Israeli occupation date: late October on early November 1948. The village was mostly destroyed with the exception
of the train station´s buildings.Days Sunayd inhabitants were completely ethnically cleansed . According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, the village remaning structures on the village land are: “A railroad bridge, unused segments of track, and three of the train station’s buildings are all that remain of Dayr Sumayd. The stone bridge is built astride a wadi and passes over four wide, round-arched culverts. The station’s building are deserted in a state of deterioration.”
Days Sumayd had one school which was founded in 1945, and when it opened its doors it had an initial enrollment of 63 students.
In 1931 there were 103 houses in Dayd Sunayd and in 1948 there were 183 houses.
Land ownership before occupation
| Ethnic Group | Land Ownership (Dunums) |
|---|---|
| Arab | 5,089 |
| Jewish | 483 |
| Public | 509 |
| Total | 6,081 |
Land usage in 1945
| Land Usage Type | Arab (Dunum) | Jewish (Dunum) |
|---|---|---|
| Area planted w/ citrus | 158 | 0 |
| Irrigated & Plantation | 512 | 0 |
| Planted W/ Cereal | 4,380 | 483 |
| Built up | 13 | 0 |
| Cultivable | 5,050 | 483 |
| Non-Cultivable | 535 | 0 |
Population before occupation
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1596 | 66 |
| 1922 | 356 |
| 1931 | 475 |
| 1945 | 730 |
| 1948 | 847 |
| Est. Refugees 1998 | 5,200 |
Bibliography:
– All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948 by Khalidi, Walid.
– www.palestineremembered.com
