Khirbat Zalafa

Khirbat Zalafa (Arabic: خربة زلفة‎) was a small Palestinian Arab village in the Tulkarm Subdistrict, located about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) northwest of Tulkarm. It was depopulated during the 1948 Palestine war. It was occupied by Yishuv forces on April 15, 1948 as a part of operation "Coastal Clearing."[5]

This article is about the depopulated Palestinian village. For the Arab village that forms part of the Israeli local council of Ma'ale Iron, see Zalafa.
Khirbat Zalafa

خربة زلفة

Khirbet Zalafa, Zalafa
Etymology: "The cistern"[1]
1870s map
1940s map
modern map
1940s with modern overlay map
A series of historical maps of the area around Khirbat Zalafa (click the buttons)
Khirbat Zalafa
Location within Mandatory Palestine
Coordinates: 32°24′14″N 34°56′33″E
Palestine grid144/201
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictTulkarm
Date of depopulationApril 15, 1948[2]
Area
(6,865 Arab, 617 Jewish, 231 Public)
 • Total7,713 dunams (7.713 km2 or 2.978 sq mi)
Population
 (1945)[3][4]
 • Total210
Cause(s) of depopulationFear of being caught up in the fighting

History

Remains from a settlement dating to the Roman-Byzantine era have been found here.[6]

In the modern era, the people of Khirbat Zalafa came from Attil to farm the village land. Gradually they settled in the village so they could be closer to their land. In the late 19th century, Khirbat Zalafa was described as a small hamlet with springs to the south.[7]

British Mandate era

In the 1922 census of Palestine there were 63 villagers, all Muslim.[8] At the time of the 1931 census, the village was counted under Attil, together with Jalama and Al-Manshiyya.[9]

The village had a small core of houses, with many dwellings scattered throughout on the agricultural lands. The agriculture was based on watermelons, vegetables, grain and olives.[10]

By the 1944/45 statistics the village had 210 Muslims,[3] while jurisdiction was 7,713 dunams, of which 6,865 was Arab owned, 617 was Jewish owned, while 231 was publicly owned.[4] Of this, 6,798 dunums were allotted to cereals, 38 dunum was devoted to citrus and bananas ad 6 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.[11] while 3 dunams were classified as built-up, urban land.[12]

Khirbat Zalafa (Kh. ez Zalafa) 1942 1:20,000
Khirbat Zalafa (Kh. Zalafa) 1945 1:250,000

1948 and after

The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi described the village in 1992: "The village has been completely levelled. Both the original site and the surrounding lands are covered with Israeli citrus orchards."[10]

There are no Israeli settlements on village land.[10]

See also

References
  1. Palmer, 1881, p. 196
  2. Morris, 2004, p. xviii, village #185. Also gives cause(s) of depopulation.
  3. Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 21
  4. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 76
  5. Morris, 2004, p. xviii, village #185
  6. Tsafrir et al, 1994, p. 260
  7. Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 153. Quoted in Khalidi, 1992, p. 568
  8. Barron, 1923, Table IX, Sub-district of Tulkarem, p. 28
  9. Mills, 1932, p. 53
  10. Khalidi, 1992, p. 568
  11. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 126 Also Khalidi, 1992, p. 568
  12. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 176

Bibliography
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