Dayr al-Qasi

The village of Deir al-Qasi was situated on a rocky hill in the central part of the Arab Upper Galilee, approximately five kilometers south of the Lebanese border. A paved road, constructed during World War II, connected the village to Fassuta in the north and Tarshiha to the southeast.

The prefix “Deir” (Arabic for “monastery”) in the village’s name suggests that the site may have once included a monastic settlement and a Christian population. However, by the modern period, the majority of Deir al-Qasi’s residents were Muslim.

In 1596, Deir al-Qasi was part of the subdistrict of Jira, in the district of Safad, with a population of 132 people. The villagers paid taxes on a variety of agricultural products such as wheat, barley, livestock, beehives, and other revenues.

By the late 19th century, Deir al-Qasi was located on a mountain slope surrounded by fig and olive trees and cultivated lands, with an estimated population of approximately 100.

During the British Mandate census of 1945, the populations of Deir al-Qasi, Fassuta, and al-Mansura were combined, with a total of 1,420 Muslims and 180 Christians.

A paved road ran through the village, dividing it into two quarters: an eastern quarter situated at a higher elevation than the western one. The village houses were originally constructed from mudbrick, although some newer homes were built of stone. A primary school was established during the Mandate period.

The village also contained:

Two mosques, one in each quarter

Two shrines, one for Sheikh Jawhar and another for Abu Hilyun

A Sufi lodge (zawiya) of the Shadhiliyya order

The residents sourced domestic water from wells in Fassuta, al-Mansura, and a large rainwater cistern within the village itself. Most villagers were farmers, cultivating grains, vegetables, and olives, though some worked in British military bases or held government jobs in urban centers.

Land ownership was often shared with residents of Fassuta and al-Mansura. In 1944–1945, approximately:

6,475 dunums were used for cereal cultivation

7 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards

According to villagers, during the Ottoman and British periods, archaeological artifacts from Canaanite, Israelite, and Roman eras were uncovered in the area, though most have since been lost.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing

Deir al-Qasi came under Israeli control on October 30, 1948, likely following the fall of Tarshiha, as part of Operation Hiram—a final offensive aimed at occupying the remainder of the Galilee toward the end of the war.

According to the official account in the Haganah’s history, defenders from Tarshiha retreated through Deir al-Qasi along a route known as the “Qawuqji Road”, heading north toward the village of Rmeish in Lebanon. This road was considered a key supply line for the Arab Liberation Army in the Upper Galilee.

Israeli historian Benny Morris notes that the villagers were not expelled during the initial assault. Reports from December 1948—two months after the attack—indicated that approximately 700 residents were still living in Deir al-Qasi, al-Nabi Rubin, and Tarshiha.

Some Israeli military circles objected to the expulsion of these villagers for strategic reasons, arguing that it was unwise to remove experienced local residents and replace them with untrained Jewish immigrants, especially given the village’s proximity to the Lebanese border.

These objections were raised during an Israeli cabinet meeting on January 9, 1949, as documented in Israeli archival sources. Nevertheless, the government decided to pursue a policy of “encouraging the resettlement of Jewish immigrants in all abandoned villages in the Galilee.” According to Morris, this policy was implemented in Deir al-Qasi on May 17, 1949, though the precise date and manner of the villagers’ expulsion remains unclear.

The Village Today

Some of Deir al-Qasi’s stone houses are still in use as residences or storage facilities by residents of the Israeli settlement of Elkosh. The remainder of the village consists of ruined structures, scattered debris, and cactus growth.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

The settlement of Elkosh (grid ref. 180274), established in 1949, was built on part of the original village site.

The settlements of Tefahot (est. 1964), Mattat (est. 1979), and Abirim (est. 1980) were all founded on lands that once belonged to Deir al-Qasi.

Tefahot is located near the neighboring village of al-Mansura.