The Operation at Kafr Kanna
On 10.3.48 a company of the 1st Battalion commanded by Assaf Simchoni acted against an Arab gang which had settled in Kafr Kanna, on the Tiberias-Nazareth road.
On 10.3.48 a company of the 1st Battalion commanded by Assaf Simchoni acted against an Arab gang which had settled in Kafr Kanna, on the Tiberias-Nazareth road. Information had been received that the village had become a center for gangs headed by a certain 'Ibrahim', that had carried out many attacks in the Lower Galilee and the Zevulun Valley. Among these was a gang that had previously been active in Shefaram, but had moved to Kafr Kanna. A previous attack aimed on a building they used - in Shefaram, on the night of 19.1.48 - had been unsuccessful. This time, the goal of the action was to blow up a house used by the gang in the north-east part of Kafr Kanna.
Three platoons of the company split up according to assignments: One would put out feelers in order to identify the target; a second would attack the target and a third would provide cover and security.
It should be noted that no visit was made in advance, and none of the force's members was acquainted with the village. The company left Bet Qeshet towards nightfall, heading for Sajara. In an olive grove between Sajara and Bet Qeshet it joined up with a unit of the field combat corps, which was to block access routes to enemy reinforcements, in the event that the Palmach force should reach Kafr Kanna.
From there the fighters left by foot for the village, and at a distance of about 1.5 km from it the force split up. The field combat corps took up its designated position in a deep flanking movement, positioning itself opposite Kafr Mashhar. The Palmach company continued beyond the village, and from a distance of 60-70 m the secondary forces began to act according to the plan. Whilst the 1st platoon sought the building, it was spotted and came under heavy fire from several directions, resulting in a first casualty. The platoon reported that it could not find the house, and the commander of the operation ordered it to withdraw. He decided to cut off contact with the village and instructed all forces to withdraw to a hill about 500m away in an area that was lit up by rockets and under fire. Once on the hill, the force reorganized for withdrawal, making sure that the wounded were carried with it. Members of the gang pursued the retreating force for about 10 km, firing on it, and it escaped only with difficulty. At the same time the field combat corps, ordered simultaneously to withdraw, reached Sajara on foot under difficult conditions.
One of the fighters was sent urgently to bring the ambulances that were parked on the road between Sajara and Bet Qeshet, accompanying them back to Bet Qeshet where they fetched the injured. [One member of the company (Andre Grozimonsky) was killed and four injured]. It appears that in Kafr Kanna too, there were a number of injured and dead.
Three platoons of the company split up according to assignments: One would put out feelers in order to identify the target; a second would attack the target and a third would provide cover and security.
It should be noted that no visit was made in advance, and none of the force's members was acquainted with the village. The company left Bet Qeshet towards nightfall, heading for Sajara. In an olive grove between Sajara and Bet Qeshet it joined up with a unit of the field combat corps, which was to block access routes to enemy reinforcements, in the event that the Palmach force should reach Kafr Kanna.
From there the fighters left by foot for the village, and at a distance of about 1.5 km from it the force split up. The field combat corps took up its designated position in a deep flanking movement, positioning itself opposite Kafr Mashhar. The Palmach company continued beyond the village, and from a distance of 60-70 m the secondary forces began to act according to the plan. Whilst the 1st platoon sought the building, it was spotted and came under heavy fire from several directions, resulting in a first casualty. The platoon reported that it could not find the house, and the commander of the operation ordered it to withdraw. He decided to cut off contact with the village and instructed all forces to withdraw to a hill about 500m away in an area that was lit up by rockets and under fire. Once on the hill, the force reorganized for withdrawal, making sure that the wounded were carried with it. Members of the gang pursued the retreating force for about 10 km, firing on it, and it escaped only with difficulty. At the same time the field combat corps, ordered simultaneously to withdraw, reached Sajara on foot under difficult conditions.
One of the fighters was sent urgently to bring the ambulances that were parked on the road between Sajara and Bet Qeshet, accompanying them back to Bet Qeshet where they fetched the injured. [One member of the company (Andre Grozimonsky) was killed and four injured]. It appears that in Kafr Kanna too, there were a number of injured and dead.