Umm Sabuna, Khirbat

The village was situated on low-lying land below the neighboring village of Kawkab al-Hawa, at the base of the steep cliff upon which Kawkab al-Hawa was perched. It was located on the western edge of the Jordan Valley, facing east. The Jordan River lay approximately 3.3 kilometers to the west. The valley extending northeast and the adjacent spring both derive their names from the village. Khirbat Umm Sabouna was classified as a farm in the Indexed Geographical Dictionary of Palestine. The presence of large quantities of scattered broken pottery and the foundations of buildings protruding from the soil indicate that the site was inhabited in past eras.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village

The village site suggests it fell within the scope of Operation Gideon. The nearest village with available information on Operation Gideon is Kawkab al-Hawa, located only two kilometers away. Multiple sources indicate the village was occupied between May 16 and May 21, 1948. Iraqi forces that entered the area after May 15 made no significant progress in reclaiming villages in the region. It is most probable that the residents of Khirbat Umm Sabouna were expelled at the time of its occupation in May 1948.

The Village Today

No stone rubble remains on the site. On the village lands, there is an orchard belonging to the Nofei Or settlement. The elevated areas surrounding the site are used by Israeli farmers as grazing land for livestock.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

There are no Israeli settlements on the village lands, which were annexed to the lands of Kawkab al-Hawa. The settlement of Nofei Or (202221), established in 1949, lies about one kilometer from the village site.