Shahma
Encyclopedia
Shahma was a Palestinian
Arab
village located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Ramla
. Depopulated on the eve of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
, the village lands today form part of a fenced in area used by the Israeli Air Force
.
, in a flat area that was slightly higher that the terrain to the south and southeast. Wadi al-Sarar ran about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) southwest of it, and a secondary road linked Shahma to al-Ramla. Durind World War II
, the British built RAF Aqir military airport just north of the village, Shahma military base lay to the north and east.
bricks, whose inhabitants drew their water from a well to the south of the village.
In the British Mandate -era, the village was classified as a hamlet
by the Palestine Index Gazetteer. During this time the village was divided into two sections, north and south of a secondary road. Some of its houses were built in part with stone remains from previous settlements.
In 1944/45 the village had a population of 280. A total of 152 dunum
s of village land was used for citrus
and banana
s, 4,911 dunums were used for cereals, and 33 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
described the place in 1992: "The site has been incorporated into a fenced-in military airfield. It is marked by cactuses and bushes that are visible from the outside."
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
village located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Ramla
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
. Depopulated on the eve of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, the village lands today form part of a fenced in area used by the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
.
Location
The village was situated on the coastal plain, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of RamlaRamla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
, in a flat area that was slightly higher that the terrain to the south and southeast. Wadi al-Sarar ran about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) southwest of it, and a secondary road linked Shahma to al-Ramla. Durind World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the British built RAF Aqir military airport just north of the village, Shahma military base lay to the north and east.
History
In the late nineteenth century, Shahma was described as a small village built of adobeAdobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
bricks, whose inhabitants drew their water from a well to the south of the village.
In the British Mandate -era, the village was classified as a hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
by the Palestine Index Gazetteer. During this time the village was divided into two sections, north and south of a secondary road. Some of its houses were built in part with stone remains from previous settlements.
In 1944/45 the village had a population of 280. A total of 152 dunum
Dunum
Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
s of village land was used for citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
and banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, 4,911 dunums were used for cereals, and 33 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
1948, and aftermath
The Palestinian historian Walid KhalidiWalid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi is an Oxford University-educated Palestinian historian who has written extensively on the Palestinian exodus. He is General Secretary and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies, established in Beirut in December 1963 as an independent research and publishing center...
described the place in 1992: "The site has been incorporated into a fenced-in military airfield. It is marked by cactuses and bushes that are visible from the outside."
External links
- Welcome To Shahma
- Shama from Khalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural Center is an organization established in 1996. It is located at 4 Raja Street, Ramallah in the West Bank. The traditional manor that houses the centre was the former family home of Khalil Salem Salah, the mayor of Ramallah between 1947/1951, is now owned by the Palestinian...