Khirbat al-'Umur خربة العمور chirbet el-'amur | |
|---|---|
 To the left are the remains of the village (in the forest clearing on the spur), above the riverbed. Up the riverbed is the village spring and the villages ofEin Rafa andEin Nakuba. | |
| Etymology: fromAmorite[1] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Khirbat al-'Umur (click the buttons) | |
  Khirbat al-'Umur Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:31°47′37″N35°05′56″E / 31.79361°N 35.09889°E /31.79361; 35.09889 | |
| Palestine grid | 159/133 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Jerusalem |
| Date of depopulation | October 21, 1948[4] |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,163dunams (4.163 km2; 1.607 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 270[2][3] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault byYishuv forces |
| Current Localities | Giv'at Ye'arim[5] |
Khirbat al-'Umur was aPalestinian Arab village in theJerusalem Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the1948 Palestine war by theHar'el Brigade duringOperation Ha-Har. It was 12 km west ofJerusalem on the Wadi al-Ghadir.
AnOttoman village list from about 1870 showed thatchirbet el-'amur had a population of 69, with a total of 13 houses, though the population count included men, only. It also noted that it was located in the District of Beni Malik, south ofAbu Ghosh, and east ofSaris.[6][7]
In 1883, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine (SWP) describedEl Ammur as "A small hamlet on the slope above a deep valley. There is a fine perennial spring below on the south ('Ain Mahtush). There are olives beneath the village."[8]
In the1922 census of Palestine conducted by theBritish Mandate authorities,Kherbet al-'Amur had a population of 137 Muslims,[9] increasing in the1931 census to 187 Muslims, in 45 houses.[10]
In the1945 statistics, the village had a population of 270 Muslims,[2] while the total land area was 4,163dunams, according to an official land and population survey.[3] Of this, 497 dunams were used for plantations and irrigable land, 1,279 for cereals,[11] while 10 dunams were classified as built-up areas.[12]
Khirbat al-'Umur became depopulated on October 21, 1948, after military assault byYishuv forces.[4]
In 1950,Giv'at Ye'arim was founded on village land.[5]
In 1992, the village site was described: "Stone rubble and window and door frames, partly hidden by wild grass, are scattered across the village site. Many stone terraces are visible. Cactuses grow on the east and north sides of the village site, and almond, olive, fig, and cypress trees grow on the village site itself. The villagecemetery, to the south, is covered with dirt and grass but many graves are visible; tombstones stand at the head and foot of each one. The spring of 'Ayn al-'Umur and the stone structure around it can still be seen."[5]
