Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira
Encyclopedia
Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira was a Palestinian
Arab
village in the District of Gaza
, located 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) northeast of Gaza
. Established in the 19th century, it was situated at an elevation of 60 metres (196.9 ft) in the southern coastal plain of Ottoman Syria
. Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, but prior to that, in 1945, it had a population of 530 inhabitants.
, but left because of feuds with other residents. Thus, the village was also known as "Masmiyyat al-Hurani". The adjectival Saghira means "minor" in Arabic
and was used to differentiate it from al-Mamsiyya al-Kabira, the latter word meaning "major".
The entire population was Muslim
. Seven small shops provided the village with its basic needs and children attended school in al-Masmiyya al-Kabira. Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy, grain being the dominant crop. In addition to cultivation, the inhabitants raised livestock which numbered approximately 4,000 animals, including sheep, goats, cattle, camels, mules. Farmers participated in the weekly market of al-Faluja
, and also sold their products in the cities of Gaza, al-Majdal (Ashkelon), and Jaffa
.
The circumstances of al-Masmiyya al-Saghira's capture by Israel
was identical to those of its sister village, al-Masmiyya al-Saghira which was occupied by the Givati Brigade
on July 8–9, 1948. Israeli historian Benny Morris
writes that the military operation was undertaken occurred in the ten days between the first two truces of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
and that it "precipitated the evacuation of the village". The Jewish moshav
of Kfar HaRif
was established on al-Masmiyya al-Saghira's lands in 1956. According to Walid Khalidi
: "Virtually no trace of the village remains, and the site is overgrown with weeds, tall grasses, and a scattering of eucalyptus trees".
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
village in the District of Gaza
District of Gaza
The District of Gaza was an administrative district, situated in the southern Mediterranean coastline of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated, with Israel controlling the northern and eastern portions while Egypt held control of the southern...
, located 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) northeast of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
. Established in the 19th century, it was situated at an elevation of 60 metres (196.9 ft) in the southern coastal plain of Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
. Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, but prior to that, in 1945, it had a population of 530 inhabitants.
History
Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira was established in the second half of the 19th century by al-Hurani clan who had lived in the adjacent al-Masmiyya al-KabiraAl-Masmiyya al-Kabira
Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira was a Palestinian village in the District of Gaza, located northeast of Gaza. With a land area of 20,687 dunams, the village site was situated on an elevation of along the coastal plain. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
, but left because of feuds with other residents. Thus, the village was also known as "Masmiyyat al-Hurani". The adjectival Saghira means "minor" in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and was used to differentiate it from al-Mamsiyya al-Kabira, the latter word meaning "major".
The entire population was Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Seven small shops provided the village with its basic needs and children attended school in al-Masmiyya al-Kabira. Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy, grain being the dominant crop. In addition to cultivation, the inhabitants raised livestock which numbered approximately 4,000 animals, including sheep, goats, cattle, camels, mules. Farmers participated in the weekly market of al-Faluja
Al-Faluja
al-Faluja was an Arab village in the British Mandate of Palestine, located 30 kilometers northeast of Gaza City. The village and the neighbouring village of Iraq al-Manshiyya formed part of the Faluja pocket, where 4,000 Egyptian troops were besieged for four months by the newly established Israel...
, and also sold their products in the cities of Gaza, al-Majdal (Ashkelon), and Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
.
The circumstances of al-Masmiyya al-Saghira's capture by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
was identical to those of its sister village, al-Masmiyya al-Saghira which was occupied by the Givati Brigade
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
on July 8–9, 1948. Israeli historian Benny Morris
Benny Morris
Benny Morris is professor of History in the Middle East Studies department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in the city of Be'er Sheva, Israel...
writes that the military operation was undertaken occurred in the ten days between the first two truces of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
and that it "precipitated the evacuation of the village". The Jewish moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
of Kfar HaRif
Kfar HaRif
Kfar HaRif is a moshav on the border of the Shfela and the Coastal Plain in south-central Israel. It is the largest community in the Yoav Regional Council. It is about one km southeast of Masmiya junction and about 2 km northeast of Kiryat Malakhi....
was established on al-Masmiyya al-Saghira's lands in 1956. According to Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi is an Oxford University-educated Palestinian historian who has written extensively on the Palestinian exodus. He is General Secretary and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies, established in Beirut in December 1963 as an independent research and publishing center...
: "Virtually no trace of the village remains, and the site is overgrown with weeds, tall grasses, and a scattering of eucalyptus trees".