Although the date of its occupation is unknown, al-Sanbariyya was probably taken in May 1948. Later in the summer of 1948, a representative of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) toured the area and found that several houses were still standing in al-Sanbariyya, albeit without roofs. (The fact that some houses were roofless implies that the village was subject to a direct attack.) According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, the JNF official instructed the secretariat of the nearby kibbutz of Ma'yan Barukh to destroy the houses immediately. As an incentive, he told them that this would enable the kibbutz to take the village's lands, as it would prevent the villagers from returning. This was agreed to immediately. Later, one member of the kibbutz complained about the destruction, on military grounds. He argued that in border areas, "there is a danger that the Arabs will use [the abandoned villages] for military operations if they get a chance". The settlements of Ma'yan Barukh and Dafna on land. The uneven land of the site is covered by grass and trees, including some old olive trees. No sign of the village remains. The surrounding lands are cultivated by Israeli farmers.