▁Mand ate ▁era ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁census ▁of ▁Palest ine ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Mand ate ▁authorities , ▁ ▁K her bet ▁B ait ▁L id ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 0 6 ▁ ▁Muslim s , ▁increasing ▁in ▁ ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁census ▁to ▁ 2 9 8 ▁Muslim , ▁in ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 7 5 ▁houses . ▁ ▁In ▁ ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁statistics ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Kh ir bat ▁Bay t ▁L id ▁was ▁ 4 6 0 ▁Muslim s ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁▁ 5 , 3 3 6 ▁d un ams ▁of ▁land , ▁of ▁which ▁ 2 , 9 6 9 ▁were ▁owned ▁by ▁Arab s , ▁ 2 , 2 2 0 ▁by ▁Jews ▁and ▁ 1 4 7 ▁was ▁public ▁lands . ▁▁ ▁Of ▁this , ▁Arab s ▁used ▁ 6 4 ▁d un ams ▁for ▁ir rig ated ▁and ▁plant ation ▁land , ▁ 2 , 8 7 7 ▁for ▁c ere als , ▁while ▁ 2 2 ▁d un ams ▁were ▁class ified ▁as ▁built - up ▁areas . ▁▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁after math ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁ ▁the ▁vill agers ▁grew ▁fear ful ▁over ▁news ▁about ▁fighting , ▁and ▁left ▁for ▁ ▁Beit ▁L id , ▁where ▁they ▁had ▁relatives , ▁bel ieving ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁return ▁in ▁some ▁weeks . ▁According ▁to ▁one ▁vill ager , ▁Hus ni ▁' Ab d ▁al