Major actions during Operation "Yevusi"
The major actions during Operation "Yevusi”:
On the night of 23.4.48 the village of Beit Iksa was taken by Mordechai Ben-Porat’s company from the Fourth Battalion. A reinforced company from the Fifth Battalion attacked and occupied the neighbourhood of Shu’afat, demolished a number of houses, and upon orders from Brigade HQ, withdrew at daybreak. The order to withdraw was given following the failure at Nabi Samuel. In the commander’s report of this action, it was stated that the men’s level of training was inadequate.
On the morning of 23.4.48, a force from the Fourth Battalion attacked Nabi Samuel, but was unable to take it.
On the night of 25.4.48 a force from the Fifth Battalion attacked Sheikh Jarrakh and captured it, but was forced to withdraw at the insistence of the British.
On 27.4.48, HQ of “Operation Yevusi” was dismantled, and Yitzhak Sadeh, who felt he was not in full control of the forces assigned to his command, left the city. The operation was dismantled because of the poor results achieved in stages 1 and 2, and because of squabbling between senior commanders. It was decided that Shaltiel would be regional commander, and that the “Harel” brigade would be responsible for operations.
During the night of 30.4.48 a company from the Fifth Battalion, led by Aharon Shemi (“Jimmy”), sabotaged the Jerusalem-Jericho road. This followed intelligence reports that armies from Iraq and Jordan were preparing to invade the country, while the British were still in the process of leaving. In the night of 29.4.48, the company marched to Mount Scopus, and the following night a task force of two platoons set out on the road. The objectives were to demolish a water conduit, and to lay mines, about two kilometers from the village of El Azariya. One of the platoons laid a charge beneath the water conduit. They also attacked a passing Arab car and killed its four occupants. Their withdrawal was covered by the second platoon, which fought off an attempted attack from the village. The damage done was slight; the water conduit was repaired, and traffic along the road resumed, on the same day.
In the night of 3.5.48, a similar operation was carried out on another nearby water conduit. “Zero hour” was put forward, to make the withdrawal safer. The damage done was somewhat greater than previously, but the conduit was repaired within two days.
In the night of 2.5.48 a company from the Fifth Battalion attacked the Augusta Victoria compound on the high ridge alongside Mt. Scopus. The objective was to gain control of the eastern approach to Jerusalem. With no prior knowledge, they came up against dense barbed wire, and fortified defences manned by the Jordanian Arab Legion. Poorly equipped and with no support, they were forced to retreat with losses, under heavy fire.
On 29.4.48, a force from the Fifth Battalion attempted to occupy the Abu Tor neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
On 30.4.48, a force made up of fighters from the “Harel” brigade’s Fourth and Fifth Battalions, and from the “Moria” battalion, occupied the district of Katamon and the San–Simone monastery.
On the morning of 23.4.48, a force from the Fourth Battalion attacked Nabi Samuel, but was unable to take it.
On the night of 25.4.48 a force from the Fifth Battalion attacked Sheikh Jarrakh and captured it, but was forced to withdraw at the insistence of the British.
On 27.4.48, HQ of “Operation Yevusi” was dismantled, and Yitzhak Sadeh, who felt he was not in full control of the forces assigned to his command, left the city. The operation was dismantled because of the poor results achieved in stages 1 and 2, and because of squabbling between senior commanders. It was decided that Shaltiel would be regional commander, and that the “Harel” brigade would be responsible for operations.
During the night of 30.4.48 a company from the Fifth Battalion, led by Aharon Shemi (“Jimmy”), sabotaged the Jerusalem-Jericho road. This followed intelligence reports that armies from Iraq and Jordan were preparing to invade the country, while the British were still in the process of leaving. In the night of 29.4.48, the company marched to Mount Scopus, and the following night a task force of two platoons set out on the road. The objectives were to demolish a water conduit, and to lay mines, about two kilometers from the village of El Azariya. One of the platoons laid a charge beneath the water conduit. They also attacked a passing Arab car and killed its four occupants. Their withdrawal was covered by the second platoon, which fought off an attempted attack from the village. The damage done was slight; the water conduit was repaired, and traffic along the road resumed, on the same day.
In the night of 3.5.48, a similar operation was carried out on another nearby water conduit. “Zero hour” was put forward, to make the withdrawal safer. The damage done was somewhat greater than previously, but the conduit was repaired within two days.
In the night of 2.5.48 a company from the Fifth Battalion attacked the Augusta Victoria compound on the high ridge alongside Mt. Scopus. The objective was to gain control of the eastern approach to Jerusalem. With no prior knowledge, they came up against dense barbed wire, and fortified defences manned by the Jordanian Arab Legion. Poorly equipped and with no support, they were forced to retreat with losses, under heavy fire.
On 29.4.48, a force from the Fifth Battalion attempted to occupy the Abu Tor neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
On 30.4.48, a force made up of fighters from the “Harel” brigade’s Fourth and Fifth Battalions, and from the “Moria” battalion, occupied the district of Katamon and the San–Simone monastery.