Al Rameh 07.01.43
Translation with [comments]
[Still there today.]
Built on an ancient Roman ruin.
Water north of a village there is a small water spring: Ayn al-Qastel, with plenty of water, and a pool built on it, with pipes into the village and all the villagers take from the taps. Some years the spring runs low on water. West of the village a second spring: Ayn al-Sgharr. The army built a pump and pumps water. A third spring west of the village: Ayn al-Hadin with little water. A fourth spring to the south: Ayn al-Saghirah with little water. A fifth spring east of the village Ayn a-Hadra, 6 km away. On top of it is built a half-dunam pool 10 metres deep. The village has about 20 wells from which water is drawn by hand pumps. In addition 3 holes for rainwater. The herds are watered from Ayn al-Hadra or from the reservoir of Ayn al-Sghar.
Roads the internal roads are paved and good. There is an asphalt road east to Safed, west to Acre. Paths to Beit Jan [a Druze village], south to Sakhnin [see file] west to Nahaf [still there today]. The village is 30 km away from Acre. The transport is with Safed and Acre. The village is 1 km away from the highway. The villagers have two buses, 4 small cars and two lorries.
Buildings the ancient - stone and loam and lime, the new - stone and concrete.
Wadis Wadi Salameh to the south.
Khirbes to the south Khirbat al-Wadi with remains of ancient buildings.
Livestock 1000 heads of cattle, 1500 goats, 4000 chickens and a few beehives.
Land twenty five thousand dunams, divided plain, the mountainous land is Hidrat, al-Ksilah and Hazor mountains and this is musha'a [common land]. Plantations: olives, figs, vines and fruit. Occupied mainly with field crops and olives.
Land owning effendis - Al-Hazan family from Kafr Ba'ena [see file] own olive trees in the village producing 150 qintar [288 kg] of oil. Average family plot: about 100 dunams. There are families without land, they work for the other families. Have not developed new land in the past five years. Have not received land from the government.
About 500 dunam of vegetable and fruit plots are under irrigation.
[Waqf] There are no dealings with the waqf.
Residents number of residents - 1700, two thirds Christian and a third Druze. Number of men aged 18-48 - 400.
Families
1. Hana, 100 members, headed by the priest Ya’aqub Hana and Elias Shuqri.
2. Nakhleh, 100 members, headed by Jamil Nakhleh.
3. Dib, 75 members, headed by Asad Dib.
4. Faraj (Druze), 75 members, headed by Faraj sl-Salah.
5. Salah, 75 members, headed by Salah Salah.
6. Faraj, two members are government officials in Jerusalem. Most of the Christian families have members in government service.
There are no conflicts among the Christian families but among the Druze there are, over land and leadership. Relations with neighbouring villages are good.
Mukhtar the first is Daud al-Huri, has been for 15 years, popular. The second – Elias Nakhleh Elias, 10 years, popular. the third - Majid Al-Salah, 7 years, popular.
Local Council Jamil Nakhleh - chairman, Raji Hana, Farid Nakhleh, Elias Nakhleh, Jarjura al-Bahu, Tagayos Hadad, Farid al-Qassem, Majid al-Salah - members elected by the villagers.
[Schools] There is a 7 class government school with 250 pupils. The headmaster Elias Hazuri from the village; the teachers: Kamal Hana, Jamil Daud of the village, Najib Hadra from Safed, Suhana Jubran from Ma'ilya [see file], Salim Jubran and Jackie Habib of the village.
Artisans two smiths, 12 stonecutters, one Druze well digger, 4 cobblers.
There are 11 shops. The owners: Jarjura al-Bahu, Rashrash al-Boyman, Ayub Shabash, Shin Muhamad Shadeh, Asad Ya'aqub, Abdallah al-Huri, Turki al-Mashraki, Khalil al-Huri, Suhana 'Issa Shabash Muhamad al-Tuba.
[Employment] There were four policemen. They resigned during the troubles [the Arab Revolt]. There are no railway workers etc.
About 25 families left for Haifa and Acre for work.
[Guesthouses] There are 3 private guesthouses: at Faraj al-Salah's, Majid al-Salah's, Jamil Nakhleh's
Expenditure the local council levies an annual 60 EI mil from every person.
There are no relatives of note or influence.
[Jews] There are no ties with Jews and no workers or guards for the Jews.
[Churches and Hilweh] There are three Christian churches and one hilweh (house of prayer) for the Druze; the Sheikh Faraj al-Salah.
[Guards] Six Druze and one Christian enlisted to the military. 10 enlisted as guards, two of them Druze.
Village Guard the local council directed every house to give a guard; and every day 12 people assemble and go around the town as guards.
Relations with the authorities are good. Informers are unknown.
[Debts] There are no debts. Most of the residents have savings in the banks.
[Smuggling] There are currently no smugglers.
During the troubles [The Arab Revolt] events they were many of the inciters - the rebels would come and receive food and clothing.
One time the army received information that the rebels were in the village. When surrounding the village they encountered armed men, in the ensuing fire one of the villagers was killed. Nobody was murdered by the gangs.
There were short arrests.
Arms the government did not confiscate arms. The amount present today is unknown.
During the revolt the army encircled the village twice and conducted a search, but [??].
There are no deportees.