Saris ساريس | |
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![Landscape near Saris, on a 1587 print by Jean Zuallart[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSeritz_-_Zuallart_Jean_-_1587.jpg) Landscape near Saris, on a 1587 print byJean Zuallart[1] | |
| Etymology: Saris, personal name[2] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Saris, Jerusalem (click the buttons) | |
  Saris Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:31°47′53″N35°04′26″E / 31.79806°N 35.07389°E /31.79806; 35.07389 | |
| Palestine grid | 157/133 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Jerusalem |
| Date of depopulation | 16–17 April 1948[5] |
| Area | |
• Total | 10,699dunams (10.699 km2; 4.131 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 560[3][4] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault byYishuv forces |
| Current Localities | Shoresh,Sho'eva,Neve Ilan |
Saris (Arabic:ساريس) was aPalestinianArab village that was depopulated during the major offensive launched by theHaganah on 16 April 1948. CalledOperation Nachshon, and launched before the British had left Palestine, its objective was to capture villages between Jerusalem and the coastal plain, in order to break to siege of the Jews of Jerusalem.[6]
Yaqut al-Hamawi noted about Saris in the 1220s that it was "a village of the district round Jerusalem. It lies half-way between Jerusalem andAr Ramlah, and 4 hours from either place".[7]
DuringOttoman rule in Palestine, in 1596, Saris was a village in thenahiya (subdistrict) ofJerusalem under theliwa' (district) ofJerusalem and it had a population of 53Muslim households, an estimated 292 persons. The villagers paid taxes on a number of crops, includingwheat,barley,olives fruit and carob, as well as ongoats,beehives and vineyards; a total of 7,098akçe. A quarter of the revenue went to aWaqf.[8]
In 1838,Edward Robinson notedSaris as a Muslim village in the District ofBeni Malik, west of Jerusalem,[9] while in 1852 he noted that the village "belonged feudally" to the Latham family, ofBayt 'Itab.[10]
In 1863, the French explorerVictor Guérin found Saris to have an apparently ancientwater well, while the houses looked "dilapidated".[11] An Ottoman village list of about 1870 counted 57 houses and a population of 169, though the population count included men, only.[12][13]
In 1883, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine described Saris as being located on top of a hill, with olive trees growing below the village.[14]
Baldensperger reported in 1893 that theSeal of Solomon was engraved in stone over windows and doors on several houses in Saris.[15] According to Palestinian folklore, this kept away all evil.[16] In 1896 the population of Saris was estimated to be about 360 persons.[17]
In the1922 census of Palestine conducted by theBritish Mandate authorities, Saris had a population 373, all Muslims,[18] increasing in the1931 census to 470, still all Muslims, in 114 houses.[19] A 1931 survey counted 114 houses in the village.[20]
In the1945 statistics the population of Saris was 560, all Muslims,[3] and it had 10,699dunams of land according to an official land and population survey.[4][21] 366 dunams were plantations and irrigable land, 3,677 for cereals,[22] while 10 dunams were built-up (urban) land.[23]
On 13 April, before the village was attacked,Israel Galili wrote toYosef Weitz of theJNF asking for a settlement to be established at Saris 'as soon as possible.'[24]
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On 16-17 April 1948 the village was attacked by theHaganah.The Scotsman reported 'Jews destroyed a mosque, village school, and 25 houses, killing three women in an attack on the Arab village of Saris early today (16th). There were about 500 attackers.' TheNew York Times carried the same report and gave the number of Arab dead as seven. AHaganah statement is quoted as saying that the battalion stayed in the village for about five hours, blowing up 25 buildings and burning others.[25] HistorianSaleh Abdel Jawad writes that "indiscriminate killings" occurred.[26]
Following the war, the area was incorporated into theState of Israel. The village ofShoresh was established 1 km south west of the remains of Saris in 1948, whileSho'eva was set up 0.5 km north east of the site in 1950, both on land that had belonged to Saris.[21]
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The Palestinian historianWalid Khalidi described the village land in 1992: "The site is covered with stone rubble; iron bars protrude from the collapsed roofs. There are many open wells and several caves with arched roofs. A large number of trees, including cypress, fig, and almond trees, grow on the site. An abandoned grove of almond trees is located on the eastern side. In the middle of the slope are the remains of an artificial pool. The villagecemetery, surrounded by trees, is located southwest of the site. It contains several large tombs, one of which is surrounded by a small, roofless enclosure; analmond tree grows in the center." He also noted that two forests had been established in the area by theJewish National Fund and the Center for European Jewry.[21]
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