Idnibba
Encyclopedia
Idnibba was a Palestinian
village, located at latitude 31.7426937N and longitude 34.8561001,E in the southern part of Ramla
district. It was depopulated in 1948, at which time its population was 568, and its lands are now used by Kfar Menahem
.
settlement of Danuba. The Crusaders
also called it Danuba.
In 1596, Idnibba was part of the Ottoman Empire
, nahiya (subdistrict) of Gaza
under the liwa'
(district) of Gaza
with a population of 198. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat, barley and sesame seeds, as well as goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, Idnibba was described as a village built of stone and mud and situated on high ground. It was surrounded by cactus hedges and had a fig
tree orchard to the south.
Most villagers worked in agriculture and animal husbandry. In 1944/45 a total of 5,277 dunums of village land was used for cereal
s. 85 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards, of which 64 dunums was for olive
s.
, Givati
HQ informed General Staff\Operations that "our forces have entered the villages of Qazaza
, Kheima
, Jilya
, Idnibba, Mughallis
, expelled the inhabitants, [and] blown up and torched a number of houses. The area is at the moment clear of Arabs."
There are no Israeli settlements on village lands. The settlement of Kefar Menachem, built in 1937, is about 2 km. southwest of the village site.
Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
described the remains of Idnibba in 1992: "The site and the surrounding lands have been converted into pastures and woods. A large area has been leveled by bulldozers. Demolished walls and the remnants of stone houses lie at various points on the site. There are natural caves with artificial, arched entrances on the upper, western edge of the site."
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
village, located at latitude 31.7426937N and longitude 34.8561001,E in the southern part of Ramla
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...
district. It was depopulated in 1948, at which time its population was 568, and its lands are now used by Kfar Menahem
Kfar Menahem
Kfar Menahem is a kibbutz in Israel located about 7 km east of Kiryat Malakhi in south-central Israel. It falls under the jurisdiction of Yoav Regional Council....
.
History
Idnibba may have been built on the site of the RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
settlement of Danuba. The Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
also called it Danuba.
In 1596, Idnibba 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 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,...
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 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,...
with a population of 198. It paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat, barley and sesame seeds, as well as goats and beehives.
In the late nineteenth century, Idnibba was described as a village built of stone and mud and situated on high ground. It was surrounded by cactus hedges and had a fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
tree orchard to the south.
Most villagers worked in agriculture and animal husbandry. In 1944/45 a total of 5,277 dunums of village land was used for cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s. 85 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards, of which 64 dunums was for olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s.
1948, and aftermath
On 16 July 1948, during Operation An-FarOperation An-Far
Operation An-Far was a military operation launched by Israel's Givati Brigade on the night of July 8–9 during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its objectives were to gain control of approaches in southern Judea and block the advance of the Egyptian army...
, Givati
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...
HQ informed General Staff\Operations that "our forces have entered the villages of Qazaza
Qazaza
Qazaza was a Palestinian village, located south of Ramla. It was depopulated in 1948.-History:A European traveler reported that he passed Qazaza in the 1860s on his way to examine a nearby tell. The villagers of Qazaza, who were predominantly Muslim, maintained a village mosque and some owned...
, Kheima
Al-Khayma
Al-Khayma was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Ramla. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on July 9, 1948 by the Givati Brigade of Operation An-Far. It was located 18.5 km south of Ramla.In 1945 it had a population of 190....
, Jilya
Jilya
Jilya was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Ramla. The Romans referred to it as Jilya by Galla. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War by the Givati Brigade of the first stage of Operation Dani on July 9, 1948. It was located 17 km south of Ramla.A 1596 census revealed...
, Idnibba, Mughallis
Mughallis
Mughallis was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of Hebron. In 1945, it had a population of 540. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War between July 9-10, 1948 as part of Operation An-Far.-External links:*...
, expelled the inhabitants, [and] blown up and torched a number of houses. The area is at the moment clear of Arabs."
There are no Israeli settlements on village lands. The settlement of Kefar Menachem, built in 1937, is about 2 km. southwest of the village site.
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 remains of Idnibba in 1992: "The site and the surrounding lands have been converted into pastures and woods. A large area has been leveled by bulldozers. Demolished walls and the remnants of stone houses lie at various points on the site. There are natural caves with artificial, arched entrances on the upper, western edge of the site."