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.

Al-Samiriyya
السامرية
Samiriya, al-[1]
Village
Etymology: Kh. es Sâmrîyeh, ruin of the Samaritans[2]
1870s map
1940s map
modern map
1940s with modern overlay map
A series of historical maps of the area around Al-Samiriyya (click the buttons)
Al-Samiriyya is located in Mandatory Palestine
Al-Samiriyya
Al-Samiriyya
Location within Mandatory Palestine
Coordinates: 32°26′15″N 35°29′14″E / 32.43750°N 35.48722°E / 32.43750; 35.48722
Palestine grid196/204
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictBaysan
Date of depopulationMay 27, 1948[1]
Area
 • Total3,873 dunams (3.873 km2 or 1.495 sq mi)
Population
 (1945)
 • Total250[3][4]
Cause(s) of depopulationMilitary assault by Yishuv forces
Current LocalitiesSdei Trumot[5]

History

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The village had a mosque and three Khirbas: Khirbat al-Humra, Tulul al-Thawm, and Tall al-Khab.[5]

Ottoman era

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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]

British Mandate era

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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]

1948, aftermath

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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]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Morris, 2004, p. xvii, village #129. Also gives cause of depopulation
  2. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 163
  3. ^ a b Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 7
  4. ^ a b Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 44
  5. ^ a b c d Khalidi, 1992, p. 59
  6. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 123
  7. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 122
  8. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 128
  9. ^ Barron, 1923, Table IX, p. 31
  10. ^ Mills, 1932, p. 80
  11. ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 85
  12. ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 135
  13. ^ Morris, 2004, p. 228, note #484
  14. ^ Morris, 2004, p. 291, note #484

Bibliography

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