Hativat Yiftach (the Yiftach Brigade) (11)
The Palmach’s brigade was initially set up in the Galilee towards the end of 1948 as a mission force under the command of Yiga’al Alon, the Palmach’s commander, and later consolidated into a brigade.
Iftach Brigade - Brigade Headquarters
The Palmach’s brigade was initially set up in the Galilee towards the end of 1948 as a mission force under the command of Yiga’al Alon, the Palmach’s commander, and later consolidated into a brigade.
The Yiftach Battalions comprised mainly of farmers, training groups, individual recruits and foreign recruits.
At the outburst of the war the Palmach members were scattered in their camps situated in the farms of the Galilee and the valleys. From there they were sent to safeguard the region; securing roads and the connection between the Galilee, the Valleys and the center of the country, safe guarding the borderline settlements, the northern border and the Jordan Ma’abarot (transit camps for illegal immigrants).
At first the brigade consisted of two battalions: the First Battalion which camped in the farms of the Valley, and operated in Bet She’an Valley, in the Gilbo’a, the western Galilee and around Haifa, and the Third Battalion which operated in the eastern Galilee and its borders. The Second Battalion, camped at first in the Negev, originally belonged to the Negev Brigade and only joined in towards the end of 1948.
As early as the war’s first stages, the two battalions engage in combat activities; on the 15th of February 1948 a unit of the Third Battalion commenced a long- termed foray on the Arab village Sasa and caused confusion on the Arab side. The battalion’s units joined in the assault on Tirat Tzvi, attacked and effectively damaged the Arab Liberation Army. On the first week of April the First Battalion operated for the first time as a whole unit and defeated the Liberation Army in his attack on Mishmar Hae’mek.
The brigade’s main activities in the eastern Galilee were the conquest of Tiberias and Safad, the attacks on the Nabi Yehshu’a police, the battles of Malchia, the warding off of the Syrian forces from the Jordan valley and their participation in Operation Yiftach and Yoav.
In June 1948 the brigade was transferred to the center of Israel, participated in Operation Yoram in the attempt to capture Latrun and later in the Operation Dani, Gis, and Yoav.
The brigade’s commander was Shmue’l (Mula) Cohen.
The Yiftach Battalions comprised mainly of farmers, training groups, individual recruits and foreign recruits.
At the outburst of the war the Palmach members were scattered in their camps situated in the farms of the Galilee and the valleys. From there they were sent to safeguard the region; securing roads and the connection between the Galilee, the Valleys and the center of the country, safe guarding the borderline settlements, the northern border and the Jordan Ma’abarot (transit camps for illegal immigrants).
At first the brigade consisted of two battalions: the First Battalion which camped in the farms of the Valley, and operated in Bet She’an Valley, in the Gilbo’a, the western Galilee and around Haifa, and the Third Battalion which operated in the eastern Galilee and its borders. The Second Battalion, camped at first in the Negev, originally belonged to the Negev Brigade and only joined in towards the end of 1948.
As early as the war’s first stages, the two battalions engage in combat activities; on the 15th of February 1948 a unit of the Third Battalion commenced a long- termed foray on the Arab village Sasa and caused confusion on the Arab side. The battalion’s units joined in the assault on Tirat Tzvi, attacked and effectively damaged the Arab Liberation Army. On the first week of April the First Battalion operated for the first time as a whole unit and defeated the Liberation Army in his attack on Mishmar Hae’mek.
The brigade’s main activities in the eastern Galilee were the conquest of Tiberias and Safad, the attacks on the Nabi Yehshu’a police, the battles of Malchia, the warding off of the Syrian forces from the Jordan valley and their participation in Operation Yiftach and Yoav.
In June 1948 the brigade was transferred to the center of Israel, participated in Operation Yoram in the attempt to capture Latrun and later in the Operation Dani, Gis, and Yoav.
The brigade’s commander was Shmue’l (Mula) Cohen.