El-Hamma Incident
Encyclopedia
The El-Hamma Incident refers to an event which happened on April 4, 1951 and resulted in the death of seven IDF
soldiers by Syrian military forces during an Israeli attempt to enforce its sovereignty over the demilitarized zone
along the Syrian border.
, the main thrust of the Syrian invasion of the Galilee crossed the border at Al Hamma
. According to the armistice agreements of 1949 Between Israel and Syria, it was determined that a string of villages, including Al-Hamma
, Nuqeib, Al-Samra
in District of Tiberias
and Kirad al-Baqqara
and Kirad al-Ghannama
further north in District of Safad
, would be included the demilitarized zone
(DMZ) between Israel and Syria
. The inhabitants and their property were formally protected by Article V of the Israeli-Syrian agreement of 20 July that year. However, according to Benny Morris
, Israel wanted the 2,200 Palestinian
inhabitants of those villages to move to Syria. The Israeli military thought that the inhabitants of the DMZ remained loyal to Syria and they suspected them of helping Syrian intelligence. Local Jewish settlers and law enforcement suspected the villagers of petty crimes. Morris also notes that, of course, Israeli settlers and settlement agencies coveted the land of the local Palestinians Arabs.
General Staff (ignoring the protest from the Northern Command) send two patrol-vehicles to the village. The patrol was disguised as policemen, as Israel was not allowed to have soldiers in th DMZ. Seven Israeli soldiers were killed by the Syrians.
In addition, Israel decided to demolish the remaining houses in the Palestinian villages of Kirad al-Ghannama
, Kirad al-Baqqara
, Al-Samra
and Nuqeib (in that order), to render the DMZ "clear of Arabs".
Syria continued to control El-Hamma until the Six Day War. The enclave of Hamat Gader
became a continuing source of friction between Israel and Syria.
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...
soldiers by Syrian military forces during an Israeli attempt to enforce its sovereignty over the demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
along the Syrian border.
Background
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War1948 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 main thrust of the Syrian invasion of the Galilee crossed the border at Al Hamma
Al-Hamma, Tiberias
Al-Hamma is a depopulated Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias, 12 km southeast of Tiberias. Situated on a narrow strip of land in the Yarmouk valley, it was one of the stations on the Jezreel Valley railway, linking the Hejaz Railway to Haifa.-History:The Old Testament...
. According to the armistice agreements of 1949 Between Israel and Syria, it was determined that a string of villages, including Al-Hamma
Al-Hamma, Tiberias
Al-Hamma is a depopulated Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias, 12 km southeast of Tiberias. Situated on a narrow strip of land in the Yarmouk valley, it was one of the stations on the Jezreel Valley railway, linking the Hejaz Railway to Haifa.-History:The Old Testament...
, Nuqeib, Al-Samra
Al-Samra
Al-Samra was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 21, 1948. It was located 10 km southeast of Tiberias....
in District of Tiberias
District of Tiberias
The District of Tiberias was an administrative district, situated in the British Mandate of Palestine around the city of Tiberias. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated.-Depopulated settlements:...
and Kirad al-Baqqara
Kirad al-Baqqara
Kirad al-Baqqara was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach...
and Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach. It was located 11 km northeast of Safad...
further north in District of Safad
District of Safad
The District of Safad was an administrative district, situated in the British Mandate of Palestine around the city of Safad. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the district disintegrated.-Depopulated settlements:...
, would be included the demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
(DMZ) between Israel and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The inhabitants and their property were formally protected by Article V of the Israeli-Syrian agreement of 20 July that year. However, according to Benny Morris
Benny Morris
Benny Morris is professor of History in the Middle East Studies department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in the city of Be'er Sheva, Israel...
, Israel wanted the 2,200 Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
inhabitants of those villages to move to Syria. The Israeli military thought that the inhabitants of the DMZ remained loyal to Syria and they suspected them of helping Syrian intelligence. Local Jewish settlers and law enforcement suspected the villagers of petty crimes. Morris also notes that, of course, Israeli settlers and settlement agencies coveted the land of the local Palestinians Arabs.
The incident
Until 1951, Israel had never patrolled or occupied al-Hamma. However, in the spring of of that year, Israel decided to assert its sovereignty over the village. On the 4. April that year IDFIsrael 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...
General Staff (ignoring the protest from the Northern Command) send two patrol-vehicles to the village. The patrol was disguised as policemen, as Israel was not allowed to have soldiers in th DMZ. Seven Israeli soldiers were killed by the Syrians.
Reactions
The following day, four Israel planes bombed the police station at Al-Hamma and a Syrian positions at Al Hadid. Two women were killed, and six people reported injured.In addition, Israel decided to demolish the remaining houses in the Palestinian villages of Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama
Kirad al-Ghannama was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach. It was located 11 km northeast of Safad...
, Kirad al-Baqqara
Kirad al-Baqqara
Kirad al-Baqqara was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Safad. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948 by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach...
, Al-Samra
Al-Samra
Al-Samra was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Tiberias. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 21, 1948. It was located 10 km southeast of Tiberias....
and Nuqeib (in that order), to render the DMZ "clear of Arabs".
Syria continued to control El-Hamma until the Six Day War. The enclave of Hamat Gader
Hamat Gader
Hamat Gader is a site in the Yarmouk River valley, near the Sea of Galilee in the Golan Heights. The name means "hot springs of Gadara", referring to the several mineral springs with temperatures up to 50°C...
became a continuing source of friction between Israel and Syria.
External links
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10B15FD3955177B93C7A9178FD85F458585F9 - posted on The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on April 05, 1951.