Sabalan, Safad
Encyclopedia
Sabalan was a Palestinian
Arab
village in the District of Safad
, located 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi) northwest of Safad. It stood at an elevation of 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) above sea level overlooking the Druze
village of Hurfeish
. In 1945, Sabalan had a population of 70. It was depopulated during the 1948 Palestine War
.
, the son of Jacob
, while others claim he was a da'is ("missionary") who joined the Druze religion and helped promote it in the region. Archaeological artifacts, namely rock-cut tombs are located near the tomb.
In the British Mandate period, it had a circular plan with most of its houses being closely clustered together. Because of the steep slopes that surrounded Sabalan, the village was only able to expand on its northwestern end. Although the tomb of Nabi Sabalan was sacred to the Druze, the entire population of the village was Muslim
and at its center stood a mosque
.
On October 30, 1948, during the Israel
i offensive Operation Hiram
, Sabalan was captured. Units of Israel's Golani Brigade
overran the village with support from the Sheva Brigade as they were advancing along the road leading from Suhmata
and Sa'sa'
. No Jewish localities were built on village lands, which constituted 1,798 dunam
s in 1945. According to Palestinian historian, Walid Khalidi
, "Only one village house and a well remain." The remaining house is occupied by the Druze guards and caretakers of the Nabi Sabalan tomb and new buildings were constructed to accommodate pilgrims and visitors. In 1965, Druze youth activists led by Samih al-Qasim
protested the confiscation of the lands surrounding the tomb by the Israeli government which declared them "state lands." The Druze religious leadership established Eid al-Nabi Sabalan ("Feast of the Prophet Sabalan") in 1971.
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:...
, located 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi) northwest of Safad. It stood at an elevation of 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) above sea level overlooking the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
village of Hurfeish
Hurfeish
Hurfeish is a Druze local council in the Northern District of Israel. It was declared a local council in 1967. according to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics it had in 2006 a total population of 5,200, with a growth rate of 1.9%....
. In 1945, Sabalan had a population of 70. It was depopulated during 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:...
.
History
In the 19th century, Sabalan was a stone-built village. Within it was the tomb of a Nabi Sabalan ("Prophet Sabalan"), after whom the village was named. At the time, there were 100 inhabitants who mostly cultivated figs and olives. Some believe Sabalan is supposed to be ZebulunZebulun
Zebulun was, according to the Books of Genesis and Numbers, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Zebulun...
, the son of Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
, while others claim he was a da'is ("missionary") who joined the Druze religion and helped promote it in the region. Archaeological artifacts, namely rock-cut tombs are located near the tomb.
In the British Mandate period, it had a circular plan with most of its houses being closely clustered together. Because of the steep slopes that surrounded Sabalan, the village was only able to expand on its northwestern end. Although the tomb of Nabi Sabalan was sacred to the Druze, the entire population of the village was 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...
and at its center stood 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...
.
On October 30, 1948, during 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 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...
, Sabalan was captured. Units of Israel'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...
overran the village with support from the Sheva Brigade as they were advancing along the road leading from Suhmata
Suhmata
Suhmata was a Palestinian village, located northeast of Acre. It was depopulated by the Golani Brigade during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-History:...
and Sa'sa'
Sa'sa'
Sa'sa was a Palestinian village, located 12 kilometres northwest of Safed that was depopulated by Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war...
. No Jewish localities were built on village lands, which constituted 1,798 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 in 1945. According to 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...
, "Only one village house and a well remain." The remaining house is occupied by the Druze guards and caretakers of the Nabi Sabalan tomb and new buildings were constructed to accommodate pilgrims and visitors. In 1965, Druze youth activists led by Samih al-Qasim
Samih al-Qasim
Samīħ al-Qāsim Samīħ al-Qāsim Samīħ al-Qāsim ( is an Israeli Druze whose Arabic poetry is well-known throughout Arab World. His poetry is influenced by two primary periods of his life: Before and after the Six-Day War. He joined the Communist Hadash political party in 1967...
protested the confiscation of the lands surrounding the tomb by the Israeli government which declared them "state lands." The Druze religious leadership established Eid al-Nabi Sabalan ("Feast of the Prophet Sabalan") in 1971.
External links
- Welcome To Sabalan
- Sabalan, 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...
- The story of Sabalan, 24/10/2008, 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...