Nasir ad-Din, Tiberias
Encyclopedia
Nasir ad-Dīn was a small Palestinian
Arab
village 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of Tiberias, on the crest of a slope that overlooks the Sea of Galilee
. The village had several springs to the east, south, and southeast. In a 1931 British census, 179 people lived there, decreasing to 90 in a 1945 census. Nasir ad-Din and nearby al-Manara were in the same jurisdiction with 4,185 dunam
s of land, most of which was allocated to cereals.
soldier who died fighting the Crusaders, named Sheikh al-Qaddumi.
At the time of the 1931 census
, Zab'a had 35 occupied houses and a population of 179 Muslims.
During the British Mandate in Palestine, in the first half of the twentieth century, most of Nasir ad-Din's houses were scattered north-south, with no particular village plan. The inhabitants were Muslim
s, and mainly worked in agriculture and animal breeding.
's Golani Brigade
captured Nasir ad-Din to cut off Tiberias from major Arab
centers to the west (Nazareth
and Lubya
). The skirmish lasted four hours because the Haganah
encountered unexpected local resistance, but eventually most of the inhabitants fled to Tiberias or Lubya — British
troops escorted villagers to Lubya. During the battle 22 Arabs were killed, six were wounded, and three were captured. The civilian deaths included seven men, at least one women, and a number of children. Two Haganah troops were also wounded. The capture and killing in Nasir ad-Din was a decisive factor for the flight of Arabs from Tiberias, and was a major demoralizing factor for Arab forces. All the houses were destroyed, and residents that remained were expelled on April 23.
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 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of Tiberias, on the crest of a slope that overlooks the Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias , is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately in circumference, about long, and wide. The lake has a total area of , and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m...
. The village had several springs to the east, south, and southeast. In a 1931 British census, 179 people lived there, decreasing to 90 in a 1945 census. Nasir ad-Din and nearby al-Manara were in the same jurisdiction with 4,185 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 of land, most of which was allocated to cereals.
History
Nasir ad-Din is named after a shrine dedicated to Nasir ad-Din, an Ayyubid general who died while fighting the Crusaders and buried to the north of the village, according to local legend. A kilometer to the west is the shrine for another MuslimMuslim
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...
soldier who died fighting the Crusaders, named Sheikh al-Qaddumi.
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...
, Zab'a had 35 occupied houses and a population of 179 Muslims.
During the British Mandate in Palestine, in the first half of the twentieth century, most of Nasir ad-Din's houses were scattered north-south, with no particular village plan. The inhabitants 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...
s, and mainly worked in agriculture and animal breeding.
1948 War
On April 12, 1948, the 12th battalion of IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
'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...
captured Nasir ad-Din to cut off Tiberias from major 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...
centers to the west (Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
and Lubya
Lubya
Lubya was a Palestinian Arab town located ten kilometers west of Tiberias that was captured and destroyed by Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
). The skirmish lasted four hours because the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
encountered unexpected local resistance, but eventually most of the inhabitants fled to Tiberias or Lubya — British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
troops escorted villagers to Lubya. During the battle 22 Arabs were killed, six were wounded, and three were captured. The civilian deaths included seven men, at least one women, and a number of children. Two Haganah troops were also wounded. The capture and killing in Nasir ad-Din was a decisive factor for the flight of Arabs from Tiberias, and was a major demoralizing factor for Arab forces. All the houses were destroyed, and residents that remained were expelled on April 23.
External links
- Welcome to Nasir-al-Din
- Nasir al-Din, from Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre