Abu Shusha massacre
Part of the 1948 Palestine war
Abu Shusha in 1945
LocationAbu Shusha, Mandatory Palestine
Date13–14 May 1948
Deaths60–70+ Palestinian Arabs
PerpetratorsGivati Brigade

The Abu Shusha massacre took place on 13–14 May 1948 during Operation Barak, when the Zionist Givati Brigade mortared and then stormed Abu Shusha with units of the 51st and 54th battalions, killing between 60 and 70+ Palestinian Arab villagers.[1][2]

Massacre

On 13 May, the Givati Brigade launched the second stage of Operation Barak, codenamed "Operation Maccabi". During this, the village of Abu Shusha, located 8 km southeast of Ramle, was targeted. On 13–14 May, Abu Shusha was mortared and then stormed by units of the 51st and 54th battalions. Inhabitants fled and houses were blown up, although some remained. The remaining villagers were expelled on 21 May. A nearby Arab Legion unit reported that "the Jews were killing villagers" on 19 May. The Givati Brigade claimed that only 30 Arabs had been killed, while the Arabs claimed that more than 70 had been killed.[3]

Arab authorities in Ramle called for Red Cross intervention and informed it that "the Jews had committed barbaric acts" in Abu Shusha. A Haganah soldier made two attempts to rape a 20-year old female prisoner.[3]

Israeli historian, Aryeh Yitzhaki, described the events of Abu Shusha as a massacre, citing a testimony from the Kheil Mishmar (Guard Units):

"A soldier of Kiryati Brigade captured 10 men and 2 women. All were killed except a young woman who was raped and disposed of. At the dawn of 14 May, units of Giv'ati brigade assaulted Abu Shusha village. Fleeing villagers were shot on sight. Others were killed in the streets or axed to death. Some were lined up against a wall and executed. No men were left; women had to bury the dead."[4]

Aftermath

Recent research suggests that around 60 villagers were massacred during the attack.[5][1] In 1995, a mass grave with 52 skeletons was discovered in Abu Shusha, although their cause of death is undetermined.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ghanim, Honaida (2011). "The Nakba". In Rouhana, N. N., & Sabbagh-Khoury, A. (ed.). The Palestinians in Israel: Readings in History, Politics and Society (PDF). p. 23. In the village of Abu Shusha in the District of Ramla a unit of the Givati Brigade committed a massacre in which 60 villagers were murdered.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  2. ↑ Maarouf, Mazen; Abutabikh, Tasnim; Aysha, Emad El-Din; Dabbagh, Selma; Haddad, Saleem; Hamed, Anwar; Kayyal, Majd; Maqboul, Abdalmuti; Masoud, Ahmed (2019-07-25). Palestine +100: Stories from a century after the Nakba. Comma Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-912697-20-5.
  3. 1 2 Morris, Benny (2004). The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited. Cambridge University Press. pp. 256–257. ISBN 978-0-521-00967-6.
  4. ↑ The Palestinian Nabka 1948: The Register of Depopulated Localities in Palestine. pg. 17
  5. ↑ "Abu Shusha - The Massacre". Birzeit University. Archived from the original on 2003-12-05. Retrieved 2017-06-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ Benvenisti, 1996, p. 248
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