Tall al-Safi

The village of Tall al-Safi stood atop a hill rising approximately 100 meters above the surrounding plain, located on the southern edge of Wadi ‘Ajjur, in the western foothills of the Hebron Mountains. A secondary road connected it to the main highway between al-Majdal and the Jerusalem–Jaffa road, which passed to the northwest of the village.

Tall al-Safi is one of the many Palestinian sites continuously inhabited since ancient times. It remained populated from the third millennium BCE until 1948. In 1899, limited excavations were conducted under the auspices of the Palestine Exploration Fund, unearthing ancient Palestinian pottery. This and other evidence suggest that Tall al-Safi was built on the site of the ancient Philistine city of Gath, which appears on the 6th-century BCE Madaba Map under the name Safita.

During the Crusader era, a fortress was built on the site, later destroyed by Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin). The Crusaders referred to it as Blanche Garde (“White Guard”), likely referencing the exposed white rock layer on the eastern corner of the hill. Richard the Lionheart was nearly captured while inspecting his troops near the area. The Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 1229) described it as a fortress near Bayt Jibrin in the region of Ramla. The historian Mujir al-Din al-Hanbali (d. 1522) listed Tall al-Safi as one of the villages of Gaza.

In 1596, Ottoman tax records show that Tall al-Safi had a population of 484, paying taxes on crops such as wheat, barley, fruits, sesame, and also on livestock and beehives.

By the late 19th century, it was a village built with adobe, with a well located in the valley to its north. Its houses, constructed of stone bonded with clay mortar, were arranged along interconnected roads in a star-shaped pattern. The residents, all Muslims, had a market, a mosque, and a shrine dedicated to a local saint named Sheikh Muhammad. They used the village well for domestic water, while livestock—mainly sheep and goats—was watered from other sources.

The terrain varied between rugged and flat, suitable for growing grains, vegetables, and fruits such as grapes, figs, and almonds. Olive trees were cultivated on 521 dunums of land. By 1944, 19,716 dunums were allocated to grain farming, and 696 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.

Archaeological remains at the site include Crusader fortress ruins, walls, graves, a cave, and carved stones.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing

Tall al-Safi was a primary military target during Operation An-Far, launched in the interim period between the two truces of the 1948 war. On 7 July 1948, Givati Brigade commander Shimon Avidan issued orders to the 1st Battalion to seize the Tall al-Safi area and expel the refugees camping there to prevent enemy infiltration from the east.

The village was captured between 9–10 July 1948. According to an Israeli army report cited by historian Benny Morris, the occupation of Tall al-Safi completely demoralized the inhabitants of surrounding villages.

The Village Today

The site is now overgrown with wild vegetation, especially mouse-tail plants and thistles. Cactus plants, and scattered palm and olive trees can also be found. Remnants of a well and the walls of a ruined pool are still visible. Surrounding lands are cultivated by Israeli farmers who grow citrus fruits, sunflowers, and grains. Occasionally, Bedouins pitch tents nearby.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

No Israeli settlements have been established on the lands of Tall al-Safi.