Ghada is from Dier Aban (Dayr Aban)

If you recall in some of my previous entries, I explained the history of the refugee camps.
I asked the women from Adyah Camp what villages they came from. Ghada, our partner/leader of the women is from Dier Aban, she is 34 with two children, and 3 brothers and 2 other sisters.

Dier Aban (Dayr Aban)

Dier Aban is in the Jerusalem District 21 kms from Jerusalem to the North East. The population in 1931 was 1,534 and in 1944/45 it was 2,100. The land use in dunums in 1944/45 was 21,578 Arab, 376 Jewish and 780 for the Public. There were 321 homes in 1931.

Dayr Aban was located 3km from the highway that linked Bayt Jibrin to the Jerusalem-Jaffa highway. The village is identified with Abenezer in the Roan period and later fell into the jurisdiction of Bayt Jibrin. In 1956 Dayr Aban had a population of 127, and paid taxes on barley, wheat, olive trees, vineyards, fruit trees, goats and beehives.

The village first came under attack on 17 January 1948, surrounded by the Jewish Army. This occurred during the battle of Kfar Etziyon, a settlement near Bethlehem. The attack came against three villages in the area, Dayr Aban, Bayt Nattif and Zakariyya. It was the Haganah force of around 100 men and the battle lasted for over 24 hours. Another fire exchange occurred 2 months later with the settlement of Hartuv. Day Aban was the first village to be occupied during operation ha-Har. On October 19-20 the village was taken over and the population was probably displaced in Bethlehem or to the Hebron Hills.

In 1986 stones of rubble, collapsed roofs, iron rafters and parts of standing walls are visible on the site. A well with a metal stone can be seen next to the lone arch that is still standing.

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