Umm al-Faraj أُم الفرج Um el-Faraj, La Fierge | |
|---|---|
| Etymology: The ruin with the gap, or chink[1] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern map.jpg) 1940s with modern overlay mapA series of historical maps of the area around Umm al-Faraj (click the buttons) | |
  Umm al-Faraj Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:33°00′18″N35°07′16″E / 33.00500°N 35.12111°E /33.00500; 35.12111 | |
| Palestine grid | 162/267 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Acre |
| Date of depopulation | 21 May 1948[4] |
| Area | |
• Total | 825 dunams (82.5 ha or 204 acres) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 800[2][3] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault byYishuv forces |
| Current Localities | Ben Ami[5] |
Umm al-Faraj (Arabic:أم الفرج, known to theCrusaders asLa Fierge), was aPalestinian village, depopulated in 1948.
The village was situated on a flat spot in the Acre plain, 10.5 kilometers (6.5 mi) northeast ofAcre.[6]
Archaeological remains from theRoman andByzantine eras have been found here.[7]
Sugar Moulds found here indicate that sugar productions started in the 11th century, under theFatimid era.[7]
The village was known to theCrusaders asLe Fierge, and belonged to the fief ofCasal Imbert.[6] In 1253King Henry granted the whole estate of Casal Imbert, includingLe Fierge, toJohn of Ibelin.[8][9] Shortly after, in 1256, John of Ibelin leased Az-Zeeb and all its depending villages (includingLe Fierge) to theTeutonic Order for 10 years.[10] In 1261, Az-Zeeb, together withLe Fierge andLe Quiebre, were sold to the Teutonic Order, in return for an annual sum for as long asAcre was in Christian hands.[11] In 1283 it was still a part of the Crusader states, as it was mentioned as part of their domain in thehudna between the Crusaders based inAcre and theMamluk sultanQalawun.[12][13]
According toal-Maqrizi, it had come underMamluk rule in 1291, when it was mentioned under the name ofFarah when sultanal-Ashraf Khalil allocated the village's income to aWaqf inCairo.[14][15]
Sugar production continued here during the Crusader and Mamluk eras.[7]
Incorporated into theOttoman Empire in 1517 with all ofPalestine, it appeared in the 1596tax registers asFarja, being in the Akka Nahiya (Subdistrict ofAcre), part of theSafad Sanjak (District of Safed), with a population of 24 households and 13 bachelors, allMuslim. The villagers paid a fixed tax rate of 20% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, cotton, goats and beehives, in addition to "occasional revenues" and a water mill; a total of 1,576akçe. Half of the revenues were given to awaqf.[16][17][18] Sugar production continued here to the beginning of the seventeenth century CE.[7]
In 1799, the village was calledEl Fargi on the map ofPierre Jacotin.[19] An inscription inmarble, built into the wall above the gate of the villagemosque, dates this building to 1254 H, (1838-39 C.E.).[20]
In May 1875, the French explorerVictor Guérin visited the village. He described it as being surrounded by "delightful" gardens, irrigated with water fromNahr al-Mafshukh. Many houses were built with great care, and some had old pieces of stone built into them. He further noted that "the location of an old demolished church is still to a certain extent recognisable", and that all the 200 villagers were Muslim.[21] In 1881, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine described it as being built of stone and with a population of 200. The villagers plantedfig,olive,mulberry andpomegranate trees.[22]
A population list from about 1887 showedUm el Ferj to have about 690 inhabitants, all Muslims.[23]
In the1922 census of Palestine conducted by theBritish Mandate authoritiesUmm al Faraj had a population of 322, all Muslims,[24] increasing in the1931 census to 415, 2 Christians and 413 Muslims, in a total of 94 houses.[25]The older houses in the village were built close together and formed a circle, while the homes build after 1936 were scattered among the orchards.[6] The population of Umm al-Faraj lived by agriculture.[6]
In the1945 statistics, the population of Umm al-Faraj was 800, all Muslims,[2] with a total land area of 825 dunams.[3] In 1944/45 a total of 745dunams (0.745 km2; 0.288 sq mi) was used forcitrus andbananas, 18 dunams (0.018 km2; 0.0069 sq mi) were used forcereals, 42 dunams (0.042 km2; 0.016 sq mi) were irrigated or used for orchards,[6][26] while 15 dunams were built-up (urban) areas.[27]
During the1948 Arab-Israeli War, Umm al-Faraj was assaulted byIsrael'sCarmeli Brigade in the second stage ofOperation Ben'Ami. The operational order, issued 19 May 1948, was to "attack with the aim of conquest, the killing of adult males, destruction and torching."[28] The assault came on the 20–21 May 1948, when Carmeli forces attacked Umm al-Faraj together withKabri,al Tell andNahar, and then "demolished them," according to Morris.[29]
Following the war the area was incorporated into theState of Israel. Themoshav ofBen Ami was established in 1949, in part on village land.[5]
The Palestinian historianWalid Khalidi described the village remains in 1992: "Only the stone mosque remains. It is shut and stands in a state of decay amid tall wild grass. Many trees that might predate the village's destruction can be seen. The nearby lands are cultivated; a banana grove belongs to the Ben Ammi settlement."[5]
