during british mandate rule in palestine, al-birwa was home to local power brokers, who mediated disputes in neighboring villages. al-birwa became a center of rebel operations during the 1936–1939 revolt against british rule. by the 1940s, many of the village's agrarian inhabitants lost their lands due to debt, and shifted to labor jobs in nearby cities, such as haifa. however, the majority of the residents—men and women—continued to engage in farming, selling their olives, grains and other crops in the markets of acre. al-birwa was captured by the israelis in early june 1948, after which its local militia recaptured the village. al-birwa was then permanently occupied by the israelis in late june. afterward, its inhabitants, including future palestinian poet mahmoud darwish, fled to nearby villages or lebanon. the jewish communities of yas'ur and ahihud were established on al-birwa's lands in 1949 and 1950, respectively.