al-Burj, Khirbat

The village was situated on gently sloping land in the central coastal plain and was renowned for its citrus cultivation. In 1944, a total of 13 dunams of village land were irrigated or used for orchards. Nearby, the archaeological site of Tall al-Burj contained the foundations of buildings and granite columns.

Occupation and Depopulation of the Village

It is likely that the village was occupied during the early weeks of the fighting. The nearest Arab population center was the village of Qisarya, located to the west, which was occupied and its residents expelled in mid-February 1948 as part of a campaign aimed at clearing a wide area of the coastal region of its Arab inhabitants in the early months of the war. By the end of March, many coastal communities between Tel Aviv and Zikhron Ya’akov had been attacked in a series of raids carried out by Zionist forces. These attacks resulted in the evacuation of entire villages and towns, either through direct expulsion or due to fear of impending attack, according to Israeli historian Benny Morris.

The Village Today

Most of the site is now covered with scattered rubble among grass and cactus plants. The stone walls of a large structure—possibly a khan (inn)—still stand. The surrounding lands are currently used by Israelis for citrus farming.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

In 1912, the colony of Sdot Yam was established near the site of the village to the north. However, it was not built on village land.