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Welcome To Bayt Mahsir - بيت محسير (בית מחסיר)

District of Jerusalem
Ethnically cleansed days ago

العربية

Google Earth
Picture for Bayt Mahsir Village - Palestine: : That is how the
Gallery (120)
Statistic & Fact Value
Occupation Date May 10, 1948
Distance From District 26 (km) West of Jerusalem
Elevation 588 (meters)
Before & After Nakba, Click Map For Detailswhat's new
Pre-Nakba Map showing before and after destruction
Map Location See location #9 on the map

View from satellite
Military Operation Operation Makkabi
Attacking Units Har'el Brigade
Defenders Local militia & Arab Liberation Army
Exodus Cause Military assault by Zionist troops
Village Temains The village was mostly destroyed with the exception of two houses, see Pictures section for details.
Ethnically Cleansing Bayt Mahsir was completely ethnically cleansed, however, few of its inhabitants were allowed to stay. Those who were allowed to stay were the exception. Currently, many of the Mahasreh refugees live in Amman, Jordan, who mostly live in Jabal al-Taj neighborhood.
Pre-Nakba
Land Ownership
Ethnic Group Land Ownership (Dunums)*
Arab 15,428
Jewish 0
Public 840
**Total 16,268
*Sourced from British Mandate's Village Statisitics
**Town Lands' Demarcation Maps
Land Usage
As of 1945
Land Usage Arab (Dunum)*
Irrigated & Plantation 1,348
Olive Groves 1,340
Planted W/ Cereal 6,225
Built up 77
Arable 7,573
Non-Arable 8,618
*Sourced from British Mandate's Village Statisitics
Population
Year Population*
19th century 450
1922 1,367
1931 1,920
1945 2,400
1948 2,784
Est. Refugees 1998 17,097
*Sourced from British Mandate's Village Statisitics
Number of Houses
Year Number of Houses
1931 445
1948 645
Near By Townswhat's new
Dayr Ayyub
         
Bayt Thul
       
Bayt Susin  
           
Ishwa'
           
Kasla
Schools Bayt Mahsir had three schools. Two schools for boys (one elementary and the another secondary), and the third was an elementary school for girls.
Town's Notable People The villagers took pride in the fact that the last Imam of its mosque, Shaykh Khalil As'ad, was a graduate of al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
Places of Warship One mosque
Shrines / Maqams The village had two shrines for couple of unknown individuals.
Archeological Sites Bayt Mahsir contains several Khirbat including: al-Huwaytiyya, al-Masi, Khatula, and al-Sallam.
Exculsive Jewish Colonies
Who Usurped Village Lands
Beyt Me'ir and Mesillat Tziyyon
Featured Video

Village Before Nakba

The village, built on the upper slope of a mountain, overlooked a wide coastal plain to the west. Secondary roads linked it to the Jerusalem−Jaffa highway, as well as to neighboring villages. Its population in 1875 was approximately 450. In the late nineteenth century, Bayt Mahsir was a village of moderate size that stood on several spurs overlooking lower hills to the west. The villagers grew olive trees to the north and obtained their water from a spring to the northeast. The village layout was trapezoidal in shape, with stone and adobe houses clustered in four separate quarters. The village expanded along the various roads leading to the neighboring villages, especially the road that led to Saris. A main street passed from east to west through the center of the village. Shops and other public buildings, including the village mosque, were built on both sides of the street. The villagers, who were Muslim, took pride in the fact that the last imam of the mosque, Shaykh Khalil As'ad, was a graduate of al-Azhar University (a renowned institute of Islamic learning in Cairo). The people of Bayt Mahsir maintained two village shrines (maqams) in addition to the mosque. Bayt Mahsir had an elementary school that was located in the western part of the village, a secondary school in the east and a girls' school that was housed in what was originally the village infirmary.

The residents worked in rainfed agriculture, growing grain, fruit trees, olives, and grapes. Woodlands covered a wide area near the village. In 1944/45 a total of 6,225 dunums was allotted to cereals; 1,348 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards. The village had an olive press and flour mills. Archaeological sites in the vicinity included Khirbat al-Huwaytiyya (154134), Khirbat al-Masi (152135), Khirbat Khatula (151135), and Khirbat al-Sallam (151134).

Village Occupation and Ethnic Cleaning

Although the village was targeted for occupation during Operation Nachshon (see Bayt Naqquba, Jerusalem sub-district), in early April 1948, it was not taken until the first half of May. In the wake of Nachshon, the Haganah launched a series of attacks in an attempt to widen their corridor to Jerusalem and capture the strategic al-Latrun salient. Bayt Mahsir fell during Operation Makkabi (see Khirbat Bayt Far, Ramla sub-district) to the newly-formed Har'el Brigade of the Palmach. The History of the Haganah states that 'this village was not occupied easily; but was attacked by Palmach troops for three nights, and it was not occupied until the morning of 11 May.' The account states merely that the occupiers found booty taken from Haganah military convoys ambushed in the area; no mention is made of the fate of the villagers. The New York Times reported that two commando battalions of the Palmach were involved in the thirty-six-hour battle. After 'tentative thrusts' on 9 May, the Sixth Palmach Battalion (some 400 to 500 men) seized strong points around the village at 11:00 p.m. that night. The Arab forces withdrew; that night, they launched a counterattack that lasted for two days. On 12 May, they claimed to have recaptured Bayt Mahsir, but their hold on the village apparently was not firm.

The Arab Liberation Army's (ALA) Qadisiyya Battalion was defending the village, and ALA commander Fawzi al-Qawuqji described the situation from the Arab side. On 9 May, he reported that they had 'repelled a violent Jewish attack on Bayt Mahsir aimed at opening the Jerusalem road.' The following day, the commanding officer at Bayt Mahsir, Lt. Col. Mahdi Salih, cabled to say that the situation was 'critical.' Qawuqji sent one of two reserve battalions to the area, which helped to encircle a large detachment of Jewish forces in the area. On 11 May, these forces were said to be withdrawing and ALA units had captured the woods near the village. But on 12 May, Qawuqji informed the High Command that 'Jewish forces coming from Jerusalem and the outskirts succeeded in entering Bayt Mahsir thanks to the large reinforcements with all kinds of equipment which arrived constantly.' He indicates that the village was recaptured the same day through artillery bombardment and a frontal attack. However, the recovery of the village was probably short-lived. Soon afterwards, Bayt Mahsir was captured and systematically levelled after occupation, according to Israeli historian Benny Morris.

In late March, the New York Times reported that the village had been occupied briefly by British army units. Together with Ishwa' and 'Artuf, Bayt Mahsir had withstood a British assault following an Arab attack on the Jewish settlement of Hartuv, nearby.

Zionists Colonies on Village Lands

Even before Bayt Mahsir was occupied, the Head of the Haganah National Staff, Israel Galili, told the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in mid-April that it was important to establish a settlement at this site for 'security' reasons. But this plan took several months to implement, according to documents cited by Morris. The JNF submitted a plan in August which proposed a settlement on the ruins of the village, to be called Beyt Me'ir. Morris states that this settlement was initially called Lehagshama and was established in the following month, on 27 September 1948. Other sources, however, state that Beyt Me'ir (153133) was founded on village lands in February 1950 and that Lehagshama was the original name of Shoresh (156133) , which was established on the lands of Saris (Jerusalem sub-district) in 1948. Mesillat Tziyyon (151134) was founded in 1950, northwest of the village site.

Village Today

Several village houses have been spared, and are for the most part interspersed among the houses of the settlement of Beyt Me'ir. Two large, rectangular-shaped, almost identical houses built of limestone rise above the Israeli settlement's cabin-like residences. Each has three main square sections. The middle section seems to have included a main entry hall, a reception area, and living quarters. The main entrance is a high door topped with a semicircular arch and flanked by two long but narrow windows, also with circular arches. The other two sections on either side of the main lobby also have arched windows, but these are wider than the ones flanking the main entrance (see photos section).

The remains of a flour mill, a metal machine with flywheels fitted over a stone structure, can still be seen. There is a wild forest of old trees on the eastern edge of the village Site, on top of the mountain. The tomb of al-'Ajami, together with other graves, are among the trees. The rubble of stone houses can be seen on the western side of the village site, along with the rubble of stone retaining walls in the orchards. The remains of entrances to caves that were once used as dwellings are also visible. Several abandoned wells are at this site. Southwest of the site are two deserted houses; one of them has a water reservoir in its yard. The woodland in the outskirts of the village has been designated as a reserve area by the Jewish National Fund, given the name "District No. 356," and dedicated to "The Lions International−Israel."

Source

Dr. Walid al-Khalidi, 1992: All That Remains.

Related Maps Town Lands' Demarcation Maps
خرائط للقضاء توضح حدود القرى والاودية
Town's map on MapQuest
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Bibliography and References

Want to browse more? 80,000 pictures were grouped in these gallaries:

Display Name Clan/Hamolah Country of Residence
حرب سعادة عمان, عمان
Ibrahim al-Mahsiri Isleem NY, NY
Abu Izz aldin Saadah -
Audai Hassan Ababdeh New York, United States
tareq jaber jaber amman, jordan
مؤيد المحسيري - مخيم البقعة, الاردن مخيم البقعة
عبد المجيد سعادة حي عدن, حي عدن
nizar jamal al khatib الخطيب Amman, jordan
ماجد تيم / أبو عبد الرحمن سعادة -
أبو السعيد منصور عمان, الأردن
رائد المحسيري إسليم -
hamzi alma7sere الأقرع amman
المحسيري داود عمان
غسان فؤاد محمد إسليم أسليم عمان
المحسيري سعاده -
بسام إسليم (أبو علي) إسليم michigan, usa
موسى صالح صالح العقبة, العقبة
Ramzi Iessa Tayem Sa'adah Baqaa Camp, Jordan
ebtihal beit mahsir ny, usa
EINAS SA'ADEH sa'ades amman
المحسيري الاقرع -
فراس النجار - -
belal alnajjar - -
المحسيري دار مطر رام الله, رام الله
hena - -
خالد أبو المهند علان داوود مخيم البقعة - الاردن
أمجد سعادة سعادة الزرقاء
SHAHIN شاهين الاردن, الاردن
hamzasleem إسليم الأردن-عمان, الأردن-عمان
ابو حبيبة - -
الظاهر بيبرس ال عزام عين الباشا, الاردن
محسيري - عمان
ALNAJJAR - Chicago, USA
Mohammed Ismail Alnajjar - Chicago, USA
روز - -
محمد النجاجرة النجاجرة الاردن
النجار( بيت محسير) - عمّان, الاردن
Mohammed Jabr Saadah Amman, Jordan
Rula Sa'adeh Sa'adeh -, Jordan
وليد علي صالح عمان, الاردن
ekrema saleh saleh il, il
بهائي صالح محمود صالح الاردن
ammar saleem - الاردن
حسام تيم تيم سعاده hama
هاني إسليم إسليم الاردن, الاردن
Samy - Germany, Germany
ابو عقاب اسليم -
samso0oma حسين صالح -
طارق اسليم إسليم فلسطين, فلسطين
حسام أبو حشيش أبو حشيش عمان, الأردن
Fadi Moh'd Abdel Rahman Rasheed Saadeh Saadeh -
وهبه المحسيري علي صالح الاردن, بيت محسير
تيم المحسيري - -
احمدحمدالله حمدالله جده, السعوديه
مراد موسى حمدالله حمدالله الرياض, السعودية
محمد صالح - -
حماده المحسيري - -
محمود محمد حمدالله حمدالله الرياض
ابن فلسطين صالح --- سعادة -
اسماعيل تيم - -
Asaad J. A. Salameh AL MAHSEERE Amman, Jordan
مهند اسعد سعادة عمان
احمد مطر - عمان, الاردن
dia' Mahmoud Saleh - -
د/ محمد عثمان المحسيري - -
Mohd Mahd Haj Hassan Isleem Isleem NSW, Australia
ابو وجيه النجار الاردن, الاردن
محمد أسعد المحسيري أسعد الرياض, السعودية
eyad tayem تيم-بيت محسير -
نادر اسعد عبدالله -
جهاد المحسيري سلامه -
S Y S - AMMAN, JORDAN
بكر عبدالكريم عوده أبوحشيش الزرقاء, الأردن
امير علي صالح الاردن, الاردن
AL MAHSERY - -
abu saif _ al ma7seri - -
mahsero88 elian -
أبو مالك سعادة عمان, الأردن
مهند سعاده سعاده amman, jordan
abdalla (abood) al-najjar al-najjar ny, u.s.a
محمد صالح محمود صالح فلسطين, القدس
Hasan Abu Qasem Al Najar -
samer b saada سعاده عمان, الاردن
murad taher - -
fadi farhan Saleh -
MAHSERKO علي صالح -
اسامه سعاده سعاده عمان, الاردن
محسيري وبس - -
أحمد النحسيري - -
محسيرية وأفتخر سعادة amman, jordan
د.كامل أسعد بيت محسير -
محسيري حتى النخاع - amman, jordan
اياد سعادة سعادة -
freedom العبابدة دمر, سوريا
ma7sery داوود alquds, palstain
ALMAHSEERI - ALYAROUK - JABAL ALTAJ, JORDAN
دزهير ذيب معالي داود/معالي AMMAN, JORDAN
النجار النجار عمان, جبل التاج
ابو أحمد - -
tajj saadah -
ماهر صالح صالح عمان, عمان
jamal matar matar palistain, betmahseer
sabein Al mahsiri -
غادة أبو ارشيد -
otman amin otman ali saleh - -
alma7seery داوود فلسطين, فلسطين
جابر محمود المحسيري ابو حشيش البلقاء
Ghassan Salameh - -
salam abdullah - kuwait
حقائق - -
mahsire for ever saada ma'an, jordan
leo_81 mahmoud -
Abed el Latif Assad Assad - Sa3adeh Amman, Jordan
مراد المحسيري al-mahsiry jaba altaj, jordan
تيمو - عملن
Mahmoud Dawoud Dawoud Texas, USA
tagreed abo-Qasem - zarqa
حسام المحسيري المحسيري عمان , الأردن
المحسيري - جبل التاج, الاردن
husam nabil بيت محسير amman, jordan
خالد أمين خالد أبو حشيش أبو حشيش البقعة, الأردن
MALIK SALEEM - AMMAN
الحلاق - -
Zakaryya Asad - -
Fadi Hammad Hammad NY, USA
qusai salameh amman, jordan
bahai - amman
ma7seri saleh Kuwait, Kuwait
mohanad isleem Isleem NY , NY
ahmad salameh salameh jordan, amman
eyad yousof saleh bayt mahseer amman, jordan
ahmad mahsere mahmoud saleh mahsere amman, jordan
abdullah mahmoud saleh mahmoud saleh jordan, jordan
almahsiry saleh amman
Mamoon Al-Najjar Al-Najjar Amman, Jordan
Abdullah Ghanayem النجار Al khobar, KSA
yusef mustafa Isleem College Point, USA
Ismael Saleh Saleh Amman, Jordan
dr.muna asha الدوايمة -
watan saadeh beet mahser -
Shadi Saadeh saadeh TX, USA
Mohammad Saadeh Saleh NJ, USA
ahmad hussien - amma
haytham saadah saleh -
Ahmad Yousef Al-Najjar Alnajjar Amman, Jordan
Rawad saada -
khaled assad assad -
Gassan Maali Maali California, USA
fathi saleh saleh Palestine, Palestine
Amer Abu Qasem Al Njar Leipzig, Germany
Jad Saleh saadeh Ontario.Whitby, Canada
Ashraf Saadeh Saadeh AMMAN, JORDAN
azzmat Ababdeh -
abd - -
Walid jaber slim Baq'a camp, jordan
ibrahim AL SHAIKH - jordan, jordan
reiad saleh - -
Ali Islim - -
Ali Salim - -
Muhammad Khalil Mansour Bethlehem, Palestine
Tareq Alnajjar - munich, Germany
Mahmoud Alnajjar - Germany
Mohammad Al-Najjar al-najjar Amman, Jordan
AbuBairout sa'adeh almahttah camb, jordan
ABU ALI ISLIM MICHIGAN, USA
Yousef Eqtait Eqtait Amman, Jordan
Mohammad Saleh Saleh jordan, jordan
Ahmed Said Taiem - Amman-Jordan
Rami - Amman, Jordan
haitham Islim - -
Haithem Ali Sa'adah Hamburg, Germany
Gus Maali California, California
Samir Issa Sa'ada NJ, USA
said isleem - NY, NY
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