Israeli occupation date: July 15, 1948. It was located at 6 km South West of Nazareth. About 1,200 refugees from al-Mujaydil had reportedly reached Nazareth
by the end of July, 1948. It was mostly destroyed with the exception of the monastery and a partially destroyed church. Al-Mujaydil inhabitants were completely ethnically cleansed.
According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, the village remaining structures on the village land are: “Most of the site is covered with a pine forest that serves as an Israeli park. The monastery and parts of the ( destroyed) church are the only remaining buildings on the site; monks still live in the monastery. Remnants of destroyed houses and the walls of a cemetery are visible. Cactuses and pomegranate, olive, and fig trees grow around the site, which is dotted with Wells.”
The number of houses in 1931 were 293. There were two elementary schools in al-Mujaydil, one for boys and the other for girls. The village had a Roman Catholic Church and a monastery. The village is situated on the southern slopes of Wadi al-Mujaydil.
Several springs flowed in the vicinity of the Wadi al-Mujaydil.Traces of a Roman road were found close to the village. Israeli settlements on town lands: Migdal ha-‘Emeq (founded by Iranian Jews in in 1952) and Yifat.
Land ownership before occupation
| Ethnic Group | Land Ownership (Dunums) |
|---|---|
| Arab | 18,165 |
| Jewish | 485 |
| Public | 186 |
| Total | 18,836 |
Land usage in 1945
| Land Usage Type | Arab (Dunum) | Jewish (Dunum) |
|---|---|---|
| Irrigated & Plantation | 1,685 | 34 |
| Area planted w/ olives | 1,600 | 0 |
| Planted W/ Cereal | 15,037 | 437 |
| Built up | 34 | 0 |
| Cultivable | 16,722 | 471 |
| Non-Cultivable | 1,595 | 14 |
Population before occupation
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1596 | 22 |
| 19th century | 800 |
| 1912 | 853 |
| 1922 | 1,009 |
| 1931 | 1,241 |
| 1945 | 1,900 |
| Est. Refugees 1998 | 13,535 |
Source: palestineremembered.com
