Yubla
March 2, 2024
al-Zawiya, Khirbat
March 2, 2024Zub’a was a village located in a plain surrounded by three hills: Tall al-Dhahra al-Kabir to the north, Tall al-Dhahra al-Saghir to the south, and Tall ‘Amal also to the south. To its south stretched the Faqqu’a Mountains, also known as the Gilboa Hills. The Jalud River passed through the village lands on its way to the Jordan River. The main road to Baysan passed through Zub’a, which was considered a satellite village of the nearby al-Marsas.
Agriculture and Land Use
The villagers, all of whom were Muslims, relied primarily on agriculture. They cultivated vegetables, grapes, fruits, and date palms.
In 1944–1945, 260 dunums were allocated to cereals, while 828 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards. To the northwest of the village stretched a forest covering a wide area of land.
Occupation and Depopulation
On 12 May 1948, two nearby villages were occupied, most likely as part of a military campaign in the Baysan Valley. This campaign included “Operation Gideon,” which aimed to take control of the entire valley. Zub’a was believed to be depopulated around the same time as the neighboring village of al-Sakhina.
The Village Site Today
No visible traces remain to mark the village’s site; the land is entirely cultivated and used for agriculture. The lands once belonging to the villagers of Zub’a are now farmed by the settlers of Kibbutz Nir David, which was established directly south of the village on lands that traditionally belonged to Zub’a.
Sources:
All That Remains by Walid Khalidi
Palestine Remembered
