The Capture of Mount Zion
The commander of the Jerusalem district and the senior officers of the Harel brigade met, and reviewed ways and means of relieving the besieged Jewish Quarter in the Old City. As a result, a company from no. 4 regiment captured Mount Zion, which overlooks the Old City from a position beside the Zion Gate.
On 17.5.48 in the morning, there was a meeting in the headquarters of the commander of the Jerusalem district, David Shaltiel. Besides Shaltiel, there wee present Yitzhak Rabin, CO of the “Harel” brigade, and Yosef Tabenkin, CO of the Fourth Battalion, with some of their respective staff officers. The meeting followed a decision of the high command to assist the “Jerusalem” brigade of the Hagana.
The district commander outlined a plan to relieve the besieged Jewish Quarter of the Old City, by a breakthrough at the Jaffa Gate. The Palmach command were dissatisfied with the plan. They suggested to try and break through with a united force in the Mandelbaum Gate area, close to the Rockefeller Museum (thus relieving the Jordanian Arab Legion’s pressure on the Jewish Quarter). This proposal was not accepted. It was then decided that a Palmach company would carry out a diversionary operation in the Mount Zion area.
After a reconnaissance survey from Yemin Moshe, it was decided that the diversionary action would take the form of an attempt to capture Mount Zion. The operation was assigned to Uri Ben Ari’s company, which had been occupying positions in Beit Mahsir since the capture of that village. The company was ordered to move to Yemin Moshe. The officers were to arrive early, and survey the area.
The force reached Yemin Moshe, and led by local scouts, moved into the Valley of Hinnom, from which it could assault Mount Zion from the east. The Arab forces, which were expecting an attack from the west, were caught unawares; the Mount was taken after a relatively short battle. Among the prisoners were soldiers from foreign armies, who were providing support for the Arab defenders.
In the meantime it was learned that the attack on the Jaffa Gate had failed, and that our forces had fallen back.
The news of the taking of Mount Zion was passed on by radio to the defenders of the Jewish Quarter. The latter reported that their situation was desperate, and asked for relief to come urgently. The following morning, an armored vehicle was sent, with a “Davidka” mortar, and a demolition unit, to try and break through by day. The vehicle did not get as far as the wall. It was hit by armor-piercing bullets near David’s Tower. The breakthrough attempt was postponed till the following night. During the day, the forces concentrated on defence, consolidating their hold on the Mount, and firing into the surrounding Arab neighborhoods.
The district commander outlined a plan to relieve the besieged Jewish Quarter of the Old City, by a breakthrough at the Jaffa Gate. The Palmach command were dissatisfied with the plan. They suggested to try and break through with a united force in the Mandelbaum Gate area, close to the Rockefeller Museum (thus relieving the Jordanian Arab Legion’s pressure on the Jewish Quarter). This proposal was not accepted. It was then decided that a Palmach company would carry out a diversionary operation in the Mount Zion area.
After a reconnaissance survey from Yemin Moshe, it was decided that the diversionary action would take the form of an attempt to capture Mount Zion. The operation was assigned to Uri Ben Ari’s company, which had been occupying positions in Beit Mahsir since the capture of that village. The company was ordered to move to Yemin Moshe. The officers were to arrive early, and survey the area.
The force reached Yemin Moshe, and led by local scouts, moved into the Valley of Hinnom, from which it could assault Mount Zion from the east. The Arab forces, which were expecting an attack from the west, were caught unawares; the Mount was taken after a relatively short battle. Among the prisoners were soldiers from foreign armies, who were providing support for the Arab defenders.
In the meantime it was learned that the attack on the Jaffa Gate had failed, and that our forces had fallen back.
The news of the taking of Mount Zion was passed on by radio to the defenders of the Jewish Quarter. The latter reported that their situation was desperate, and asked for relief to come urgently. The following morning, an armored vehicle was sent, with a “Davidka” mortar, and a demolition unit, to try and break through by day. The vehicle did not get as far as the wall. It was hit by armor-piercing bullets near David’s Tower. The breakthrough attempt was postponed till the following night. During the day, the forces concentrated on defence, consolidating their hold on the Mount, and firing into the surrounding Arab neighborhoods.