Battles of Negba
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The Battles of Negba were a series of military engagements between the
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
and the Egyptian army in the
1948 Arab–Israeli War The 1948 (or First) Arab–Israeli War was the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. It formally began following the end of the British Mandate for Palestine at midnight on 14 May 1948; the Israeli Declaration of Independence had ...
.
Negba Negba ( he, נֶגְבָּה) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the northern Negev desert near the cities of Kiryat Malakhi and Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Yoav Regional Council. In it had a population of . The name of ...
, a
kibbutz A kibbutz ( he, קִבּוּץ / , lit. "gathering, clustering"; plural: kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1909, was Degania. Today, farming h ...
founded in 1939, had a strategic position overlooking the Majdal
Bayt Jibrin Bayt Jibrin or Beit Jibrin ( ar, بيت جبرين; he, בית גוברין, translit=Beit Gubrin) was a Palestinians, Palestinian village located northwest of the city of Hebron. The village had a total land area of 56,185 dunams or , ...
road, and was a target of two major assaults by the Egyptians in June and July 1948. On June 2, the Egyptians attacked the village from the south with a
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
reinforced with armor, artillery, and aircraft, and were beaten back by 140 defenders, who were assisted by motorized
Negev Brigade The 12th Negev Brigade ( he, חטיבת הנגב, ''Hativat HaNegev'') is an Israeli reserve infantry brigade under the Sinai Division, that originally served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. History Founding and organization The brigade was fou ...
forces. The second attack took place on July 12, when the Egyptians staged diversionary assaults on nearby positions and surrounded Negba from all sides, again with a reinforced battalion. This attack was also dispersed, and Negba remained in Israeli hands, serving as a forward base for attacks against Egyptian forces up to
Operation Yoav Operation Yoav (also called ''Operation Ten Plagues'' or ''Operation Yo'av'') was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between th ...
.


Background

Kibbutz Negba was founded in 1939 as a tower and stockade settlement, the first lasting modern Jewish settlement in the
Negev The Negev or Negeb (; he, הַנֶּגֶב, hanNegév; ar, ٱلنَّقَب, an-Naqab) is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southe ...
desert. At the outset of the second stage of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Negba was the southernmost village of the main Israeli-controlled land mass, and was not isolated like the nearby
Nitzanim Nitzanim ( he, נִצָּנִים, ''lit.'' Flower buds) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located between Ashkelon and Ashdod on the Nitzanim dunes, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. In it had a population of . ...
,
Kfar Darom Kfar Darom ( he, כְּפַר דָּרוֹם, ''lit.'' South Village), was a kibbutz and an Israeli settlement within the Gush Katif bloc in the Gaza Strip. History Kfar Darom was founded on 250 dunams of land (about 25 hectares or 60 acres) pu ...
and the northern Negev settlements mainly founded as part of the
11 points in the Negev 11 points in the Negev ( he, 11 הנקודות or he2, אחת-עשרה הנקודות, ''Akhat-Esre HaNekudot'') refers to a Jewish Agency plan to establish 11 settlements in the Negev in 1946 prior to the partition of Palestine and the establishm ...
plan. The Egyptian army invaded Israel on May 15, after Israel's
declaration of independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...
on the previous day. Its main force moved up the coastal road, and engaged in a battle in Kfar Darom on May 15 and the
Battle of Yad Mordechai The Battle of Yad Mordechai was fought between Egypt and Israel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, at the Israeli kibbutz of Yad Mordechai. The Egyptians attacked the settlement several times throughout May 19 and May 20, but failed to capture it. A f ...
on May 19–24. The column reached Majdal on May 14. From there, forces were sent north to
Isdud Isdud ( ar, اسدود) is a former Palestinian people, Palestinian village and the site of the ancient and classical-era Levantine metropolis of Ashdod. The Arab village, which had a population of 4,910 in 1945, was depopulated during the 1948 ...
, reaching it on May 29, and to
Bayt Jibrin Bayt Jibrin or Beit Jibrin ( ar, بيت جبرين; he, בית גוברין, translit=Beit Gubrin) was a Palestinians, Palestinian village located northwest of the city of Hebron. The village had a total land area of 56,185 dunams or , ...
through
Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jew ...
on June 1, cutting a wedge between Israeli-held northern Negev and the rest of Israel. They finally disconnected the Negev by taking up position on the Majdal – Bayt Jibrin road during the first truce of the war (June 11 – July 8). Negba was located in an area surrounded by a number of hills, especially the police fort at
Iraq Suwaydan Iraq Suwaydan ( ar, عراق سويدان, he, עיראק סווידאן) was a Palestinian Arab village located northeast of Gaza City. It was captured by Israeli forces in Operation Yoav against the defending Egyptian Army during the 1948 Ar ...
1.7 km to the south. The
kibbutz A kibbutz ( he, קִבּוּץ / , lit. "gathering, clustering"; plural: kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1909, was Degania. Today, farming h ...
was adjacent to a number of other strategic positions, including "The Junction", a road intersection between the Majdal – Bayt Jibrin road and the road from
Kawkaba Kawkaba (), known to the Crusaders as Coquebel, was a Palestinian Arab village that was occupied by Israel during Operation Yoav during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and depopulated. Location The village was situated on an uneven stretch of red-br ...
to
Julis Julis ( ar, جولس ''Jūlis'', he, ג'וּלִס ''G'ulis'') is a Druze village and local council in the Northern District of Israel. In it had a population of . Etymology According to local legend, the name is derived from "Julius," the na ...
. Its defense was organized into 13 positions at the perimeter, connected by communication trenches, with the main gate in the north and the headquarters in the middle. Underground shelters were spread out throughout the entire village. A road passed from north to south in the village, but the Israelis left only the northern approach open, which was also close to an airplane landing strip.


First skirmishes and battle of June 2

On May 12, 1948, even before Egypt's invasion, Egyptian volunteer units from the
Muslim Brotherhood The Society of the Muslim Brothers ( ar, جماعة الإخوان المسلمين'' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan ...
, which was backing the campaign in Palestine, took control of the Iraq Suwaydan police fort following the British withdrawal. Two Israeli attempts were made to capture it—on the same day and on May 18–19—but both failed. On May 21, an Egyptian motorized unit made a deterrent raid on Negba. This was accompanied by aircraft bombardment, which killed the Israeli regional commander, Yitzhak "Yoav" Dubno, who was attempting to shoot down aircraft.
Operation Yoav Operation Yoav (also called ''Operation Ten Plagues'' or ''Operation Yo'av'') was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between th ...
was named in his honor, as was the Iraq Suwaydan police fort, following its capture by Israel. The Egyptians continued to harass Negba in the following days, and the
Givati Brigade The 84th "Givati" Brigade ( he, חֲטִיבַת גִּבְעָתִי, , "Hill Brigade" or "Highland Brigade") is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Until 2005, the Brigade used to be stationed within the Gaza Strip and primarily perf ...
decided to send two platoons from its 53rd Battalion, as well as mortars, as reinforcements. The brigade's forces also occupied Julis (May 27–28) in order to control a position from which further reinforcements to Negba could be provided. On the day of the Egyptian attack on June 2, the Israeli forces in Negba numbered about 70 Givati Brigade soldiers and 70 village residents (including 10 women). They had a total of 80 rifles, 200
hand grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...
s, 500
Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see other names'') is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flamma ...
s, 20 submachine guns, 8 machine guns, 3 two-inch mortars, 2 three-inch mortars and one
PIAT The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) Mk I was a British man-portable anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon ...
. The Egyptian force consisted of the 1st Infantry Battalion, supplemented by a tank company, an armored car company and three field
artillery batteries In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to faci ...
(one 3.7" and two 25-pounder). They planned to surround the kibbutz and attack from all directions. The Egyptian forces started the attack with an artillery barrage on the night of June 1–2. Their column then moved eastward on the Majdal – Bayt Jibrin road, attacking Negba from the south in three armored prongs. Egyptian machine gun positions provided cover fire from
Bayt 'Affa Bayt 'Affa was a Palestinian village in the Gaza Subdistrict. It was depopulated and destroyed during the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine. It was located northeast of Gaza and Wadi al-Rana ran east of the village. History The villa ...
and 'Ibdis in the east and northeast, respectively. In all, seven tanks and 12 armored cars reached within 100 m of the village's southwestern perimeter at about 07:00 on June 2 (positions 6–8). One of them reached Position 6 which was completely destroyed, but withdrew under heavy fire from Position 7. Two others encountered land mines. At the same time, the Egyptian infantry with armored and air support attacked from the northeast but was repelled.
Shimon Avidan Shimon Avidan ( he, שמעון אבידן; February 7, 1911 – September 11, 1994), born Siegbert Koch ( he, זיגברט קוך), was an Israeli soldier and officer, the commander of the Givati Brigade during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Born in ...
, the Givati Brigade commander, used
Negev Brigade The 12th Negev Brigade ( he, חטיבת הנגב, ''Hativat HaNegev'') is an Israeli reserve infantry brigade under the Sinai Division, that originally served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. History Founding and organization The brigade was fou ...
forces under his command (originally earmarked for
Operation Pleshet Operation Pleshet ( he, מִבְצָע פְּלֶשֶׁת, ''Mivtza Pleshet'', lit. "Operation Philistia"), named after the Pleshet, geographical region where it took place, was an Israeli military operation during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It ...
) to assist Negba. A jeep unit from the Negev Beasts Battalion was sent to the west of the kibbutz to harass the Egyptian flank. At the same time, an Israeli 25-pound cannon stationed at Kfar Warburg opened up a barrage against Iraq Suwaydan's fort. By 11:00, the Egyptian forces decided to withdraw under a
smoke screen A smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships. Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade) or generated by a vehicle (such as ...
. Negba suffered 8 dead and 11 wounded, while the Egyptian losses were estimated by Israel at 100 killed and wounded.


Battle of July 12

The second Egyptian attack on Negba constituted the pinnacle of their effort during the Battles of the Ten Days, the period between the first and second truces of the war. The Egyptians allocated a reinforced brigade (the 4th) to the task, part of which (2nd and 6th battalions) conducted diversionary operations at 'Ibdis and
Julis Julis ( ar, جولس ''Jūlis'', he, ג'וּלִס ''G'ulis'') is a Druze village and local council in the Northern District of Israel. In it had a population of . Etymology According to local legend, the name is derived from "Julius," the na ...
. The composition of the force used to attack Negba itself was similar to the previous attempt—an infantry battalion, assisted by one tank company and one armored vehicle company, complemented by artillery and air support. The infantry battalion was the 9th, commanded by Sa'ad ad-Din Rahmani, which had seen success in the
Battle of Nitzanim The Battle of Nitzanim was a battle fought between the Israel Defense Forces and the Egyptian Army in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, on June 7, 1948 (29 Iyar, 5708 in the Hebrew calendar). It was the first major Egyptian victory of the war, and one ...
and Hill 69. Unlike the previous battle, the Egyptians made good on their plans to surround the village, in order to prevent outside Israeli intervention. By 06:00, Negba was encircled and forces stood ready to move in. An initial artillery barrage from surrounding position (Bayt 'Affa, Hill 113 to the west and Hill 105 to the north) commenced at 07:00, with a more concentrated effort at 08:45, and an air raid at 08:00. At 11:00, armored and infantry forces started moving against the village from three directions (west, south, east). The simultaneous Egyptian attacks were poorly coordinated however, and the infantry and armor did not work well together. Negba's defenders held out, although the initial effort reached a distance of 50 m from the perimeter. The Egyptians regrouped at 16:00 and attempted a final thrust from the north. Achieving no success, the Egyptians retreated at 18:00, leaving behind one tank (a
Fiat M13/40 The Carro Armato M13/40 was an Italian World War II tank designed to replace the M11/39 in the Italian Army at the start of World War II. It was the primary tank used by the Italians throughout the war. The design was influenced by the British Vi ...
) and four
Bren carrier The Bren gun was a series of light machine guns (LMG) made by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles until 1992. While best known for its role as the British and British Empire, Commonwealth forces' primary infantry LMG in World War II, ...
s. Israel estimated Egyptian losses at 300 killed and wounded. The Israeli casualties were 5 killed and 16 wounded. The aforementioned M13/40 tank that was abandoned by its crew during the battle was the subject of a skirmish and a controversy. At night after their retreat, Egyptian forces tried to pull it back to their own lines, but an Israeli sapper had managed to mine the tank's surroundings. Several days later, an IDF armored serviceman helped rescue the tank and took it for repairs and reuse. The residents of Negba demanded an alternative tank as a war trophy, and five years later they were granted an M22 Locust. Although it lacked a gun barrel, one was attached by the Armored Corps, and the tank has remained in Negba since.


Aftermath

After July 12, the Egyptians did not attack Negba again, but made an attempt to surround it by sending a
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
ese company to capture Hill 105 to the north. Israel subsequently used Negba as a base for future operations in an attempt to cut through the Egyptian lines and link up with the Israeli-held enclave in the northern Negev. Some of the areas immediately surrounding Negba were captured in the days following the second battle during
Operation An-Far Operation An-Far (short for Anti- Farouk) was a military operation launched by Israel's Givati Brigade on the night of July 8–9 during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its objectives were to gain control of approaches in southern Judea and block the ...
. After battles on the night of July 12–13, Givati reported that it was in control of Hill 105 on 00:30 on July 14.
Operation Death to the Invader Operation Death to the Invader ( he, מִבְצָע מָוֶת לַפּוֹלֵשׁ), also Death to the Invaders, was an Israeli military operation during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It was carried out on July 16–18, 1948 in the northwestern Neg ...
on July 16–19 failed to take Bayt 'Affa, Iraq Suwaydan and Hill 113 however. These areas were captured on October 16–17 (Hill 113) and November 9–11 (Bayt 'Affa, Iraq Suwaydan) during
Operation Yoav Operation Yoav (also called ''Operation Ten Plagues'' or ''Operation Yo'av'') was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between th ...
. Both of Negba's successful stands had a significant symbolic value in Israel, especially among the working–settlement class. The commander of the Egyptian forces in Palestine,
Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi Ahmed Abdullah Al-Mwawi (1897–1979?), also Mawawi or Muwawi, was a major general in the Egyptian Army. He served as the General Commander of the Egyptian expeditionary force during 1948 Arab–Israeli War.Pollack, 2002, p. 15 Personal life He ...
, dismissed
Muhammad Naguib Mohamed Bey Naguib Youssef Qutb El-Qashlan ( ar, الرئيس اللواء محمد بك نجيب يوسف قطب القشلان, ; 19 February 1901 – 28 August 1984), also known as Mohamed Naguib, was an Egyptian revolutionary, and, along w ...
(commander of the 4th Brigade) over the defeat. Naguib would later lead the
military coup A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such ...
against the Egyptian government. This battle is considered to be the turning point on the southern front during the period between the first and second truces of the war. The culture office of the Givati Brigade,
Abba Kovner Abba Kovner ( he, אבא קובנר; 14 March 1918 – 25 September 1987) was a Polish Israeli poet, writer and partisan leader. In the Vilna Ghetto, his manifesto was the first time that a target of the Holocaust identified the German plan to ...
, compared the defense to the
Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...
, referring to it as Negbagrad. A monument to commemorate the Israeli fallen, by sculptor
Nathan Rapoport Nathan Rapoport (1911–1987) was a Warsaw-born Jewish sculptor and painter, later a resident of Israel and then the United States. Biography Natan Yaakov Rapoport was born in Warsaw, Poland. In 1936, he won a scholarship to study in France and ...
, was erected at the military cemetery in the village, at the request of
Yisrael Barzilai Yisrael Barzilai ( he, ישראל ברזילי, born Yisrael Eisenberg on 1 October 1913, died 12 June 1970) was an Israeli politician who served as a government minister during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s. Life and career Born in Nieszawa ...
. The sculpture depicts a male farmer and a female nurse who is a girl (the parents), and their son, a soldier. The monument is made of bronze and is 4 m tall. It symbolizes a will for defense, the work toward a better future, and the IDF's supply shortage, shown by the fact that the soldier isn't wearing a helmet. After the 1979 Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty, the Egyptians requested to place a memorial for its own fallen in Negba as well. Due to local opposition, the monument was placed in nearby
Sde Yoav Sde Yoav ( he, שְׂדֵה יוֹאָב, ''lit.'' Yoav's Field) is a kibbutz in southcentral Israel. Located between the cities of Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malakhi and Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Yoav Regional Council. In it had a po ...
.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * *{{cite book, author=Yitzhaki, Aryeh, authorlink=Aryeh Yitzhaki, year=1988, title=A Guide to War Monuments and Sites in Israel (English title), Vol. 2 (south), publisher=Barr Publishers, language=he , ref=refYitzhaki


External links


Battles of Negba
at Zionism-Israel.com
Negba Negba ( he, נֶגְבָּה) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the northern Negev desert near the cities of Kiryat Malakhi and Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Yoav Regional Council. In it had a population of . The name of ...
June 1948 events in Asia July 1948 events in Asia