Kafra

The village of Kufra was located in the middle of the Baysan Valley, with its houses built along the upper edges of the Kufra Valley—a shallow wadi. A secondary road connected Kufra to the main Baysan–Jericho highway, while other local roads linked it to nearby villages. A small forest was located to the south of the village. Kufra has been known by this name since at least the Crusader period. The village’s inhabitants were Muslims. To the east of the village stood a shrine (maqam) dedicated to Shaykh Muhammad, a local religious scholar.

Due to its location at the intersection of several village roads, Kufra became a local center of commercial activity. However, agriculture remained the primary basis of its economy. The main crops included grains, vegetables, and olives. In 1944/1945, a total of 7,284 dunums was allocated to grain cultivation, and 36 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.

Kufra was also an archaeological site. A basin carved into black volcanic rock was discovered there, along with the remains of an ancient village.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village

No detailed information is available regarding the occupation of the village or the displacement of its residents. There are no Israeli settlements on village lands.

The Village Today

Cactus plants now grow among the village ruins, alongside almond, olive, and fig trees. A fence encloses most of the surrounding land. Portions of the land are currently used for grazing, while the fields near the hill are mostly cultivated with chickpeas. The remnants of the carved stone basin and the ancient village are still visible, though they have not yet been examined by archaeologists.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

There are no Israeli settlements on the lands of Kufra.