The attack on Balad A-Sheikh
On the night of 1.1.1948, the Arab village of Balad A-Sheikh was attacked by a force of 120 --- four platoons of the First Palmach Battalion, and two combat platoons from the “Levanoni” Brigade. The operation was commanded by Haim Avinoam.
On the night of 1.1.1948, the Arab village of Balad A-Sheikh was attacked by a force of 120 - four platoons of the First Palmach Battalion, and two combat platoons from the “Levanoni” Brigade. The operation was commanded by Haim Avinoam. Moving from Yagur along the slopes of the Carmel, they reached the assembly point at 01:10. The order given was: “Attack the village. Hit as many men as possible, destroy property, avoid harming women and children”. According to later accounts, scores of houses were blown up, in retaliation for the massacre of Jews at the oil refinery.
At 01:30 the Arabs opened fire. They were joined by police, and by men of the Arab Legion from camps on village land. The attackers returned the fire. When the covering force had silenced the enemy fire, the assault units entered the village and went to work among the houses. The operation lasted about 30 minutes. Three men of the attacking force were killed - all officers - and two were wounded. The withdrawal was delayed because there were no stretchers. Runners were sent to Nesher for a motor vehicle and stretchers. At 05:30 the force returned to Yagur.
Enemy losses were more than 60 killed.
Pinhas Zussman (“Siko”) testified later that the Palmach soldiers returned from the operation with mixed feelings: on the one hand, there was satisfaction that the mission had been carried out successfully; on the other hand, there were feelings of unease, among those groups which had come determined, on principle, to avoid unnecessary killing, and looting.
Nevertheless, all concerned felt that the operation was justified, as a reprisal for the murder of numerous Jews by Arab rioters at the oil refinery.
Those killed were Haim Ben-Dor, Amos Galili and Hanan Zelinger.
The Ramat Yochanan platoon was distinguished by the exemplary behaviour of its men, who in all the battles in which they took part, avoided killing whenever possible, and never stooped to looting.
At 01:30 the Arabs opened fire. They were joined by police, and by men of the Arab Legion from camps on village land. The attackers returned the fire. When the covering force had silenced the enemy fire, the assault units entered the village and went to work among the houses. The operation lasted about 30 minutes. Three men of the attacking force were killed - all officers - and two were wounded. The withdrawal was delayed because there were no stretchers. Runners were sent to Nesher for a motor vehicle and stretchers. At 05:30 the force returned to Yagur.
Enemy losses were more than 60 killed.
Pinhas Zussman (“Siko”) testified later that the Palmach soldiers returned from the operation with mixed feelings: on the one hand, there was satisfaction that the mission had been carried out successfully; on the other hand, there were feelings of unease, among those groups which had come determined, on principle, to avoid unnecessary killing, and looting.
Nevertheless, all concerned felt that the operation was justified, as a reprisal for the murder of numerous Jews by Arab rioters at the oil refinery.
Those killed were Haim Ben-Dor, Amos Galili and Hanan Zelinger.
The Ramat Yochanan platoon was distinguished by the exemplary behaviour of its men, who in all the battles in which they took part, avoided killing whenever possible, and never stooped to looting.