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The Israeli Massacres in Palestine Between 1937-1948

The Israeli Massacres in Palestine Between 1937-1948

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The Israeli massacres against Palestinians began before the declaration of the State of Israel by about 11 years. During this period, Palestine was under British mandate, responsible for protecting Palestinian citizens. Zionist gangs such as Etzel, Lehi, Haganah, Palmach, and Stern committed over 57 massacres, claiming the lives of over 5,000 Palestinians and injuring thousands.

The initial massacres by these gangs occurred in Haifa on 06-03-1937, where 18 Palestinians died after a bomb explosion in the city's market. A year later, Zionist gangs escalated their criminal methods, using booby-trapped cars. In another Haifa incident, two booby-trapped cars caused the death of 21 Palestinians and injured others.

Later stages witnessed terrorist gangs using advanced weapons like artillery shells, mortars, and mortars to attack innocent Palestinians in their towns and villages. These gangs targeted public buildings and hotels. Often, they ambushed them at night, indiscriminately shooting, not sparing children, women, or the elderly. This indicated their aim to eliminate Palestinian citizens, evident in massacres like Deir Yassin, where 254 died, Beit Daras with 260 deaths, and the village of Abu Zurayq in Haifa, where most residents were killed in one night, similar to what happened in Ramla in 1948.

These gangs resorted to disguising as British forces in some massacres, using British military vehicles. They often staged scenes, such as in the Deir Yassin massacre, where Zionists threw bodies into the village well. They sometimes raped women and girls in front of village men before shooting everyone, as in the Safsaf village in Safed in 1948.

The Israeli army's role in massacres became evident on 14-05-1948, a day before the declaration of the State of Israel. The Givati Brigade, part of the Israeli army, besieged and attacked the Arab village of Abu Shusha using bullets and mortar shells, resulting in the death of 60 Palestinians and injuries.

About 2,000 Palestinians fell victim to 11 massacres carried out by Israeli army units from that date until the end of the year, in less than 7 months. Among the most atrocious was the commando-led massacre by Moshé Dayan, a prominent member of the Lehi gang who later became the Defense Minister of Israel. In what later became known as the Lydda massacre, Dayan attacked the city under heavy artillery fire, killing around 251 residents. When civilians sought refuge in the Dahmash Mosque, the invading soldiers pursued and killed 176 of them in the mosque, raising the death toll to 426. Most Zionist criminal organizations later joined the Israeli army, including Lehi and Haganah, forming the well-known Golani Brigade. Of the 57 massacres before the State of Israel's declaration, 37 occurred in 1948. Sometimes, several massacres happened on the same day, while in other instances, only a day or two separated them.


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On the sixth of March, 1937, members of the Irgun and Lehi gangs threw a bomb at Haifa market, resulting in the death of 18 civilians and injuring 38 others.

A member of the Irgun extremist group threw a bomb at the vegetable market near Nablus Gate in Jerusalem, causing the deaths of dozens of civilians and injuring others.


Israeli Massacres - Haifa 06-07-1938 – Haifa Market

Members of the Irgun gang detonated two explosive-laden cars at a market in Haifa, resulting in the deaths of 21 civilians and injuring 52 others.

Ten people were killed, and 31 others were wounded in a devastating explosion at the Arab vegetable market in the Old City of Jerusalem.


A member of the Irgun gang threw a hand grenade in front of one of the mosques in the city of Jerusalem as worshipers were leaving, causing the deaths of 10 citizens and injuring others.

A car bomb planted by the Irgun gang exploded in the Arab market in Haifa, resulting in the deaths of 35 citizens and injuring more than 70 others.


Irgun members threw a hand grenade in one of the markets in Haifa, resulting in the deaths of 27 Palestinians.


An explosive-laden car placed by the Irgun gang detonated in the Jerusalem market, causing the deaths of 34 and injuring 35 others.


The Irgun gang detonated two bombs in the city of Haifa, resulting in the deaths of 27 and injuring 39 others.


The Haganah gang attacked the village of Balad al-Sheikh, abducted five of its residents, and subsequently killed them.


Jewish individuals threw a hand grenade in one of the markets in Haifa, resulting in the deaths of 9 people and injuring 4 others.


Members of the Irgun and Lehi planted a bomb disguised in a vegetable crate in Haifa's city market, resulting in the deaths of 78 people and injuring 24 others.


The Irgun gang attacked the village of Al-'Abbasiyya, located east of Jaffa, firing on residents. The assault led to the deaths of 9 individuals and injured 7 others.


Al-Khisas, a village in the Safad region of northern Palestine

A unit from the Palmach forces attacked the village of Al-Khisas in the northern part of the Hula Valley, killing ten people, all women and children.


 - Bab al-'Amoud, one of the gates of Jerusalem

The attack was carried out by the Irgun gangs using an explosive barrel, resulting in the deaths of 14 individuals and injuring 27 others. The following day, employing the same method and location, 11 people and two British were killed.


Members of the terrorist Irgun gang hurled a bomb from a speeding car in Jerusalem, resulting in 11 fatalities.


A force from Zionist gangs attacked the village of Sheikh Barak, killing 40 of its inhabitants.


A Palmach force attacked the village of Balad al-Sheikh on New Year's Eve, and according to Zionist sources, the casualties of this massacre amounted to 60 martyrs.


On the fourth day of January 1948, the Stern Gang threw a bomb into a crowded square in Jaffa, killing 15 people and injuring 98 others.


Semiramis, located in Katamon neighborhood, Jerusalem 5-1-1948 Semiramis Hotel

The terrorist Irgun gang detonated explosives in the Semiramis Hotel located in the Katamon neighborhood, causing the hotel to collapse on its Palestinian guests, resulting in 19 deaths and more than 20 injuries.


Members of the Irgun gang threw a bomb at Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of 18 Palestinian civilians and injuring 41 others.


The Arab Saraya was a prominent building facing the famous Jaffa Clock Tower, housing the Arab National Committee headquarters in Jaffa. Jewish gangs planted explosive-laden cars, causing their explosion and resulting in the deaths of 70 Palestinians and injuring dozens.


Members of the terrorist Irgun gang placed a car filled with explosives near the Old Saraya in Jaffa, leading to the deaths of 30 Palestinians.


A group from the Haganah attacked the residents of the village of Yazur, located 5 km southeast of Jaffa, resulting in the massacre of 15 Palestinians from the village, most of whom were killed while asleep.


Abbas Street - Extremist Jews from Hader neighborhood, perched on Abbas Street in Haifa, rolled a barrel filled with explosives downhill, demolishing houses and resulting in the deaths of 20 Palestinian citizens and injuring about 50 others.


A group of Jewish extremists stopped a number of returning citizens to the village of Tulkarm and opened fire, killing seven of them and injuring five others.


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