Harel Brigade

File:Rafael Eitan.jpg, Commander Company A, 4th Battalion, Harel Brigade (1948)]]

File:Ramle Harel HQ.jpg, 1948. Harel 10th Battalion HQ.]]

The Harel Brigade was established on 16 April 1948 as a division of the Palmach, immediately after Operation Nachshon. It was composed of three battalions, Sha'ar Hagai Battalion - known as the {{ill|Fifth Battalion|he|הגדוד החמישי של הפלמ"ח}}; Ha-portzim Battalion - known as the {{ill|Fourth Battalion|he|גדוד הפורצים}}; and the {{ill|Sixth Battalion|he|The Sixth Battalion of the Palmach}} ("Jerusalem Battalion").{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} 1,400 men,Ben Gurion, David (1993) David Ben-Gurion, War Diaries, 1947–1949. translated by Samir Jabbour (Arabic). Institute of Palestine Studies. Page 302. (15 May 1948). which had fought in Operation Nachshon in the Jerusalem area. Its name Harel ("Mountain of God") is taken from mount Zion in Jerusalem."Come, let us go to the mountain of God ... Zion" (Isaiah 2:4)

This infantry unit was headed by Yitzhak Rabin, its first commander. He was later replaced by Joseph Tabenkin.{{cite book

|title=The Rabin Memoirs

|first1=Yitzhak

|last1=Rabin

|author-link=Yitzhak Rabin

|edition=Illustrated

|publisher=University of California Press

|year=1996

|isbn= 978-0-520-20766-0

|page=26

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gb8sjKSTvFwC&q=Harel+Brigade&pg=PA26}}{{cite book

|title=The streets of Jerusalem: who, what, why

|first1=Ronald L.

|last1=Eisenberg

|edition=Illustrated

|publisher=Devora Publishing

|year=2006|isbn= 978-1-932687-54-5

| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yqXXD_74yAEC&q=%22Harel+Brigade%22&pg=PA182

| page=182}}

During the early phase of the 1948 Palestine War, the Israeli war of independence, the Palmach units became tactical combat units. In April 1948, the Harel brigade was formed to command all units in the Jerusalem corridor and hills. The Brigade's main assignments, besides acting as a "diversionary force" whenever needed,{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} were twofold:

• To fortify the area, guarding against attacks by the local Arab forces, and gaining ground where ever possible, in order to allow passage of supply convoys to Jerusalem.
• To train and organize troops in the framework of the army-in-the-making.

Upon its establishment, the brigade commenced with Operation Harel, a direct continuation of Operation Nachshon, between 16 and 21 April 1948.{{cite web | url =http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?levelId=42858&itemId=9006&itemType=0 | title =Hativat Harel (the Harel Brigade) (10) | publisher =Palmach Information Center | access-date =2010-06-14 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110928142252/http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?levelId=42858&itemId=9006&itemType=0 | archive-date =2011-09-28 | url-status =dead }} (best viewed with Internet Explorer) On April 22, the brigade was assigned to Operation Yevusi with the goal of taking control of the northern ridges overlooking Jerusalem, and then taking control of the city's southern neighborhoods. During this operation the brigade sustained thirty-three killed in the battle for Nebi Samuel and nineteen dead in the Katamon neighborhood.{{Cite web |url=http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8519&levelId=42855&itemType=0 |title=פלמ"ח |access-date=2010-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601071247/http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8519&levelId=42855&itemType=0 |archive-date=2012-06-01 |url-status=dead }}{{cite book |last1=Dror |first1=Zvika |script-title=he:הראל – הקרב על ירושלים |trans-title=Harel – the Battle for Jerusalem |year=2005 |publisher=HaKibbutz HaMeuchad |location=Tel Aviv |language=he |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1HqgAAAAMAAJ&q=%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C }}

In Operation Maccabi during the first half of May 1948, the Harel Brigade took control of the Jerusalem corridor and opened the road until Shaar Hagai. On 17–19 May, a Harel force took Mount Zion and entered the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Later the brigade took part in Operation Danny, Operation Ha-Har, and Operation Horev.{{cite book

|title=War in Palestine, 1948: strategy and diplomacy

|first1=David

|last1=Tal

|publisher=Routledge

|year=2004

|isbn=0-7146-5275-X

|page=407

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dL29_RBATv0C&q=hahar&pg=PA122}}

The Palmach memorial website records 274 of its members dying while fighting with the Harel Brigade. Thirty-four were killed at Nabi Samuel and eighteen in Katamon.{{Cite web |url=http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8572&levelId=42850&itemType=0 |title=Palmach homepage |access-date=2010-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928141558/http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8572&levelId=42850&itemType=0 |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }}

In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, Kadesh Operation, the brigade fought as an infantry brigade, commanded by Shmuel Gudar. In 1959, the brigade was made into a reserve unit of the Armored Corps.

During the Six-Day War, the Harel Brigade used Sherman tanks in fighting at Radar Hill, north of Jerusalem, and went on to capture Ramallah.

In 2014, the Brigade became part of the Sinai Division and it participated in Operation Protective Edge. Under Colonel Itamar Michaeli, the brigade participated in combat in and around the city of Beit Hanoun as part of Operation Swords of Iron.{{Cite news |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |date=18 December 2023 |title=IDF signals full control over Beit Hanoun in north Gaza |work=Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-signals-full-control-over-beit-hanoun-in-north-gaza/ |access-date=18 December 2023 |archive-date=19 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219032322/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-signals-full-control-over-beit-hanoun-in-north-gaza/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/idf-press-releases-regarding-the-hamas-israel-war/november-pr/harel-brigade-soldiers-operate-in-elkarman-area-in-gaza-eliminate-enemy-forces-and-terrorist-infrastructure/|title=Harel Brigade Soldiers Operate in Elkarman Area in Gaza|publication-date=2023-11-12|access-date=2023-12-27|publisher=Israel Defence Forces}}

{{tree list}}

• 25px 10th Armored Brigade "Harel" (Reserve)
• 360th Armored Battalion
• 363rd Armored Battalion
• 429th Armored Battalion
• 924th Combat Engineer Battalion
• 5358th Reconnaissance Company
• Logistics Battalion
• Signals Company

{{tree list/end}}

• List of battles and operations in the 1948 Palestine war

{{Reflist}}

{{Israel Defense Forces}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1948 Arab–Israeli War

Category:Brigades of Israel

Category:Palmach

Category:Military units and formations established in 1948