Srifa

Srifa[1] (Arabic: صريفا‎) is a town in Southern Lebanon, located in Tyre District, Governorate of South Lebanon. It is located 22 kilometres east of the city Tyros and 90 kilometers south of the capital Beirut. It is the birthplace of Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010.[2]

Srifa صريفا
Village
Srifa Location within Lebanon
Coordinates: 33°16′53″N 35°23′47″E
Grid position	187/298 PAL
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	South Lebanon Governorate
District	Tyre District
Elevation	450 m (1,480 ft)
Population
• Total	10,000
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Dialing code	+961

History

In 1875, during the late Ottoman era, Victor Guérin found here an ancient column, and a few cut stones, proving that the place was an ancient site.[3] Guérin found that the village had 150 Metawileh villagers.[4]

In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it: "A village, built of stone, containing about 200 Metawileh, it is situated on a hill, and surrounded by olives, figs, and arable land. Water from a spring; and cisterns in the village."[5]

The village was heavily bombed during the 2006 Lebanon War.[2] On July 12, the Israelis killed 4 civilians in the village,[6] while on July 19, they killed 17 Hezbollah fighters and 5 civilians.[7][8][9]

References

1. From personal name; according to Palmer, 1881, p. 32
2. "Miss USA from powerful Shiite family", msnbc.com, Associated Press, May 17, 2010, archived from the original on May 19, 2010, retrieved May 17, 2010
3. Guérin, 1880, pp. 258-259; as cited in Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 138
4. Guérin, 1880, pp. 258-259
5. Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, pp. 93-94
6. HRW, 2007, pp. 82- 88
7. Srifa was a bustling hillside village. Then yesterday the Israeli jets came, Clancy Chassay, 20 July 2006, The Guardian
8. HRW, 2007, pp. 103-104
9. Human Rights Watch (HRW), September 2007, "Why They Died", Civilian Casualties in Lebanon during the 2006 War

Bibliography

• Conder, C.R.; Kitchener, H.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology. 1. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
• Guérin, V. (1880). Description Géographique Historique et Archéologique de la Palestine (in French). 3: Galilee, pt. 2. Paris: L'Imprimerie Nationale.
• HRW (2007). Why They Died: Civilian Casualties in Lebanon During the 2006 War. Human Rights Watch.
• Palmer, E.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener, R. E. Transliterated and Explained by E.H. Palmer. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.

External links

• Survey of Western Palestine, Map 2: IAA, Wikimedia commons
• Srifa, Localiban