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Qatra () was a Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict, located southwest of the city of Ramla and west of Jerusalem, some above sea level.Bromiley, 1994, pp. 5-6. It was depopulated in May 1948.
Qatra has been named as the place of origin of a holy man named Sheikh Ahmad al-Qatrawani, who set out from the village due to his inability to fulfill his religious duties there, and settled by 'Atara, where his Mamluk shrine still stands.Taha, Hamdan. The Sanctuary of Sheikh al-Qatrawani Studium Biblicum Franciscanum - Jerusalem.Canaan, 1927, pp. 51-52
In 1838, Kutrah was noted as a Muslim village in the Gaza district.Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p. 118Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, p. 22
In 1863, Victor Guérin noted the village to have 600 inhabitants, and with houses of adobe. He further noted a noria by the Water well, which he assumed to be ancient. By the well were also six sections of barrels of of gray marble, the diameter of which was thirty centimetres. The villagers told Guérin they had "always" been there. Hedges of cacti surrounded the village and served as fences for figs and olive trees. There were also several "magnificent" and there.Guérin, 1869, pp. 35- 36
An Ottoman village list of about 1870 showed that Katra had a population of 353, in 161 houses, though the population count included men only. It was also noted that it was located south east of Yibna.Socin, 1879, p. 156 It was noted to be in the Gazza DistrictHartmann, 1883, p. 133, also noted 161 houses
In 1882, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described the village as being built of adobe brick and surrounded by gardens.Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 410. Cited in Khalidi, 1992, p. 404
During its existence as a village in the British Mandate of Palestine it was referred to as Qatrat Islam to distinguish it from the Aliyah of Qatrat Yahud or Gedera, as it is called in Hebrew, established in the late 19th century.Khalidi, 1992, p. 404
In the 1945 statistics the population was 1,290, all Muslims, while the total land area was 7,853 , according to an official land and population survey.Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 68 Of this, Arabs used 291 dunams for citrus and bananas, 215 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards, 4,320 dunums were allocated to cereals,Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 116. while 26 dunams were classified as built-up urban areas.Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 166
It was during these operations that they encountered the village of Qatra. The village offered no resistance. The Givati troops entered and conducted an arms collection operation on 5–6 May. About 60 weapons were handed over - but a Jewish officer was shot and killed (either by an Arab or by friendly fire) while searching one of the houses. Three Arabs were then taken hostage and Givati demanded the name of the killer, and the handover of any foreign irregulars and additional weapons.744: 'Doron'to HIS, 'The village of Qatra', 9 May 1948, HA 105\92aleph; and 'Doron (Elitzur)'to HIS-AD, 'The Conquest of Qatra', 12 May 1948, HA 105\92aleph. Quoted in Morris, 2004, p. 255 The Haganah reoccupied the village and its entire population were either intimidated into flight or expelled on 17 May.745: HIS-AD, 'The Migratory Movement....', 30 June 1948, HHA-ACP, 10.95.13 (1). Quoted in Morris, 2004, p. 255 The IDF trucked about 200 refugees staying in Majdal, originally from Qatra, towards Ramla in the summer of 1950.Morris, 2004, p. 529
The operation in Qatra (and a similar operation in the nearby village of Aqir) was characterised by looting and brutal behaviour. The HIS officer who accompanied the troops later highlighted several problems, including the lack of clear orders regarding behaviour, the absence of POW camp for detainees, and looting.746: 'Doron'to HIS, 'Assessment of Operation Helem', 7 May 1948, HA 105\92aleph. Quoted in Morris, 2004, p. 255 The Givati Brigade's official history states that after these operations, the brigade HQ acted to 'curtail the instinct to loot and maltreat prisoners hit'alelut'.747: Ayalon, War of Independence'', 526. It would appear that one or more of those who had died in Aqir had been murdered. Quoted in Morris, 2004, p. 255
1948, and aftermath
Qatra was captured by Israel's Givati Brigade in May 1948. The operation was according to Plan Dalet. Plan Dalets guidelines to the Givati Brigade gave its leader, Lt. Col. Shimon Avidan, wide discretion. In order to "stabilise" his lines, the plan stated that 'you will determine alone, in consultations with your Arab affairs advisers and Intelligence Service officers, which villages in your zone should be occupied, cleansed or destroyed.'733: Ayalon, War of Independence, 485. Quoted in Morris, 2004 p. 254 During May to early June, Avidan moved to expand his area of control westwards and southwards as part of Operation Barak.Morris, 2004, p. 254
In 1949, the Israeli moshav of Kidron was established on Qatra's land. The current Israeli towns built on Qatra's land are Gedera and Kidron.
See also
Bibliography
(1977). 9783920405414, Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft. . ISBN 9783920405414
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