apr 22, 1948 - Battle of Haifa (Operation Bi'ur Hametz)

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The Battle of Haifa, known as Operation Bi'ur Hametz, occurred on April 21-22, 1948, during the critical phase of the civil war in Mandatory Palestine. It aimed to capture Arab neighborhoods in Haifa, resulting in the displacement of about 15,000 Arab residents, with only 4,000 remaining by mid-May from an initial population of 65,000.

Haifa was strategic as it housed the country's main deep-water port and was linked to key oil pipelines and refineries. The city, split between 70,000 Jews and 65,000 Arabs, had been dwindling in its Arab population due to escalating conflict and a psychological campaign by Jewish forces that promoted Arab flight, magnified by the terror of the Deir Yassin massacre.

Prior to the battle, the Arab militia in Haifa was demoralized and poorly armed, with key leaders either killed or absent. As British forces withdrew, the Haganah planned a multi-pronged assault into Arab sectors from Jewish neighborhoods. The operation used intense psychological warfare and direct military action, leading to rapid Arab capitulation and mass evacuation under duress, with the city's capture completing by April 22.

Post-battle, Haifa's Arab quarter saw significant depopulation and destruction of property. The remaining Arab residents were concentrated in specific neighborhoods, while the majority fled, primarily to Lebanon. This event marked a significant turning point in the control of strategic locations leading up to the formal Arab-Israeli conflict.

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