Al-B’aena 10.01.43
Translation with [comments]
[Still there today.]
Ancient and built on Roman ruins - ten years ago as foundations were being dug for a well in the Baidar al-Suk (barn), a cave with ancient coffins was found. The government was notified. It has come to my knowledge that many of the villagers found many gold coins imprinted with Queen Helena's face, as well as stones and fragments of pottery.
The Water there are neither springs nor wells. There are about 150 waterholes for rainwater that are in use and about 300 disused ones. Also a 3 dunam 15 metres deep rainwater reservoir to water the cattle.
The Roads there is an asphalt road in the village but the main Acre-Safad road is 3 kilometres away. The village roads are passable in winter too. Half of them are paved, those in the western part of the village, in the Christian quarter. The roads lead east to Nahaf [see file], Sajur [see file] and al-Rameh [see file], south to Sakhnin [see file], Dir-Hana [see file] and Sha'ab , [see file] north to Dir Al-Asad, west to Majd Al-Krum [see file]. Transportation is by Safad cars. Small cars make it to the village.
The Buildings stone and loam, most of them loam and wood. The new ones are few - stone and cement. The fences - brambles and sabres [prickly pear].
The Wadis Ayn al-Tahta to the north, Wadi al-Hala to the west.
Khirbes Talat al-Qzaz. There was a village there, there are remnants of a building, Khirbat Qubra, Talat al-Sha'ekeh and Talat al-Madraseh. About the latter it is said that there used to be a school there in Roman times. All are ruins of buildings.
Livestock 200 heads of cattle, 400 goats, 1000 chickens.
Land about 30 thousand dunams, mostly musha'a [in joint ownership] and uncultivated.
Plantations olives and figs. A large part of the olive trees date to Roman times. They cultivate olives and field crops.
There are no large landowners [effendi].
After the conquest the English performed a land census, the area was found to be 36 pedan [pedan = about 100 dunams] and was divided among the residents - 30 dunams in one stretch per family. Some families subsist by hiring land from other families.
There is no soil improvement, a permanent backwardness is apparent. None of the land is irrigated. The village received no land from the government.
[Waqf] 200 olive trees belong to the Orthodox waqf [charitable religious endowment], and were leased this past year for 25 Eretz Israel Lira [Palestine pound].
The village has no land elsewhere.
The Residents number of men in the 18-48 age group is about 300.
[Families] The Muslim Families are:
1. The Badran hamula [extended family], 100 people, headed by Husayn Mustafa Badran.
2. The 'Ali al-Khalil hamula, 90 people, headed by Khail al-'Arian
3. The Baqri hamula, 70 people, headed by Qasem Baqri
4. The al-'Abed hamula, 40 people, headed by Khalil al-'Abed
5. The 'Ali al-Husayn hamula, 100 people, headed by Sheikh 'Abed al-Fatah
6. The al-Khazarma hamula, 80 people, headed by Ibrahim Warda
These are the old village families. They own land and are moderate in their politics.
The Christian Families:
1. The al-Hazen family, 100 people, headed by Elias Hazen
2. The Bulus family, 90 people, headed by Hana al-Abdallah
3. The Elias family, 90 people, Ibrahim Hana Elias
4. The al-Huri family, 20 people, Dr. Salim Bishara al-Huri
5. The Nasara family, 40 people, Khalil Nasara
Some members of the Christian families are scholars. Prominent among them - Dr. Adib al-Hazan in Acre, Fuad al-Hazan, an engineer in Nablus, Hana Khalil al-Hazan, apothecary in Safad, Shuqri al-Hazan, an official in Haifa, Ali al-Hazan, post office clerk in Haifa, Hana Nimr, headmaster in Nazareth, Musa al-Nimr, apothecary in Nazareth, Dr. Selim Bishara, a physician in Acre, Nakhim al-Huri Bishara, a teacher in the department of education.
The al-Hazan family is extremely wealthy, it owns about a third of the village, in addition to olive trees in al-Rameh producing an annual 150 qintar [288 kg] of oil.
There are many disputes among the Christian families, especially about the leadership. Ten years ago, the village mukhtar of the al-Hazan family was murdered, and no replacement has been found. Only a year ago the provincial officer in Acre summoned them and then they agreed to nominate a mukhtar from the Bulus family, but hate is still in their hearts. Four months ago, a man by the name of Yaqub al-Hazan was murdered, who was the most distinguished member of the al-Hazan family. The village was in uproar, the government sent a police force and a temporary police station was set up in the village, that is still there. The residents accuse the al-Dabah family from neighbouring Dir al-Asad [see file] but nobody was arrested. Relations between them and Dir al-Asad are not good, because villagers from Dir sl-Asad steal the crops, and there is constant strife between the two villages.
[Mukhtars] The Christian mukhtar Antonius Yaqub Bulus was nominated a year ago. The Muslim mukhtar Mustafa Badran - of 12 years standing.
The village committee Ibrahim Bishara - chairman, Hana al-Abdallah, Hana Elias Hazan and the mukhtars - members.
[Schools] There used to be a government school for Ba'ena and Dir al-Asad but since the murder the government closed it down, for fear the children get hurt. The building was given by the al-Hazan family and the government is upkeeping it. It used to house 300 pupils.
Artisans there are blacksmiths, carpenters, woodcutters, well diggers, all plying their trade except during the agricultural season.
[Shops] There are 8 shops, the shopkeepers are also farmers.
[Employment] Three people left the police force and are now working as carpenters. There are no government, railway or public works officials.
Each family has a private guesthouse.
Expenses when money is needed it is levied among them.
[Jews] There are no ties with Jews. There are no guards or labourers there.
[Mosques and Churches] There is one mosque in the centre of the village. The Imam: Sheikh Rashid, a local.
There is a Catholic Church, the Priest is Ibrahim al-Hazan, and an Orthodox Church headed by the Priest Elias.
[Guards] There are 5 security men and 3 army recruits. The villagers post guards in the season. Relations with the authorities are currently good.
There are no debts because the village is rich.
[Smuggling] There are currently no smugglers.
The village during the Troubles [the Arab Revolt] the inciters: a Christian called Fadzum and Muhamad Dib Badran.
The villagers were under the command of al-Abed Bashir, who was under the command of Abu Ibrahim al-Sghir (the small).
In clashes between the rebels and the army 6 villagers were killed. The terrorists murdered Salah Ben Nimer al-Khalil, for reasons unknown. About 25 people were arrested for between one to six months.
Five guns were confiscated. The quantity of arms still there is unknown.
Damages the army encircled the village several times, but no damages were sustained. The government fined the village 150 Erez Israel Lira [Palestine pound].
There are no deportees.