but were expelled. However, the Israeli defence authorities decided not to allow the villagers back. Havat Shikmim ("Sycamore Ranch") was built on Huj lands and was later purchased by Ariel Sharon in 1972. According to Izzeldin Abuelaish the mosque of Huj has been serving as the pen for Sharon's Arabian thoroughbred horses. In 1992, the village site was described: "Only one dilapidated building remains, a concrete structure with rectangular doors and windows and a flat roof. Its former function is not clear; it now serves as a farm storehouse. One can also identify the remnants of a watering trough. Sycamore trees and cactuses grow on the eastern and western edges of the site. An Israeli sheep farm has also been established on the site." In 1998, refugees from Huj in Gaza numbered an estimated 5,770 people. See also Depopulated Palestinian locations in Israel References Bibliography External links Welcome to Huj, Palestineremembered.com Huj, Zochrot Survey of Western Palestine, Map 20: IAA, Wikimedia commons Huj from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center District of Gaza Arab villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War