The Palmach and the Negev Settlements
The Palmach forces that were transferred to the Negev, established their bases within the settlement confines. The kibbutz members, on their part, participated actively in the combat operations of the Palmach forces and many of them fell in battle.
The Negev Brigade - 1
The Palmach forces were transferred to the Negev hastily without having time for proper and orderly preparations. Therefore, their units were spread out amongst the settlements and other points in the Negev region. Their housing and food were provided by the settlements or the outposts. The settlements received their supplies from the convoys that were organized by the home-front of the Negev Command, and mostly through the Negev Committee.
The main courses in preparation for the war like: wireless communication, combat medics, military command courses, took place outside of the Negev region. On the other hand, short courses for local commanders and outpost commanders, preparation courses for fortifying, etc, were held at first at Nir-Am.
The headquarters of the Negev Brigade and the 2nd Battalion were at Nir-Am that had become the 'Capital of the Negev'. They built the 'Hamashbir', Tnuva and Solel Boneh storehouses at Nir-Am. All the convoys from the 'north', with people and supplies, came to Nir-Am. The 'Negev Squadron' was based there and a hospital was built that treated all the wounded people who had been evacuated by the 'Air Services' aircraft. They also transferred patients who required more intensive and lengthy treatments, by plane to other hospitals. Nir-Am became a busy center providing many services.
When the Brigade Headquarters transferred to kibbutz Ruhama, many of the other services were also transferred.
Later, when the 7th Battalion and the attack unit arrived as reinforcements, it was decided that they would set up their base outside of the settlements. A camp for training recruits was established next to Ruhama which later became the base of the 9th Battalion.
During the process of organizing the combat force, they recruited many commanders, wireless operators, people who were fluent in Arabic "Muktars", who later became Intelligence Officers in the Brigade. The young members of the settlements, amongst whom were Palmach graduates, were highly motivated in taking an active role in the fighting. They were familiar with the territory and served as scouts leading the forces in the operations. The Palmach units in the Negev were lacking in manpower and they willingly accepted the volunteers from the settlements into their ranks. In the attack and conquest of Bir-Asluji, 10 members of Revivim, who had volunteered for combat, were killed. In the attack on the Hulikat outposts, 13 recently recruited fighters from the settlements were killed. When Bir-Asluji was conquered, it was necessary to leave a force in place to man and defend a position. In order not to confine any of the Palmach fighters to one place, it was decided that the settlement members would man the positions. Also, after Imara was conquered, the settlement members were assigned to man the positions. After a month, Chaim Bar Lev, the Battalion commander, succeeded in convincing the members of Urim to leave the site of their kibbutz and transfer to Imara.
In the attacks by the Egyptian expeditionary force on the kibbutzim, Nirim, Kfar Darom, Be'erot Yitzhak and Yad Mordehai, the kibbutz members themselves bore the main burden of defense, although the Palmach forces that were in the area contributed to the war against the attacking forces. They repeatedly repelled attacks of the Egyptian army that was well equipped and heavily armed. These attacks exacted a very heavy price in casualties. In addition to these kibbutzim there were others: Nir-Am, Gvar-Am, Dorot and also Bet Eshel that suffered heavy bombardments for months on end.
The defense of the Negev region by the limited Palmach forces and the sparse Negev population, during the difficult days of siege and privation, served to preserve the Negev region as a solid and stable base.
Based in the Negev, after 11 months of war, the Israeli army succeeded in landing a series of heavy assault operations in which the Egyptian expeditionary forces were destroyed and the entire Negev was conquered.
The main courses in preparation for the war like: wireless communication, combat medics, military command courses, took place outside of the Negev region. On the other hand, short courses for local commanders and outpost commanders, preparation courses for fortifying, etc, were held at first at Nir-Am.
The headquarters of the Negev Brigade and the 2nd Battalion were at Nir-Am that had become the 'Capital of the Negev'. They built the 'Hamashbir', Tnuva and Solel Boneh storehouses at Nir-Am. All the convoys from the 'north', with people and supplies, came to Nir-Am. The 'Negev Squadron' was based there and a hospital was built that treated all the wounded people who had been evacuated by the 'Air Services' aircraft. They also transferred patients who required more intensive and lengthy treatments, by plane to other hospitals. Nir-Am became a busy center providing many services.
When the Brigade Headquarters transferred to kibbutz Ruhama, many of the other services were also transferred.
Later, when the 7th Battalion and the attack unit arrived as reinforcements, it was decided that they would set up their base outside of the settlements. A camp for training recruits was established next to Ruhama which later became the base of the 9th Battalion.
During the process of organizing the combat force, they recruited many commanders, wireless operators, people who were fluent in Arabic "Muktars", who later became Intelligence Officers in the Brigade. The young members of the settlements, amongst whom were Palmach graduates, were highly motivated in taking an active role in the fighting. They were familiar with the territory and served as scouts leading the forces in the operations. The Palmach units in the Negev were lacking in manpower and they willingly accepted the volunteers from the settlements into their ranks. In the attack and conquest of Bir-Asluji, 10 members of Revivim, who had volunteered for combat, were killed. In the attack on the Hulikat outposts, 13 recently recruited fighters from the settlements were killed. When Bir-Asluji was conquered, it was necessary to leave a force in place to man and defend a position. In order not to confine any of the Palmach fighters to one place, it was decided that the settlement members would man the positions. Also, after Imara was conquered, the settlement members were assigned to man the positions. After a month, Chaim Bar Lev, the Battalion commander, succeeded in convincing the members of Urim to leave the site of their kibbutz and transfer to Imara.
In the attacks by the Egyptian expeditionary force on the kibbutzim, Nirim, Kfar Darom, Be'erot Yitzhak and Yad Mordehai, the kibbutz members themselves bore the main burden of defense, although the Palmach forces that were in the area contributed to the war against the attacking forces. They repeatedly repelled attacks of the Egyptian army that was well equipped and heavily armed. These attacks exacted a very heavy price in casualties. In addition to these kibbutzim there were others: Nir-Am, Gvar-Am, Dorot and also Bet Eshel that suffered heavy bombardments for months on end.
The defense of the Negev region by the limited Palmach forces and the sparse Negev population, during the difficult days of siege and privation, served to preserve the Negev region as a solid and stable base.
Based in the Negev, after 11 months of war, the Israeli army succeeded in landing a series of heavy assault operations in which the Egyptian expeditionary forces were destroyed and the entire Negev was conquered.