Atop a high hill stands Beit Doqqu. Its history whispers from the stones. For centuries this Palestinian village has witnessed empires rise and fall.
Beit Doqqu a village northwest of Jerusalem boasts a rich past. Its name meaning “The house of Dukku” hints at a long history. Local residents believe their ancestors arrived in the early 14th century from Umm Walad in southern Syria. The families of Badr Ali Hussein Rayyan Morrar Dawood and Muslih are among its founding families.
Under Ottoman rule in 1596 Beit Doqqu was a small community. Tax records show three Muslim households. They cultivated wheat barley olives and fruit trees. They also raised goats and kept beehives. Life was simple yet resilient.
The 1800s brought further changes. In 1838 Beit Doqqu was noted as a Muslim village in the Beni Malik district. Later descriptions paint a picture of a small village perched high on a hill. A spring to the northwest provided water. Olive groves surrounded its edges.
The British Mandate era saw the population grow. Census data from 1922 and 1931 show a steady increase in residents. By 1945 Beit Doqqu covered 5393 dunams of land. Agriculture was the main source of livelihood. Apricots olives and grapes flourished in the fertile soil.
The 1948 Arab-Israeli war altered the course of Beit Doqqu’s existence. It then came under Jordanian rule. Later the Six-Day War in 1967 placed it under Israeli occupation.
Today Beit Doqqu’s 1754 residents mostly work in agriculture. Yet Beit Doqqu and nine other villages form the Biddu enclave. This enclave is cut off from its farmlands. Israel has expropriated significant land for the construction of the Giv’at Ze’ev settlement. The enclave’s connection to Ramallah is via underpasses and fenced roads. This illustrates a modern struggle for the ancient village.
The history of Beit Doqqu is one of endurance. It is a story of families weathering storms. It is a legacy of farming and community. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the Palestinian people. Standing here you touch centuries of history. You witness the ongoing narrative of Beit Doqqu.