Harrawi
Encyclopedia
Harrawi was a Palestinian
Arab
village in the District of Safad
. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
on May 25, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach
. It was located 18 km northeast of Safad.
In 1948 it had a population of 290.
period, with ruins of Greek inscriptions, old walls, tessellated floors, and a wine-press.
Harrawi was located on a mountain peak in eastern Upper Galilee, overlooking the al-Hula Plain that linked it to the village of Qadas
. The area is forested but much land was converted by the settlers for agricultural purposes, given that in 1945, 551 dunums of land was devoted to the farming of cereal
s. However, they were also employed in animal husbandary and in the winter the farmers of Harrawi would often migrate to the lowlands adjacent to the al-Hula Plain, to allow their animals to graze,
The village comprised a total area of 3,726 dunum
s of which 60% was run by Arabs and 40% by Jews.
A large number of inhabitants were employed in cereal farming, which dominated all of the area under cultivation.
Types of landuse in dunum
s by Arabs in 1945:
The land ownership of the village before occupation in dunum
s:
reported an incident that occurred in February 1948 when a bus carrying Arab passengers en route from al-Hula to Safad was ambushed at Harrawi on 12 February by a Zionist
military unit. A mine exploded under the bus which was also subject to gunfire and firebombing, killing four people.
In mid May 1948, the village was defended by the Arab Liberation Army
's Second Yarmuk Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Adib Shishakli
, who later served as president of Syria
. The initial resistance was reported by the American newspaper New York Times in Damascus
to have been a success, with the ALA claiming victories at Harrawi and al-Malikiyya, located 5 km to the northwest. However any early successes were short-lived; Harrawi, along with the nearby villages of Mallaha
and Baysamun
fell to the Israeli Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach
May 25.
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 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...
on May 25, 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 18 km northeast of Safad.
In 1948 it had a population of 290.
History
The settlers of Harrawi were descendants of Bedouin from the ‘Arab al-Hamdun tribe. There is evidence to suggest the village was inhabited as far back as the early ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
period, with ruins of Greek inscriptions, old walls, tessellated floors, and a wine-press.
Harrawi was located on a mountain peak in eastern Upper Galilee, overlooking the al-Hula Plain that linked it to the village of Qadas
Qadas
Qadas was a Lebanese village located 17 kilometers northeast of Safad that was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. One of seven Shiite Muslim villages called Metawalis that fell within the boundaries of British Mandate Palestine, Qadas lay adjacent to Nebi Yusha, near the tel of the...
. The area is forested but much land was converted by the settlers for agricultural purposes, given that in 1945, 551 dunums of land was devoted to the farming of cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s. However, they were also employed in animal husbandary and in the winter the farmers of Harrawi would often migrate to the lowlands adjacent to the al-Hula Plain, to allow their animals to graze,
The village comprised a total area of 3,726 dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
s of which 60% was run by Arabs and 40% by Jews.
A large number of inhabitants were employed in cereal farming, which dominated all of the area under cultivation.
Types of landuse in dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
s by Arabs in 1945:
| Land Usage | Arab | Jewish |
|---|---|---|
| Cereal | 551 | 330 |
| Urban | 0 | 2 |
| Cultivable | 551 | 330 |
| Non-cultivable | 1,704 | 1,139 |
The land ownership of the village before occupation in dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
s:
| Owner | Durums |
|---|---|
| Arab | 2,255 |
| Jewish | 1,471 |
| Public | 0 |
| Total | 3,726 |
1948 conflict and depopulation
Although it was in May 1948 that the village was depopulated, the Palestinian newspaper FilastinFilastin (newspaper)
Filastin was a twice-weekly newspaper published from 1911-1948 in Palestine. Published from Jaffa, the principal publishers were Isa al-Isa and his cousin Yusef al-Isa. Both al-Isas were Greek Orthodox, opponents of British administration, and supporters of pan-Arab unity...
reported an incident that occurred in February 1948 when a bus carrying Arab passengers en route from al-Hula to Safad was ambushed at Harrawi on 12 February by a Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
military unit. A mine exploded under the bus which was also subject to gunfire and firebombing, killing four people.
In mid May 1948, the village 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...
's Second Yarmuk Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Adib Shishakli
Adib Shishakli
Adib ibn Hasan Shishakli was a Syrian military leader and President of Syria .Born into a notable Syrian-Kurdish family of Hama, Shishakli served with the French Army during the mandate era...
, who later served as president of 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 initial resistance was reported by the American newspaper New York Times in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
to have been a success, with the ALA claiming victories at Harrawi and al-Malikiyya, located 5 km to the northwest. However any early successes were short-lived; Harrawi, along with the nearby villages of Mallaha
Mallaha
Mallaha was a Palestinian Arab village, located northeast of Safed, on the highway between the latter and Tiberias. 'Ain Mallaha is the local Arabic name for a spring that served as the water source for the village inhabitants throughout the ages...
and Baysamun
Baysamun
Baysamun was a small Palestinian Arab village, located northeast of Safad. In 1945, it had a population of 20. It was depopulated during the 1948 War on May 25, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion in Operation Yiftach....
fell to the Israeli 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...
May 25.
External links
- Welcome To Harrawi
- Harrawi, 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...
- al-Harrawi, Dr. Khalil Rizk.