Buq'ata

Buq'ata بقعاثا
Buq'ata town
Buq'ata The Golan on the map of Syria; Buq'ata on the map of the Golan.
Coordinates:
Country	Golan Heights, (Internationally recognized as Syrian territory occupied by Israel)
Israeli District	North District
Israeli Subdistrict	Golan
Syrian Governorate	Quneitra Governorate
Syrian District	Quneitra District

Buq'ata (Arabic: بقعاتا‎‎; Hebrew: בֻּקְעָאתָא‎) is a Druze town in the northern section of the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. Granted the right to obtain Israeli citizenship following the passage of the Golan Heights Law, most of the residents, like the majority of Druze in the Golan Heights, adopted permanent residency but refused Israeli citizenship and instead retain Syrian citizenship. Buq'ata covers an area of 7,000 dunams (7 km²) between two mountains in the Golan Heights, Mount Hermonit and Mount Varda. Located 1,070 metres above sea level, its population, as of 2007, is 5,700.

Buq'ata is one of the four remaining Syrian-Druze communities on the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights, the others being Majdal Shams, Ein Qiniyye and Mas'ade. Geologically and geographically a distinction is made between the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon, the boundary being marked by the Sa'ar Stream; however, administratively usually they are being lumped together. Buq'ata and Mas'ade are on the Golan side of the boundary, characterised by black volcanic rock (basalt), while Majdal Shams and Ein Qiniyye are on the Hermon side, thus sitting on limestone.

History

Buq'ata was founded in the 1880s by families from the neighboring town of Majdal Shams. It was destroyed in 1888 during a series of feuds between rival villages in the area, and again in 1925, during the Great Syrian Revolt against the French mandatory rule. It became part of independent Syria in 1946.

In the course of the Six-Day War in 1967, the town was captured by Israel.

Buq'ata achieved Israeli local council status in 1982.

Since the uprising in Syria, some of the violence has spilled over into Buq'ata, where residents loyal to the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus have clashed with anti-Assad activists.

Demography

According to data compiled by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics in 2001, Buq'ata ranked 2 out of 10 on the national socioeconomic index. In 2000, 72.5% of Grade 12 students graduated with a Bagrut matriculation certificate.

The inhabitants of Buq'ata have permanent residency in Israel and receive social welfare benefits from Israel.

Economy

The local economy is predominantly agricultural, with apples and grapes being the main crops. In 2013, Buq'ata harvested 55,000 tons of apples, which it sold to markets in Israel or exported to Syria. This arrangement still worked in 2013, but is under threat due to the civil war in Syria.