Mishmar HaYarden (moshava)

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For the current moshav in the Huleh Valley, see Mishmar HaYarden (moshav).

Mishmar HaYarden was a moshava (Jewish settlement) that was established in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel during the First Aliyah. It was destroyed during the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. It's Hebrew name meant Guardian of the Jordan.

The moshava was located on the road connecting Safed with Damascus (today Highway 91) west of the Bnot Ya'akov Bridge. It was first founded in 1884 as a private farm named "Shoshanat HaYarden" (Rose of the Jordan). After its owner realized that he could not succeed alone to maintain the isolated farm, he sold a portion to Jews, who settled the land with financial support from Hovevei Zion. They established the moshava "Mishmar HaYarden" in September 1890. In 1898 the moshava expanded to include the moshava of Hevrat Yaka, which added land and inhabitants. Most inhabitants supported the revisiont views of Zev Jabotinsky.

During the Israeli War of Independence, on 6 June 1948, the Syrian army attacked the settlement, but the attack was beaten back. On 10 June, the settlement was attacked again, and this time the moshava was captured and destroyed after battles from one home to the next. In the battle, 14 residents and defenders of the moshava were killed. A small number of residents who survived the hard battle fell captive to the Syrians and remained as prisoners of war for 13 months. At the end of the war, on 20 July 1949, the area returned to control of Israel as part of the cease-fire to end the war, but the moshava was not rebuilt. On its land, the kibbutz Gadot and the workers' moshav Mishmar HaYarden were established.

The story of the fall of Mishmar HaYarden is disputed by Etzel and the Haganah. Etzel and the descendants of residents of the community claim that the arrival of the 23rd unit from the Karmeli Brigade, which was intended to strengthen the defense of the settlement, was stopped by the Oded Brigade of the IDF which was responsible for the region because the moshava identified with the revisionist movement. It is also alleged that Haganah forces stopped the Etzel soldiers in Rosh Pina and stopped them from arriving to help the moshava. On the other side, people from the Oded Brigade claim that the Karmeli Brigade failed to reach the moshava in time because it crossed from the western Galilee front and did not manage to reorganize in its new location.

Some of the destroyed houses in the moshava are visible today. They form part of a memorial on the location.