Sandala, Israel
Encyclopedia
Sandala is an Arab
village in the North District
of Israel
. Located near Afula
, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gilboa Regional Council
. In 2006 it had a population of 1,500.
periods.
According to a local tradition, the present village was established in the 18th century by two brothers from the nearby village Arranah
. When Edward Robinson
passed by Sandala in 1838, he described it as a "small site of ruined foundations", while later in the nineteenth century, Guérin noted the village, and SWP described it as a "small village on the edge of the plain, built of stone and mud, supplied by cistern
s, and surrounded by plough-land."
At the time of the 1931 census
, Sandala had 36 occupied houses and a population of 189 Muslims. By 1945, Sandala had 220 inhabitants, all classified as Arabs. They owned a total of 3,217 dunams of land, while 32 dunams were public.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
it was captured by the IDF
and later by the Iraq
i army. In the ceasefire agreements with Jordan
it was passed to Israel
.
Petersen, who visited the village in 1994, describes a new mosque
in the center of the village, apparently constructed on older foundations. The area around the mosque formed the core of the old village, parts of which had been demolished, while the rest was scheduled for demolition. The remaining structures formed a square, containing various houses and courtyard
s. According to Petersen, some of the deserted houses appeared to incorporate earlier structures, including transverse arch
es and cross-vaulted rooms, possibly of a medieval origin.
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 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...
of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Located near Afula
Afula
Afula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
, it falls under the jurisdiction of 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...
. In 2006 it had a population of 1,500.
History
Archaeological excavations in the nucleus of the ancient village, near the mosque, has revealed pottery -fragment dating to the Early Islamic and the MamlukMamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
periods.
According to a local tradition, the present village was established in the 18th century by two brothers from the nearby village Arranah
Arranah
’Arrana is a Palestinian town in the Jenin Governorate, located 4 kilometers Northeast of Jenin, in the northern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 2,144 inhabitants in mid-year 2006....
. When Edward Robinson
Edward Robinson (scholar)
Edward Robinson was an American biblical scholar, known as the “Father of Biblical Geography.” He has been referred to as the “founder of modern Palestinology.” -Biography:...
passed by Sandala in 1838, he described it as a "small site of ruined foundations", while later in the nineteenth century, Guérin noted the village, and SWP described it as a "small village on the edge of the plain, built of stone and mud, supplied by 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, and surrounded by plough-land."
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...
, Sandala had 36 occupied houses and a population of 189 Muslims. By 1945, Sandala had 220 inhabitants, all classified as Arabs. They owned a total of 3,217 dunams of land, while 32 dunams were public.
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...
it was captured by the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and later by the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i army. In the ceasefire agreements with Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
it was passed to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Petersen, who visited the village in 1994, describes a new 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...
in the center of the village, apparently constructed on older foundations. The area around the mosque formed the core of the old village, parts of which had been demolished, while the rest was scheduled for demolition. The remaining structures formed a square, containing various houses and courtyard
Courtyard
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....
s. According to Petersen, some of the deserted houses appeared to incorporate earlier structures, including transverse arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es and cross-vaulted rooms, possibly of a medieval origin.