Al-Qubab القباب Qubab | |
|---|---|
 Al-Qabab, aerial view 1948 | |
| Etymology: The domes[1] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Al-Qubab (click the buttons) | |
  Al-Qubab Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:31°52′00″N34°57′15″E / 31.86667°N 34.95417°E /31.86667; 34.95417 | |
| Palestine grid | 145/141 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Ramle |
| Date of depopulation | July 15, 1948[4] |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 1,980[2][3] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault byYishuv forces |
| Current Localities | Gezer,[5]Kefar Bin-Nun,[5][6]Mishmar Ayyalon[5] |
Al-Qubab (Arabic:القباب) was aPalestinian Arab village in theRamle Subdistrict. It was depopulated in July 1948 during theOperation Dani led by theYiftach Brigade.
Remains, possibly dating from theRoman era have been found here.[7] Archeological excavations have revealed tombs andcisterns dating to the Roman andByzantine eras,[8][9] and addition to pottery remains from the same eras.[8]
Pottery remains from the earlyIslamic era, including a glazed bowl from theAbbasid period have also been found here.[8]
During the lateMamluk era,Mujir al-Din wrote that al-Qubab was a village within the administrative jurisdiction ofal-Ramla in 1483.[10] Mujir al-Din further noted that In 898A. H., or 1492 C.E. thefellahin rebelled against the governor of Jerusalem. They were then caught between the governors of Gaza and Jerusalem, about in whose jurisdiction Al-Qubab was.[7]
Ceramics from the Mamluk era have also been excavated here.[8]
In 1838, it was noted as aMuslim village,Beit Kubab, in theIbn Humar area in the District ofEr-Ramleh.[11]
Edward Robinson passed by the village in 1852 and described it as being of considerable size.[12]
In 1863,Victor Guérin found it to have at least five hundred inhabitants,[13] while anOttoman village list from about 1870 found that Al-Qubab had a population of 381, in 114 houses, though the population count included men, only.[14][15]
In 1883, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it as "a smalladobe village on rising ground, by the main road. It is surrounded with prickly-pear hedges and olives. The ground is rocky. The water-supply is from the fine spring of 'Ain Yerdeh. This spring is 1 1/4 miles from the village, yet is the only source whence water is obtained."[16]
In the1922 census of Palestine, conducted by theBritish Mandate authorities,Qubab had a population of 1,275 inhabitants, allMuslims,[17] increasing in the1931 census to 1502 inhabitants, all Muslim, in 382 houses.[18]
It had a population of 1,980 Muslims in the1945 statistics,[2] while the total land area was 13,918dunams, according to an official land and population survey.[3] Of this, a total of 12,295 dunums were allocated to cereals, 238 dunums were irrigated or used for plantations,[19] while 54 dunams were classified as built-up urban areas.[20]
On September 13, 1948, al-Qubab was mostly destroyed, although the school (founded in 1921) and few houses remain standing.
In 1992 the village site was so described:
"The part of the north side of the kibbutz is covered by woods. The only landmark that remains is the school; a number of stone houses that have rectangular doors and windows still stand, and some of them are used as Israeli residences. One is rectangular and has two doors, one high window and two very small windows, one on the side and another in the front. Another residential house is angular; there is a tall tree in the yard in front of it. One of the houses used for storing agricultural tools and equipment is rectangular, with four front entrances and a high window. Another house, used at present as a shop, has a stairway leading to a front porch that is enclosed by wire grillwork. A variety of trees and other types of vegetation grow on the site, includingeucalyptus andcarob trees, cactuses, and foxtail. The surrounding land is planted with almond and olive trees."[5]
On the ruins of the destroyed Palestinian village, in 2005 a monument to theLechi fighters (theStern Gang) has been erected.[21]
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