Indur إندور/عين دور Endor | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Indur in the 1890s. | |
| Etymology: Endor[1] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Indur (click the buttons) | |
  Indur Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:32°38′11″N35°22′53″E / 32.63639°N 35.38139°E /32.63639; 35.38139 | |
| Palestine grid | 186/227 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Nazareth |
| Date of depopulation | 24 May 1948[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.4 km2 (4.8 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 620[2] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault byYishuv forces |
| Secondary cause | Influence of nearby town's fall |
| Current Localities | None |
Indur (Arabic:إندور) was aPalestinian village, located 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) southeast ofNazareth. Its name preserves that of ancientEndor, aCanaanite city state thought to have been located 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the northeast.[4] The village was depopulated during the1948 Arab–Israeli War and its inhabitants becamerefugees, some of whom wereinternally displaced. InIsrael today, there are a few thousandinternally displaced Palestinians who hail from Indur, and continue to demand theirright of return.
The name of this village is thought to preserve that of the ancientCanaanite city ofEndor mentioned in theBible as the placeKing Saul encountereda known medium. While a few scholars believe that Indur is the actual site of ancient Endor, no ancient remains have been found at the site, and many believe that Khirbet Safsafa, located 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the northeast, is a more likely candidate.[4][5][6]
In 1596, Indur was a part of theOttomannahiya ("subdistrict") ofShafa under theliwa' ("district") ofLajjun with a population of 4Muslim households, an estimated twenty-two persons. The villagers paid a fixed tax rate of 25% on a number of crops, including wheat, barley andolives, as well as goats and beehives; a total of 3,000akçe[7]
A map byPierre Jacotin fromNapoleon's invasion of 1799 showed the place, named asHandourah.[8]
By the late nineteenth century, the village was made ofadobe bricks, built against a steep hillside. To the east of the village there were several caves.[9]
In Ottoman eraPalestine, an elementary school was founded in Indur, but closed during theBritish Mandate in Palestine.[10]
According to the1922 census of Palestine, Indur had 311 inhabitants; 310 Muslims and 1 Christian,[11] where the one Christian was Orthodox.[12] By the1931 census the population had increased to 445; 444 Muslims and 1 Christian, in a total of 75 houses.[13]
Sheikh Tawfiq Ibrahim, one of the leaders of the1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine and an associate ofIzz ad-Din al-Qassam, was from Indur.[10]
In the1945 statistics the population of Indur was 620 Muslims,[2] with a total of 12,444dunams of land, according to an official land and population survey.[14] Of this, 24 dunams were for citrus and bananas, 394 for plantations and irrigable land, 10,061 for cereals,[15] while 29 dunams were built-up land.[16]
The village was occupied byIsrael'sGolani Brigade on May 16, 1948.[17] Most of the population probably fled at the start of the battle, and several who "tried to escape" were shot.[17] A small garrison was left, which reported that the remaining population were being expelled in the direction of Nazareth.[17]
In 1992 the village site was described: "Many partially ruined walls still stand on the village site. Date, doum palm, fig, and almond trees grow on the village lands. The surrounding flat lands are cultivated by Israelis and the hilly lands serve as grazing area."[10]
During the 2004 commemorations ofNakba Day held by PalestinianArab citizens of Israel, the annualright of return march led to Indur.[18]JewishIsraelis joined in the march and the event received coverage by Israeli cable and Arab satellite TV stations.[18]
Indur's former residents and their descendants number a few thousand from among the tens of thousands ofinternally displaced Palestinians within Israel today.[18]
