Arab al-Samniyya
Encyclopedia
Arab al-Samniyya also known as Khirbat al-Suwwana, is a depopulated Palestinian
village
in the Western Galilee that was captured by Israel
during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
. It was located in the Acre District
of the British Mandate of Palestine, 19.5 km northeast of the city of Acre
. In 1945 the village had a population of 200 Arab
s and a total land area of 1,872 dunums
.
. The villagers cultivated grain, figs, and olives. In 1944/45 a total of 174 dunam
s were allocated to grain crops; 22 dunums were irrigated and planted with orchards.
. The village was completely destroyed, and only building rubble left behind. The village remained depopulated of its inhabitants. In 1950, the Jewish settlement
of Ya'ara
was established on the depopulated land.
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...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Western Galilee that was captured by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
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...
. It was located in the Acre District
District of Acre
The Sanjak of Acre was a prefecture of the Ottoman Empire, located in modern-day northern Israel. The city of Acre was the sanjak's capital.Acre was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I in 1517, but the city fell into disuse soon thereafter...
of the British Mandate of Palestine, 19.5 km northeast of the city of Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
. In 1945 the village had a population of 200 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...
s and a total land area of 1,872 dunums
Dunam
A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum, dynym, dulum was a non-SI unit of land area used in the Ottoman Empire and representing the amount of land that can be plowed in a day; its value varied from 900–2500 m²...
.
Before 1948
The village was situated on a rocky hill near the road linking Ra´s al-Naqura with Safad. Its houses were made of stone. A dirt path linked it to the coastal highway and thence to AcreAcre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
. The villagers cultivated grain, figs, and olives. In 1944/45 a total of 174 dunam
Dunam
A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum, dynym, dulum was a non-SI unit of land area used in the Ottoman Empire and representing the amount of land that can be plowed in a day; its value varied from 900–2500 m²...
s were allocated to grain crops; 22 dunums were irrigated and planted with orchards.
1948 War
The village was captured by Israel's 7th and Carmeli Brigades on 31 October 1948 during the Israeli Defense Force offensive, Operation HiramOperation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion...
. The village was completely destroyed, and only building rubble left behind. The village remained depopulated of its inhabitants. In 1950, the Jewish settlement
Jewish settlement
Jewish settlement may refer to :* Israeli settlement : Jewish communities currently established in the West Bank or in the Golan Heights, between 1967 and 2006 in the Gaza strip or between 1967 and 1981 in the Sinai....
of Ya'ara
Ya'ara
Ya'ara is a moshav in northern Israel. Located near Ma'alot-Tarshiha, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 533....
was established on the depopulated land.
External links
- Welcome To 'Arab al-Samniyya
- Arab Al-Samniyya at 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...