Towns and villages depopulated during the 1947–1949 Palestine war

Monday, 29 November 2021 - 11:00 am (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
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Towns and villages depopulated during the 1947–1949 Palestine war © Wiki Commons

Towns and villages depopulated during the 1947–1949 Palestine war © Wiki Commons

During the 1947–1949 Palestine war around 400 Arab towns and villages were depopulated, with a majority being entirely destroyed and left uninhabitable (Nakba). Today these locations are in Israel; many of the locations were repopulated by Jewish immigrants, with their place names replaced with new Hebrew place names.

Arabs remained in small numbers in some of the cities (Haifa, Jaffa and Acre); and Jerusalem was divided between Jordan and Israel. Around 30,000 Palestinians remained in Jerusalem in what became the Arab part of it (East Jerusalem). In addition, some 30,000 non-Jewish refugees relocated to East Jerusalem, while 5,000 Jewish refugees moved from the Old City to West Jerusalem on the Israeli side. An overwhelming number of the Arab residents, and other non-Jews such as Greeks and Armenians, who had lived in the cities that became a part of Israel and were renamed (Acre, Haifa, Safad, Tiberias, Ashkelon, Beersheba, Jaffa and Beisan) fled or were expelled. Most of the Palestinians who remain there are internally displaced people from the villages nearby.

A number of the towns and villages were destroyed by Israeli forces in the aftermath of the 1948 war, but it was not until 1965 that more than 100 remaining locations – including many of the largest depopulated places – were demolished by the Israel Land Administration.

There are more than 120 “village memorial books” documenting the history of the depopulated Palestinian villages. These books are based on accounts given by villagers. Rochelle A. Davis has described the authors as seeking “to pass on information about their villages and their values to coming generations”.

The towns and villages listed below are arranged according to the subdistricts of Mandatory Palestine they were situated in.

Towns, cities and villages
Acre, Haifa, Safad, Tiberias, Ramle, Lydda, Al-Majdal, Askalan (renamed Ashkelon), Beersheba, Jaffa and Beisan.

Acre Subdistrict
al-Bassa – military assault, expulsion by Yishuv forces, 14 May 1948, al-Birwa – military assault, 11 June 1948, al-Damun – military assault, 15–16 July 1948, al-Ghabisiyya, al-Kabri – military assault, fear, 21 May 1948, al-Manshiyya – military assault, 14 May 1948, al-Mansura – expulsion by Yishuv forces, early November 1948, al-Nabi Rubin, al-Nahr – military assault, 21 May 1948, al-Ruways, al-Sumayriyya military assault, 14 May 1948, al-Tall (Tell) – military assault, 21 May 1948, Amqa – military assault, 10–11 July 1948, Arab al-Samniyya, Az-Zeeb (al-Zib) – military assault, 14 May 1948, Dayr al-Qassi, Iqrit – expulsion by Yishuv forces, early November 1948, Kafr ‘Inan – expulsion by Yishuv forces, February 1949, Khirbat Iribbin, Khirbat Jiddin, Kuwaykat – military assault, 10 July 1948, Mi’ar, Sha’ab, Suhmata – military assault, 30 October 1948, Suruh – expulsion by Yishuv forces, early November 1948, Tarbikha, expulsion by Yishuv forces, early November 1948 and Umm al-Faraj – military assault, 21 May 1948.

Beersheba Subdistrict
al-Imara, al-Jammama, al-Khalasa, Beersheba, military assault, expulsions, 20 October 1948 and Umm al-Rashrash.

Beisan Subdistrict
Arab al-‘Arida, Arab al-Bawati, Arab al-Safa, al-Ashrafiyya, al-Bira, Beisan, Danna, Farwana, al-Fatur, al-Ghazzawiyya, al-Hamidiyya, al-Hamra, Jabbul, Kafra, Kawkab al-Hawa, al-Khunayzir, Masil al-Jizl, al-Murassas, Qumya, al-Sakhina, al-Samiriyya, Sirin, Tall al-Shawk, al-Taqa, al-Tira, Umm ‘Ajra, Khirbat Umm Sabuna, Yubla, Zab’a and al-Zawiya.

Gaza Subdistrict
Arab Suqrir, Barbara, Barqa, al-Batani al-Gharbi, al-Batani al-Sharqi, Bayt ‘Affa, Bayt Daras, Bayt Jirja, Bayt Tima, Bil’in, Burayr, Dayr Sunayd, Dimra, al-Faluja, Hamama, Hatta, Hiribya, Huj, Hulayqat, Ibdis, Iraq al-Manshiyya, Iraq Suwaydan, Isdud, al-Jaladiyya, al-Jiyya, Julis, al-Jura, Jusayr, Karatiyya, Kawfakha, Kawkaba, al-Khisas, al-Masmiyya al-Kabira, al-Masmiyya al-Saghira, al-Muharraqa, Najd, Ni’ilya, Qastina, al-Sawafir al-Gharbiyya, al-Sawafir al-Shamaliyya, al-Sawafir al-Sharqiyya, Simsim, Summil, Tall al-Turmus and Yasur.

Haifa Subdistrict
Abu Shusha, Abu Zurayq, Arab al-Fuqara, Arab al-Nufay’at, Arab Zahrat al-Dumayri, ‘Atlit, Ayn Ghazal, Ayn Hawd, Balad al-Sheikh, Barrat Qisarya, Burayka, al-Burj, al-Butaymat, Daliyat al-Rawha’, al-Dumun, al-Ghubayya al-Fawqa, al-Ghubayya al-Tahta, Hawsha, Ijzim, Jaba’, al-Jalama, Kabara, al-Kafrayn, Kafr Lam, al-Kasayir, Khubbayza, Lid, al-Manara, al-Mansi, al-Mansura, al-Mazar, Naghnaghiya, Qannir, Qira, Qisarya, Qumbaza, al-Rihaniyya, Sabbarin, al-Sarafand, Khirbat al-Sarkas, Khirbat Sa’sa’, al-Sawamir, Khirbat al-Shuna, al-Sindiyana, al-Tantura, al-Tira, Umm ash Shauf, Umm az-Zinat, Wa’arat al-Sarris, Wadi Ara and Yajur.

Hebron Subdistrict
‘Ajjur, Barqusya, Bayt Jibrin, Bayt Nattif, al-Dawayima, Deir al-Dubban, Dayr Nakhkhas, Kudna, Mughallis, al-Qubayba, Ra’na, Tell es-Safi, Umm Burj, az-Zakariyya, Zayta and Zikrin.

Jaffa Subdistrict
al-‘Abbasiyya, Abu Kabir, Abu Kishk, Bayt Dajan, Biyar ‘Adas, Fajja, al-Haram, Ijlil al-Qibliyya, Ijlil al-Shamaliyya, al-Jammasin al-Gharbi, al-Jammasin al-Sharqi, Jarisha, Kafr ‘Ana, al-Khayriyya, al-Mas’udiyya, al-Mirr, al-Muwaylih, Rantiya, al-Safiriyya, Salama, Saqiya, al-Sawalima, al-Shaykh Muwannis and Yazur.

Jenin Subdistrict
al-Jawfa, al-Mazar, Ayn al-Mansi, Lajjun, Nuris und Zir’in

Jerusalem Subdistrict
Allar, Aqqur, Artuf, Bayt ‘Itab, Bayt Mahsir, Bayt Naqquba, Bayt Thul, Bayt Umm al-Mays, al-Burayj, Dayr Aban, Dayr ‘Amr, Dayr al-Hawa, Dayr Rafat, Dayr al-Shaykh, Deir Yassin, Ayn Karim, Ishwa, Islin, Ism Allah, Jarash, al-Jura, Kasla, al-Lawz, Lifta, al-Maliha, Nitaf, al-Qabu, Qalunya, al-Qastal, Ras Abu ‘Ammar, Sar’a, Saris, Sataf, Sheikh Badr, Suba, Sufla, al-Tannur, al-‘Umur and al-Walaja.

Nazareth Subdistrict
al-Mujaydil, Indur, Ma’alul and Saffuriyya.

Ramle Subdistrict
Abu al-Fadl, Abu Shusha, Ajanjul, al-Barriyya, al-Burj, al-Haditha, al-Khayma, al-Kunayyisa, al-Maghar, al-Mansura, al-Mukhayzin, al-Muzayri’a, al-Na’ani, al-Qubab, al-Qubayba, al-Tina, al-Tira, Aqir, Barfiliya, Bashshit, Bayt Jiz, Bayt Nabala, Bayt Shanna, Bayt Susin, Bir Ma’in, Bir Salim, Daniyal, Dayr Abu Salama, Dayr Ayyub, Dayr Muhaysin, Dayr Tarif, Idnibba, Innaba, Jilya, Jimzu, Kharruba, Khirbat al-Buwayra, Khirbat al-Duhayriyya, Khirbat Bayt Far, Khirbat Zakariyya, Khulda, Latrun, Majdal Yaba, Nabi Rubin, Qatra, Qazaza, Qula, Sajad, Salbit, Sarafand al-Amar, Sarafand al-Kharab, Saydun, Shahma, Shilta, Umm Kalkha, Wadi Hunayn, Yibna and Zarnuqa.

Safad Subdistrict
Abil al-Qamh, al-‘Abisiyya, ‘Akbara, Alma, Ammuqa, Arab al-Shamalina, Arab al-Zubayd, Ayn al-Zaytun, Baysamun, Biriyya, al-Butayha, al-Buwayziyya, Dallata, al-Dawwara, Dayshum, al-Dirbashiyya, al-Dirdara, Fara, al-Farradiyya, Fir’im, Ghabbatiyya, Ghuraba, al-Hamra’, Harrawi, Hunin, al-Husayniyya, Jahula, al-Ja’una, Jubb Yusuf, Kafr Bir’im, al-Khalisa, Khan al-Duwayr, Khirbat Karraza, al-Khisas, Khiyam al-Walid, Kirad al-Baqqara, Kirad al-Ghannama, Lazzaza, Madahil, Al-Malkiyya, Mallaha, al-Manshiyya, al-Mansura, Mansurat al-Khayt, Marus, Meiron, al-Muftakhira, Mughr al-Khayt, al-Muntar, al-Nabi Yusha’, al-Na’ima, Qabba’a, Qadas, Qaddita, Qaytiyya, al-Qudayriyya, al-Ras al-Ahmar, Sabalan, Safsaf, Saliha, al-Salihiyya, al-Sammu’i, al-Sanbariyya, Sa’sa’, al-Shawka al-Tahta, al-Shuna, Taytaba, Tulayl, al-‘Ulmaniyya, al-‘Urayfiyya, al-Wayziyya, Yarda, Safad, al-Zahiriyya al-Tahta, al-Zanghariyya, Zawiya, al-Zuq al-Fawqani and al-Zuq al-Tahtani.

Tiberias Subdistrict
Al-‘Ubaydiyya,al-Dalhamiyya, al-Hamma, al-Majdal, al-Manara, al-Manshiyya, al-Mansura, al-Nuqayb, al-Samakiyya, al-Samra, al-Shajara, Awlam, Ghuwayr Abu Shusha, Hadatha, Hittin, Kafr Sabt, Khirbat al-Wa’ra al-Sawda’, Lubya, Ma’dhar, Nasir ad-Din, Nimrin, Samakh, Tabgha and Yaquq.

Tulkarm Subdistrict
al-Jalama, al-Manshiyya, Bayyarat Hannun, Fardisya, Ghabat Kafr Sur, Kafr Saba, Khirbat al-Majdal, Khirbat al-Zababida, Khirbat Bayt Lid, Khirbat Zalafa, Miska, Qaqun, Raml Zayta, Tabsur, Umm Khalid, Wadi al-Hawarith and Wadi Qabbani.

Read more on United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, 1947–1949 Palestine war, Israeli Declaration of Independence, Nakba/Nakba Law and as a result of the Nakba the Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries, Palestinian Declaration of Independence, International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Haaretz, 9 December 2021: Classified Docs Reveal Massacres of Palestinians in ’48 – and What Israeli Leaders Knew and Towns and villages depopulated during the 1947–1949 Palestine war (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). Photos by Wikimedia Commons. If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.






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