Islin

Islin (عسلين) was a Palestinian Arab village located 21 kilometers west of Jerusalem. It had a population of 302 inhabitants in 1948 before being depopulated during the Arab-Israeli war. The village was occupied by Israeli forces, likely from the Fourth Battalion of the Harel Brigade, on July 18, 1948, as part of Operation Dani, leading its inhabitants to flee or be expelled. Eshtaol, a moshav, was later built on the village's land.

Historically, Islin appeared in Ottoman tax registers in 1596 with 14 Muslim households and a population estimated at 77 people. By the late 19th century, the site was uninhabited but had visible ruins and a Mukam; it was likely re-established in the early 20th century. During the British Mandate, Islin's population grew from 132 Muslims in 1922 to 186 in 1931, living in 40 houses. By 1945, the population reached 260 Muslims, with the village spanning 2,159 dunams of land, including 104 dunams for plantations and irrigable land, 830 for cereals, and 20 dunams of built-up areas.

In 1992, the site featured partially destroyed walls, stone terraces, and overgrown vegetation. Many carob and olive trees grew in the north, while eucalyptus and fir trees were planted in the south. The area also housed a bus repair yard for the Israeli public transportation cooperative, Egged.