Oded Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Oded Brigade was an Israel
i infantry brigade, one of ten brigades fielded by the Haganah
(the precursor of the Israeli Defence Forces). It was headquartered in Jerusalem. It was a "a ragtag organization composed mainly of home guardsmen and other defense groups." The poorly supplied brigade was defending Al-Malkiyya in June 1948, replacing the Yiftach Brigade
, when the Lebanese army attacked. The Oded Brigade had to withdraw after 10 hours of fighting.
In July 1948, the brigade moved to capture the Arab villages Malha and Ein Karim, with the support of LEHI
and Irgun
, aiming to link up with the Harel Brigade
and capture the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Railway. There was limited fighting.
The brigade had attached to it a "Unit of the Minorities
" made up of Druze
, and smaller numbers of Bedouin
s and Circassian
s, who had defected from the Arab Liberation Army
. The unit saw action with the brigade in Operation Hiram
during October 1948. This was a propaganda coup and helped strengthen Jewish-Druze relations. Ben Dunkelman
says that the brigade had a mainly diversionary role in Operation Hiram. The brigade also took part in Operation Yoav
in October 1948, which opened the road to the Negev.
Involved in the Sinai Campaign against Egypt, the brigade held a victory assembly at Sharm el-Sheikh
on 6 November 1956.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i infantry brigade, one of ten brigades fielded by the 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 :...
(the precursor of the Israeli Defence Forces). It was headquartered in Jerusalem. It was a "a ragtag organization composed mainly of home guardsmen and other defense groups." The poorly supplied brigade was defending Al-Malkiyya in June 1948, replacing the Yiftach Brigade
Yiftach Brigade
The Yiftach Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade...
, when the Lebanese army attacked. The Oded Brigade had to withdraw after 10 hours of fighting.
In July 1948, the brigade moved to capture the Arab villages Malha and Ein Karim, with the support of LEHI
Lehi
Lehi refers to:In Mormonism:* Lehi , a prophet in the Book of Mormon of the 7th-6th centuries BC* Lehi, son of Helaman, another prophet in the Book of Mormon of the late 1st century BC...
and 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...
, aiming to link up with the Harel Brigade
Harel Brigade
Harel Brigade is a reserve brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, today part of the Northern Command. It played a critical role in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.- War of Independence :...
and capture the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Railway. There was limited fighting.
The brigade had attached to it a "Unit of the Minorities
Unit of the Minorities
The IDF Sword Battalion is an Arabic-speaking unit of the Israel Defense Forces, also known as Unit 300 and formerly known as the IDF Minorities Unit. Non-Jewish minorities also serve in the Druze Reconnaissance Unit and the Bedouin Trackers Unit...
" made up of Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
, and smaller numbers of Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
s and Circassian
Adyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
s, who had defected from the Arab Liberation Army
Arab Liberation Army
The Arab Liberation Army , also translated as Arab Salvation Army, was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji...
. The unit saw action with the brigade in Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion...
during October 1948. This was a propaganda coup and helped strengthen Jewish-Druze relations. Ben Dunkelman
Ben Dunkelman
Benjamin Dunkelman was a Canadian Jewish officer who served in the Canadian Army in World War II and the Israel Defense Forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In Israel, he was called Benjamin Ben-David....
says that the brigade had a mainly diversionary role in Operation Hiram. The brigade also took part 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...
in October 1948, which opened the road to the Negev.
Sharm el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip along the Red Sea. Its population is approximately 35,000...
on 6 November 1956.