Burayka بريكة | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Etymology: The little pool[3] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Burayka (click the buttons) | |
  Burayka Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:32°33′29″N34°58′32″E / 32.55806°N 34.97556°E /32.55806; 34.97556 | |
| Palestine grid | 148/213 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Haifa |
| Date of depopulation | May 5, 1948[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 11,434dunams (11.434 km2; 4.415 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 290[4][5] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Influence of nearby town's fall |
Burayka was aPalestinianArab village in theHaifa Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on May 5, 1948. It was located 29 km south ofHaifa.
TheCrusaders called the place forBroiquet.[6] In 1265, Burayka was among the villages and estates sultanBaibars allocated to hisamirs after he had expelled the Crusaders. Half of the income from Burayka went to his emirJamal al-Din Musa b. Yaghmur, the other half to emir 'Alam al-Din Sanjar al-Hilli al-Ghazzawi.[7]
In 1882, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it as "a small village on a hill-top, with awell to the north, and wooded country round."[8] A population list from about 1887 showed thatBureikeh had about 115 inhabitants, all Muslim.[9]A school, founded in 1889 during the Ottoman period, was located in the village, but was closed during the British Mandate period.[6]
In the1922 census of Palestine, conducted by theBritish Mandate authorities,Ibraikeh had a population of 249, allMuslims,[2] increasing in the1931 census to 237, still all Muslims, in 45 houses.[10]
In the1945 statistics the village had a population of 290 Muslims,[4] and Arabs had a total of 1,864dunams of land according to an official land and population survey.[5] Of this, 78 dunams were for plantations and irrigable land, 1,538 for cereals,[6][11] while 15 dunams were built-up (urban) land.[12]
Initially, the villagers did not want to take part in the war, and they opposedgarrisoningALA militiamen in their village.[13]
According toYishuv sources, theAHC had in early March, 1948, ordered the villagers to evacuate, so that it could serve as a base for Arab irregular forces, However, most of the villagers seems to have stayed in the village at this stage.[14] The village was finally depopulated in early May, in the aftermath of theBattle of Mishmar HaEmek, whenIZL attacked the remaining villages in the area withmortar fire.[15]
Today, a civilian explosives factory is located on the site.[16]
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