Nahf
Encyclopedia
Nahf is an Arab
town
in the North District Israel
. It is located in the between the Lower and Upper Galilee
, about 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) east of Acre. In 2011, the population was 7,800.
and medieval
remains. It was known as "Nef" in Crusader
period. In 1250 it was mentioned together with Beit Jenn, Jalun and other places in the neighborhood as being among the Casale
s belonging to the Knights of Teutonic Order.
A map from 1799 by Pierre Jacotin
showed the place, named as "Nafeh". When Victor Guérin
visited Nahf in the 1870s, he described the village as containing 400 Muslim
s and some Greek Orthodox families, while in 1881 Nafh was described as being built of stone, containing 200 Muslims, with olive
s and arable land.
Nahf was captured by Israel on July 18, 1948 during Operation Dekel
led by the Sheva (Seventh) Brigade. Its defenders included the town's local militia
as well as Arab Liberation Army
volunteers. The town was left intact and most residents did not flee their homes.
In and around Nahf, there are a number of archeological remains dating from the Middle Ages
, including mosaics and a cemetery. In a nearby location lies the shrines of Muslim
leaders of Sheik Muhammad Rabiah and Sheik Mahmud who fought against the Crusaders
. The Auba cave, which dates from the time of the Assyrians is also located here.
Maqam of Shaykh Rabi is located on a steep hill above the village, surrounded by a cemetery
. It is a dome
d rectangular building, with an entrance from the east. A deep mihrab
is located inside, in the middle of the south side. By the north wall is the elongated cenotaph
of Shaykh Rabi.
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
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
in the North District Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It is located in the between the Lower and Upper Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, about 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) east of Acre. In 2011, the population was 7,800.
History
The village is of considerable age, and it contains 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....
and medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
remains. It was known as "Nef" in Crusader
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
period. In 1250 it was mentioned together with Beit Jenn, Jalun and other places in the neighborhood as being among the Casale
Casale
Casale, Italian from the late Latin casalis for an isolated house, or group of houses, in the countryside, may refer to:-People:*Gerald Casale musician*Giovanni Casale , an Italian judoka*Giuseppe Casale Italian bishop...
s belonging to the Knights of Teutonic Order.
A map from 1799 by Pierre Jacotin
Pierre Jacotin
Pierre Jacotin was named director of all the surveyors and geographers working in the Nile Valley in 1799 during the campaign in Egypt of Napoleon. After his return from Egypt, Jacotin worked on preparing the plates for publication, but in 1808 Napoleon formally forbade publication of any map of...
showed the place, named as "Nafeh". When Victor Guérin
Victor Guérin
Victor Guérin was a French intellectual, explorer and amateur archaeologist. He published books describing the geography, archeology and history of the areas he explored, which included Greece, Asia Minor, North Africa, Syria and Palestine.-Biography:From 1840, Guerin was a professor of rhetoric...
visited Nahf in the 1870s, he described the village as containing 400 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 some Greek Orthodox families, while in 1881 Nafh was described as being built of stone, containing 200 Muslims, with 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...
s and arable land.
Nahf was captured by Israel on July 18, 1948 during 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...
led by the Sheva (Seventh) Brigade. Its defenders included the town's local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
as well as 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...
volunteers. The town was left intact and most residents did not flee their homes.
In and around Nahf, there are a number of archeological remains dating from the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, including mosaics and a cemetery. In a nearby location lies the shrines of 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...
leaders of Sheik Muhammad Rabiah and Sheik Mahmud who fought against the Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
. The Auba cave, which dates from the time of the Assyrians is also located here.
Notable structures
The largest medieval structure in the village is a ca. 10 m. long wall, made of large drafted blocks with a rubble core, which may be of Crusader origin.Maqam of Shaykh Rabi is located on a steep hill above the village, surrounded by a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. It is a dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d rectangular building, with an entrance from the east. A deep mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
is located inside, in the middle of the south side. By the north wall is the elongated cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
of Shaykh Rabi.