Al-Mazar, Haifa
| Al-Mazar | |
|---|---|
 Al-Mazar
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| Subdistrict | Haifa |
| Coordinates | 32°40′56.4″N 34°57′52.2″E / 32.682333°N 34.964500°ECoordinates: 32°40′56.4″N 34°57′52.2″E / 32.682333°N 34.964500°E |
| Palestine grid | 147/232 |
| Population | 210 (1945) |
| Date of depopulation | July 15, 1948 |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault by Yishuv forces |
| Current localities | 'En Karmel |
Al-Mazar was a Palestinian Arab village located 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) northeast of al-Sarafand. In 1945, it had a population of 210.
The village name Mazar, which is Arabic for "shrine", "a place one visits", was probably meant to commemorate the many people who were killed and buried there in the wars against the Crusaders.
In the British Mandate of Palestine period, in the 1922 census of Palestine ‘’Al Mazar’’ had a population of 134; all Muslims. In the 1931 census, Al-Mazar was counted together with Khirbat Al-Manara, Ijzim and Qumbaza. The total population was 2,160; 88 Christians, 2,082 Muslims, in a total of 442 houses.
By 1945 the population was 210, all Muslims with a total of 7,976 dunams of land. Of this, 5 dunams were for citrus and bananas, 473 were plantations or irrigable land, 3,750 were for cereals, while 39 dunams were classified built-up, (urban), land.
The village was first raided by the Israel Forces (IDF) on May 17 during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, with the aim of "rendering [the village] unworthy of use." The IDF encountered only 10-20 Arabs, who ran away, and the troops proceeded to "burn what could be burned." Within days of the IDF's withdrawal, some of the villagers had returned, Arab militants and civilians. The village was permanently depopulated as a result of another IDF military assault in mid-July 1948.
The shrine was located on the lower slopes of a hill. In 1881, E. H. Palmer described the name as possibly coming from St. John of Tyre, who was noted in this direction in 1187. Ahya is also a name for John the Baptist.
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