Hawsha

Hawsha
هوشة
Husha, Khirbat Husha, Khǔrbet Hǔsheh
Remains of Hawsha in the winter of 2010
Remains of Hawsha in the winter of 2010
Etymology: Joshua[1] or Kh. Husheh; "The ruin of Husheh",[2]
1870s map
1940s map
modern map
1940s with modern overlay map
A series of historical maps of the area around Hawsha (click the buttons)
Hawsha is located in Mandatory Palestine
Hawsha
Hawsha
Location within Mandatory Palestine
Coordinates: 32°47′36″N 35°08′41″E / 32.79333°N 35.14472°E / 32.79333; 35.14472
Palestine grid163/244
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictHaifa
Date of depopulationmid-April, 1948[3]
Area
[4][5]
 • Total901 dunams (90.1 ha or 223 acres)
Population
 (1945)[6]
 • Total400
Cause(s) of depopulationMilitary assault by Yishuv forces

Hawsha (Arabic: هوشة, Hǔsheh, also Husha) was an Arab village established in 1880 by Maghrebi immigrants of Algerian origin, built on ruins of the ancient Jewish town Usha.[7][8] The place is located 13 kilometers (8.1 mi) east of Haifa, about 100 meters (330 ft) above sea level.

During the late Roman period, Hawsha was the site of the ancient Jewish town of Usha, which was the seat of the Sanhedrin.[4][9][10][11] Ruins on the site include ancient mosaics and tombs. The village had a Maqam (shrine) for Nabi Hushan.[4]

In 1945, it had a population of 580 inhabitants, 400 of whom were Arab Muslims and 180 of whom were Jewish. The built-up area of the village was 50 dunums, and 717 dunums were used for agriculture. All but 7 dunums of public land were owned by Jews by this time.[4]

Hawsha was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 16, 1948, as part of the Battle of Ramat Yohanan.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thomsonp397 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 111
  3. ^ Morris, 2004, p. xvii, village #382. Also gives cause of depopulation.
  4. ^ a b c d Khalidi, 1992, p. 162.
  5. ^ (all but 7 dunums was owned by Jews by 1944-45) Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 49
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference DoS1945 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Amitzur, Yair (2021). "חידושי החפירות באושה העתיקה".
  8. ^ Ahmad Abbasi, Mustafa (2007). "הקהילה האלג'יראית בגליל משלהי השלטון העות'מני עד שנת 1948". אופקים בגיאוגרפיה. 68/9: 56–62.
  9. ^ Tudela, Zunz, and Lebrecht, 1841, p. 428.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference PEFp35 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Driverp653 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).