al-Zuq al-Fawqani

Al-Zuq al-Fawqani was located near the Lebanese border, in an area that sloped downward toward the Hula Plain to the south. It lay approximately one kilometer east of the main road connecting Safad (Safed) and Tiberias, at a junction of secondary roads that linked it to numerous nearby villages.

The precise origin of the first part of the village’s name, Al-Zuq, is unclear. It is likely derived from the Syriac word Zuq, meaning “town.” The second part, al-Fawqani (meaning “Upper”), served to distinguish it from Al-Zuq al-Tahtani (“Lower”), located to the southeast.

The village had a circular layout, with houses built along several roads that radiated outward from its center. Several springs flowed to its northwest, and in the southern corner of the village stood a water-powered mill. The residents cultivated olive trees on the northern and western slopes, and fruit trees to the west.

In 1944, a total of 1,286 dunums of land was used for cereal cultivation, and 501 dunums were irrigated or planted with orchards. The presence of reused stone columns, wall remnants, and an olive press testifies to the village’s ancient habitation. Within a 2-kilometer radius, numerous ruins and hills further suggest the historical desirability of this site as a place of settlement.

Occupation and Depopulation

The psychological warfare campaign launched by the Palmach during Operation Yiftach accelerated the decision of many residents of Eastern Galilee, including those of Al-Zuq al-Fawqani, to flee. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, a direct military assault on the village also contributed to the flight of its inhabitants. This assault occurred on 21 May 1948.

The Village Today

Scattered stones from destroyed homes are found throughout the site, now overgrown with wild grasses, thorns, and a few cactus plants. Some of the surrounding lands are cultivated by residents of the nearby Israeli settlement of Yuval, while the remainder consists of forested areas and pastureland.

Israeli Settlements on Village Lands

There are no Israeli settlements established entirely on the lands of the former village. However, the settlement of Yuval, established in 1952, lies very close to the village site to the northeast. Yuval is located at the convergence of lands once belonging to the villages of Abil al-Qamh, Al-Sittiriyya, and Al-Zuq al-Fawqani. The settlement of Kfar Giladi, founded in 1916, lies approximately one kilometer west of the village site.

Source: All That Remains by Walid Khalidi.