Operation Dekel

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Operation Dekel (palm tree), was the largest offensive in the north of Israel during the first and second truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was carried out by the Sheva' Brigade, a battalion from the Carmeli Brigade along with some elements from the Golani Brigade between July 8-18. Its objective was to capture Nazareth and the lower Galilee.

The operation was led by Ben Dunkelman, a Canadian volunteer who was the commander of the Sheva' Brigade.

July 15, Israeli aircraft bombed the village Saffuriya and caused panic among the population. Most of the villagers fled northwards toward Lebanon only about 100 elderly stayed put.

July 16, in the evening Nazareth surrendered to the Israelis after a light fight which only involved one Israeli casualty and one wounded. The ALA forces in the village under the command of Fawzi al-Qawuqji retreated to the mountains in the north. In sharp contrast to the surrounding towns, the inhabitants in Nazareth were never forced to evacuate. Dunkelman refused to obey orders from Chaim Laskov to evacuate the civilian population of Nazareth. (Source: pp. 86-87 in Blaming the Victims (Eds.: Edward W. Said and Christopher Hitchens)

1 Arab communities captured in Operation Dekel
2 Units participating in Operation Dekel
3 See also
4 External links and references

[edit] Arab communities captured in Operation Dekel

Arab communities captured in Operation Dekel
Name	Date	Resistance	Brigade
Kuwaykat	July 10, 1948	???	???
Jiddin, Khirbat	July 10-11, 1948	???	???
Ma'lul	July 14	???	???
Saffuriyya	July 15	???	???
Amqa	July 15-16 1948	???	???
al-Damun	July 15-16 1948	????	Sheva' Brigade
Mi'ar	July 15-18, 1948	???	Sheva' Brigade
Nahf	July 15-18, 1948	???	???
Sakhnin	July 15-18, 1948	???	Sheva' Brigade
Nazareth	July 16	????	????
Lubya	July 16	???	???
Hittin	July 16-17, 1948	???	???
Nimrin	July 16-17, 1948	???	???
Sha'ab	July 18, 1948	???	???
Al-Birwa	July 18, 1948	???	???