Before the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War, the Golan Heights comprised 312 inhabited areas, including 2 towns, 163 villages, and 108 farms. In 1966, the Syrian population of the Golan Heights was estimated at 147,613. Israel seized about 70% of the Golan Heights in the closing stages of the Six-Day War.Murphy & Gannon 2008, p. 24 Many of these residents fled during the fighting,BBC News, Regions and territories: The Golan Heights or were driven out by the Israeli army, and some were evacuated by the Syrian army. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs in 1992 characterized Israel's actions as "ethnic cleansing".

Israel forcibly expelled Syrians from the Golan Heights. There were also instances of Israeli soldiers killing Syrian residents including blowing up their home with people inside.: "Avishay Katz, the commander of reserve Engineer Regiment 602, testified: At this stage [during the war] the instruction that we have received was to go and check that no ‘guys’ are left hiding. We did it in the first villages [conquered] on top of the [Golan] Heights . . . . There were a few cases that I don’t want to talk about.’ What does it mean? Katz: ‘They killed people that should not have been killed. Syrian citizens’ . . . There were a few guys of mine who killed some Arab citizens’ . . . Why did they kill them? ‘It was out of stupidity, something that should not have been done, and they were kicked out of the regiment. All the rest of the Golan dwellers were deported. Not one remained’. How did it happen? ‘They destroyed a house on top of its dwellers . . . It was a war crime. . . . It drove me out of my mind’"

A cease-fire line was established and large parts of the region came under Israeli military control, including the town of Quneitra, about 139 villages and 61 farms. Of these, the Census of Population 1967 conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces listed only eight, including Quneitra. One of the remaining populated villages, Shayta, was partially destroyed in 1967 and a military post built in its place. Between 1971 and 1972 it was eradicated, with the remaining population forcibly transferred to Mas'ade, another of the populated villages under Israeli control.Sakr Abu Fakhr, "Voices from the Golan", Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn, 2000), University of California Press, p. 7. Focaal reports that "95% of the Syrian indigenous population was forcibly displaced and only five villages, out of 340 villages and farms, remained."

The Israeli Head of Surveying and Demolition Supervision for the Golan Heights proposed the demolition of 127 depopulated villages, with about 90 abandoned villages to be demolished shortly after May 15, 1968."The Fate of Abandoned Arab Villages, 1965–1969" by Aron Shai, History & Memory Volume 18, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2006, pp. 86–106. "As the pace of the surveys increased in the West Bank, widespread operations also began on the Golan Heights, which had been captured from Syria during the war (figure 7). Dan Urman, whose official title was Head of Surveying and Demolition Supervision for the Golan Heights, was responsible for this task. Urman submitted a list of 127 villages for demolition to his bosses. … The demolitions were executed by contractors hired for the job. Financial arrangements and coordination with the ILA and the army were recorded in detail. Davidson commissioned surveys and demolition supervision from the IASS [Israel Archaeological Survey Society]. Thus, for example, in a letter dated 15 May 1968, he wrote to Ze'ev Yavin: 'Further to our meeting, this is to inform you that within a few days, we will start demolishing about 90 abandoned villages on the Golan Heights (see attached list)." The demolitions were carried out by contractors hired for the job.(2001) Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories J. Destruction of built-up areas and looting of property: "Following the occupation of the territory in 1967, the occupation authorities destroyed 244 villages and built-up areas in the Golan and expelled their population, sparing only five villages (Majdal Shams, Buq'ata, ‘Ayn Qunyah, Mas'ade and al-Ghajar)." After the demolitions, the lands were given to Israeli settlers."The Golan Heights under Israeli Occupation 1967–1981" p.5. "The remainder of 131 agricultural villages and 61 individual farms were wiped off the face of the earth by the Israeli occupation authorities immediately following the Israeli victory in the 1967 war. They were razed to the ground and their lands handed over to exclusive Israeli-Jewish settlement." There was an effort to preserve buildings of archaeological significance and buildings useful for the planned Jewish settlements.

After the 1973 Yom Kippur War, parts of the occupied Golan Heights were returned to Syrian control, including Quneitra, which had changed hands several times during the war. According to a United Nations Special Committee, Israeli forces had deliberately destroyed the city before their 1974 withdrawal.(1974) Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories

In 2024, after Israel expanded its occupation of the Golan Heights, Israel attempted to forcibly depopulate several Syrian villages in the newly occupied area. Israel began destroying the electricity and water networks in the villages in an attempt to force residents out of their homes. On 18 December, it was reported that over 100 Syrian families had been forcibly expelled from the Golan Heights by the Israeli military. Witnesses describe that Israeli soldiers had opened fire on them and on their homes. The United Nations peacekeepers have been removing Israeli flags in the newly occupied area. On 19 December, it was reported that the IDF had banned local farmers from accessing their own fields. A resident of the village of Maariyah told the Associated Press that the Israeli Military "is demanding that we hand over all weapons to the occupation. We told them that we have no weapons at all." Depopulated and demolished towns and villages

Depopulated villages Alphabetical list; all parts of the name are treated equally, including the article (al-, as-, etc.), but the diacritics are disregarded (for example ‘A is treated like a plain A). Caution: some names appear twice in different orthographic variations, originating from different sources.

English Arabic Al-'Ameriya (Isbetta) العامرية (اسبتّة) Abu Kheit – Map showing destroyed Arab villages. أبو خيط Abu Tuleh (or Abu Foula) أﺑﻮ ﻓﻮﻟﺔ Al-AhmadiyahGolan Heights and vicinity: October 1994 – CIA map showing abandoned/dismantled Syrian villages. الاحمدية Al ‘Al اﻟﻌﺎل Al Slouqiya al Gharbiya اﻟﺴﻠﻮﻗﻴﺔ اﻟﻐﺮﺑﻴﺔ Al Slouqiya al SharqiyaMurphy & Gannon 2008, p28 + p69 اﻟﺴﻠﻮﻗﻴﺔ اﻟﺸﺮﻗﻴﺔ ‘Alminعلمين 'Amret al-Freijعمرة الفريج ‘Amoudiya ﻋﻤﻮدﻳا ِAl-Arba‘inالاربعين Al-Asaliyahالعسلية ‘Ayn al-Hamraعين الحمرة ‘Ayn al-Qura ﻋﻴﻦ اﻟﻘﺮى ‘Ayn as Sumsun ﻋﻴﻦ ﺳﻤﺴﻢ ‘Ayn al-Tina عين التينة ‘Ayn ‘Ayshah عين عيشه 'Ayn Fit ﻋﻴﻦ ﻓﻴﺖ ‘Ayn Maymun عين ميمون او عين مامون ‘Ayn Sa‘d ﻋﻴﻦ ﺳﻌﺪ ‘Ayn Ziwan ﻋﻴﻦ زﻳﻮان 'Eshshe عشّة ‘Azaziyat ﻋﺰﻳﺰﻳﺎت ِAl-Bajjah البجة Banias بانياس Al-Barjeiat البرجيات او البرقيات Basset Al Jawkhadar بصة الجوخدار Battah بطّاح Bir al-Shquq ﺑﻴﺮ اﻟﺸﻘﻮق Al-Bjuriyah اﻟﺒﺠﻮرﻳﺔ Dabbousyah دﺑﻮﺳﻴا Dabburah دﺑﻮرة ِAl-Dalhamieh الدلهمية Al-Dalwa الدﻟﻮة Deir mfaddel دير مفضل Deir Raheb دير راهب Deir Sras دﻳﺮ ﺳﺮاس Al-Derdara دردارة Al-Doka الدوكة ‘Eshsha اﻟﻌﺸﺔ Fahham ﻓﺤﻢ or اﻟﻔﺤﺎم Faraj اﻟﻔﺮج Fazarah فزرة Fiq ﻓﻴﻖ Furn ﻔﺮن Al-Ghadhriya الغادرية Ghzayil غزيّل Hafar ﺣﻔﺮ Al-HamidiyahSouth Lebanon and Vicinity 1976, CIA map. (repopulated after 1974) الحميدية Hetal ﺣﻴتل Al-Huseiniyah الحسينية Huwaylizah ? ‘Ullayqa ﻋﻠﻴﻘﺔ Jraba ﺟﺮﺑﺎ or ﺟﺮاﺑﺔ Jokhadar اﻟﺠﺤﺪر or اﻟﺠﻮﺧﺪر Jbab al-Mis ﺟﺒﺐ اﻟﻤﻴﺲ Jurniyya ﺟﺮﻧﻴﺔ Jlaybina ﺟﻠﻴﺒﻴﻨﺔ Jubata ez-ZeitMurphy & Gannon 2008, p 48 ﺟﺒﺎﺗﺎ اﻟﺰﻳﺖ Jibin ﺟﺒﻴﻦ Jubet Ra’abana جبة رعبنه Jurmaya جرمايه Al-Juwayzah الجويزة Juwayzah al-ShamaliyaMurphy & Gannon 2008, p28 + p68 ﺟﻮﻳﺰة اﻟﺸﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ or ﺟﻮﻳﺰة واﺳﻂ Kafr Alma ﻛﻔﺮ اﻟﻤﺎ Kafr ‘Aqab ﻛﻔﺮ ﻋاﻘﺐ Kafr Hareb ﻛﻔﺮ حارب Kafr Naffakh ﻛﻔﺮ ﻧﻔّﺎخ Kabbash كباش KhisfinYaqut al-Hamawi, cited in le Strange, 1890, p. 485 ﺧﺴﻔﻴﻦ Khokha ﺧﻮﺧﺔ Khueikha خويخة Khushniyeh ﺧﺸﻨﻴﺔ Kisrin or Qisrin ﻗﺼﺮﻳﻦ Krejz al Wawi كريز الواوي ِِAl-Kursi اﻟﻜﺮﺳﻲ Ma‘barah ? Majduliyah مجدولية ِِAl-Malsa' الملسا Mamwayra ﻣﻤﻮﻳﺮة ِAl-Mansura المنصورة Mashfa‘ ﻣﺸﻔﻊ ِAl-Mashta (Beira) اﻟﺒﻴﺮة Al-Mesa’diya المسعدية ِAl-Mihjar اﻟﻤﺤﺠﺎر Al-Mishirfawy المشيرفاوي Mjeihiya مجيحية Momsieh (Ghassaniyah) ﻣﻤﺴﻴﺔ Al-Mudariya (Qahtaniya) المودرية ِAl-Mughayyir المغيّر Mughr Shab’a ﻣﻐﺎر ﺷﺒﻌﺔ ُﻣﻐﺮ or ﺷﺒﻌﺔ Muwaysah or Mghar Muwaysah ﻣﻐﺎر ﻣﻮﻳﺴﺔ Nab ناب ِAl-NuqeibMurphy & Gannon 2008, p28 + p70 اﻟﻨﻘﻴﺐ Na‘ran ﻧﻌﺮان Nukhaylah ﻧﺨﻴﻠﺔ Al-Qadiriyah القادرية Qafira ﻗﻔﻴﺮة Qarahta ﻗﺮﺣﺘﺎ ِAl-Qara‘na (Qal' al Qara‘inah) ﻗﺮاﻋﻨﺔ Al-Qerniyatالقرنيات َQala‘قلع Al-Qila‘ القلع Al-QuneitraU.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants القنيطرة Qunna‘ba ﻗﻨﺎﺑﺔ or اﻟﻘﻨﻌﺒﺔAl-Qusbiyahالقصبية Qusbyah al-Jadidahقصيبة الجديدة Al-Rafeed اﻟﺮﻓﻴﺪ Er-Ramthaniyye اﻟﺮﻣﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ Rawiyah راوﻳﺔ Al-Razzaniya (central Golan) الرزّانية Al-Razzaniya (southern Golan) الرزّاﻧﻴﺔ Al-Ruwayhinah الرويحينة Al-Sanabir ﺳﻨﺎﺑﺮ Surruman, Surman ﺻﺮﻣﺎن Shabbah ﺷّﺒه Al-Shaikh ‘Ali (Qtu‘ al-Shaikh ‘Ali) الشيخ ﻋﻠﻲ (قطوع الشيخ علي) Shayta سحيتا Shkoum (Bir al-Shkoum) شكوم (بير الشكوم) Shqeif (Qisrin) شقيف قصرين Shuqayif (Wadi al-Samak) شقيف وادي السمك Al-Sindiyanah السنديانة Skoufiya ﺳﻜﻮﻓﻴا Sukayk ﺳﻜﻴﻚ ِِAl-Summaqah ﺳﻤﺎﻗﺔ or اﻟﺴﻤﺎﻗﺔ Tal A'war تل اعور Tannuriyah تنّوريا Umm al-Dananir ام اﻟﺪﻧﺎﻧﻴﺮ ‘Uyun al Hajal ﻋﻴﻮن اﻟﺤﺠﻞ Wasit واﺳﻂ Al-Yahoudiya, al-Ya'rubiyya اﻟﻴﻬﻮدﻳﺔ, اليعربية Al-Yaqusah اﻟﻴﺎﻗﻮﺻﺔ Z‘arta زﻋﺮﺗﺎ Za'ura زﻋﻮرة

Depopulated farms Alphabetical list; all parts of the name are treated equally, including the article (al-, as-, etc.), but the diacritics are disregarded (for example ‘A is treated like a plain A).

English Arabic Abaret Hamed ‘AbbasiyaMurphy & Gannon 2008, p28 + p67 ﻋﺒﺎﺳﻴﺔ Abu Darkal Al Hamma ‘Ayn Addisa, 'Adeisa عديسة ‘Ayn Hur ﻋﻴﻦ ﺣﻮر ‘Ayn Warda Bab al Hawa ﺑﺎب اﻟﻬﻮى Al-Baghghala, or Baghghalat al-Jokhadarالبغالة، بغالة الجوخدار al-Batraالبترة Bitmiyya اﻟﺒﻄﻤﻴﺔ Darbashiyah Dardara Deir ‘Aziz دﻳﺮ ﻋﺰﻳﺰ Deir Kurouh Deir Ma’dal Dreijat Fakhurah Fashkoul Hajaf Hashra Houtieh ‘Illayqa Jaunoubieh Jimieh Kafweh Kanaf Karaz at Tawil (or Farez Tawil) ﻗﺮز اﻟﻄﻮﻳﻞ (or ﻓﺮز اﻟﻄﻮﻳﻞ) Kharab Bikheil Khilet Gazaleh Khirbet Beida Khshash Kureinat Kurn Kuseir Lawieh Mabra Majdoulieh Mansurah ﻣﻨﺼﻮرة Marah Muloul Mazra'at Alqunetra (or Kantarat Kharab?) Mazra‘at Barakhta Mazra’at Himeira Mazra'at Izdin Mazra’at Kalak (or Falq?) Mazra’at Sheikh Hasan Mazra Um al Tawahin Minshieh Mudawara Musha’an Nasriya Nkib Arabieh Nkib Sourieh Nuwanieh Qisbiya اﻟﻘﺼﻴﺒﺔ Qtua Sheikh Ali Rab’a Rajam Ramtha Rasm Balut Saffuriyah ﺻﻔﻮريه Al-Sha’abaniya الشعبانية Sa‘id Sagireh Shamra Shoka Sir Dhi'ab ﺳﻴﺮ ادﻳﺎب Sir el-Kharfan ﺳﻴﺮ اﻟﺨﺮﻓﺎن Slayeh Sleileh Taibe Tawahin Umm Kanater ام القناطر Umm Khashabeh Umm Sudra Uyun Uweinat Jaunoubieh Uweinat Shamalieh ‘Uyun Hadid 'Uyun Samak Zibdin Zor Abu Kabzeh

See also Ethnic cleansing Depopulated Palestinian locations in Israel List of villages depopulated during the Arab–Israeli conflict Population transfer

References

Bibliography

External links Golan Heights and Vicinity: October 1994 – CIA map of the Golan Heights, at the Library of Congress, showing abandoned/dismantled Syrian villages. South Lebanon and Vicinity 1976 – Map from the University of Texas at Austin, showing Syrian villages in the Golan Heights from pre-1967 sources. Southern Lebanon Border Area 1986 – Map from the University of Texas at Austin general libraries map collection, showing Syrian villages in the Golan Heights from pre-1967 sources.