1938 Tiberias massacre
Encyclopedia
The Tiberias pogrom took place on October 2, 1938 during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, in the city of Tiberias. Tiberias was then located in the British Mandate of Palestine and today is located in the State of Israel.
rioters killed 19 Jews
in Tiberias, 11 of whom were children.
During the massacre, 70 armed Arabs set fire to Jewish homes and the local synagogue
. In one house a mother and her five children were killed. The old beadle
in the synagogue was stabbed to death, and another family of 4 was killed. At the time of the attack there were only 15 Jewish guards in the neighborhood of over 2,000 people. The coast of lake Kinneret remained unguarded, for it was the least expected direction for an attack. 2 Jewish guards were killed in the attack.
A representative of the British
mandate reported that: "It was systematically organized and savagely executed. Of the nineteen Jews killed, including women and children, all save four were stabbed to death. That night and the following day the troops engaged the raiding gangs".
After the massacre, the Irgun
wanted to make a joint retaliatory operation with Haganah
to deter such events, but Haganah did not agree.
Shortly later Tiberian Arabs murdered the Jewish mayor
, Isaac Zaki Alhadif, on October 27. The Hagganah sent a party to investigate failing defense in the city, led by Yosef Avidar, a Hagganah leader later to become a Aluf
in the IDF
.
History
After infiltrating the Jewish Kiryat Shmuel neighbourhood, ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
rioters killed 19 Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in Tiberias, 11 of whom were children.
During the massacre, 70 armed Arabs set fire to Jewish homes and the local synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
. In one house a mother and her five children were killed. The old beadle
Beadle
Beadle, sometimes spelled "bedel," is a lay official of a church or synagogue who may usher, keep order, make reports, and assist in religious functions; or a minor official who carries out various civil, educational, or ceremonial duties....
in the synagogue was stabbed to death, and another family of 4 was killed. At the time of the attack there were only 15 Jewish guards in the neighborhood of over 2,000 people. The coast of lake Kinneret remained unguarded, for it was the least expected direction for an attack. 2 Jewish guards were killed in the attack.
A representative of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mandate reported that: "It was systematically organized and savagely executed. Of the nineteen Jews killed, including women and children, all save four were stabbed to death. That night and the following day the troops engaged the raiding gangs".
After the massacre, the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
wanted to make a joint retaliatory operation with Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
to deter such events, but Haganah did not agree.
Shortly later Tiberian Arabs murdered the Jewish mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, Isaac Zaki Alhadif, on October 27. The Hagganah sent a party to investigate failing defense in the city, led by Yosef Avidar, a Hagganah leader later to become a Aluf
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
in the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
.