aug 24, 1929 - Hebron massacre

Description:

On August 24, 1929, a tragic event unfolded in Hebron, Mandatory Palestine, known as the Hebron massacre. It resulted in the deaths of 67 or 69 Jews, including children, with many more seriously wounded or maimed. The massacre was part of the wider 1929 Palestine riots, which saw a total of 133 Jews and 110 Arabs killed across the region.

The violence in Hebron was sparked by rumors that Jews were planning to take control of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, intensifying existing tensions between the Jewish and Arab communities. This led to a devastating attack where Jewish homes were pillaged, and synagogues ransacked. Notably, some of the Jewish residents found refuge with local Arab families, although this aspect remains a point of historical debate.

In the aftermath, all surviving Jews in Hebron were evacuated by the British authorities. While many returned in 1931, they were evacuated again at the start of the 1936–39 Arab revolt. This event marked the end of a centuries-old Jewish presence in Hebron.

The massacre had profound impacts on Jewish communities in Palestine and worldwide, catalyzing the reorganization and strengthening of the Jewish paramilitary group, the Haganah, which later evolved into the Israel Defense Forces. The incident underscored the profound religious and cultural significance of Hebron, home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, and highlighted the deep-seated tensions exacerbated by the Balfour Declaration and subsequent British policies.

Prior to the massacre, Hebron had a mixed population of around 20,000 Muslims and 700 Jews, comprising both Sephardic Jews who had lived in the city for centuries and more recent Ashkenazi immigrants. Despite previous episodes of tension, the Jewish community in Hebron had experienced periods of relative peace with their Arab neighbors. However, the politicization of sacred sites in Jerusalem and the influence of figures like Haj Amin al-Husseini contributed to the rising communal tensions that ultimately led to the violence of 1929.

The Hebron massacre remains a pivotal moment in the history of Arab-Jewish relations in Palestine, illustrating the lethal potential of unchecked rumors and communal fears, and the devastating impact of communal violence on a historically multicultural city.

Added to timeline:

Date: