Suhmata

The village of Suhmata stood on twin hills that overlooked lower-lying lands in all directions except the north. A main road passed through the village, linking it to Safad, the coastal settlement of Nahariya, and several other villages. Suhmata’s inhabitants were historically Christian, up until the Persian occupation of Palestine, after which it is assumed that many remained Christian for a time.

A Roman fortress was built on the site, referred to as Sambatha in Roman sources. Later, Zahir al-Umar, who was the de facto ruler of northern Palestine in the mid-18th century, undertook reconstruction efforts to repair some of the damage caused by earlier Crusader wars.

By the late 19th century, the population of Suhmata was around 400 people, primarily engaged in cultivating fig and olive trees.

In the British Mandate period, the village had a population of 1,130 Muslims and 70 Christians. The homes were built of stone, and Suhmata had a primary school founded by secular educators in 1886, as well as an agricultural school established during the Mandate period. The village also included a mosque, a church, and residents drew drinking water from five natural springs and domestic rainwater collection cisterns.

There were also two reservoirs that collected rainwater: the larger with a capacity of approximately 5,000 cubic meters, and the second about half that size. Both reservoirs were used for irrigation. The reservoirs were situated between the two hills on which the village homes were built.

Over 70% of the village’s land was wooded or uncultivable, covered with oak and wild pine trees. The arable lands were planted with wheat, barley, maize, tobacco, and vegetables. Suhmata’s tobacco was particularly renowned for its high quality.

In 1944–1945, a total of 1,290 dunums of land was devoted to cereals, and 1,901 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.

In 1972, a Byzantine church was discovered on a hill near the village. An inscription on its mosaic floor dates the structure to the 6th century CE. The archaeological sites of Khirbat al-Duwayr and Khirbat al-Tannur were located nearby.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing

During the Operation Hiram campaign, the 1st Battalion of the Golani Brigade, advancing from the south, met units of the Oded Brigade moving eastward at the Suhmata junction. At this location, retreating units of the Arab Liberation Army were captured on October 30, 1948, although their vehicles and equipment fell into Israeli hands, according to Israeli historian Benny Morris.

The official Israeli military account, cited in the History of the Independence Party, indicates that Suhmata offered some resistance, but was captured after being encircled by an infantry company.

No specific information is provided about the fate of the village’s inhabitants; however, residents of nearby villages, who had resisted, were expelled across the border into Lebanon.

The Village Today

The site is now covered with rubble, collapsed stone walls, and is surrounded by olive trees that continue to grow in the area. The fortress and wall, believed to be built by the Crusaders, are still standing. The wall encloses the western quarter of the former village.

The surrounding lands are now overgrown with vegetation. Parts of the area are used as grazing grounds for livestock.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

On May 17, 1949, the village was re-established under the name Hosen (grid ref. 179268) to accommodate Zionist immigrants. The main part of the settlement lies to the northeast of the original village site.

In the same year, Zionist immigrants from Romania established the settlement of Tzuriel (grid ref. 178267) on Suhmata’s lands.