A Land Lease in Latrun between Ali Darwish and Mahmoud Nusrah, Jerusalem, 1934

Found in the Mohammad al-Asi Collection in Arabic, this document shows a land lease of a piece of land in Latrun village between two parties, the first is represented by Hajj Ali Darwish from Salbit, as the two villages follow the Ramle District, and the second represented by Hajj Mahmoud Mohammad Hmeidan Nusrah from Lifta village in the Jerusalem District. The contract, dated 15 December 1934, indicates that the first party leases from the second party the plot of land located in “Ar-Rujm” from the lands of the village of Latrun, which is the land purchased from Jalal abu Ghosh, based on a number of conditions, including the obligation to cultivate and plant the land above by the first party, which will receive two-thirds of its crop, while the second party receives one third so that the first is in return for his work and seed, and the second for his land. The lease term is from 7 to 8 months, starting from the date of signing this document and after its expiry, the first party has no right to the aforementioned land, and the first party must pay to the second party all the Werko money incurred on this land as it is registered in the Werko book, where he must pay two-thirds of a tenth of the salary according to what is recorded in the book of tithes. The second party or his agent, Muhammad Salem Mustafa, has the right to stipulate that the second party in what he orders him the place and location of planting, and all agricultural expenses shall be borne by the first party while the second pays the wages of the guard. It should be noted that the contract is signed by witnesses and the agent of the first and second parties at the bottom.