Al-Kunayyisa

Al-Kunayyisa was a small Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War on July 10, 1948, under the first stage of Operation Dani. It was located 12 km southeast of Ramla.

Al-Kunayyisa

الكنيّسة
Ruin in Al-Kunayyisa
Etymology: The church[1]
1870s map
1940s map
modern map
1940s with modern overlay map
A series of historical maps of the area around Al-Kunayyisa (click the buttons)
Al-Kunayyisa
Location within Mandatory Palestine
Coordinates: 31°53′18″N 34°57′27″E
Palestine grid146/144
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictRamle
Date of depopulationJuly 10, 1948[2]
Area
 • Total3,872 dunams (3.872 km2 or 1.495 sq mi)
Population
 (1945)
 • Total40[4][3]
Cause(s) of depopulationMilitary assault by Yishuv forces

History

In 1838, it was noted it was noted as a place "in ruins or deserted”, called el-Kuneiseh in the Lydda District.[5]

In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) noted "Foundations and traces of ruins."[6]

British Mandate era

In the 1931 census of Palestine Al-Kunayyisa was counted with Innaba, together they had 1135 Muslim inhabitants, in 288 houses.[7]

In the 1945 statistics Al-Kunayyisa had a population of 40 Muslims,[4] with 3,872 dunams of land.[3] Of this, a 64 dunams were used for plantations and irrigable land, 2,432 were used for cereals,[8] while 20 dunams were classified as built-up areas.[9]

A khirba to the east contains rugged stone walls and building remains.[10]

1948, aftermath

Al-Kunayyisa became depopulated after a military assault on July 10, 1948.[2]

On 20 August 1948, Al-Kunayyisa was one of 32 Palestinian villagers whose land was given to the JNF for establishing Jewish settlements. Al-Kunayyisas land was given to Mishmar Ayalon.[11] However, according to Walid Khalidi, Mishmar Ayalon is on the land of Al-Qubab.[10]

In 1992 the village site was described: "From a distance, the site looks like a big stone pile overgrown with a thicket of thorns. More than thirty partially destroyed buildings, including houses, still stand. The remains of arched doors and windows are visible. Fig, almond, olive, and pomegranate trees and cactuses grow among the buildings. The lands in the vicinity are cultivated by the nearby kibbutz; some are planted with cotton."[12]

References
  1. Palmer, 1881, p.298
  2. Morris, 2004, p. xix village #243. Also gives cause of depopulation
  3. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 67
  4. Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 29
  5. Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p. 121
  6. Conder and Kitchener, 1883, SWP III, p. 103
  7. Mills, 1932, p. 20
  8. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 116
  9. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 166
  10. Khalidi, 1992, p. 391
  11. Morris, 2004, p. 376
  12. Khalidi, 1992, p. 392

Bibliography
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