Muqeible
Encyclopedia
Muqeible or Muqeibla meaning "The front place", is an Israeli Arab
town located in Israel
's North District
, in the Jezreel Valley
between Ta'anakh and Jenin
. It is a part of the Gilboa Regional Council
. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
, Muqeible had a mixed population of approximately 3,000 Muslim
s and Christian
s at the end of 2005.
times, when the was a settlement there, known as Muqeibleh. Byzantine
time settlement is attested archaeologically by a well
and pottery workshops from that period near the present village.
According to a local inhabitant, the villagers moved here from the Al-Haram
-Sidna Ali
-area in the latter part of the Ottoman
period.
In the ninetheenth century, Guérin noted that the village contained 400 inhabitants and had a number of cistern
s. Later, in 1881, "The Survey of Western Palestine" described the village as "a mud village in the plain, supplied by cisterns.
At the time of the 1931 census
, Muqeible had 67 occupied houses and a population of 244 Muslims and 26 Christians. By 1945, Muqeible had 460 inhabitants, all classified as Arabs. They owned a total of 2,687 dunams of land, while 4,441 dunams were public.
building, resembling a khan
, with the central courtyard measuring approximately 30m per side.
On the east side there is a small gateway, leading into a tall iwan
. Andrew Petersen, an archaeologist specializing in Islamic architecture
, visited it in 1994, and notes that the masonry suggested that it was built either in late Ottoman or early Mandate Period.
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
town located in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's North District
North District (Israel)
The Northern District is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km², which increases to 4,638 km² when both land and water are included...
, in the Jezreel Valley
Jezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
between Ta'anakh and Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. It is a part of the Gilboa Regional Council
Gilboa Regional Council
Gilboa Regional Council is a regional council in northern Israel, located on the slopes of the Gilboa mountain range. There are more than 22,000 residents in 38 settlements as of 2007...
. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government office established in 1949 to carry out research and publish statistical data on all aspects of Israeli life, including population, society, economy, industry, education and physical infrastructure.It is headed by a...
, Muqeible had a mixed population of approximately 3,000 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...
s and 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...
s at the end of 2005.
History
The history of the place dates at least back to RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
times, when the was a settlement there, known as Muqeibleh. Byzantine
Byzantine 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...
time settlement is attested archaeologically by a well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
and pottery workshops from that period near the present village.
According to a local inhabitant, the villagers moved here from the Al-Haram
Al-Haram, Jaffa
Al-Haram, also Sayyiduna Ali or Sidna Ali, was an Arab village in the District of Jaffa in Mandatory Palestine. It was located 16 km north of Jaffa, adjacent to the ruins of the ancient city of Arsuf, also known as Apollonia...
-Sidna Ali
Sidna Ali Mosque
The Sidna Ali Mosque is a Muslim place of worship located in the depopulated village of Al-Haram on the beach in the northern part of Herzliya in Israel.-History:...
-area in the latter part of the Ottoman
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...
period.
In the ninetheenth century, Guérin noted that the village contained 400 inhabitants and had a number of cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
s. Later, in 1881, "The Survey of Western Palestine" described the village as "a mud village in the plain, supplied by cisterns.
At the time of the 1931 census
1931 census of Palestine
The 1931 census of Palestine was the second census carried out by the authorities of the British Mandate of Palestine. It was carried out on 18 November 1931 under the direction of Major E. Mills. The first census had been conducted in 1922...
, Muqeible had 67 occupied houses and a population of 244 Muslims and 26 Christians. By 1945, Muqeible had 460 inhabitants, all classified as Arabs. They owned a total of 2,687 dunams of land, while 4,441 dunams were public.
The "Hawsh"
In the center of the village there is a large, square courtyardCourtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
building, resembling a khan
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
, with the central courtyard measuring approximately 30m per side.
On the east side there is a small gateway, leading into a tall iwan
Iwan
An iwan is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called pishtaq, a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and...
. Andrew Petersen, an archaeologist specializing in Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
, visited it in 1994, and notes that the masonry suggested that it was built either in late Ottoman or early Mandate Period.