Al-Lajjun

The village of Al-Lajjun was situated atop a low hill at the southwestern edge of the Marj Ibn Amer (Jezreel Valley), straddling both sides of the Al-Lajjun Valley. From Al-Lajjun, one could see both the town of Jenin and the valley itself. The village was bounded by Mount Carmel to the west and south, by Tall al-Mutassalim (ancient Megiddo) to the northeast, and by Tall al-Asmar to the northwest. Al-Lajjun was connected by secondary roads to the Jenin–Haifa main road and another major road leading southwest to the town of Umm al-Fahm. It was located near the intersection of these two roads. Following the suppression of the Jewish revolt led by Bar Kokhba in 130 CE, the Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the stationing of a Roman military unit, the Sixth Legion (Legio VI Ferrata), in the northern region. The location of their encampment came to be known as Legio. When the Roman army withdrew in the third century CE, Legio became a city known as Maximianopolis, and retained that name throughout the Byzantine period. The city later came under Arab control during the 7th-century Islamic conquest. Al-Lajjun witnessed several confrontations between competing Muslim rulers, including a notable battle in 945 CE between the Hamdanids of Aleppo and the Ikhshidids of Egypt, in which the famed Emir Sayf al-Dawla Hamdani was defeated. The Crusaders subsequently occupied Al-Lajjun, and it was retaken by Salah al-Din (Saladin) in 1187 CE. Several Arab geographers mentioned Al-Lajjun in their writings, including Ibn al-Faqih (903 CE), Al-Maqdisi (985 CE), and Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 1229). Al-Maqdisi described it as a spacious and elegant town located at the edge of Palestine (when the boundaries between Syria and Palestine were different than they are today). Both he and Yaqut referred to its fresh water springs and to what the local population called the "Mosque of Abraham," built atop a rounded rock. Ibn al-Faqih reported that the mosque was located outside the village, while Yaqut said it was in the village center. Al-Lajjun was also visited by several prominent Muslim rulers and nobles, including Sultan Al-Kamil, the sixth Ayyubid ruler, who in 1231 CE married his daughter 'Ashura there to his nephew. Two Muslim scholars were also buried in the village: Ali al-Shafi'i (d. 1310) and Ali ibn al-Jalal. In 1596, Al-Lajjun was a village in the subdistrict (nahiya) of Sha‘ra (District of Al-Lajjun), with a population of 226. The villagers paid taxes on various crops, including wheat and barley, and on other forms of produce and livestock, such as goats, beehives, and water buffalo. In the late 18th century, Zahir al-Umar, who for a time was the de facto ruler of northern Palestine, bombarded Al-Lajjun with cannons during his campaign (1771–1773) to capture Nablus. It is unclear whether this attack was the direct cause of the village’s subsequent decline, but by the time James Finn, the British Consul in Jerusalem (1846–1862), visited the site, he found no village there. However, the authors of the Survey of Western Palestine recorded the presence of a khan (inn) to the south of the ruins in the early 1880s. By the late 19th century, several residents of Umm al-Fahm had moved to Al-Lajjun to cultivate its agricultural land. Over time, these families gradually settled permanently, building homes near the water springs—especially around the khan. In 1903, when German archaeologists conducted excavations at Tell al-Mutassalim (ancient Megiddo), some residents used stones from the ancient ruins to build new houses. During the British Mandate period, additional residents of Umm al-Fahm relocated to Al-Lajjun, particularly due to their involvement in the 1936–1939 Palestinian Revolt. Al-Lajjun’s economy flourished as the population grew. The village expanded into three neighborhoods: an eastern quarter, a western quarter, and one known as Khirbat al-Khan. Each was inhabited by one or more hamulas (clans), including the al-Mahajneh (lower), al-Ghubariyya, al-Jabareen, al-Mahamid, and al-Mahajneh (upper). In 1931, Al-Lajjun had a population of 829 Muslims, 26 Christians, and 2 Jews. By 1945, while specific figures are unavailable, the population had increased significantly. In 1943, a wealthy landowner funded the construction of a white-stone mosque in the al-Mahamid quarter, with financial contributions from the residents. The village also had a school established in 1937, with 83 students by 1944, located in the upper al-Mahajneh quarter (Khirbat al-Khan). Al-Lajjun had a small market, six water-powered grain mills, and a medical center. Each quarter had a few shops. A resident from Umm al-Fahm established a bus company that operated seven buses by 1937, offering service to Umm al-Fahm, Haifa, and surrounding villages, including Zir'in. The company was later licensed to operate routes to and from Jenin and became known as the "Al-Lajjun Bus Company." The villagers cultivated grains, vegetables, and citrus fruits. Unfortunately, the archaeological heritage of Al-Lajjun was largely destroyed, with many ruins cleared to prepare the land for farming. Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village According to the official Israeli narrative, Al-Lajjun was occupied shortly before June 1, 1948, following the “cleansing” of the Baysan Valley and prior to the (failed) Israeli offensive on Jenin. During this time, the Golani Brigade took control of several villages near Jenin, including Al-Lajjun, which was entered by Israeli forces at dawn on May 30, as reported by The New York Times. Israeli columns had advanced toward the Triangle region and seized a number of villages north of Jenin. It is likely that the 4th Battalion of the Golani Brigade expelled the villagers immediately upon entry, following a pattern established in previous operations. The New York Times reported that Al-Lajjun was first attacked in mid-April during an attempt by Jewish forces to reach the road junction at the village through a flanking maneuver, but the assault failed. The report noted that 12 people were killed and others wounded during this attack. Later, on April 17, the village was reportedly captured—12 days after an attack launched from Al-Lajjun against Mishmar HaEmek. The newspaper described Al-Lajjun as one of the most significant locations seized by Jewish forces, who went on to occupy ten villages south and east of Mishmar HaEmek. It also reported that Haganah evacuated women and children from the village and demolished 27 buildings in Al-Lajjun and neighboring areas. However, Arab military sources contradict this timeline. Fawzi al-Qawuqji reported renewed attacks in May. On May 6, Haganah forces assaulted Arab Liberation Army (ALA) positions in the Al-Lajjun area, but the Yarmouk Regiment and other ALA units repelled the attackers. Two days later, al-Qawuqji noted that Haganah was attempting to isolate Al-Lajjun from Tulkarm as a precursor to occupying both Al-Lajjun and Jenin. In his summary of the military situation on May 8, al-Qawuqji referred to intensified activity and “fully armed and equipped Haganah forces” north of Jenin, as well as “fierce fighting in the ‘Ara area,” about 12 kilometers southwest of Al-Lajjun. It remains unclear whether Al-Lajjun had fallen at that time or held out for another three weeks, as stated in The History of the War of Independence. During the second truce in early September, a UN official reportedly marked the permanent armistice line in the area through Al-Lajjun. A buffer zone approximately 450 meters wide was established on both sides of the line, allowing both Arabs and Jews to harvest their crops. The Village Today Only the white-stone mosque, one grain mill, the medical center, and a few partially destroyed houses remain. The mosque has been converted into a commercial workshop, and one of the houses into a chicken coop. The grain mill and medical center are abandoned. The school no longer exists. The cemetery remains but is neglected. The grave of Yusuf al-Hamdan, a prominent nationalist killed during the 1936 Revolt, is still visible. The surrounding land is now cultivated with almonds, wheat, and barley. It also contains livestock pens, a feed factory, and a pump installed at ‘Ayn al-Hajja. The area is heavily fenced and access is restricted. Zionist Settlements on Village Lands In 1949, Israel established the settlement of Yosef Kaplan, later renamed Kibbutz Megiddo (grid ref. 167220), approximately half a kilometer northeast of the village site. At the time of its establishment, lands from several Palestinian villages     Summery-: Al-Lajjun Village Al-Lajjun was a historic Palestinian village located on a low hill at the southwestern edge of Marj Ibn Amer (Jezreel Valley), near the intersection of roads connecting Jenin, Haifa, and Umm al-Fahm. It was surrounded by Mount Carmel, Tell al-Mutassalim (ancient Megiddo), and Tell al-Asmar. Historically, the site gained significance during Roman times as a camp for the Sixth Legion, known as Legio, later becoming the Byzantine city Maximianopolis. It fell under Arab control in the 7th century and was the site of political and military struggles, including a battle in 945 CE between the Hamdanids and Ikhshidids. Saladin recaptured it from the Crusaders in 1187. Prominent Arab geographers such as Ibn al-Faqih, Al-Maqdisi, and Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned Al-Lajjun, highlighting its water springs and the Mosque of Abraham. In 1596, under Ottoman rule, Al-Lajjun was part of the Sha‘ra subdistrict with a population of 226, paying taxes on grains and livestock. The village declined possibly after being shelled by Zahir al-Umar in the 18th century. By the 19th century, it had become ruins, with only a khan noted by surveyors. Later, families from Umm al-Fahm resettled in Al-Lajjun, particularly near the khan and natural springs. During the British Mandate period, more settlers arrived, especially during the 1936–1939 Revolt. The village grew economically and demographically, dividing into three quarters: eastern, western, and Khirbat al-Khan. Several clans (hamulas) resided there, including al-Mahajneh, al-Ghubariyya, al-Jabareen, and al-Mahamid. By 1931, the population included 829 Muslims, 26 Christians, and 2 Jews. In 1943, a mosque was built with local funding, and a school founded in 1937 had 83 students by 1944. Al-Lajjun also had a small market, six water-powered mills, a medical center, shops in each quarter, and a bus company serving nearby towns. Residents farmed grains, vegetables, and citrus. However, most of the village's archaeological heritage was destroyed for agricultural development. Occupation and Depopulation Al-Lajjun was occupied by Israeli forces shortly before June 1, 1948, following operations in the Baysan Valley and prior to the failed Israeli attack on Jenin. The Golani Brigade entered the village at dawn on May 30, as reported by The New York Times. It is likely that residents were expelled immediately, consistent with prior operations. Earlier in April, an Israeli attack on Al-Lajjun failed, resulting in 12 deaths. The village was later reportedly captured on April 17. Haganah forces evacuated women and children, and 27 buildings in Al-Lajjun and neighboring villages were demolished. Arab sources offer a different timeline: On May 6, Arab Liberation Army (ALA) forces repelled a Haganah attack, though Fawzi al-Qawuqji later reported that Haganah aimed to isolate Al-Lajjun from Tulkarm. By May 8, he noted intense Haganah activity near Jenin, though it remains unclear whether the village had fallen by that date or resisted until late May, as stated in The History of the War of Independence. During the second truce in September 1948, a UN official marked the permanent armistice line through Al-Lajjun. A 450-meter-wide demilitarized zone was established, allowing both Arabs and Jews to harvest crops. Current Status of the Village Today, only the stone-built mosque, one grain mill, the medical center, and a few partially destroyed houses remain. The mosque was converted into a commercial facility, one house into a chicken coop, and the mill and clinic are abandoned. The school no longer exists, though the cemetery remains—albeit neglected—with the grave of nationalist Yusuf al-Hamdan still visible. Surrounding lands are now used for almond, wheat, and barley farming. The area contains livestock pens, a feed factory, and a pump at 'Ayn al-Hajja. It is fenced off and access is restricted. Israeli Settlements on Village Lands In 1949, Israel established the settlement of Kibbutz Megiddo (originally Yosef Kaplan) approximately 500 meters northeast of Al-Lajjun. It was built on land consolidated from several depopulated Palestinian villages, and though it is unclear if it was established directly on Al-Lajjun’s lands, its proximity suggests it may partially occupy former village territory.