Maghar
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City council (from 2021) | |
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • Also spelled | Mughar (official) Mrar, Mghar (unofficial) |
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  Maghar  Maghar | |
| Coordinates:32°53′24″N35°24′30″E / 32.89000°N 35.40833°E /32.89000; 35.40833 | |
| Grid position | 188/255PAL |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Northern |
| Area | |
• Total | 27,364 dunams (27.364 km2 or 10.565 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 23,998 |
| • Density | 880/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
| Name meaning | The Caves[2] |
Maghar (Arabic:المغار,Hebrew:מַעָ'אר, alsoal-Maghar orMghar; lit.the caves) is a city of mixed population of Muslims, Christians, and Druze in Israel'sNorthern District with an area of 19,810dunams [CONVERT]. Maghar was given the status of alocal council in 1956, and of acity in 2021.[3] In 2022 it had a population of 23,998.[1] Its population consists of 57%Druze, 23% Christians, and 20% Muslims.[4]
Maghar is identified with Mearaia (Hebrew:מעריה), a place mentioned in Jewish sources as the seat of theBilgahpriestly family following thedestruction of the Temple in 70 CE.[5]
Pottery remains from the earlyRoman period have been found here, together with architectural remains and pottery fragments from the Late Roman period.[6] A quarry has also been excavated.[7]
The city's name comes from the Arabic word for "the caves".[2]
The village was incorporated into theOttoman Empire in 1517 with all ofPalestine, and in 1555 a tax was paid on silk spinning.[8] In 1596 the village appeared in thetax registers asMagar Hazur, located in thenahiya ofTabariyya, part ofSanjak Safad with an entirelyMuslim population consisting of 169 households and 17 bachelors. The villagers paid a fixed tax rate of 25% on various agricultural products, including wheat, barley, olive trees, goats and/or beehives, in addition on a press for olives or grapes, a total of 14,136akçe.[9][10]
In 1838,el Mughar was noted as a Christian and Druze village in theEsh-Shagur district, located betweenSafad,Acca andTiberias.[11][12]
In 1875Victor Guérin found the village, which he calledel-Mehar, to be a large one with 1200 inhabitants. It was divided into three-quarters, with Muslim, Christian and Druse inhabitants.[13] In 1881, thePalestine Exploration Fund'sSurvey of Western Palestine described El Mughar as a "large stone-built village, containing about 1,100 Moslems, Druses, and Christians, situated on the slope of the hill, with extensive olive-groves to the south and west; a large spring and birkehgives a good supply of water."[14]
A population list from about 1887 showedEl Mughar el Hazzur to have about 1,360 inhabitants; 180 Muslims, 625 Druze and 420 Catholic Christians.[15]
In the1922 census of Palestine, conducted by theBritish Mandate authorities, Mughar waMansura had a total population of 1377. Of these, 265 were Muslim, 676 Druze and 436 Christians.[16] All the Christians were Roman Catholic.[17] In the1931 census the population of Maghar, together with Al-Mansura, was a total of 1733, in 373 inhabited houses. Of these, 307 were Muslim, 549 Christians, and 877 Druze.[18]
In the1945 statistics the population of Maghar, together withAl-Mansura, was 2,140;[19] 90 Muslims, 800 Christians and 1,250 others.[20] who owned 55,583dunams of land according to an official land and population survey.[19] 7,864 dunams were plantations and irrigable land, 18,352 for cereals,[21] while 55 dunams were built-up (urban) land.[22]
DuringOperation Hiram, October 29–31, 1948, the town surrendered to the advancingIsraeli army. Many of the inhabitants fled north but some stayed and were not expelled by the Israeli soldiers.[23] The town remained underMartial Law until 1966.
In 2005 Druze attacked Christians after rumors spread that someChristian youths created photo images ofDruze girls as nude models and posted them on the internet.[24][25] Christian shops, vehicle, house and the church were vandalized.[24] The clashes forced around 2,000 of the Christians to flee their homes.[26] According to Jack Khoury this clash may be a result of animosity between the wealthier Christian population and the poorer Druze.[24] According to the police investigation, it turns out that aDruze youth had spread lie to his friends about the pictures.[27][28]Dan Ronen the commander of Northern District commander called the violence "apogrom".[27][25]
During the2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict two residents of Maghar were killed and several wounded inHezbollah rocket andcluster bomb attacks.[29][30] On July 25, Doua Abbas, 15, was killed by a rocket that hit her house. On August 4, Manal Azzam, a 27-year-old mother of two, was killed, and two other residents were seriously wounded when a rocket hit their apartment building.[31][32]
Following a Facebook post supporting the2017 Temple Mount shooting by a Muslim resident of Maghar, the hometown of one of the Druze victims, two mosques in the village were attacked in two separate incidents on the nights of July 14 and 16 with stun grenades and gunfire resulting in minor property damage.[33][34][35] Israeli Police were on the scene of the attacks within minutes, where they gathered evidence and opened an investigation.[36]
Most residents areDruze (57.9%), withArab Christians (21%) andMuslim (21.1%) minorities.[37][38] Many of the Druze residents serve in theIDF andIsrael Police.[39] The Christian population is mostlyMelkite Catholic.
In August 2003 the Israel Circus School established a joint Jewish-Arab "Children’s Circus" together with its partner, Circus Maghar. A group of 20 Jewish and Arab children trained for the circus. In addition to local performances, the circus school toured Cyprus, giving workshops and performances for Christian and Muslim schools and community centers.[40]
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