Kuwayat 07.01.43
Translation with [comments]
[Destroyed 10 July 1948.]
An ancient village built on ruins.
Water a spring in the west of the village. It used to suffice but as needs increased it no longer meets them. The villagers filed a request with the authorities to expand the spring or clean it. The villagers are compelled to carry drinking water from al-Nahr [see file] or Ayn Mimas [springs] which is 4 km away to the south of the village, and there are those who pay 10 EI mil for every water jug. The animals are watered either by the pools by the spring or taken further afield to other springs.
Roads the internal ways are unpaved and in bad condition in the rainy days. In winter the villagers walk 8 km to Kafr Yasif to catch a bus. There are ways south to Kafr Yasif, north to Kabri [see file] and Al-Nahr [see file], west to Mazra'a [see file], east to Al-'Amka [destroyed 10 July 1948]. The main Acre-Beirut road is 5 km away.
Buildings stone, loam, lime and Arabic wood. The roofs loam and wood. The fences prickly pear and resin.
Wadis to the south Wadi al-'Usffiya, to the north Wadi al-Majnuna [the crazy one, since in the winter the water were flowing with extra force through the valley].
[Khirbes] There are no khirbes around.
Livestock 130 heads of cattle, 2000 goats and sheep, the chickens are few.
Land about 5 thousand dunams plain and mountain. Mostly mafruza [divided]. Plantations: olives and figs. They work in field crops and olive cultivation.
Land Owning Effendis the Salah al-Amin family has 60 dunams field crops that they cultivate themselves. Average family plot is 40 dunam. More than two thirds of the villagers have no land. Used to farm in the village and the neighbouring villages. Now they work for the army.
No new land was developed in recent years. Have not received land from the government. There is no irrigation of land.
[Waqf] There are 2 dunam waqf that the villagers cultivate for the mosque.
The village has no land elsewhere.
Residents number of men in the 18-48 age group: about 200.
Families
1. Al-Gadban, 30 members, leader: Sheikh Suleiman al-Gadban.
2. Al-Lahayha, 40 members.
3. Hasan, 50 members, leader: Sheikh Khalil Hasan.
4. Al-Barakeh, 45 members.
5. Iskandar Al-Khatib, 35 members.
Relations between the families are not good. There is strife over land. Relations with the neighbouring villages - good.
Mukhtar the first - Sheikh Salim al-Gadban, the second - Sheikh Khalil Hasan. These mukhtars have been in office a long time and gained the position through their fathers. Village Committee: Salim al-Gadban chairman, 'Omar Shehdeh Assad Gadban, Muhamad al-Yusuf and Khalil Hasan - members.
[Schools] There is a government school of 60 pupils.
Artisans there are two primitive carpenters, one cobbler, 5 stone quarry men.
[Shops] There are three shops. Their owners make their living from farming too.
[Police] 5 people served in the police, but were dismissed during the revolt due to their sympathy with the gangs.
[Teachers] Of the villagers is one teacher in Ayn Ghazzal [a destroyed village on the coast, south of Haifa] in the Jenin province [it was in the Haifa district].
[Employment] A few moved to Acre for work.
There are no railway workers etc.
[Guestroom] Each family has a private guestroom.
Expenditure collected among themselves when needed.
There are no relatives of note.
[Jews] There are no ties with Jews.
[Mosques] There is a mosque in the centre of the village. The imam Sheikh Salim al-Gadban of the village.
[Guards] Six of the villagers enlisted as guards.
The residents elect guards for the seasons.
Relations with the authorities are currently good. The informers are unknown.
[Smugglers] There are no smugglers.
[Debts] Currently there are no debts.
The Village during the Troubles [The Arab Revolt] the main inciters in the village were: 'Awad al-Bihan, Khalil Snobar. The villagers were under the command of Rabah 'Awad of al-Ghabsiyyeh [occupied 1 May 1948; ethnically cleansed 1 February 1949].
In a clash with the army on the mountain 12 of the villagers were killed. During the uprising there was an accidental skirmish between the villagers and the rebels. The details: one noon Sheikh Hamed came from the village of Nahaf [see file] riding his horse and with him armed men and they parked in the village. On the mountains around the village the rebels remained to watch. The blind sheikh demanded money. One of the villagers objected and said: we're helping and will help with men, we have no [money]. One of the villagers fired a shot, the guards on the mountain heard the shot and thought that the army encircled the village. There were exchanges of fire between them and the villagers in which 5 of the latter were killed, and if it weren't for the intervention of the wise this incident would have ended tragically. But they made it up.
Arrests the government arrested more than a hundred people for periods of a month to three months.
The government confiscated 25 rifles. The amount still there - unknown.
There was no carnage or damage. The government fined the village several times for an overall sum of 500 EIL, It has been paid.
There are no deportees.