Al-Samiriyya
السامرية Samiriya, al-
[1] | |
---|---|
Village | |
Etymology: Kh. es Sâmrîyeh, ruin of the Samaritans [2] | |
Location within
Mandatory Palestine | |
Coordinates: 32°26′15″N 35°29′14″E / 32.43750°N 35.48722°E | |
Palestine grid | 196/204 |
Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
Subdistrict | Baysan |
Date of depopulation | May 27, 1948 [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 3,873 dunams (3.873 km2 or 1.495 sq mi) |
Population (1945) | |
• Total | 250 [3] [4] |
Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault by Yishuv forces |
Current Localities | Sdei Trumot [5] |
Al-Samiriyya ( Arabic: السامرية), was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Baysan. It was depopulated by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on May 27, 1948, as part of Operation Gideon. It was located 7 km southeast of Baysan.
The village had a mosque and three Khirbas: Khirbat al-Humra, Tulul al-Thawm, and Tall al-Khab. [5]
In 1882, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine found at Khurbet es Samriyeh: "Ruined walls and traces of ruins alone remain. The place has, however, the appearance of an ancient site, and is well supplied with water." [6] Of Khurbet el Humra they noted: "A few walls standing and a ruined mill. No indications of antiquity exist", [7] while of Tellûl eth Thŭm they noted: "Artificial mounds; a stream of water to the north". [8]
In the 1922 census of Palestine, conducted by the Mandatory Palestine authorities, Samriyeh had a population of 162; all Muslims, [9] increasing in the 1931 census to 181 Muslims, in a total of 41 houses. [10]
In the 1945 statistics the village had a population of 250; 240 Muslims and 10 Christians, [3] with a total of 3,873 dunums of land. [4] Of this, 11 dunums were irrigated or used for plantation, 2,801 were for cereals, [11] while 22 dunams were built-up land. [12]
The village became depopulated in May, 1948, after the Arab inhabitants of Baysan had been expelled. [1] [13] [14]
In 1951 Sdei Trumot was established on village land, just north of the village site. [5]
In 1992 the village site was described: "Only collapsed roofs remain, they are located on the western edge of the Sdei Trumot settlement". [5]