Qumya

The village of Qumiya stood atop a hill and, like the nearby village of Shatta, served as the western gateway to the Baysan Plain. The Baysan–Haifa main road passed along the village’s edge.

As of 1956, Qumiya fell within the administrative boundaries of the District of al-Lajjun, and during the Ottoman era, it was classified as a mazra‘a (farmstead) that paid taxes to the state (Bakhit & Al-Hamoud 1989, p. 18).

In the late 19th century, Qumiya was described as a village built on an elevation in the middle of a valley surrounded by prickly pear cactus. Its houses, made of mudbrick and clustered closely together, were located at the summit of the hill, while vegetable gardens spread across the lower surrounding slopes. The village also had a boys’ elementary school.

In 1944/1945, a total of 4,205 dunums of land was dedicated to cereal cultivation, while 33 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.

Qumiya was also known for its archaeological significance, including the site of Khirbat Qumiya, which contained rectangular building foundations, caves, and water cisterns carved into the rock. Evidence indicates that the site was inhabited in earlier historical periods, as remains of rectangular structures, ancient ruins, and dressed stones were found.

Approximately 800 meters south of Qumiya lies ‘Ayn Jalud, an archaeological site where remnants of Roman milestones and a large rock-cut pool were discovered.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village

In the months leading up to the outbreak of full-scale war, certain non-military Zionist organizations managed to orchestrate the expulsion of several Palestinian villagers from their homes. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, a key figure in this effort was Yosef Weitz, head of the Land Department of the Jewish National Fund (JNF).

On March 26, 1948, Weitz met with other officials from the JNF and called for the expulsion of the residents of Qumiya, as well as those of al-Tira, a few kilometers to the northeast. He justified the action by claiming that the villagers had “failed in their responsibility to prevent the infiltration of irregular fighters (i.e., Arab fedayeen)”, and stated that they “should be forced to leave their village until peace is restored.”

Morris notes that the residents of Qumiya left the village mostly on their own—coincidentally on the same day as Weitz’s meeting. He attributes their departure to fears of a Jewish attack, a sense of vulnerability, and economic pressures. Morris adds that although local Jewish neighbors did not directly order the villagers to leave, it is possible they were given “friendly advice” to do so.

He does not detail the nature of the economic pressures involved but states that the villagers departed aboard British army trucks. A few days later, Weitz wrote to his superior that Qumiya had become empty, commenting: “There is a tendency among our neighbors… to leave their villages.”

Later, around a dozen men who had remained to defend the village were forcibly expelled.

Four months later, in late July 1948, the nearby Kibbutz ‘Ein Harod formally requested permission from the Israeli Agricultural Center to take over the lands of Qumiya. Morris does not clarify whether this request was granted.

The Village Today

The entire village site has been obliterated. Almond, mulberry, pomegranate trees, and prickly pear cactus grow amid the scattered rubble of the village. Cypress trees grow among the remains of the village school.

The lands south of the village are cultivated by residents of the nearby settlements: Tel Yosef, ‘Ein Harod Ihud, and ‘Ein Harod Meuhad. Lands to the west of the village are farmed by residents of Kibbutz Geva.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

In 1921, Zionist settlers established Kibbutz ‘Ein Harod (ID: 187218) on land that had traditionally belonged to the village, located to the south of the original village site.

In the early 1950s, ‘Ein Harod was split into two separate kibbutzim, each aligned with a different branch of the Zionist settlement movement:

‘Ein Harod Ihud (ID: 187219) — located on Qumiya village lands.

‘Ein Harod Meuhad (ID: 187218) — established on land belonging to the still-existing Arab village of Tamra.

Another settlement, Kibbutz Geva (ID: 185219), was also founded in 1921, about two kilometers west of the original village site, though not on Qumiya’s land.