Battle of the Ammunition Hill
Encyclopedia
Ammunition Hill was a military post in the northern part of Jordanian controlled
East Jerusalem, and the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War.
, with a fortified trench connecting them. The site was built by the British during their Mandatory government of Palestine in the 1930s, and was used to store the police academy's ammunition.
Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, the post remained under control of the Jordanian Arab Legion
, severing the link between Mount Scopus and West Jerusalem. In the wake of the Jordan-Israel Armistice Agreement, parts of Mount Scopus
remained an Israeli enclave in Jordanian-held territory, with the Jordanians blocking access to Hadassah Hospital and the campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
on the hilltop.
The post consisted of tens of bunker
s built along the three main trench systems surrounding the hill, with fortified gun emplacements covering each trench. The living quarters for the Jordanian defenders of the hill were in a large underground bunker now housing a museum. When the Six Day War broke out, the post was defended by a reinforced Jordanian company of 150 soldiers, of the El-Hussein regiment (number 2).
The size of the Israeli assault force was based on incorrect intelligence which detailed the hill as being defended by a single platoon. When the ground assault began, the Police post was discovered to be empty of Jordanian troops, as they had taken shelter from the barrage in the bunker system of the hill, thereby enlarging the force defending the hill to one equal in size to the assault force rather than 1/3 of its size as had been anticipated by Israeli Central Command.
The fighting at the police academy site and Ammunition Hill began on June 6, 1967, at 2:30 AM. The task of capturing the hill was given to the Israeli 3rd company of the 66th Battalion, of the Paratroopers Brigade
's reserve force (55th Brigade), and during the battle, a force of the 2nd company joined the fighting. The battle ended at 7 AM. 36 Israeli soldiers were killed in the battle for Ammunition Hill. 71 Jordanian soldiers were killed.
Ten of the soldiers who fought in this battle were given citations by the Israeli chief of general staff
. The commander of the Paratroopers Brigade was Mordechai Gur
. The commander of the 66th Battalion was Yossi Yafe.
Rule of the West Bank and East Jerusalem by Jordan
The West Bank and East Jerusalem were occupied by Jordan for a period of nearly two decades starting from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In 1950, the British extended formal recognition to the union between the Hashemite Kingdom and of that part of Palestine under Jordanian occupation and control -...
East Jerusalem, and the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War.
Historical background
Ammunition Hill was located across from a police academyPolice academy
A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
, with a fortified trench connecting them. The site was built by the British during their Mandatory government of Palestine in the 1930s, and was used to store the police academy's ammunition.
Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, the post remained under control of the Jordanian Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
, severing the link between Mount Scopus and West Jerusalem. In the wake of the Jordan-Israel Armistice Agreement, parts of Mount Scopus
Mount Scopus
Mount Scopus , جبل المشهد , جبل الصوانة) is a mountain in northeast Jerusalem. In the wake of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Mount Scopus became a UN protected Jewish exclave within Jordanian-occupied territory until the Six-Day War in 1967...
remained an Israeli enclave in Jordanian-held territory, with the Jordanians blocking access to Hadassah Hospital and the campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
on the hilltop.
The post consisted of tens of bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s built along the three main trench systems surrounding the hill, with fortified gun emplacements covering each trench. The living quarters for the Jordanian defenders of the hill were in a large underground bunker now housing a museum. When the Six Day War broke out, the post was defended by a reinforced Jordanian company of 150 soldiers, of the El-Hussein regiment (number 2).
The battle
A decision was taken by the Israeli Jerusalem Command, under General Uzi Narkis to forego an aerial attack on the hill due to its proximity to civilian areas. Instead an artillery barrage was to be focused on the police post, followed by a ground attack using an enlarged Paratroop company.The size of the Israeli assault force was based on incorrect intelligence which detailed the hill as being defended by a single platoon. When the ground assault began, the Police post was discovered to be empty of Jordanian troops, as they had taken shelter from the barrage in the bunker system of the hill, thereby enlarging the force defending the hill to one equal in size to the assault force rather than 1/3 of its size as had been anticipated by Israeli Central Command.
The fighting at the police academy site and Ammunition Hill began on June 6, 1967, at 2:30 AM. The task of capturing the hill was given to the Israeli 3rd company of the 66th Battalion, of the Paratroopers Brigade
Paratroopers Brigade (IDF)
The Paratroopers Brigade , also known as the 35th Brigade, is a unit of paratroopers within the Israel Defense Forces , and forms a major part of the Infantry Corps....
's reserve force (55th Brigade), and during the battle, a force of the 2nd company joined the fighting. The battle ended at 7 AM. 36 Israeli soldiers were killed in the battle for Ammunition Hill. 71 Jordanian soldiers were killed.
Ten of the soldiers who fought in this battle were given citations by the Israeli chief of general staff
Ramatkal
The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. At any given time, the Chief of Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, Rav Aluf , which is usually...
. The commander of the Paratroopers Brigade was Mordechai Gur
Mordechai Gur
Following his retirement from the IDF, Gur was appointed as the general manager of Kur Mechanica company. In 1981 he was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Alignment. Re-elected in 1984, he served as Minister of Health and was also a member of the Knesset's Security and Foreign Affairs...
. The commander of the 66th Battalion was Yossi Yafe.