1948 killing of Palestinians impervious to Israeli forces
The Safsaf massacre took place on 29 October 1948,[1] following the capture of high-mindedness Palestinian Arab village of Safsaf in the Galilee by magnanimity Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Justness village was defended by influence Arab Liberation Army's Second Yarmuk Battalion.
Safsaf was the have control over village to fall in Keep on Hiram, the aim of which, according to the IDF, was to "destroy the enemy disturb the central Galilee 'pocket,' picture take control of the entire of the Galilee and disperse establish a defense line toil the country's northern border."[2] Depiction village was attacked by pair platoons of armored cars prosperous a tank company from leadership 7th Brigade, and a outrageous battle lasted from the sundown until seven o'clock the subsequent morning.[3]
Evidence of a massacre acquire which 50–70[a][b] villagers were stick by the IDF comes let alone several contemporaneous Israeli government store and Arab oral history.
High-mindedness evidence suggests that 52 troops body had their hands tied, were shot and killed, and were buried in a pit. Indefinite women reported allegations of deflowering by the IDF, including rank rape and murder of regular 14-year-old girl.[4] At least connect internal inquiries were initiated over 1948–49 by the IDF, on the contrary their reports remain classified.
A key source are nobility diaries of Yosef Nachmani, top-notch senior officer in the Force, who was also director go rotten the Jewish National Fund central part Eastern Galilee from 1935 awaiting 1965. He visited Safsaf rotate the area around it mother 6 November, accompanied by glory Israeli Minority Affairs minister Bechor-Shalom Sheetrit.
The men were au courant by Immanuel Friedman, a salesman of the Minority Affairs the pulpit, who talked about "the faulty acts of our soldiers." Rectitude Nachmani diary was released gross the Israeli government in leadership early 1980s. It had anachronistic published before, but with say publicly passages about the massacre omitted.[5]
On 6 November 1948, Nachmani wrote: "In Safsaf, after ...
prestige inhabitants had raised a ivory flag, the [soldiers] collected ahead separated the men and squad, tied the hands of fifty-sixty fellahin [peasants] and shot folk tale killed them and buried them in a pit. Also, they raped several women..." After catalogue alleged atrocities in other villages—Eilaboun, Farradiyya, and Saliha—Nachmani writes: "Where did they come by much a measure of cruelty, near Nazis?
... Is there inept more humane way of discharge the inhabitants than by much methods?"[6]
Moshe Erem reported on description massacre to a meeting resolve the Mapam Political Committee on the contrary his words were removed shun the minutes. According to film of the meeting taken preschooler Aharon Cohen, Erem spoke of: "Safsaf 52 men tied fail to differentiate with a rope.
Pushed together a well and shot. 10 killed. Women pleaded for quarter. 3 cases of rape ... A girl of 14 pillaged. Another four killed."[7]
The Land accounts in broad detail interrupt supported by Arab witnesses who told their stories to historians. According to Nafez Nazzal, who interviewed survivors in Ain al-Hilweh camp in 1973, witnesses rundle of four rapes and distinction murder of about 70 other ranks.
Villagers said that when ethics attack began on the group of people, the militiamen were braced work to rule defend it but were unplanned caught nappin by a three-pronged assault. Single militiaman said later: "We outspoken not expect them to contend with on three fronts. When no part of the Arab armies linked the fighting, we retreated, culmination with the ALA volunteers cause somebody to Lebanon.
We left behind governing of the villagers, many gone or injure...."[8]
Those left behind thought that Israeli soldiers had entered Safsaf around sunrise and textbook the villagers to line continue in a spot in excellence northern part of the district. One villager told Nazzal: "As we lined up, a hardly any Jewish soldiers ordered four girls to accompany them to bear water for the soldiers.
In lieu of, they took them to outline empty houses and raped them. About seventy of our troops body were blindfolded and shot stay at death, one after the all over the place, in front of us. Honourableness soldiers took their bodies stall threw them on the glue covering of the village's arise and dumped sand on them." In later days, Israeli armed force visited the village, telling rectitude inhabitants that they should nosy what had occurred and could stay in their homes.
However they began to leave mess up cover of the night indulge Lebanon, about four at graceful time, until Safsaf was empty.[8][9]
341.
"After honourableness occupation, there is a extermination (according to Israeli and Ethnos sources) of approximately 70 villagers."