Forces, ways and means, timetables and objectives
The Qastel outposts, and the village of Qastel itself, were captured on 3.4.48 by a Palmach unit based at Kiryat Anavim. Qastel was the first Arab village to be captured with a view to permanent occupation. After being taken, it was handed over to the “Ezioni” brigade. On 5.4.48, a force from the “Givati” brigade attacked the command post of Hassan Salameh, close to Ramleh, and destroyed it.
By great good fortune, a shipment of weapons (“Balak1”) from Czechoslovakia arrived by air, early in the morning of 1.4.48. It included 200 rifles, 40 machine guns, and 150 000 rounds of ammunition. Two days later, the ship ”Nora” arrived, bringing more weapons: 4500 rifles, 200 machine guns and five million rounds. On 6.4.48, the brigade had available the following: 835 rifles, 72 sub-machine guns, 50 machine guns, 20 mortars of various types, and four anti-tank rifles.
The orders for the operation were issued on 3.4.48. Shimon Avidan, c/o of the “Givati” brigade, was put in command. Headquarters staff included: Eliyahu Cohen (Ben-Hur), administration; Efraim Ben-Artzi, supplies; and Moshe Bar-Tikva (Mondek), operations. Organization of supplies and their transportation by convoy would be the responsibility of the supply dept. at GHQ, headed by Harry Yafeh. During the week of the operation, it was planned to move supplies for three months. During planning, the question was raised as to how to act with respect to the Arab villages and to any possible action on the part of the British army.
Yigael Yadin instructed the commanders of the operation to try and take up positions alongside the Arab villages, rather than actually to occupy them unless absolutely imperative; and to comply with any British demands with regard to evacuation of villages or outposts --- but to insist that any place that ws evacuated should be secured by the army.
The force comprised three battalions:
“Nachshon 1” battalion, with 635 men, was assigned to the western sector (about 11 kilometers long), and based at Hulda. It ws commanded by Haim Laskov, and included a reinforced Palmach company of 185 men from the Fourth Battalion, two companies from the “Givati” brigade, and a company from the “Kiryati” and “Alexandroni” brigades. It was responsible for the following roads: Rehovot-Hulda; Massima-Latrun-Sha’ar Hagai.
“Nachshon 2” Battalion was assigned to the sector between Kiryat Anavim and Sha’ar Hagai. Its bases were Kiryat Anavim, Ma’aleh Hahamisha, and Neveh Ilan, and it was responsible for the road from Sha’ar Hagai up to Jerusalem – about 23 kilometers. It had 500 men, most of them from the Palmach’s Fourth Battalion (less one company), and the others from the Fifth and Sixth Battalions. Yosef Tabenkin was in command. The Palmach companies were commanded by Yochanan Zariz and Uri Ben-Ari respectively.
“Nachshon” no.3 battalion (commanding officer: Eldad Ohrbach-Avidar) was kept in reserve. Its bases were at Na’an and Kefar Bilu. It included three Palmach companies --- commanded by Yissachar (“Iska”) Shadmi and Shmuel (“Uli”) Giv’on --- a company from the “Gadna” (Youth Battalion) NCO training course, and one company from the “Givati” Brigade.
To these were added an armored unit with 26 vehicles, each manned by a crew of four, a battery of three-inch mortars, and a machine-gun platoon.
A number of preliminary operations were carried out:
The Qastel outposts, and the village of Qastel itself, were captured on 3.4.48 by a Palmach unit based at Kiryat Anavim. Qastel was the first Arab village to be captured with a view to permanent occupation. After being taken, it was handed over to the “Ezioni” brigade. On 5.4.48, a force from the “Givati” brigade attacked the command post of Hassan Salameh, close to Ramleh, and destroyed it.
The orders for the operation were issued on 3.4.48. Shimon Avidan, c/o of the “Givati” brigade, was put in command. Headquarters staff included: Eliyahu Cohen (Ben-Hur), administration; Efraim Ben-Artzi, supplies; and Moshe Bar-Tikva (Mondek), operations. Organization of supplies and their transportation by convoy would be the responsibility of the supply dept. at GHQ, headed by Harry Yafeh. During the week of the operation, it was planned to move supplies for three months. During planning, the question was raised as to how to act with respect to the Arab villages and to any possible action on the part of the British army.
Yigael Yadin instructed the commanders of the operation to try and take up positions alongside the Arab villages, rather than actually to occupy them unless absolutely imperative; and to comply with any British demands with regard to evacuation of villages or outposts --- but to insist that any place that ws evacuated should be secured by the army.
The force comprised three battalions:
“Nachshon 1” battalion, with 635 men, was assigned to the western sector (about 11 kilometers long), and based at Hulda. It ws commanded by Haim Laskov, and included a reinforced Palmach company of 185 men from the Fourth Battalion, two companies from the “Givati” brigade, and a company from the “Kiryati” and “Alexandroni” brigades. It was responsible for the following roads: Rehovot-Hulda; Massima-Latrun-Sha’ar Hagai.
“Nachshon 2” Battalion was assigned to the sector between Kiryat Anavim and Sha’ar Hagai. Its bases were Kiryat Anavim, Ma’aleh Hahamisha, and Neveh Ilan, and it was responsible for the road from Sha’ar Hagai up to Jerusalem – about 23 kilometers. It had 500 men, most of them from the Palmach’s Fourth Battalion (less one company), and the others from the Fifth and Sixth Battalions. Yosef Tabenkin was in command. The Palmach companies were commanded by Yochanan Zariz and Uri Ben-Ari respectively.
“Nachshon” no.3 battalion (commanding officer: Eldad Ohrbach-Avidar) was kept in reserve. Its bases were at Na’an and Kefar Bilu. It included three Palmach companies --- commanded by Yissachar (“Iska”) Shadmi and Shmuel (“Uli”) Giv’on --- a company from the “Gadna” (Youth Battalion) NCO training course, and one company from the “Givati” Brigade.
To these were added an armored unit with 26 vehicles, each manned by a crew of four, a battery of three-inch mortars, and a machine-gun platoon.
A number of preliminary operations were carried out:
The Qastel outposts, and the village of Qastel itself, were captured on 3.4.48 by a Palmach unit based at Kiryat Anavim. Qastel was the first Arab village to be captured with a view to permanent occupation. After being taken, it was handed over to the “Ezioni” brigade. On 5.4.48, a force from the “Givati” brigade attacked the command post of Hassan Salameh, close to Ramleh, and destroyed it.