Wadi Qabbani

The village of Wadi Qabbani was located approximately 1.5 kilometers east of the coastal main road, to which it was connected by a secondary road passing through the village. The village was named after a Lebanese family who owned most of its lands. It was built atop the archaeological site of Sheikh Hussein, which contained artifacts possibly dating back to the Roman era. This site was situated on elevated ground in the area, surrounded by swamps to the west and south. The village had a total of 408 dunams designated for grain cultivation.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village

It is most likely that Wadi Qabbani was occupied in the early months of the war, based on available evidence from neighboring villages. During March and April 1948, the Haganah implemented a general policy to uproot the inhabitants of Arab coastal villages north of Tel Aviv. Around April 8–10, the Haganah’s general command issued orders to its units to evacuate or expel residents of the Arab villages located along the axis stretching between Tel Aviv and Hadira — a large Zionist settlement about 40 kilometers to the north. Since Wadi Qabbani was situated roughly midway along this route, it is probable that it was subjected to expulsion orders, similar to the nearby village of Arab al-Nufay’at.

The Village Today

All the village houses have disappeared with no remaining trace. Two Christ’s Thorn trees grow near the village cemetery, which has been converted into a children’s playground affiliated with a nearby kibbutz. No visible landmarks remain of the cemetery.

Zionist Settlements on the Village Lands

• Kibbutz HaOgen