The Battle for the Roads
(March - May 1948)
A unique feature characterizing the first phase of
the War of Independence up to May (1948) was the "battle for the roads." The vast
majority of Palestine's main roads ran through areas populated by
Arabs, and by controlling the roads, the Arabs could effectively lay
siege to areas of Jewish settlement. In March, having failed to
capture Jewish settlements, the Arab forces concentrated on the
battle for the roads, while continuing their attacks on outlying
districts in the mixed towns and on settlements in the north, the Jerusalem mountains, and the Negev. Nevertheless, a convoy of armored trucks
succeeded in making the trip from Negbah to Gat, which had been cut
off for a long period, and an Arab arms convoy was ambushed and
destroyed near Kiryat Motzkin. In general, the Arabs scored
considerable success in the battle for the roads: on March 26 Jewish
traffic on the coastal road leading to the Negev came to a complete
stop; a convoy on its way back to Jerusalem from the Ezyon bloc was trapped near al-Nabi Daniyal and another,
which tried to reach Yehiam, was ambushed and wiped out.
Sources: Israel Defense
Forces |