out by the 7th Armoured Brigade, a battalion from the Carmeli Brigade along with some elements from the Golani Brigade between 8–18 July. Its objective was to...
, on 15 July 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...
.
The Jewish localities of Segev
Segev
Segev may refer to the following:People* Ehud Segev, an Israeli performer* Inbal Segev, a cellist* Gonen Segev, a former Israeli politician* Tom Segev, an Israeli historianPlaces* Atzmon, formerly known as Segev....
, Ya'ad and Manof
Manof
Manof is a community settlement in the Misgav Regional Council in northern Israel. It is located in the Lower Galilee between Shefa-'Amr and Karmiel...
currently lie upon the former village's lands. According to 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...
, the village in 1992 was: "Some truncated stone walls, simple graves, and fig and olive trees remain on the site, which is covered by cypress trees. The area has been turned into recreational and picnic grounds."
External links
- Welcome to Mi'ar
- Miar, 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...
- Mi3ar photos from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh
- All About... Mi'ar, from ZochrotZochrotZochrot is an Israeli-Jewish non-profit organization founded in 2002. Based in Tel Aviv, its aim is to promote awareness of the Palestinian Nakba , the 1948 Palestinian exodus. The group's director is Eitan Bronstein...
- Visit to Mi’ar 12/4 2002, by Norma Musih, ZochrotZochrotZochrot is an Israeli-Jewish non-profit organization founded in 2002. Based in Tel Aviv, its aim is to promote awareness of the Palestinian Nakba , the 1948 Palestinian exodus. The group's director is Eitan Bronstein...
- Opposition to building plan in Mi’ar, ZochrotZochrotZochrot is an Israeli-Jewish non-profit organization founded in 2002. Based in Tel Aviv, its aim is to promote awareness of the Palestinian Nakba , the 1948 Palestinian exodus. The group's director is Eitan Bronstein...