'Ayn al-Mansi — عَيْن المَنْسِي
Distance from Jinin
18.5 km
|
Year |
Arab |
Total |
|
1931 |
73 |
73 |
|
1944/45 |
90 |
90 |
|
Year |
Arab |
Public |
Total |
|
1944/45 |
1278 |
17 |
1295 |
|
Use |
Arab |
Public |
Total |
|
|
224 |
17 |
241 (19%) |
|
|
1054 |
|
1054 (81%) |
Classified as a hamlet by the Palestine Index Gazetteer, the village was located on the southwestern side of the level plain of Marj ibn 'Amir. It was linked by a short, secondary road to the highway between Jenin and Haifa, which ran northeast of it. This village may have been connected to al-Mansi (166222), a larger community less than 0.5 km to the northwest (see al-Mansi, Haifa sub-disctrict). In 1944/45 a total of 868 dunums of 'Ayn al-Mansi's lands was allotted to cereals, and 186 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards. About 1 km to the southeast lay Tall al-Mutasallim, an important archaeological site excavated by the University of Chicago between 1925 and 1939.
After the battle over the settlement of Mishmar ha-'Emeq, at the beginning of April 1948 (see Abu Shusha, Haifa sub-disctrict), Haganah forces proceeded to occupy a number of villages in the Marj ibn 'Amir area. 'Ayn al-Mansi was captured during this operation; it was occupied on the night of 12-13 April by Palmach units (according to Israeli historian Benny Morris, who identifies the village as 'AI Mansi'). The fall of the village, along with neighboring al-Naghnaghiyya, precipitated the withdrawal of the Arab Liberation Army from the area, according to the History of the Haganah. Like all villages occupied in the operation, it was completely destroyed. Based on information from Israeli sources, Morris writes that 'Ayn al-Mansi's houses were blown up in the days following its occupation. 
There are no Israeli settlements on village land. Midrakh 'Oz (165222), established in 1952 on the lands of al-Mansi (Haifa sub-disctrict), is about 2 km to the west.
The village has been completely destroyed and levelled. After the destruction of the village, a temporary camp for Jewish immigrants was established in the early years of the state. After this camp was dismantled, a thick forest of fir trees was planted there. Today the remains of this camp are visible among the trees. In the northern area of the site are the remains of a cemetery, covered with wild grass and thorns. A gasoline station has been built on the eastern side of the cemetery. Almond, olive and fig trees grow to the north and west of the cemetery.
