Khiyam al-Walid خيام الوليد | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Khiyam al-Walid was located on the eastern edge of theHula Valley | |
| Etymology: "the tents of al-Walid" | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Khiyam al-Walid (click the buttons) | |
  Khiyam al-Walid Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:33°08′39″N35°39′14″E / 33.14417°N 35.65389°E /33.14417; 35.65389 | |
| Palestine grid | 211/282 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Safad |
| Date of depopulation | May 1, 1948[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,215dunams (4.215 km2; 1.627 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 280[1][2] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Fear of being caught up in the fighting |
| Current Localities | Lehavot HaBashan[4] |
Khiyam al-Walid (Arabic:خيام الوليد) was aPalestinianArab village in theSafad Subdistrict located 25.5 kilometers (15.8 mi) northeast ofSafad along theSyrian border. It was on situated on a hill 150 meters (490 ft) above sea level on the eastern edge of theHula Valley. In 1945, there were 280 predominantlyMuslim inhabitants. It was depopulated during the1948 Palestine War.[4]
The name of the village inArabic is translated as "the tents of al-Walid", which may refer to the Arab Muslim commanderKhalid ibn al-Walid (d. 642).[4] According to local tradition, a shrine and the tomb of the sage Shaykh ibn al-Walid was located in the villagemosque.[4]
In the1931 census of Palestine the population of Khiyam al-Walid was 181, all Muslims, in a total of 42 houses.[5]
Khiyam al Walid was classified as a hamlet by thePalestine Index Gazetteer. During theBritish Mandate period, many of the houses were situated along the road to the nearby village ofaz-Zawiya. There was a good water source to the east, and the village consequently expanded in that direction. In a 1945 survey, the village was made up of a total 4,215dunams. Despite its entire population beingArab, 92% of its land wasJewish-owned.[4]
Types of land use indunams in the village in the1945 statistics:[6][7]
| Land Usage | Arab | Jewish |
|---|---|---|
| Irrigated and plantation | 153 | 2,599 |
| Cereal | 0 | 502 |
| Cultivable | 153 | 3,101 |
| Urban | ||
| Non-cultivable | 8 | 800 |
The land ownership of the village before occupation indunams:[2]
| Owner | Dunams |
|---|---|
| Arab | 161 |
| Jewish | 3,901 |
| Public | 153 |
| Total | 4,215 |
According to anIsraeli military report in June 1948, the residents fled on May 1 in anticipation of an attack by Israeli forces. It was occupied by the end of may inOperation Yiftach.[8]
Palestinian historianWalid Khalidi wrote of the remains of the village in 1992, saying "The site is deserted and overgrown with grass and thorns. There are a fewcarob trees, piles of stones, and crumbled terraces."[4]
