Dallata

The village of Dallata was situated on the upper slope of a relatively high hill and was built upon the ruins of an ancient site that had once included old structures, inhabited caves, cisterns, and large water reservoirs. During the Crusader period, the site was known as Deleha.

In the 1596 Ottoman tax records, Dallata was listed as a village in the subdistrict of Jira (Liwa of Safad) with a population of 127 inhabitants. The village paid taxes on several agricultural products, including wheat, barley, olives, as well as on other sources of revenue such as goats, beehives, vineyards, and a press used for either grape or olive pressing.

By the late 19th century, Dallata was described as a village built of stone and mud, with a population of approximately 100 people. Visitors to the area noted that the village was located at the base of a large hill, surrounded by olive groves and agricultural lands, as well as distinctive rock formations. Springs in the area supplied water for domestic use.

The village had a small school that enrolled 37 students. In 1945, all of Dallata’s inhabitants were Muslims, and the primary economic activity was rainfed agriculture, although some villagers also raised livestock or engaged in firewood collection and trade. The main crops included various fruits and olives, which were planted in dispersed plots around the village. Cereals were grown in the nearby valleys and on small plots of land located along the lower slopes.

In 1944/1945, the cultivated lands included:

· 3,428 dunums dedicated to cereals,

·102 dunums irrigated or used for orchards.

Occupation and Depopulation

It is likely that Dallata was occupied sometime after the fall of Safad, the district capital, on 10–11 May 1948. Indirect evidence suggests that the village was taken as part of Operation Yiftach. If this is accurate, Dallata would have been among the last villages targeted during the final phases of the operation, possibly around the same time as its neighboring village 'Ammuqa, which was occupied on 24 May 1948.

Current Status of the Village

Today, only scattered rubble from destroyed homes remains across the village site, which is now overgrown with grass, wild plants, and trees. Some stone terraces still exist on village lands, along with a few remaining olive trees. A portion of the land has been reforested, while other parts are used as grazing grounds for livestock.

Israeli Settlements on Village Lands

In 1950, the Israeli settlement of Dalton was established on village lands, situated southwest of the original village site.