The Operation Course of Action
On the morning of 1.5.1948, the forces of the 3rd Battalion conquered the villages of Birya and En Zetun. During the course of the battle, the Palmach unit found itself in an open field opposite the village of Birya. The commander of the unit feared that many of his men would be hit by the gunfire from the village and therefore took a decision to attack Birya. Despite the superior numbers of the villagers, they fled and abandoned the village following on the Palmach assault.
The conquest of Birya and Ein Zetun freed the settlement of En Zetim from the long siege to which it had been subjected and opened a new approach road into the city of Safed.
The conquest of Birya and Ein Zetun freed the settlement of En Zetim from the long siege to which it had been subjected and opened a new approach road into the city of Safed.
- On the 2.5.1948, the Arabs began their attacks on the settlements of Ramot Naftali, Dan, Dafna, Kfar Szold and Shamir.
- On the 3-4.5.1948, the forces of the 1st Battalion carried out the 'Matateh' - 'Broomsweep ' operation successfully and gained control of the road from Tiberias to the Galilee, thereby ensuring free movement of vehicles from the Tiberias area to the Hula valley.
- On the 6.5.1948, the 3rd Battalion began its third attack on the city of Safed and the operation was completed successfully on the 10.5.1948. Safed was defined as a key point in the battle over control of the Galilee. Most of the Safed inhabitants were Arabs who held all the positions of control in the city, including the approach roads, a situation that resulted in the siege of the Jewish quarter.
Yigal Alon, commander of the operation, instructed the people in the area to spread a rumor amongst the Hula Valley Arabs, telling about huge reinforcements that were on the way to attack them. And indeed, after the Arab defeat in Safed, the villagers began to flee. This was how the Halsa police station fell into the hands of the 'Yiftach' Brigade.
Another focal point of battle was in the Malkiya, Kadesh and Nebi Yusha area as well as the Lebanese border in the middle of the Galilee.
- On the morning of 15.5.1948, the 1st Battalion conquered the village of Malkya and the military camp close to the village, and also the Kedes village. The Lebanese army opened fierce counter-attacks and the battalion was compelled to retreat after it had suffered heavy casualties: 22 killed and 100 wounded.
- The 'Yiftach' forces attacked the Nebi Yusha Fortress three times, conquering the stronghold on the 3rd attempt on the 17.5.1948, after a 24 hour siege. Following on that victory, the roads were opened to the besieged settlements of Ramot Naftali, Menara and Misgav Am.
- On the night of 15.5.1948, sappers from the 3rd Battalion blew up the Hardala bridge on the Litani river in Lebanon.
- On the 16.5.1948, a unit from the 3rd Battalion blew up the Wadi Asel Bridge across the Syrian border, on the road between the Banyas and Marj-ayun.
- Raids were carried out on the Acre – Safed road, where bridges were blown up in order to block the advance of the Arab forces from the center of the Galilee in the direction of Safed.
- On the night of 20.5.1948, the 3rd Battalion carried out raids on villages in Lebanon.
- After surveillance it was discovered that the Syrians had established a large camp for the supply of fuel, ammunition and food, next to the upper customs-house, east of the B'not Ya'akov Bridge. On the night of 19.5.1948, a force from the 3rd Battalion, crossed the Jordan River and carried out a raid on the base: they penetrated the camp, overcame the resistance of the guards and sabotaged the storehouses and vehicles.
- On that same night, the members of the Bedouin tribe Arab el-Haib, who were situated next to kibbutz Kfar Hanasi, joined ranks with the Israeli forces.
On the night of 29.5.1948, an armored force of the 1st Battalion went up to Menarah with the vehicle lights turned off, stealthily crossed the road leading to Menarah on the Lebanese side of the border and began to advance in the direction of Malkya. The village inhabitants were sure that an Arab force was approaching and did not interfere with their advance. The force encountered and clashed with a Lebanese reinforcement unit next to the Itron village. After having overcome the enemy, the force continued on to approach Malkya from the rear and succeeded in conquering the village.
- On the 3-4.5.1948, the forces of the 1st Battalion carried out the 'Matateh' - 'Broomsweep ' operation successfully and gained control of the road from Tiberias to the Galilee, thereby ensuring free movement of vehicles from the Tiberias area to the Hula valley.
- On the 6.5.1948, the 3rd Battalion began its third attack on the city of Safed and the operation was completed successfully on the 10.5.1948. Safed was defined as a key point in the battle over control of the Galilee. Most of the Safed inhabitants were Arabs who held all the positions of control in the city, including the approach roads, a situation that resulted in the siege of the Jewish quarter.
Yigal Alon, commander of the operation, instructed the people in the area to spread a rumor amongst the Hula Valley Arabs, telling about huge reinforcements that were on the way to attack them. And indeed, after the Arab defeat in Safed, the villagers began to flee. This was how the Halsa police station fell into the hands of the 'Yiftach' Brigade.
Another focal point of battle was in the Malkiya, Kadesh and Nebi Yusha area as well as the Lebanese border in the middle of the Galilee.
- On the morning of 15.5.1948, the 1st Battalion conquered the village of Malkya and the military camp close to the village, and also the Kedes village. The Lebanese army opened fierce counter-attacks and the battalion was compelled to retreat after it had suffered heavy casualties: 22 killed and 100 wounded.
- The 'Yiftach' forces attacked the Nebi Yusha Fortress three times, conquering the stronghold on the 3rd attempt on the 17.5.1948, after a 24 hour siege. Following on that victory, the roads were opened to the besieged settlements of Ramot Naftali, Menara and Misgav Am.
- On the night of 15.5.1948, sappers from the 3rd Battalion blew up the Hardala bridge on the Litani river in Lebanon.
- On the 16.5.1948, a unit from the 3rd Battalion blew up the Wadi Asel Bridge across the Syrian border, on the road between the Banyas and Marj-ayun.
- Raids were carried out on the Acre – Safed road, where bridges were blown up in order to block the advance of the Arab forces from the center of the Galilee in the direction of Safed.
- On the night of 20.5.1948, the 3rd Battalion carried out raids on villages in Lebanon.
- After surveillance it was discovered that the Syrians had established a large camp for the supply of fuel, ammunition and food, next to the upper customs-house, east of the B'not Ya'akov Bridge. On the night of 19.5.1948, a force from the 3rd Battalion, crossed the Jordan River and carried out a raid on the base: they penetrated the camp, overcame the resistance of the guards and sabotaged the storehouses and vehicles.
- On that same night, the members of the Bedouin tribe Arab el-Haib, who were situated next to kibbutz Kfar Hanasi, joined ranks with the Israeli forces.
On the night of 29.5.1948, an armored force of the 1st Battalion went up to Menarah with the vehicle lights turned off, stealthily crossed the road leading to Menarah on the Lebanese side of the border and began to advance in the direction of Malkya. The village inhabitants were sure that an Arab force was approaching and did not interfere with their advance. The force encountered and clashed with a Lebanese reinforcement unit next to the Itron village. After having overcome the enemy, the force continued on to approach Malkya from the rear and succeeded in conquering the village.