The capture of Saris
The force was unable to continue to hold the village – so the inhabitants were driven out and the houses blown up. This was done so that the village would not go back to being a fortified position, after the brigade’s return to base.
When the assault began, the British guards at the pump house opened mortar fire upon Neve Ilan. The holding force on the hill responded with machine gun fire, upon which the British ceased firing. The attacking force occupied the village after a house-to-house clean-up, and then began blowing up the houses. Arab reinforcements, led by Iraqi colonel Fadel Rashid, hurried up from Beit Mahsir, but were stopped by a barrier held by Force “B”.
In this operation, the Fourth Battalion had 4 wounded; the Arabs had seven killed.
The force was unable to continue to hold the village – so the inhabitants were driven out and the houses blown up. This was done so that the village would not go back to being a fortified position, after the brigade’s return to base.
Years later, Tabenkin outlined the reasons for an Arab village being unable to defend itself: there was no fence or wall around it; it was not organized to put up any sort of resistance; it had no medical resources; and they feared for the non-combatant population.
With this action, Operation Nachshon came to an end.
In this operation, the Fourth Battalion had 4 wounded; the Arabs had seven killed.
The force was unable to continue to hold the village – so the inhabitants were driven out and the houses blown up. This was done so that the village would not go back to being a fortified position, after the brigade’s return to base.
Years later, Tabenkin outlined the reasons for an Arab village being unable to defend itself: there was no fence or wall around it; it was not organized to put up any sort of resistance; it had no medical resources; and they feared for the non-combatant population.
With this action, Operation Nachshon came to an end.