Ad Halom
Encyclopedia
Ad Halom is a site at the eastern entrance to the city of Ashdod, Israel
.
Ad Halom (lit. "up to here") refers to the northernmost point reached by the Egyptian army in Operation Pleshet
, one of the battles of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
On May 29, 1948, Israel had dispatched four Avia S-199
aircraft, flown by Lou Lenart, Ezer Weizman
, Modi Alon
and Eddie Cohen, to attack the Egyptians between the Arab village of Isdud and the bridge over the Lachish River
. Cohen, a Machal
pilot from South Africa, was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, becoming the first casualty of the fledgling IAF
. The Givati Brigade
blew up the bridge and defended the river bank from a pillbox during Operation Barak
. The Egyptian Army
later took up positions at the site, which saw two battles in mid-1948.
The Egyptian forces were later defeated in Operation Yoav
; The pillbox and defensive wall remain as memorials of the events.
between Israel
and Egypt
a monument in the memory of the fallen Egyptian soldiers was established. It was compensation for the abandonment of Israeli obelisks in the Sinai peninsula
. The inscriptions on the four edges are in Hebrew, Arabic, English
and hieroglyphs
.
period, and re-built by the Ottoman Empire
at the end of the 19th century. A parallel railway bridge was added when the coastal railway (Lebanon
–Egypt
) was laid. After numerous armed raids in the area during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, the British authorities set up a series of pillboxes in the area, one of them next to the bridges. After its destruction in the Independence War, the bridge was reconstructed and upgraded. Today the four-lane Highway 4
crosses the bridge.
started to operate a passenger line to Ashdod in the mid-1990s.
The new railway station
was established in 2004. In 2005 the line was extended to Ashkelon
.
The short distance between the railway and poor planning of the Ad Halom junction on Highway 4
cause traffic jams. The first stage of new traffic interchange, intended to solve the problem, is was opened in October 2008.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Battle
Operation Pleshet
Operation Pleshet , named for the geographical region where it took place, was an Israeli military operation during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It was carried out from May 29 to June 3, 1948, in the Isdud/Ad Halom area of the southern front, against the Egyptian Army. The aim of the operation was to...
, one of the battles of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
On May 29, 1948, Israel had dispatched four Avia S-199
Avia S-199
|-See also:-External links: *** with more pictures and further information...
aircraft, flown by Lou Lenart, Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman
' was the seventh President of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli Air Force and Minister of Defense.-Biography:...
, Modi Alon
Modi Alon
Mordechai "Modi" Alon was an Israeli fighter pilot who with the formation of the Israeli Air Force in May 1948, assumed command of its first fighter squadron...
and Eddie Cohen, to attack the Egyptians between the Arab village of Isdud and the bridge over the Lachish River
Lachish River
Lakhish River is a river in Israel that flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the city of Ashdod. It is also known as Wadi Kabiba and Wadi Sukhrir in Arabic....
. Cohen, a Machal
Machal
Machal is a term used to describe both Jewish and non-Jewish volunteers who went to Israel to fight in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War including Aliyah Bet. About 4,000 volunteers from all over the world came to fight on the Israeli side....
pilot from South Africa, was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, becoming the first casualty of the fledgling IAF
IAF
IAF may refer to the following air forces:* Indian Air Force* Indonesian Air Force* Iraqi Air Force* Israeli Air Force* Italian Air ForceIAF may also refer to:* International of Anarchist Federations* Indian Armed Forces...
. The Givati Brigade
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
blew up the bridge and defended the river bank from a pillbox during Operation Barak
Operation Barak
Operation Barak was a Haganah offensive launched just before the end of the British Mandate in Palestine. It was part of Plan Dalet. Its objective was to capture villages North of Gaza in anticipation of the arrival of the Egyptian army...
. The Egyptian Army
Egyptian Army
The Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian Armed Forces and holds power in the current Egyptian government. It is estimated to number around 379,000, in addition to 479,000 reservists for a total of 858,000 strong. The modern army was created in the 1820s, and during the...
later took up positions at the site, which saw two battles in mid-1948.
The Egyptian forces were later defeated in Operation Yoav
Operation Yoav
Operation Yoav was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between the Egyptian forces along the coast and the Beersheba–Hebron–Jerusalem road and ultimately to conquer the whole Negev...
; The pillbox and defensive wall remain as memorials of the events.
Monument
As part of Camp David AccordsCamp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David. The two framework agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by United States...
between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
a monument in the memory of the fallen Egyptian soldiers was established. It was compensation for the abandonment of Israeli obelisks in the Sinai peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. The inscriptions on the four edges are in Hebrew, Arabic, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs were a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians that combined logographic and alphabetic elements. Egyptians used cursive hieroglyphs for religious literature on papyrus and wood...
.
Bridge
The Ad Halom Bridge was built over the Lakhish River (Wadi Sukrir/Wadi Fakhira) during the RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
period, and re-built by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
at the end of the 19th century. A parallel railway bridge was added when the coastal railway (Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
–Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) was laid. After numerous armed raids in the area during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, the British authorities set up a series of pillboxes in the area, one of them next to the bridges. After its destruction in the Independence War, the bridge was reconstructed and upgraded. Today the four-lane Highway 4
Highway 4 (Israel)
Highway 4 is an Israeli highway that runs along Israel's entire coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, its route in the north runs from the Rosh HaNikra border crossing with Lebanon until the Erez Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip...
crosses the bridge.
Railway station
The Israel RailwaysIsrael Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
started to operate a passenger line to Ashdod in the mid-1990s.
The new railway station
Ashdod Ad Halom Railway Station
Ashdod Ad Halom Railway Station is a railway station in Ashdod, Israel. It is on the suburban line Binyamina/Netanya - Tel Aviv - Rehovot/Ashkelon. Ashdod Ad Halom Station was opened in June 1995 and was fully rebuilt in 2003...
was established in 2004. In 2005 the line was extended to Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
.
The short distance between the railway and poor planning of the Ad Halom junction on Highway 4
Highway 4 (Israel)
Highway 4 is an Israeli highway that runs along Israel's entire coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, its route in the north runs from the Rosh HaNikra border crossing with Lebanon until the Erez Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip...
cause traffic jams. The first stage of new traffic interchange, intended to solve the problem, is was opened in October 2008.