Before the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War, the Golan Heights comprised 312 inhabited areas, including 2 towns, 163 villages, and 108 farms.[1] In 1966, the Syrian population of the Golan Heights was estimated at 147,613.[2] Israel seized about 70% of the Golan Heights in the closing stages of the Six-Day War.[3] Many of these residents fled during the fighting,[4] or were driven out by the Israeli army,[5] and some were evacuated by the Syrian army. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs in 1992 characterized Israel's actions as "ethnic cleansing".[6]
Israel forcibly expelled Syrians from the Golan Heights.[7] There were also instances of Israeli soldiers killing Syrian residents including blowing up their home with people inside.[8]
A cease-fire line was established and large parts of the region came under Israeli military control, including the town of Quneitra, about 139 villages and 61 farms.[1] Of these, the Census of Population 1967 conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces listed only eight, including Quneitra.[1] One of the remaining populated villages, Shayta, was partially destroyed in 1967 and a military post built in its place.[9] Between 1971–72 it was eradicated, with the remaining population forcibly transferred to Mas'ade, another of the populated villages under Israeli control.[10] Focaal reports that "95% of the Syrian indigenous population was forcibly displaced and only five villages, out of 340 villages and farms, remained."[11]
The Israeli Head of Surveying and Demolition Supervision for the Golan Heights proposed the demolition of 127 unpopulated villages, with about 90 abandoned villages to be demolished shortly after May 15, 1968.[12] [13] The demolitions were carried out by contractors hired for the job.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] After the demolitions, the lands were given to Israeli settlers.[19] There was an effort to preserve buildings of archaeological significance and buildings useful for the planned Jewish settlements.
After the 1973 Yom Kippur War, parts of the occupied Golan Heights were returned to Syrian control, including Quneitra, which had changed hands several times during the war. According to a United Nations Special Committee, Israeli forces had deliberately destroyed the city before their 1974 withdrawal.[20]
Alphabetical list; all parts of the name are treated equally, including the article (al-, as-, etc.), but the diacritics are disregarded (for example ‘A is treated like a plain A).Caution: some names appear twice in different orthographic variations, originating from different sources.
| English | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|
| A'ameriya (Asbatta)[21] | ||
| Abu Kheit[22] | ||
| Abu Tuleh (or Abu Foula) | أﺑﻮ ﻓﻮﻟﺔ | |
| Ahmadiyah[23] | ||
| اﻟﻌﺎل | ||
| Al Slouqiya al Gharbiya | اﻟﺴﻠﻮﻗﻴﺔ اﻟﻐﺮﺑﻴﺔ | |
| Al Slouqiya al Sharqiya[24] | اﻟﺴﻠﻮﻗﻴﺔ اﻟﺸﺮﻗﻴﺔ | |
| Ala Amriya | ||
| ‘Almen | ||
| Amert Lferj | ||
| ‘Amoudiya | ﻋﻤﻮدﻳﺔ | |
| Arba‘in | ||
| Asaliyah | ||
| ‘Ayn al-Hamra | ||
| ‘Ayn al-Qura | ﻋﻴﻦ اﻟﻘﺮى | |
| ‘Ayn as Sumsun | ﻋﻴﻦ ﺳﻤﺴﻢ | |
| ‘Ayn al-Tina | ||
| ‘Ayn ‘Ayshah | ||
| ﻋﻴﻦ ﻓﻴﺖ | ||
| ‘Ayn Maymun | ||
| ‘Ayn Sa‘d | ﻋﻴﻦ ﺳﻌﺪ | |
| ‘Ayn Ziwan | ﻋﻴﻦ زﻳﻮان | |
| ‘Ayshiyya | ﻋﻴﺴﻴﺔ or اﻟﻌﻴﺸﻴﺔ | |
| ‘Azaziyat | ﻋﺰﻳﺰﻳﺎت | |
| Bajjah | ||
| Barjeiat | ||
| Basset Al Jawkhadar | ||
| Batah | ||
| Bir al-Shquq | ﺑﻴﺮ اﻟﺸﻘﻮق | |
| Bjuriyah | اﻟﺒﺠﻮرﻳﺔ | |
| Dabboudiyah | دﺑﻮﺳﻴﺔ | |
| Dabburah | دﺑﻮرة | |
| Dalhamieh | ||
| Dalwa | دﻟﻮة | |
| Deir mfaddil | ||
| Deir Raheb (Ein Samsam) | ||
| Deir Siras | دﻳﺮ ﺳﺮاس | |
| Derdara | دردارة | |
| Doka | ||
| ‘Eshsha | اﻟﻌﺸﺔ | |
| Fahham | ﻓﺤﻢ or اﻟﻔﺤﺎم | |
| Faraj | اﻟﻔﺮج | |
| Fazarah | ||
| ﻓﻴﻖ | ||
| Furn | اﻟﻔﺮن | |
| Ghadhiya | اﻟﻐﻈﻴﺔ | |
| Ghzill | ||
| Hafar | ﺣﻔﺮ | |
| Hamidiyah[25] (repopulated after 1974) | ||
| Haytal | ﺧﺘﻞ or ﺣﺘﻴﻞ | |
| Husayniyah | ||
| Huwaylizah | ||
| ‘Illayqa | ﻋﻠﻴﻘﺔ | |
| Jaraba | ﺟﺮﺑﺎ or ﺟﺮاﺑﺔ | |
| Jawkhadar | اﻟﺠﺤﺪر or اﻟﺠﻮﺧﺪر | |
| Jbab al-Mis | ﺟﺒﺐ اﻟﻤﻴﺲ | |
| Jirniyya | ﺟﺮﻧﻴﺔ | |
| Jlaybina | ﺟﻠﺒﻴﻨﺔ or ﺟﻠﻴﺒﻴﻨﺔ | |
| Jubata ez-Zeit[26] | ﺟﺒﺎﺗﺎ اﻟﺰﻳﺖ | |
| Jubbayn | ﺟﺒﻴﻦ | |
| Jubet Ra’abana | ||
| Jurmaiya | ||
| Juwayzah | ﺟﻮﻳﺰة | |
| Juwayzah al-Shamaliya[27] | ﺟﻮﻳﺰة اﻟﺸﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ or ﺟﻮﻳﺰة واﺳﻂ | |
| Kafr Alma | ﻛﻔﺮ اﻟﻤﺎ | |
| Kafr ‘Aqab | ﻛﻔﺮ ﻋﻘﺎب or ﻛﻔﺮ ﻋﻘﺐ | |
| Kafr Hareb | ﻛﻔﺮ ﺧﺮب | |
| ﻛﻔﺮ ﻧﻔﺎخ | ||
| Kbash | ||
| Khisfin[28] | ﺧﺴﻔﻴﻦ | |
| Khokha | ﺧﻮﺧﺔ | |
| Khueikha | ||
| Khushniyah | ﺧﺸﻨﻴﺔ | |
| Krejz al Wadi | ||
| اﻟﻜﺮﺳﻲ | ||
| Ma‘barah | ||
| Majduliyah | ||
| Malsa' | ||
| Mamwayra | ﻣﻤﻮﻳﺮة | |
| Mansoura | ||
| Mashfa‘ | ﻣﺸﻔﻊ | |
| Mashta (Beira) | اﻟﺒﻴﺮة | |
| Mesa’diya | ||
| Mihjar | اﻟﻤﺤﺠﺎر | |
| Mishrfawy | ﻣﺸﺮﻓﺎوي | |
| Mjeihiya | ||
| Momsieh (Ghassaniyah) | ﻣﻤﺴﻴﺔ | |
| Mudiriya (Qahtaniya) | ﻣﺪﻳﺮﻳﺔ | |
| Mughir | ||
| Mughr Shab’a | ﻣﻐﺎر ﺷﺒﻌﺔ ُﻣﻐﺮ or ﺷﺒﻌﺔ | |
| Muwaysah or Mghar Muwaysah | ﻣﻐﺎر ﻣﻮﻳﺴﺔ | |
| Nab | ||
| Naqib[29] | اﻟﻨﻘﻴﺐ | |
| Na‘ran | ﻧﻌﺮان | |
| Nukhaylah | ﻧﺨﻴﻠﺔ | |
| Qadiriyah | ﻗﺪرﻳﺔ | |
| Qafira | ﻗﻔﻴﺮة | |
| Qarahta | ﻗﺮﺣﺘﺎ | |
| Qara‘na (Qal' al Qara‘inah) | ﻗﺮاﻋﻨﺔ | |
| Qerniyat | ||
| Qila | ||
| Qila‘ | ﻗﻠﻊ | |
| ﻗﺼﺮﻳﻦ | ||
| Quneitra[30] | ||
| Qunna‘ba | ﻗﻨﺎﺑﺔ or اﻟﻘﻨﻌﺒﺔ | |
| Qusaybah al-Jadidah | ||
| Rafeed | اﻟﺮﻓﻴﺪ | |
| Ramthaniyah | رﻣﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ or اﻟﺮﻣﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ | |
| Rawiyah | راوﻳﺔ | |
| Razanieh | ||
| Razzaniya | رزاﻧﻴﺔ | |
| Ruwayhinah (repopulated after 1974) | ||
| Sanabir | ﺳﻨﺎﺑﺮ | |
| Saraman (Ala Draniya) | ﺻﺮﻣﺎن | |
| Shabba | ﺷّﺒﺔ | |
| Shaikh ‘Ali | ﺷﻴﺦ ﻋﻠﻲ | |
| Shkum | ||
| Shqef | ||
| Shqeif | ||
| Sindiyanah | ﺳﻨﺪﻳﺎﻧﺎ | |
| Skoufiya | ﺳﻜﻮﻓﻴﺔ | |
| Sukayk | ﺳﻜﻴﻚ | |
| Summaqah | ﺳﻤﺎﻗﺔ or اﻟﺴﻤﺎﻗﺔ | |
| Tal A'war | ||
| Tannuriyah | ||
| Tariq | ||
| Umm al-Dananir | ام اﻟﺪﻧﺎﻧﻴﺮ | |
| ‘Uyun al Hajal | ﻋﻴﻮن اﻟﺤﺠﻞ | |
| Wasit | واﺳﻂ | |
| Yahoudiya | اﻟﻴﻬﻮدﻳﺔ | |
| Yaqusah | اﻟﻴﺎﻗﻮﺻﺔ | |
| Z‘arta | زﻋﺮﺗﺎ | |
| زﻋﻮرة |
Alphabetical list; all parts of the name are treated equally, including the article (al-, as-, etc.), but the diacritics are disregarded (for example ‘A is treated like a plain A).
| English | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|
| Abaret Hamed | ||
| ‘Abbasiya[31] | ﻋﺒﺎﺳﻴﺔ | |
| Abu Darkal | ||
| ‘Ayn Addisa | ﻋﻴﻦ ادﻳﺴﺔ | |
| ‘Ayn Hur | ﻋﻴﻦ ﺣﻮر | |
| ‘Ayn Warda | ||
| Bab al Hawa | ﺑﺎب اﻟﻬﻮى | |
| Baghali | ||
| Batra | ||
| Bitmiyya | اﻟﺒﻄﻤﻴﺔ | |
| Darbashiyah | ||
| Dardara | ||
| Deir ‘Aziz | دﻳﺮ ﻋﺰﻳﺰ | |
| Deir Kurouh | ||
| Deir Ma’dal | ||
| Dreijat | ||
| Fakhurah | ||
| Fashkoul | ||
| Hajaf | ||
| Hashra | ||
| Houtieh | ||
| ‘Illayqa Jaunoubieh | ||
| Jimieh | ||
| Kafweh | ||
| Kanaf | ||
| Karaz at Tawil (or Farez Tawil) | ﻗﺮز اﻟﻄﻮﻳﻞ (or ﻓﺮز اﻟﻄﻮﻳﻞ) | |
| Kharab Bikheil | ||
| Khilet Gazaleh | ||
| Khirbet Beida | ||
| Khshash | ||
| Kureinat | ||
| Kurn | ||
| Kuseir | ||
| Lawieh | ||
| Mabra | ||
| Majdoulieh | ||
| Mansurah | ﻣﻨﺼﻮرة | |
| Marah Muloul | ||
| Mazra'at Alqunetra (or Kantarat Kharab?) | ||
| Mazra‘at Barakhta | ||
| Mazra’at Himeira | ||
| Mazra'at Izdin | ||
| Mazra’at Kalak (or Falq?) | ||
| Mazra’at Sheikh Hasan | ||
| Mazra Um al Tawahin | ||
| Minshieh | ||
| Mudawara | ||
| Musha’an | ||
| Nasriya | ||
| Nkib Arabieh | ||
| Nkib Sourieh | ||
| Nuwanieh | ||
| Qisbiya | اﻟﻘﺼﻴﺒﺔ | |
| Qtua Sheikh Ali | ||
| Rab’a | ||
| Rajam | ||
| Ramtha | ||
| Rasm Balut | ||
| Saffuriyah | ﺻﻔﻮرة | |
| Sha’abaniya | ||
| Sa‘id | ||
| Sagireh | ||
| Shamra | ||
| Shoka | ||
| Sir Dhi'ab | ﺳﻴﺮ ادﻳﺎب | |
| Sir el-Kharfan | ﺳﻴﺮ اﻟﺨﺮﻓﺎن | |
| Slayeh | ||
| Sleileh | ||
| Taibe | ||
| Tawahin | ||
| Umm Khashabeh | ||
| Umm Sudra | ||
| Uyun | ||
| Uweinat Jaunoubieh | ||
| Uweinat Shamalieh | ||
| ‘Uyun Hadid | ||
| 'Uyun Samak | ||
| Zibdin | ||
| Zor Abu Kabzeh |
"Avishay Katz, the commander of reserve Engineer Regiment 602,testified:At this stage [during the war] the instruction that we have received was togo and check that no ‘guys’ are left hiding. We did it in the first villages[conquered] on top of the [Golan] Heights . . . . There were a few cases thatI don’t want to talk about.’What does it mean? Katz: ‘They killed people that should not havebeen killed. Syrian citizens’ . . . There were a few guys of mine who killedsome Arab citizens’ . . .Why did they kill them? ‘It was out of stupidity, something that shouldnot have been done, and they were kicked out of the regiment. All the restof the Golan dwellers were deported. Not one remained’.How did it happen? ‘They destroyed a house on top of its dwellers . . .It was a war crime. . . . It drove me out of my mind’"
