Defense of the Israel National fund building
The secluded building was situated near Bet-Dajan, and was vital for both the defense of Jewish transport on the road leading from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem and to the south, and the monitoring of Arab traffic from Ramle to Lod.
On December, 1947, 18 'reserve' Palmach members from the 5th Battalion occupied and fortified the building, and an agreement, intermediated by the British ensured that no acts of hostility will accrue from sun rise to sun set.
The agreement was respected until 5.1.48 and since then the building was under attack every night. On the rainy night of the 6.1, Arab saboteurs laid a charge of explosives in the building itself, which resulted in the death of one man and the demolition of one room. After the incident the defenders laid land mines around the building, a fact that did not prevent the Arabs from trying to blow up the building by rolling barrels of explosives from trucks driving by.
On the 12.2.48, two Palmach members were killed while laying land mines around the building, which resulted in reprisals against Bet-Dajan during which 3 buildings and a well situated in an orchard were blown up.
10 men of the 5th Battalion Platoon situated in Mikveh-Israel were sent in rotating shifts to defend the building.
On the 28.2.48, yet another section of the building was blown up and two soldiers were injured.
The Platoon was responsible for a number of operations:
- Demolition of a two story building used by Arab snipers in the village of Yazur.
- Reprisals against Bet-Dajan.
- Demolition of the ice factory in Yazur.
In the beginning of March, the Givati Brigade took over the defense of The Israel National Fund building, and sent a Chish (Field Combat Corps) Platoon from Tel-Aviv to occupy the building.
The Palmach Platoon was reattached to the escort force, and the 5th Battalion Hulda Platoon.
Men who died during the operation: David Brendwine, Yair Amichay and Menasheh Kahanah.
The agreement was respected until 5.1.48 and since then the building was under attack every night. On the rainy night of the 6.1, Arab saboteurs laid a charge of explosives in the building itself, which resulted in the death of one man and the demolition of one room. After the incident the defenders laid land mines around the building, a fact that did not prevent the Arabs from trying to blow up the building by rolling barrels of explosives from trucks driving by.
On the 12.2.48, two Palmach members were killed while laying land mines around the building, which resulted in reprisals against Bet-Dajan during which 3 buildings and a well situated in an orchard were blown up.
10 men of the 5th Battalion Platoon situated in Mikveh-Israel were sent in rotating shifts to defend the building.
On the 28.2.48, yet another section of the building was blown up and two soldiers were injured.
The Platoon was responsible for a number of operations:
- Demolition of a two story building used by Arab snipers in the village of Yazur.
- Reprisals against Bet-Dajan.
- Demolition of the ice factory in Yazur.
In the beginning of March, the Givati Brigade took over the defense of The Israel National Fund building, and sent a Chish (Field Combat Corps) Platoon from Tel-Aviv to occupy the building.
The Palmach Platoon was reattached to the escort force, and the 5th Battalion Hulda Platoon.
Men who died during the operation: David Brendwine, Yair Amichay and Menasheh Kahanah.