16 apr 1948 anni - Battle of Ramat Yohanan

Descrizione:

After the unsuccessful battle at Mishmar HaEmek, Fawzi Al-Qawuqji directed the Druze regiment of the Arab Liberation Army to carry out diversionary operations near Haifa. The Druze positioned themselves in Arab villages approximately 12 kilometers east of Haifa and intermittently attacked nearby Jewish traffic and settlements, including Ramat Yohanan. In response, the Jewish kibbutznikim and Haganah forces repelled these assaults and subsequently razed the villages from which the Druze launched their attacks.

Depleted of ammunition, the Druze retreated to their base in Shefa-'Amr, suffering a hundred casualties. Following this setback, a battalion-sized Carmeli force decisively overran two of the villages on the night of April 15-16. Despite multiple assaults by the Druze on April 16, they were repelled by the Carmeli forces and eventually retreated due to exhaustion.

In the aftermath, the Druze made several attempts to negotiate with the Yishuv, culminating in Druze officers proposing to defect to the Haganah. Although Yigael Yadin rejected this proposal, he suggested they assist by conducting sabotage against Arab forces and encouraging defections within their ranks. By early May, over 200 Druze soldiers had deserted. On May 9, their commander Wahab agreed to collaborate with the Haganah, leading to a temporary peace in central Galilee and non-involvement in further conflicts, including the Haganah's capture of Acre.

This cooperation significantly influenced post-war relations, as Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion acknowledged the longstanding ties between the Druze and the Yishuv, advocating for a distinct status for the Druze, Circassians, and Maronites, different from other Arab groups.

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