al-Masmiyya al-Saghira

The village was located in the southern coastal plain, bordered to the north by Wadi al-Zarqa. It stretched in a northwestern-southeastern direction parallel to the wadi. A short road connected Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira to the main highways leading southwest to Al-Majdal, northeast to Al-Ramla, and to the main Jerusalem–Jaffa road. The village was referred to as “al-Saghira” (the smaller) to distinguish it from its twin, Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira (the larger).

The village was established in the second half of the 19th century by the Hawrani clan, who had previously lived in Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira but were compelled to leave due to disputes with the other residents. For this reason, the village was also known as Masmiyyat al-Hawrani. All of its inhabitants were Muslim, and children were sent to school in Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira. There were seven small shops in the village catering to basic needs.

Water for domestic use came from two sources: private wells that collected rainwater, and a communal artesian well located beneath an old Christ’s Thorn tree (Ziziphus spina-christi), which served the entire village.

Agriculture formed the backbone of the village economy, with grain being the primary crop. In 1944–1945, a total of 147 dunums were devoted to citrus and bananas, 6,126 dunums to grains, and 7 dunums were irrigated or used as orchards. Most crops were rain-fed, except for citrus groves, which were irrigated using water from the artesian wells. In addition to farming, residents raised livestock and poultry, including sheep, goats, cows, camels, and mules—totaling around 4,000 animals.

Villagers also participated in the weekly market held every Thursday in al-Faluja and exported their produce to Jaffa, Al-Majdal, Gaza, Lydda, Ramla, Jerusalem, and Al-Faluja.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing of the Village

It is likely that the circumstances of Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira’s occupation were similar to those of its twin, Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira, which was occupied on July 8–9, 1948. According to The New York Times, the villages of al-Jaladiyya (Gaza District) and al-Tina (Ramla District) were captured during the same period. Israeli historian Benny Morris reports that the Giv’ati Brigade carried out operations during the “Ten Days” between the two truces, which led to the expulsion of the village’s residents.

The Village Today

Almost no trace of the village remains. The site is now overgrown with wild grasses, tall weeds, and scattered eucalyptus trees.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

It appears that Jews did not initially settle in Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira in May 1949, unlike its twin village, though both villages were settled later that same year. According to Morris, the settlement first established on the village’s land was named Masmiyya Bet, and was later renamed Masmiyyat Shalom. However, the Israeli Geographical Dictionary states that the farm of Mishmarot Shalom (Grid ref. 129/129), a grain-producing farm, was established in the 1950s on the lands of neighboring Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira.

The settlement of Kfar HaRif was established on the lands of Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira in 1956.