The Battle to Liberate the City
In the wake of the first operation that failed, the commanders decided to carry out a simultaneous attack on all the objectives. This decision was the determining factor in the success of the attack.
In preparation for the second attack that was launched on the night of 10.5.1948, two 'Davidkas', a number of mortars and three 'Piats', were brought to Safed. They also had at their disposal 'Parosh' mortars, developed by Stef Wertheimer, the battalion armament man, in the metal workshops of the nearby kibbutzim.
The attack plan included: comprehensive shelling; an attack by three forces simultaneously on three central objectives in the city: the fortress, the city police station on the border of the Jewish and Arab quarters and the 'Shalva School."
Plans were laid for the 1st Battalion to carry out diversionary attacks on the Ahbara village. This operation was important because it would have brought the battalion to the rear of the enemy forces. It was decided that, should the 3rd Battalion fail to carry out its plans, the 1st Battalion would attack the city from the south.
In order to raise the morale of the men, the battalion commander arranged a party to celebrate the 7th anniversary of the Palmach where he announced that on the following day the Palmach would present the city of Safed as a gift to its Jewish inhabitants.
The operation was carried out as planned: the shelling was very impressive (shelling with 'Davidkas' always had an effective psychological influence) and the forces began their attack immediately. The 'Shalva' school was the first objective to be conquered after close-combat battles were fought in the building against about 60 Iraqi volunteers. The platoon commander was killed in that battle. The second force, with three platoons, stormed the hill of the fortress frontally but the mission was unsuccessful because the staging area was too narrow and the strength of the assault force was ineffective. They then drew out their secret weapon - the 'Piat' – whose shells soon brought about a cessation of activity in the enemy positions. The platoon commander, Avinoam, exploited this new situation with a renewed assault that brought about the successful conquest of the hill as well as the fortress.
The attack plan included: comprehensive shelling; an attack by three forces simultaneously on three central objectives in the city: the fortress, the city police station on the border of the Jewish and Arab quarters and the 'Shalva School."
Plans were laid for the 1st Battalion to carry out diversionary attacks on the Ahbara village. This operation was important because it would have brought the battalion to the rear of the enemy forces. It was decided that, should the 3rd Battalion fail to carry out its plans, the 1st Battalion would attack the city from the south.
In order to raise the morale of the men, the battalion commander arranged a party to celebrate the 7th anniversary of the Palmach where he announced that on the following day the Palmach would present the city of Safed as a gift to its Jewish inhabitants.
The operation was carried out as planned: the shelling was very impressive (shelling with 'Davidkas' always had an effective psychological influence) and the forces began their attack immediately. The 'Shalva' school was the first objective to be conquered after close-combat battles were fought in the building against about 60 Iraqi volunteers. The platoon commander was killed in that battle. The second force, with three platoons, stormed the hill of the fortress frontally but the mission was unsuccessful because the staging area was too narrow and the strength of the assault force was ineffective. They then drew out their secret weapon - the 'Piat' – whose shells soon brought about a cessation of activity in the enemy positions. The platoon commander, Avinoam, exploited this new situation with a renewed assault that brought about the successful conquest of the hill as well as the fortress.