Al-Muzayri'a
Encyclopedia
Al-Muzayri'a was a Palestinian village in the district of Ramla
, depopulated in 1948.
ran along its southern part, and separated it from the village of Qula
. The village was about 1 km east of the al-Ramla-Haifa railway line. It was also located to the east of the al-Ramla-Jaffa highway.
mausoleum, still standing, (about 1 km south of the village site) was converted into a mosque
dedicated to a prophet, al-Nabi Yahya ("the Prophet John"). About 1 km northeast of the village was Khirbat Zikhrin, a Roman-Byzantine site that was inhabited during Mamluk
and Ottoman
periods. The place has been excavated since 1982.
In 1596, Al-Muzayri'a was part of the Ottoman Empire
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Jabel Qubal under the liwa'
(district) of Nablus
with a population of thirty-nine. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
, barley
, and olives, as well as goats, and beehives.
The village was possibly abandoned during the seventeenth century, only to be reoccupied in the eighteenth century by a family from Dayr Ghassana, named al-Rumayh. A. Mansell mentioned passing the village in the early 1860s.
In 1919, a school for boys was founded in the village. By 1945 it had become a full-fledged elementary school, with 207 students, including children of the neighboring villages. 35 dunums of land was attached to the school. A school for girls was founded in 1945, and had an initial enrollment of 78 students.
In 1944/45 the village had a population of 1,160. A total of 953 dunum
s of village land was used for citrus
and banana
s, 5,895 dunums were used for cereals, and 35 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
Al-Muzayri'a was located in the territory allotted to the Arab state under the 1947 UN Partition Plan.
The Israeli settlement of Nechalim was founded in 1949 on the northwestern part of village land. The settlement of Mazor
was founded the same year on the western part of village land.
The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
, described the place in 1992: "The site is largely forested. While a few houses remain, most have been reduced to rubble. Cacti and stone terraces are visible on the site."
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
, depopulated in 1948.
Location
Al-Muzayri'a was located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north-northeast of al-Ramla, on limestone hill, overlooking the coastal plain. A wadiWadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
ran along its southern part, and separated it from the village of Qula
Qula
Qula was a Palestinian village in the British Mandate District of Ramla 15 km northeast of Ramla, depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.Hasan Salama and his son Ali Hassan Salameh were from Qula.-History:...
. The village was about 1 km east of the al-Ramla-Haifa railway line. It was also located to the east of the al-Ramla-Jaffa highway.
History
The location has a long history of habitation. A RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
mausoleum, still standing, (about 1 km south of the village site) was converted into a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
dedicated to a prophet, al-Nabi Yahya ("the Prophet John"). About 1 km northeast of the village was Khirbat Zikhrin, a Roman-Byzantine site that was inhabited during Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
and Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
periods. The place has been excavated since 1982.
In 1596, Al-Muzayri'a was part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Jabel Qubal under the liwa'
Liwa (arabic)
Liwa or Liwa is an Arabic term meaning district, banner, or flag, a type of administrative division. It was interchangeable with the Turkish term "Sanjak" in the time of the Ottoman Empire. After the fall of the empire, the term was used in the Arab countries formerly under Ottoman rule...
(district) of Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
with a population of thirty-nine. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, and olives, as well as goats, and beehives.
The village was possibly abandoned during the seventeenth century, only to be reoccupied in the eighteenth century by a family from Dayr Ghassana, named al-Rumayh. A. Mansell mentioned passing the village in the early 1860s.
In 1919, a school for boys was founded in the village. By 1945 it had become a full-fledged elementary school, with 207 students, including children of the neighboring villages. 35 dunums of land was attached to the school. A school for girls was founded in 1945, and had an initial enrollment of 78 students.
In 1944/45 the village had a population of 1,160. A total of 953 dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
s of village land was used for citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
and banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, 5,895 dunums were used for cereals, and 35 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
1948, and aftermath
The Israeli settlement of Nechalim was founded in 1949 on the northwestern part of village land. The settlement of Mazor
Mazor
Mazor is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain around three kilometres south-east of Petah Tikva and covering 2,300 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Modi'in Regional Council. In 2007, it had a population of 1,100....
was founded the same year on the western part of village land.
The Palestinian historian 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...
, described the place in 1992: "The site is largely forested. While a few houses remain, most have been reduced to rubble. Cacti and stone terraces are visible on the site."
See also
- List of Arab towns and villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
- Palestinian cultural club
- Mazor MausoleumMazor MausoleumThe Mazor Mausoleum is one of the most impressive and best preserved Roman buildings in Israel, located in El'ad. The Mausoleum, which is the only Roman era building in Israel to still stand from its foundations to its roof, was built for an important Roman man and his wife in the 3rd century AD...
External links
- Welcome To al-Muzayri'a
- al-Muzayri'a from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural Center is an organization established in 1996. It is located at 4 Raja Street, Ramallah in the West Bank. The traditional manor that houses the centre was the former family home of Khalil Salem Salah, the mayor of Ramallah between 1947/1951, is now owned by the Palestinian...
- Al-Muzer3a from Dr. Moslih Kanaaneh