May 2021
This is part of a blog relating to al-Nabi Yusha'.
During the Arab Revolt (1939-1936), Arab terrorists (whom the British at that time referred to as “gang members”) infiltrated from Syria and Lebanon into the Upper Galilee. The British decided to put an end to these incursions by establishing a fence and fortifications, from Rosh HaNikra in the west to the Lake Hula in the east. They enlisted Charles Tegart, a British counter-terrorism expert, who designed the now-famous Tegart Forts, and Solel Boneh—founded in 1921 during the first conference of the General Histadrut—won the contract to build the fortifications. About 1,300 Jewish workers and guards carried out the construction of pillboxes and five fortified police stations, over a period of weeks, of which Nabi Yusha was the easternmost.
During the second world war these fortifications played an important role in defending the northern border from a possible invasion of the pro-Nazi Vichy French army, which held Syria and Lebanon until it was defeated by the British.
During the War of Independence, between 15 and 28 April 1948, the British gradually withdrew their forces from the Eastern Galilee, starting with Nabi Yusha on 15 April. The fort—along with a number of Tegart forts in the region—was immediately commandeered by units of the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) and other militiamen. According to records kept by ALA commander Fawzi al-Qawuqji, his troops had already taken up positions around it in late March, and the British acquiesced.
Understanding that this observation point—which dominated the Hula valley from its commanding position on the heights to the west—had a strategic importance for the safety and future of the surrounding kibbutzim, the Palmach made abortive attempts to take the Nabi Yusha police fort. On the night of 15-16 April, the police station was attacked by a company composed of two Golani and one Palmach platoons, which approached in two armored cars and two armored Egged buses, but were forced to withdraw due to intense fire, with four killed.
On April 20, a second attempt was made to occupy the fort; a force from the third Palmach battalion attacked from two sides, and a small force succeeded in breaking the barriers and reaching the wall of the fort, but the Arabs discovered them while they were preparing the explosives to breach the fortress wall and they were forced to withdraw. Among many acts of heroism and sacrifice, Yizhar Armoni—who was awarded a posthumous medal of valour—enabled the force’s retreat and evacuation of the wounded, by providing cover with his machine-gun, until he himself was killed. Altogether 22 Israelis were killed in the battle and dozens wounded.
Operation Yiftach properly got underway on 28 April, under the command of Yigal Allon, with successes in Rosh Pina and other places. On May 1-2, ALA forces from Lebanon attacked kibbutz Ramot Naphtali, just south of Nabi Yusha. By 14 May, Israel was retreating eastward in the face of the ALA’s superior artillery strength and rapid deployment of a company of Jordanian Bedouin volunteers. Nevertheless they had suffered serious losses and lost the will to advance further, when they dug in at al-Malikya and Qadis, a few miles west of Nabi Yusha. The Arabs withdrew their garrison at Nabi Yusha police fort to reinforce al-Malikya. On the night of the 16-17 May, the third Palmach battalion occupied the abandoned police fort as part of Operation Yiftach (later taking al-Malikiya on the night of 28-29 May).
Two soldiers lost their lives during the battle at Nabi Yusha, bringing the total casualties is the three battles for the Nabi Yusha police station to 28. These 28 fallen soldiers are the reason the name of the building has been changed to Metzudat Koach: Metzudah is the Hebrew word for “fort”, and Koach means strength; but in addition the latter word represents the number 28 in gematria. Another name for the place is Metzudat Yesha. The casualties of the second battle are buried in a mass grave near the station building, where a monument stands today, commemorating the fallen of the three battles.
There is no record of the village of Nabi Yusha itself being attacked, but its residents fled and ended up mainly in refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria. The village was subsequently flattened, apart from it’s shrine and cemetery.
Today the fort is under the care of the Israeli Border Police, and beside it is a museum to commemorate the fallen in the battles for Nabi Yusha, with the central theme of camaraderie.
The museum was the longtime wish of Yehuda Dekel z”l (1929-2008), former fighter in the Palmach who was involved in the battles. Among the fallen were Dekel’s close friends from Kibbutz Dafna, many since kindergarten.
Dekel went on to be chairman of the Society of Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites, under whose auspices the museum was established. On 10 January 2014, the sixth anniversary of the death of Yehuda Dekel, the museum was dedicated in his name. Below you can see a film (in English), produced by the museum, bringing the story to life.
You may also like to read about the village of al-Nabi Yusha' where the fort was situated.