Kafr al-Zib 21.12.42

Translation with [comments]

[Al-Zib was destroyed on 14 May 1948].

Built on ancient ruins. Mentioned in the Bible.

Water there is a water spring to the northeast of the village, with plenty of water. The water is not collected because it is very close to the sea, a distance of 50 metres. The water is sweet. It is drawn by use of animals. There are in addition 10 holes to collect rainwater but the villagers are not interested in holes as the spring water is enough. The cattle are watered from the same spring.

Roads the Haifa-Beirut highway crosses the village. The internal roads are unpaved and in the rainy season difficult to use. There is a bus, a taxi and a lorry that belong to the village.

Buildings loam and stone, the new of concrete. The fences - sabres [prickly pear], brambles and barbed wire.

Wadis: to the north Wadi al-Qarn.

[Khirbes] There are no khirbes [ruined old settlements] that are affiliated to the village.

Livestock: 100 heads of cattle, 500 chickens.

Land: 8 thousand dunams, divided. The soil is red-yellow and sand.

Plantations: orange groves, fruit trees and olives.

Main crops: oranges, vegetables and fish.

Land owning Effendis: inheritors of 'Abed al-Fatah al-Sa'adi, they live in Acre. They own 500 dunam in Kafr al-Zib [see file] which they lease to the villagers. The average family plot - about 40 dunams. There are families without land and they work for the other families or fish. They have not developed new land in recent years. About 5000 dunam is under irrigation, using pumps and some from the Wadi al-Qarn water. Have not received land from the government.

[Waqf] Two 50 dunam plots belong to the Muslim waqf.

[Land] The village has no other land elsewhere.

Residents number around 1700. Men aged 18-48 - 400.

Families: the al-Sa'adi and the 'Atia families, with 600 people, their leaders: Mouhamad 'Atia, Mustafa al-Sa'adi, they own 1000 dunam that they lease to the villagers.

There is a conflict between the families from the time of the uprising. Some of the al-Sa'adis were killed and the 'Atias suspected other families from the village. Relations with neighbouring villages are good.

Mukhtars: Abu Sami 'Atia and Darwish 'Awad. There is no village committee.

[Schools] There is a government school. 50 pupils and one teacher.

Artisans: 20 fishermen, 4 drivers, one mason.

[Shops] There are 10 shops, and two coffee houses whose owners have no additional occupation.

[Employment] There are no government officials among the villagers. About a hundred worked to lay the Haifa-Beirut rail. There are no railway or telephone employees.

Migration to the towns: Al-Sa'adi family had a notable leader, member of the Turkish council of representatives in Constantinople called 'Abed al-Fatah al-Sa'adi. He left 4 sons behind. One of them Naji al-Sa'adi is famous for his close relation with the government and among the literary circles but his three brothers are mentally sick and live in Acre. Most of the family is in trade.

[Guesthouses] There are no guesthouses. There is no public expenditure.

Notable Relatives: the al-Sa'adi family in Acre.

Relations with the Jews: they have no Jewish neighbours and no ties with the Jews. None sold land to Jews because it is dangerous to sell the village land to Jews (?). There are no workers or guards in Jews' employment.

[Mosques] There is a small and serving mosque.

[Guards] There are no gaffirs [security men] or army recruits. There is no guard in the village.

Relations with the government are currently good. The villagers owe no money to moneylenders for interest.

[Smuggling] The villagers of al-Zib are known as smugglers, by sea and land, and they have an agreement with Tyre and Sidon regarding smuggling by sea.

[The Arab Revolt] The village did not take part in the troubles [the Arab revolt]. During the uprising [the Arab Revolt] the [British] army killed Kamel 'Abed al-Hamid and Abu Najmi 'Atia. When a mine exploded near the village of al-Basa [see file], one of the residents informed that it was laid by people of al-Zib. The soldiers seized the al-Sa'adi's bus and filled it with people. Then the army laid a mine and when the bus ran over it 14 of the passengers were killed. None were killed by the terror. There were short-term arrests none exceeding a week. No weapons were confiscated. The number of arms in the village now is not known. There were no damages. There are no exiles or metrudin [deportees] [people could be in such category either because of British banishment or internal feuds].