Dayr Aban

Dayr Aban (also spelled Deir Aban; Arabic: دير آبان) was a Palestinian Arab village in the Jerusalem Subdistrict, located on the lower slope of a high ridge that formed the western slope of a mountain, to the east of Beit Shemesh. It was formerly bordered by olive trees to the north, east, and west. The valley, Wadi en-Najil, ran north and south on the west-side of the village. The village is associated with the biblical site of Eben-Ezer. The prefix "Dayr" hints at a historical monastery. Early Ottoman records document a mixed Christian and Muslim population. However, by the 17th century, historical records highlights a communal conversion to Islam. Nonetheless, traditions linked to the village's Christian past persisted in later periods. Dayr Aban was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on October 19, 1948, during Operation Ha-Har. It was located 21 km west of Jerusalem. Today there are over 5000 people originally from Deir Aban living in Jordan.