The 12th Negev Brigade ( he, חטיבת הנגב, ''Hativat HaNegev'') is an Israeli reserve infantry brigade under the

Sinai Division The 252nd Sinai Division ( he, עוצבת סיני) is an Israel Defense Forces division under the Southern Regional Command. Formed in 1968, it was the first permanent division in the IDF. As of July 2016, it is commanded by Brigadier General ...

, that originally served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

History

Founding and organization

The brigade was founded in March 1948 with two battalions, the 2nd and 8th. The 7th Battalion was created in April, with the 9th Battalion being the last of the four. Yisrael Galili, the Haganah Chief of Staff, and

Yigal Allon Yigal Allon ( he, יגאל אלון; 10 October 1918 – 29 February 1980) was an Israeli politician, commander of the Palmach, and general in the Israel Defense Forces, IDF. He served as one of the leaders of Ahdut HaAvoda party and the Labor P ...

, the Palmach commander, chose Sarig to command the brigade in December 1947, although the residents of the Negev and

David Ben-Gurion David Ben-Gurion ( ; he, דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first prime minister of Israel. Adopting the nam ...

appointed Shaul Avigur instead, without Sarig's knowledge. After Avigur toured the Negev, he told Ben-Gurion that he would not be able to command the brigade, citing deteriorating health, and praised Sarig. It was commanded by Nahum "Sergei" Sarig (which is why it was also called ''Sergei Brigade'') and consisted of four Palmach battalions. The Negev Brigade participated in many operations 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 sout ...

Desert, including

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 ...

in the latter part of the war. Sarig decided to divide the Negev into two sectors, divided by the

Beersheba Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. ...

– Gaza road (later Highway 25). Yigal Allon then named

Haim Bar-Lev Haim "Kidoni" Bar-Lev ( he, חיים בר-לב, 16 November 1924 – 7 May 1994) was a military officer during Israel's pre-state and early statehood eras and later a government minister. Biography Born Haim Brotzlewsky in Vienna and raised in ...

as the commander of the southern sector—the 8th Battalion. The Palmach memorial website records the names of 312 of its members who died whilst in the Negev Brigade. During the 1948 war the Negev Brigade was involved in the defence of Negba, Kafr Daron,

Be'erot Yitzhak Be'erot Yitzhak ( he, בְּאֵרוֹת יִצְחָק, ''lit.'' Yitzhak Wells) is a religious kibbutz in central Israel. Located near Yehud, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Modi'in Regional Council. In it had a population of . Hist ...

and

Nirim Nirim ( he, נִירִים, ''lit.'' Meadows) is a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev in Israel. Located near the border with the Gaza Strip, about 7 kilometers east of Khan Yunis, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. In it ...

. In October 1948 the Brigade took part in the conquest of

. They were also part of Operations

Barak Barak ( or ; he, בָּרָק; Tiberian Hebrew: '' Bārāq''; ar, البُراق ''al-Burāq'' "lightning") was a ruler of Ancient Israel. As military commander in the biblical Book of Judges, Barak, with Deborah, from the Tribe of Ephrai ...

, Yoav, An Far, Horev, Uvda and Pleshet. In the 1967 war the Brigade fought in the battle of Abu Agelia.

Memorialization

*Outside

Be'er Sheva Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. ...

stands Dani Karavan's sculpture " Monument to the Negev Brigade".

Image gallery

File:PikiWiki Israel 21219 The Palmach.JPG, Negev Brigade's raid on Bir Hama Airport during Operation Horev File:Negev Brigade soldiers 1948.jpg, Negev Brigade artillery unit File:HaimBarLev1948.jpg,

Haim Bar Lev Haim "Kidoni" Bar-Lev ( he, חיים בר-לב, 16 November 1924 – 7 May 1994) was a military officer during Israel's pre-state and early statehood eras and later a government minister. Biography Born Haim Brotzlewsky in Vienna and raised in ...

, as Commander of the 8th Battalion of the 12th Negev Brigade (1948) File:Negev_Brigade_Memorial_dome4.JPG, Negev Brigade Memorial Dome File:Negev_Brigade_Memorial2.JPG, Negev Brigade Memorial

References

Bibliography

* * {{Authority control 1948 Arab–Israeli War Brigades of Israel Palmach Military units and formations established in 1948