Al-Samiriyya
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Al-Samiriyya
السامرية Samiriya, al-[1] | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Etymology: Kh. es Sâmrîyeh, ruin of the Samaritans[2] | |
.jpg) 1870s map .jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map .jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Al-Samiriyya (click the buttons) | |
  Al-Samiriyya 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; 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.
Ottoman era
The village had a mosque and three Khirbas: Khirbat al-Humra, Tulul al-Thawm, and Tall al-Khab.[5]
In 1852, Edward Robinson noted al-Samiriya from the mountains of Transjordan.[6]
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."[7] Of Khurbet el Humra they noted: "A few walls standing and a ruined mill. No indications of antiquity exist",[8] while of Tellûl eth Thŭm they noted: "Artificial mounds; a stream of water to the north".[9]
British Mandate era
In the 1922 census of Palestine, conducted by the Mandatory Palestine authorities, Samriyeh had a population of 162; all Muslims,[10] increasing in the 1931 census to 181 Muslims, in a total of 41 houses.[11]
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,[12] while 22 dunams were built-up land.[13]
1948, aftermath
The village became depopulated in May, 1948, after the Arab inhabitants of Baysan had been expelled.[1][14][15]
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]
