'Azzun 'Atma (Arabic: عزون عتمة) is a Palestinian village in the Qalqilya Governorate in the western West Bank, located 5 kilometers South-east of Qalqilya. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 'Azzun 'Atma had a population of 2,068 inhabitants in 2017.[1] 3.9% of the population of 'Azzun 'Atma were refugees in 1997.[3] The healthcare facilities for 'Azzun 'Atma are designated as MOH level 2.[4]
The place appeared in 1596 Ottomantax registers as 'Azzun, being in the Nahiya of Jabal Qubal of the Liwa of Nablus. It had a population of 29 households and 2 bachelors, all Muslim. The villagers paid a fixed tax rate of 33,3%, on wheat, barley, summer crops, olives, goats and beehives; a total of 4,200 akçe.[8]
Potsherds from the early Ottoman era have also been found here.[6]
The village was abanonded in the 17th century due to internal conflicts.[9]
When the French explorer Victor Guérin visited the place in 1870 it was described it as a large Arab village, then deserted. Many small, square houses were still partly standing, and near the mosque he noticed old columns and large stone from older buildings. Old fig trees and beautiful mimosa were scattered through the ruins.[10] In the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (1882), it is also described as a "ruined village".[11]
British Mandate era
Azzun Atma was resettled in the early 20th century by people from Sanniriya. In 1931, it was recorded as a khirbet of Sanniriya.[9]
After the 1995 accords, about 3.8% of village land was classified as Area B, the remaining 96.2% as Area C.[12] Israel has confiscated 2,689 dunams of village land in order to construct three Israeli settlements of Sha'are Tikva, Oranit and Zamarot (Zamarot becoming part of Oranit), in addition to land for the Israeli West Bank barrier, which almost entirely surrounds Azzun Atma, and which also isolate the village from much of its remaining land behind the wall.[13]
^ abGrossman, D. (1986). "Oscillations in the Rural Settlement of Samaria and Judaea in the Ottoman Period". in Shomron studies. Dar, S., Safrai, S., (eds). Tel Aviv: Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House. p. 347
