Beit Jalla reprisal raid
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The Beit Jalla reprisal raid in 1952 was a seminal point in the escalation of the "Border Wars" in the Arab Israeli conflict where Israel began a series of organised military reprisal raids across the cease fire lines. Commander Hutchison of the US navy investigated the Jordanian complaint of a violation of the General Armistice agreement at Beit Jalla on behalf of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) as Chairman of the Mixed Armistice Commission (MAC) for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan/Israel Mixed Armistice Commission (HKJ/IMAC).
In late December 1951 a rape murder occurred. The MAC investigating officer, Major Loreaux, reported to the Chairman of the MAC, Commander E H Hutchison USNR and Commandant Bouvet that the body of the girl had been found hidden in a cave about a mile from the Jordan/Israel cease fire line, “the girl had been raped, murdered and that her face had been mutilated”. Major Loreaux reported that at the scene there was nothing, however, that indicate that Jordanian infiltrators had committed the crime. The case had not therefore been discussed by the MAC. Major Loreaux further “expressed the opinion that the Israeli police would have a better chance of finding the killer than the Arabs would.”
On January 6, 1952 at Beit Jalla an Israeli “reprisal raid” occurred where three houses were demolished by explosive charges. In the first house targeted the upper floor had been completely destroyed by a demolition charge. The lower part of the house which had been built into the side of the hill, was still partially intact, although bullet holes pockmarked the walls and doors.
The inhabitants of the first house, a twenty-three-year-old Arab and his wife, had been killed by the blast.
"There was little left for burial."
At the second target the demolition charge had been less effective and only one wall was damaged the windows, however, were all shattered and the walls, as with the first house targeted, were again pockmarked by the heavy rifle and sub-machine gun fire. Commander E H Hutchison then searched the vicinity for evidence and interrogated witnesses. The adult male occupant of the second house was brought to the investigators for interrogation. While relating the events, the father held tightly to his little three-year-old daughter “as if he might lose her at any moment.”
The fathers’ version of events was that on hearing a blast, this was his neighbor's house being demolished by explosive, just seconds before the wall of his own home was blown in.
“He had grabbed a rifle and told his wife to take their daughter and rush to the main part of the village for safety. The wife, who was eight-months pregnant, moved cautiously to follow his orders. She had taken only a few steps from the back door when the Israelis, who were firing from behind a stone wall, turned their fire in her direction. The bullet that passed through her body from the back snuffed out the life she was carrying, but her own life was miraculously spared.”
The third house targeted contained the bodies of a mother and her four children, ranging in age from 6 to 14.
“They were sprawled about the room their bodies riddled by bullets and grenade fragments.”
Commander Hutchison then collected up the available evidence; there was abandoned demolition charges bearing the Israeli markings. Pinned to the three targeted houses was also a “rose coloured leaflet”.
“The messages, written in Arabic Translated as, "There will always be arrows in our quiver': "On 4 December 1951, persons from Beit Jalla killed a young Jewess near Beit Vaghan after committing towards her a crime that will never be expiated. What we have done here now is recompense for this horrendous crime we can never remain silent when it comes to criminals. There will always be arrows in our quivers for the likes of these. Let those who would know, (know) BEWARE.”
The United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation issued a condemnation to Israel for the “serious breach of the General Armistice Agreement” in the Beit Jalla reprisal raid.
The Israeli delegates did not deny the guilt of Israel they abstained in the voting. No Israeli attempt to bring to trial the estimated 45 persons responsible for this crime was ever made known to the Commission. Those Observers who had been on the mission for many months merely shrugged it off: "People carrying out official orders are seldom brought to trial[1]
[edit] References
- ^ "Violent Truce" by E H Hutchison p. 14-16
[edit] External Links
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