| Operation Kedem | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the1948 Arab–Israeli War | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Israel |  Transjordan Arab Liberation Army | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 17 killed (Malha) Unknown (Old City) | Unknown | ||||||||
Operation Kedem was an action planned and carried out byIrgun andLehi forces in July 1948, during the1948 Arab–Israeli war. Its purpose was to captureEast Jerusalem, including theOld City. After the first cease-fire of the Arab–Israeli War, which lasted for four weeks, the balance in power inJerusalem had shifted dramatically. TheJews were now much stronger than theArabs in theJerusalem sector. Irgun and Lehi attempts to break through the wall into the Old City failed.[1]
The operation was to be carried out byIrgun andLehi forces on July 8 with help from the Haganah. But it was delayed byDavid Shaltiel. He told them to first capture the Arab village ofMalha. On July 14, 1948, after a fierce battle in the early hours of the morning, the Irgun occupied the village. Several hours later, the Arabs launched a counterattack. Reinforcements arrived and the village was retaken by the Arabs. The Irgun lost 17 men in the battle for Malha, and many were wounded.[2]
The Irgun force commanded byYehuda Lapidot (Nimrod) was to break through at theNew Gate, Lehi to break through the wall stretching from the New Gate andJaffa Gate, and theBeit Horon Battalion to strike fromMount Zion.
The battle was planned to begin onShabbat, 20:00 Friday July 16, a day before the second cease-fire of the Arab–Israeli War. The plan went wrong from the beginning and was postponed first to 23:00 and then to midnight. Not until 02:30 did the battle actually begin. The Irgunists managed to break through at the New Gate, but the other forces failed in their missions. At 05:45, Shaltiel ordered a retreat and cessation of hostilities.
31°46′41.18″N35°13′32.16″E / 31.7781056°N 35.2256000°E /31.7781056; 35.2256000
