Kfar Shalem
Encyclopedia
Kfar Shalem is a neighbourhood
in south-eastern Tel Aviv
, Israel
.
village of Salama
stood where Kfar Shalem is now located. In 1931, there were 800 houses and 3,691 residents in the village. On the eve of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, the village had 7,600 residents, most of whom were refugees from the surrounding area, who had moved to Salama. The residents also included some wealthy people from Jaffa
, who built country homes there.
The village of Salama was occupied after intense resistance on 29 April 1948, as part of Operation Hametz
. This removed the threat of sniper fire to the Jewish neighbourhoods of Hatikvah, Ezra and Yad Eliyahu. Following the capture, the Palestinian Arab villagers were expelled. Immediately after the village was cleansed of its inhabitants, new Jewish immigrants were settled there, particularly Yemen
i families who arrived as part of Operation Magic Carpet
, and also some who had been made homeless during the war. The name of the village was subsequently changed from ‘Salama’ to ‘Kfar Shalem’, and became a very densely populated neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, with some 20,000 residents. As well as the reoccupied houses of the Arab village, the neighbourhoods of Ramat Hen, Ramat HaShikmah, the Bulgarian Quarter, Hefetz Haim, and the Ramat Gan National Park.
The government decided to destroy the village houses and put up new buildings. In 1965, an eviction and rebuilding act was passed, and a process began of removing residents from the neighbourhood. This process saw ups and downs in respect to relations between the residents and the establishment; one of the most serious incidents was in December 1982, when one resident, Shimon Yehoshua, who tried to prevent the demolition of his home, was shot dead by a policeman.
At the beginning of the 1990s, hundreds of families were evacuated, receiving generous compensation. Many of them were rehoused in tower blocks in the area, which because of the population density quickly became known as “slums on pillars”. The municipality allowed some of the families to continue living at ground level. Each family received a half-dunam, and permission to build a semi detached home.
Evacuation orders with no compensation have been issued against 30 of the 400 families who live in these localities, since it is alleged that the land on which their homes stand is not state land (under the auspices of the Custodian of Absentee Property
, but private land. It is argued that, since the lands belonged in 1948 to a British investor who is not considered an absentee, the lands had not been expropriated by the state, they were not in its possession, and it had no obligation to compensate the residents. The Supreme Court
accepted this argument, and the forced evacuation is due to take place in mid-July 2007. Activists and community groups have criticised this ruling, describing it as “ethnic-class injustice”. Dr Sandy Kedar of the University of Haifa
, a member of the Israel Association for Distributive Justice, states that although from a narrow legalistic view the Supreme Court’s decision could possibly be justified, “If you look at what is happening in Kfar Shalem and compare it to, for example, Kibbutz Glil Yam
, then it is possible to argue that this is a discriminatory policy that verges on illegality."
.
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
in south-eastern Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
20th century
Until 1948, the ArabArab
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 of Salama
Salama (town)
Salama was a Palestinian Arab village, located five kilometers east of Jaffa, that was depopulated in the lead up the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The town was named for Salama Abu Hashim, a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
stood where Kfar Shalem is now located. In 1931, there were 800 houses and 3,691 residents in the village. On the eve 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...
, the village had 7,600 residents, most of whom were refugees from the surrounding area, who had moved to Salama. The residents also included some wealthy people from 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:...
, who built country homes there.
The village of Salama was occupied after intense resistance on 29 April 1948, as part of Operation Hametz
Operation Hametz
Operation Hametz was a Jewish operation towards the end of the British Mandate of Palestine. It was launched at the end of April 1948 with the objective of capturing villages inland from Jaffa and establishing a blockade around the town.-Background:...
. This removed the threat of sniper fire to the Jewish neighbourhoods of Hatikvah, Ezra and Yad Eliyahu. Following the capture, the Palestinian Arab villagers were expelled. Immediately after the village was cleansed of its inhabitants, new Jewish immigrants were settled there, particularly Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i families who arrived as part of Operation Magic Carpet
Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen)
Operation Magic Carpet is a widely-known nickname for Operation On Wings of Eagles , an operation between June 1949 and September 1950 that brought 49,000 Yemenite Jews to the new state of Israel. British and American transport planes made some 380 flights from Aden, in a secret operation that was...
, and also some who had been made homeless during the war. The name of the village was subsequently changed from ‘Salama’ to ‘Kfar Shalem’, and became a very densely populated neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, with some 20,000 residents. As well as the reoccupied houses of the Arab village, the neighbourhoods of Ramat Hen, Ramat HaShikmah, the Bulgarian Quarter, Hefetz Haim, and the Ramat Gan National Park.
The government decided to destroy the village houses and put up new buildings. In 1965, an eviction and rebuilding act was passed, and a process began of removing residents from the neighbourhood. This process saw ups and downs in respect to relations between the residents and the establishment; one of the most serious incidents was in December 1982, when one resident, Shimon Yehoshua, who tried to prevent the demolition of his home, was shot dead by a policeman.
At the beginning of the 1990s, hundreds of families were evacuated, receiving generous compensation. Many of them were rehoused in tower blocks in the area, which because of the population density quickly became known as “slums on pillars”. The municipality allowed some of the families to continue living at ground level. Each family received a half-dunam, and permission to build a semi detached home.
21st century
As of 2007, as a result of the scarcity of ground floor accommodation, and the Tel Aviv population exchange policy, the municipality has decided that all ground floor homes in Tel Aviv should pay a uniform rate. So the inhabitants of these buildings are paying the same rate as residents in the well-off neighbourhoods of Tzahala and Afeka, without receiving the social and community services, such as schools, clinics, regular public transport and community institutions, which the residents of ground floor homes in north Tel Aviv receive. Those families – some 400 in number – who were not included in the 1990s schemes, currently live in localities scheduled for demolition.Evacuation orders with no compensation have been issued against 30 of the 400 families who live in these localities, since it is alleged that the land on which their homes stand is not state land (under the auspices of the Custodian of Absentee Property
Internally displaced Palestinians
A present absentee is a Palestinian who fled or was expelled from his home in Palestine by Jewish or Israeli forces, before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, but who remained within the area that became the state of Israel. Present absentees are also referred to as internally displaced...
, but private land. It is argued that, since the lands belonged in 1948 to a British investor who is not considered an absentee, the lands had not been expropriated by the state, they were not in its possession, and it had no obligation to compensate the residents. The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
accepted this argument, and the forced evacuation is due to take place in mid-July 2007. Activists and community groups have criticised this ruling, describing it as “ethnic-class injustice”. Dr Sandy Kedar of the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
, a member of the Israel Association for Distributive Justice, states that although from a narrow legalistic view the Supreme Court’s decision could possibly be justified, “If you look at what is happening in Kfar Shalem and compare it to, for example, Kibbutz Glil Yam
Glil Yam
Glil Yam is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain between Ramat HaSharon and Herzliya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 327....
, then it is possible to argue that this is a discriminatory policy that verges on illegality."
Sport
The neighbourhood has a football team, Hapoel Kfar Shalem, which plays in Liga AlefLiga Alef
-History:League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef...
.