Umm Khalid

The village was located on a sandstone hill less than two kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. The main Tulkarm–Netanya road passed just to its south. Flint tools found across the site indicate that the area may have been inhabited since prehistoric times. The village was also the site of the Crusader fortress of Roger the Lombard.

Umm Khalid was completely destroyed by Napoleon’s forces during their retreat to Egypt in 1799 after failing to capture Acre in northern Palestine.

In the 19th century, the village had a rectangular layout extending from north to south. Its houses, made of stone and mud, were closely clustered together and separated by narrow alleys. The village was known for its fertile soil and abundant groundwater. It was situated between Tantura (Haifa District) and Ras al-‘Ayn, and was considered a prosperous village, particularly famous for its many cantaloupe orchards west of the village.

At the village center stood a mosque, a boys’ primary school, and four small shops selling groceries and fabrics. Most of the inhabitants were Muslim, and many had migrated from other subdistricts in search of agricultural work—the village’s main economic activity. The primary crops were melons, citrus fruits, vegetables, and grains. In 1944–45, a total of 47 dunums was allocated for citrus and bananas, and 1,830 dunums for grains. The villagers also raised livestock and produced dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Archaeological remains found around the village include remnants of towers, fortresses, wells, cisterns, reservoirs, and pottery fragments.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing

According to reports from Zionist paramilitary groups, Umm Khalid was depopulated on 20 March 1948 due to widespread fear. Israeli historian Benny Morris notes that several Arab communities in the area suffered the same fate as early attacks escalated during the initial stages of the war.

The coastal area where the village was located was densely populated with Jewish settlements, and the Zionist leadership viewed it as the heart of the future Jewish state. As such, it was deemed desirable by that leadership to forcibly remove the Arab population before 15 May 1948.

The Village Today

The site of the village has now become part of the city of Netanya. Some original houses remain and are used either as residences or for commercial purposes such as warehouses for Israeli companies. The surrounding lands have been planted with citrus orchards.

Israeli Settlements on Village Lands

The outskirts of the city of Netanya (grid ref. 136192), established in 1929, have absorbed most of Umm Khalid’s lands. The settlements of Gan Hefer, founded in 1953, have since been merged into a larger settlement known as Sha’ar Hefer (grid ref. 140193), which also covers part of the village lands.