View source for Operation Nachshon

{{Short description|1948 military operation carried out by Jewish militias during the 1947–1949 Palestine war}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox military operation
| name          = 
| partof        = the [[1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine]] and the [[Plan Dalet]]
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| image         = Nachshon operation telegraph.jpg
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| caption       = Telegraph dated 5 April 1948, confirming the beginning of Operation Nachshon that same night.
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| location      = [[Highway 1 (Israel–Palestine)#History|Tel Aviv – Jerusalem Road]], [[Mandatory Palestine]]
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| planned       = 
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| date          = 5–16 April 1948
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}}{{Campaignbox 1948 Palestine war}}[[File:Operation Nachshon.jpg|thumb|right|Villages captured during Operation Nachshon]]
'''Operation Nachshon''' ({{langx|he|מבצע נחשון}}, ''Mivtza Nahshon'';  5–16 April 1948) was a military operation of the [[Haganah]] during the [[1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine]] and part of [[Plan Dalet]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Khalidi |first=Walid |date=1988-10-01 |title=Plan Dalet: Master Plan for the Conquest of Palestine |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2537591 |journal=Journal of Palestine Studies |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=4–19 |doi=10.2307/2537591 |jstor=2537591 |issn=0377-919X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Its objective was to open the [[Highway 1 (Israel–Palestine)|Tel Aviv – Jerusalem road]] blockaded by Palestinian [[Arabs]], and furnish arms and supplies to the [[Battle for Jerusalem|besieged]] Jewish community of Jerusalem.<ref name=":0" /> The operation was also known as "The operation to take control of the Jerusalem road," following which participating units later broke off to form the [[Harel Brigade]].<ref>Yosef Tabenkin, ''The Turning Point in the War of Independence'' ('''המפנה במלחמת העצמאות'''), Yad Tabenkin: [[Ramat Ef'al|Efal]] 1989, p. 123 [Hebrew]</ref> Following attempts to take control of the road to Jerusalem were unsuccessful and led to the construction of a makeshift bypass—[[Burma Road (Israel)|Burma Road]].

Nachshon was the first major [[Haganah]] operation and the first step of [[Plan Dalet]].<ref name="Tal">{{cite book |author=David Tal |title=War in Palestine, 1948: strategy and diplomacy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C_F8YXt3EKQC&pg=PA165 |year=2004 |publisher=Psychology Press |pages=165–|isbn=9780203499542 }}</ref><ref name="Morris.The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited">{{cite book |author=Benny Morris|title=The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited, Benny Morris, Cambridge University Press, pg 155}}</ref><ref name="Harkabi">{{cite book |author=Yehoshafat Harkabi |title=Arab attitudes to Israel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ocybbUgguOEC&pg=PA366 |access-date=12 April 2011 |date=June 1974 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-0-470-35203-8 |pages=366–}}</ref><ref name="MEW">MidEast Web, [http://www.mideastweb.org/pland.htm ''Plan Daleth (Plan D)'']</ref><ref name="Gelber2006">{{cite book |author=Yoav Gelber |title=Palestine, 1948: war, escape and the emergence of the Palestinian refugee problem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UcSUgrDsD_sC&pg=PA98 |access-date=14 April 2011 |date=January 2006 |publisher=Sussex Academic Press |isbn=978-1-84519-075-0 |pages=98–}}</ref> The [[Deir Yassin massacre]] was conducted as a part of the operation.{{refn|Benny Morris, ''Righteous Victims'' - "The most important event during Operation Nahshon was probably the conquest by the IZL and LHI, assisted by the Haganah, of the village of Deir Yassin"}} Operation Nachshon was carried out by the [[Haganah]]'s [[Givati Brigade|Givati]] and what was later to be known as the [[Harel Brigade]] of the [[Palmach]].

==Background==

By the end of March 1948, [[Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni]]'s troops were preventing supply convoys from reaching [[Siege of Jerusalem (1948)|Jerusalem]]. The city was besieged and the Jewish population was forced to adhere to a rationing system. On 31 March a 60 vehicle Jewish convoy was ambushed at [[Khulda]] and forced to turn back with the loss of five vehicles and 17 dead.<ref>{{cite book|title=The faithful city: the siege of Jerusalem, 1948|first=Dov|last=Joseph|author-link=Dov Yosef|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=1960|lccn=60-10976|oclc=266413|url=https://archive.org/details/thefaithfulcity0000unse/page/98/mode/2up|url-access=registration|page=98}}</ref><ref>The Times, 1 & 2 April 1948.</ref> Yishuv leader [[David Ben-Gurion]] decided to launch Nachshon in order to open up the city and provide supplies to the Jewish residents.<ref>[[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 369</ref> Although initially intended as a one-shot affair, Nachshon later proved to be the first operation in the implementation of [[Plan Dalet]].<ref name=1948-116/>
[[File:Harel Nachshon.jpg|thumb|Members of the Harel Brigade assembling at [[Khulda]] at the beginning of Operation Nachshon]]

According to historian [[Ilan Pappé]], "Operation Nachshon [...] was the first operation in which all the various Jewish military organisations endeavoured to act together as a single army – providing the basis for the future [[IDF|Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)]]."<ref>Pappe 2006</ref>

==The operation==
[[Image:Kastal.jpg|thumb|Palestinian irregulars, under the command of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, moving to counterattack Haganah positions in Al-Qastal, 7–8 April 1948]]
The operation was named after the [[Biblical]] figure [[Nahshon|Nachshon Ben Aminadav]], who was the first to wade into the [[Red Sea]] when the Hebrews escaped from slavery in [[Egypt]]. The operation was commanded by [[Shimon Avidan]].<ref name=1948-116/>

The first orders were given on 2 April 1948.<ref>orders to diversion attacks arose on 2 April, Including Qastel</ref> A telegraph confirming the beginning of the operation was released on 5 April, with the operation starting that same night. It lasted until 20 April.<ref>[[#morris birth|Benny Morris (2003)]], p. 234.</ref> 1,500 men from the Givati and Harel brigades took control of the road to Jerusalem,<ref>[[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 372</ref> allowing three of four convoys to get to the city.<ref>[[#morris birth|Benny Morris (2003)]], p.236 speaks of 3 resupply convoys but Lapierre and Collins ([[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 456) speak of a fourth convoy of 300 lorries that left Kfar Biou on the dawn of 20 April</ref>

The operation was a military success. All the Arab villages that blocked the route were either taken or destroyed, and the Jewish forces were victorious in all their engagements. Nonetheless, not all the objectives of the operation were achieved, as only 1,800 tonnes of the 3,000 envisaged were transported to the town, and two months of severe rationing had to be assumed.<ref>[[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 457</ref>

[[Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni]] was killed during the night of 7–8 April, in the middle of the battles taking place in [[Al Qastal, Jerusalem|Al-Qastal]]. The loss of the charismatic Palestinian leader 'disrupted the Arab strategy and organisation in the area of Jerusalem.'<ref>[[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 455</ref> His successor, [[Emil Ghuri]], changed tactics: instead of provoking a series of ambushes throughout the route, he had a huge road block erected at [[Bab al-Wad|Bab-el-Oued]], and Jerusalem was once again isolated as a consequence.<ref>[[#lapierre collins|Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins (1971)]], p. 456</ref>

During Operation Nachshon the Haganah wanted to attack the strategic village of [[Abu Gosh]] but this was opposed by the [[Stern Gang]] whose local commanders were on good terms with the [[mukhtar]].<ref>[[Ilan Pappe|Pappe, Ilan]] (2006) ''The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.'' Oneworld. {{ISBN|1-85168-467-0}}. p. 91.</ref>

==Aftermath==
Operation Nachshon exposed the poor military organisation of the Palestinian paramilitary groups. Due to lack of logistics, particularly food and ammunition, they were incapable of maintaining engagements that were more than a few hours away from their permanent bases.<ref name="Yoav Gelber 2006 p.89">[[#gelber|Yoav Gelber (2006)]], p. 89</ref>

Faced with these events, the [[Arab Higher Committee]] asked [[Alan Cunningham]] to allow the return of the Mufti, the only person capable of redressing the situation. Despite obtaining permission, the Mufti did not get to Jerusalem. His declining prestige cleared the way for the expansion of the influence of the [[Arab Liberation Army]] and of [[Fawzi al-Qawuqji]] in the Jerusalem area.<ref name="Yoav Gelber 2006 p.89"/>

Between 15 and 20 April, three convoys, totalling over 700 lorries were able to reach Jewish Jerusalem.<ref>Joseph, pages 100,101.</ref> The Arabs, however, managed to block the road immediately thereafter.<ref>[[Operation Nachshon#morris birth|Benny Morris, 1948 (2008)]], p.121</ref> Operation Nachshon was therefore followed by [[Operation Harel]], and immediately thereafter [[Operation Yevusi]]. Further operations in the Jerusalem region, [[Operation Maccabi]] and [[Operation Kilshon]], took place in May.

==Palestinian communities captured during Operation Nachshon==

{| class="wikitable"
!Name!!Population!!Date!!Defenders!!Brigade!!Notes
|-
| [[Al Qastal, Jerusalem|al-Qastal]]
| 90
| 3–9 April 
| Palestinian irregulars led by [[Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni|al-Qadir]]
| [[Palmach]]
| First target of the operation due to its commanding position over the road to Jerusalem. Taken on night of 3rd but the attackers retreated the next day. They briefly held the position on 8th and finally took complete control on 9th. All buildings including the mosque were demolished.
|-
| [[Dayr Muhaysin]]
| 460
| 6 April
| n/a
| n/a 
| Inhabitants ordered to leave and the village completely levelled. Palestinian irregulars launched several counterattacks and on 9 April the British army ordered the Jewish forces out because of the threat to British supply routes.
|-
| [[Khulda]]
| 280
| 6 April 
| no resistance
| [[Haganah]] Battalion
| The attackers were ordered to leave by the British army. Jewish forces bulldozed all the village buildings on 20 April.
|-
| [[Saydun]]
| 210
| 6 April
| n/a
| n/a
| Villagers fled.
|-
| [[Dayr Yasin]]
| 610
| 9 April 
| villagers
| [[Irgun]], [[Lehi (group)|Lehi]] with Haganah assistance.
| Around a sixth of inhabitants killed after village taken.
|-
| [[Qalunya]]
| 1,260 (including 350 Jews)
| 11 April 
| n/a
| Palmach
| Taken in a night-time attack. The villagers fled on hearing of killings in neighbouring Dayr Yasin. All buildings blown up on 10 & 11 April.
|-
| [[Bayt Naqquba]]
| 240
| 11 April 
| n/a
| Palmach, Haganah
| Depopulated and levelled shortly after capture. In 1962 the village of [[Ein Naqquba]] was recognised; its population consisted mainly of "internal refugees" from Bayt Naqquba.
|-
| [[Bayt Thul]]
| 260
| after 11 April
| n/a
| n/a
| Changed hands several times over following months, finally coming under Israeli control in July.
|-
| [[Saris, Jerusalem|Saris]]
| 560
| 13 April 
| no opposition.
| Haganah, force of 500 men.
| Seven villagers, including women, killed in the attack, the rest were expelled. 25–35 buildings destroyed.
|-
| [[Khirbat Bayt Far]]
| 300
| 1st half of April 
| n/a
| Haganah
| May have been taken in subsequent operations at the end of April.
|-
| [[Dayr Ayyub]]
| 320
| 1st half of April 
| n/a
| n/a
| Scene of an ambush of a Jewish convoy to Jerusalem on 17 April. Village depopulated and changed hands several times over the summer.
|-
| [[Wadi Hunayn]]
 | 3,380 including 1,760 Jews
| 17 April 
| n/a
| Givati Brigade
| May have been taken and depopulated a few weeks later.
|-
| [[Sha'ar HaGai|Bab el-Wad]]
| 
| 11–17 April
| n/a
| n/a
| Several buildings marking beginning of valley leading to Jerusalem. Briefly held on 11th, finally captured on 17th.<ref>[[Edgar O'Ballance|O'Ballance, Edgar]] (1956) ''The Arab-Israeli War. 1948''. Faber & Faber, London. p. 57.</ref>
|}

Sources:
*[[Walid Khalidi]], All That Remains, {{ISBN|0-88728-224-5}}.
*[[Benny Morris]], The Birth of the Palestinian refugee problem, 1947–1949, {{ISBN|0-521-33028-9}}.

==See also==
*[[1948 Arab-Israeli War]]
*[[Burma Road (Israel)]]
*[[Depopulated Palestinian locations in Israel]]

== References ==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=1948-116>[[#Morris1948|Morris 2008]], p. 116</ref>
}}

===Bibliography===
*<span id="gelber">[[Yoav Gelber]], ''Palestine 1948'', Sussex Academic Press, Brighton, 2006, {{ISBN|1-84519-075-0}}</span>
*<span id="karsh">Efraïm Karsh, ''The Arab-Israeli Conflict – The Palestine War 1948'', Osprey Publishing, 2002, {{ISBN|1-84176-372-1}}</span>
*<span id="lapierre_collins">[[Dominique Lapierre]] and [[Larry Collins (writer)|Larry Collins]], ''O Jérusalem'', Robert Laffont, 1971, {{ISBN|2-266-10698-8}}</span>
*<span id="morris_birth">[[Benny Morris]], ''The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited'', Cambridge University Press, 2003, {{ISBN|0-521-00967-7}}</span>
*<span id="morris_birth">[[Benny Morris]], ''1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War'', New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009</span>
*{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J5jtAAAAMAAJ|year=2008|first=Benny|last=Morris|publisher=Yale University Press|title=1948: a history of the first Arab-Israeli war|isbn=9780300126969 |ref=Morris1948}}

{{Israeli operations in the 1948 war}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord missing|Israel}}

[[Category:1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine|Nachshon]]
[[Category:April 1948 in Asia]]
[[Category:1948 in Mandatory Palestine]]
[[Category:Plan Dalet]]