Bayyarat Hannun was a Palestinian agricultural estate in the Tulkarm Subdistrict in Mandatory Palestine. It was depopulated during "Operation Coastal Clearing" on March 31, 1948, in the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine. It was located 16 km west of Tulkarm.

Bayyarat Hannun
بيّارة حنون
Village
Part of Bayyarat Hannun, during construction of Netanya Stadium
Part of Bayyarat Hannun, during construction of Netanya Stadium
Etymology: from Bayyara, meaning "orchard"[1]
1870s map
1940s map
modern map
1940s with modern overlay map
A series of historical maps of the area around Bayyarat Hannun (click the buttons)
Bayyarat Hannun is located in Mandatory Palestine
Bayyarat Hannun
Bayyarat Hannun
Location within Mandatory Palestine
Coordinates: 32°17′36″N 34°51′48″E / 32.29333°N 34.86333°E / 32.29333; 34.86333
Palestine grid137/188
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictTulkarm
Date of depopulationEarly April 1948[3]
Population
 (1931)
 • Total559 with Ghabat Kafr Sur and 'Arab el Balawina[2]
Cause(s) of depopulationFear of being caught up in the fighting
Secondary causeExpulsion by Yishuv forces

Geography

edit

Bayyarat Hannun was located on a small elevation, just north of an artificial pond. The most notable landmark was one large house, part of which was still standing in 1992.[1]

History

edit

The first part of the name Bayyara, meaning "orchard".

The village developed around a vast agricultural estate, established starting in 1890 by members of the Hannun family from Tulkarm in the lands of Ghabat Kafr Sur.[4]

The village was noted as a hamlet in the Palestine Index Gazetteer.[1]

In the 1931 census of Palestine it was counted with nearby Ghabat Kafr Sur and 'Arab el Balawina, together they had a population of 559; 6 Christians and 553 Muslims, in a total of 128 houses.[2] According to Marom, among the residents were "about 200 itinerant workers from Egypt, and lower-class tribesmen like ‘Arab al-Balawna, ‘Arab al-Huwaytat and ‘Arab al-Qatatwa."[4]

Aftermath of the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine

edit

The village became depopulated in early April 1948, during Operation Coastal Clearing carried out by Haganah. Benny Morris provided "fear of being caught up in the fighting" and "Expulsion by Yishuv forces" as reasons for depopulation,[3][5][6] while Rosemarie Esber noted "on-site massacre, atrocities, rape, expulsion by Zionist forces" as reason for depopulation.[7]

By 1992, the southern part of Netanya had expanded within 500 meters from the village site.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Khalidi, 1992, p. 551
  2. ^ a b Mills, 1932, p. 57
  3. ^ a b Morris, 2004, p. xviii, village #374. Also gives cause of depopulation.
  4. ^ a b Marom, Roy (2024). "The Palestinian Rural Notables' Class in Ascendency: The Hannun Family of Tulkarm (Palestine)". Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies. 23 (1): 77–108. doi:10.3366/hlps.2024.0327. ISSN 2054-1988.
  5. ^ Morris, 2004, p. 245, note #630
  6. ^ Morris, 2004, p. 298, note #630
  7. ^ Esber, 2008, pp. 294, 392

Bibliography

edit
edit