Operation Black Arrow
{{Short description|1955 Israeli military operation}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Operation Black Arrow
| partof = the reprisal operations (during the Palestinian Fedayeen insurgency)
| image = Fedayeen 1956.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = Five fedayeen killed by Israeli border police in chase after attack near Nir Galim.
| date = {{start and end dates|1955|02|28|1955|03|01|df=yes}} (two days)
| place = Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip
| result = Israeli victory
| combatant1 = {{flag|Israel}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Egypt|1952}}
| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Israel|military}} Ariel Sharon
{{Flagicon|Israel|military}} Danny Matt
{{Flagicon|Israel|military}} Aharon Davidi
| commander2 =
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 = 8 killed and 13 wounded
| casualties2 = 37–38 killed and 31 wounded
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Palestinian Fedayeen insurgency}}
| coordinates = {{coord |31|30|48|N|34|28|49|E|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| units1 = 21px Paratroopers Brigade
}}
Operation Black Arrow ({{langx|he|מבצע חץ שחור|translit=Mivtza Ḥetz Shaḥor}}) was an Israeli military operation carried out in Gaza (while under Egyptian control) on 28 February 1955. The operation targeted the Egyptian Army. Thirty-eight Egyptian soldiers were killed during the operation as were eight Israelis.Spencer Tucker, The encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli conflict, ABC-CLIO, (2008) p. 1162
Israel's actions were unanimously condemned by United Nations Security Council Resolution 106.
Background
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War resulted in a decisive Israeli victory. However, the Arab nations remained intransigent and were only willing to sign armistice agreements with Israel. Thus, a static situation of “no war, no peace,” emerged. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of Arab refugees now camped alongside Israel's porous borders. The refugees lived in squalor and were kept under martial law.Zeev Schiff, History of the Israeli Army, Straight Arrow Books (1974), pp. 220–22 Arab governments, but in particular Egypt, sensing the refugees’ discontent, capitalized on the opportunity to recruit embittered Palestinians for armed actions against Israel. At first, the infiltrations and border transgressions took the form of petty banditry and thievery.Schiff, pp. 222–23 However, by 1954, Egyptian military intelligence was taking an active role in providing various forms of support for Palestinian fedayeen activity.Schiff pp. 224–25 After an attack by the fedayeen, Israel decided to take decisive action against Egypt for its sponsorship of the Palestinians and initiated Operation Black Arrow.
Casus belli
On 25 February 1955, Arab infiltrators murdered an Israeli civilian in the town of Rehovot.Hesi Karmel, Intelligence for peace: the role of intelligence in times of peace, Frank Cass (1999) p. 56Michael Oren, Origins of the Second Arab-Israeli war, Egypt, Israel and the Great Powers, Frank Cass (1992), p. 25Benny Morris, Righteous victims: a history of the Zionist-Arab conflict, 1881–1999, Vintage (1999, 2001) p. 283 One of the terrorists who was pursued and killed by Israeli forces was found to be in possession of documents linking him to Egyptian military intelligence. Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion and Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan demanded a harsh response directed against those believed to have sponsored the atrocity. Prime Minister Moshe Sharett was more hesitant but demurred.
Attack
On February 28, Ariel Sharon, commander of the Paratroop Brigade was issued the go-ahead to initiate Operation Black Arrow. That night, a force of 150 paratroopers, led by Aharon Davidi and Danny Matt, attacked an Egyptian base near the city of Gaza. An Egyptian military relief convoy was ambushed en route. In total, either thirty-seven or thirty-eightSpencer Tucker, p. 1162 Egyptian soldiers were killed and many more injured for the loss of eight Israelis.
Aftermath
In Egypt there was a sense of humiliation. Not since the Arab–Israeli war of 1948 had the Egyptians suffered such a blow.Morris, (1999) p. 283 The Israeli attack was unanimously condemned by the United Nations Security Council.{{Citation |last1=Rasler |first1=Karen |last2=William R. |first2=Thompson |first3=Sumit |last3=Ganguly |title=How Rivalries End |year=2013 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-4498-4 |pages=38–39}} In response President Nasser decided to close the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping and air traffic. He also increased support for Palestinian fedayeen raids, which invited even harsher Israeli retaliatory raids such as Operation Elkayam (72 Egyptian KIA) and Operation Volcano (81 Egyptian KIA, 55 captured).Zeʼev Derori, Israel's reprisal policy, 1953–1956: the dynamics of military retaliation, Frank Cass (2005) p. 152 Tensions between Egypt and Israel ultimately led to Israel taking part in the invasion of the Sinai Peninsula and Suez Canal alongside the United Kingdom and France (who held different motivations for invading) in which the Egyptians were defeated and the Fedayeen bases disbanded.Schiff (1974) pp. 227–28
Memorial
File:PikiWiki Israel 14860 The black arrow.jpg
A memorial {{cite web|url=http://www.kkl-jnf.org/tourism-and-recreation/tours/black-arrow-memorial.aspx|access-date=22 July 2017|title=Black Arrow Memorial|website=Jewish National Fund}} to this operation and other IDF paratrooper operations is situated between Kibbutz Mefalsim and the Gaza Strip.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archives.mod.gov.il/sites/English/Exhibitions/Pages/Operation-Black-Arrow.aspx Operation Black Arrow, Exhibition in the IDF&Defense establishment archives]
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Category:Counterterrorism in Israel
Category:Egypt in the Arab–Israeli conflict
Category:Operations involving Israeli special forces
Category:Reprisal operations (Israel)
Category:Gaza City in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Category:February 1955 in Asia
Category:Ambushes of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Category:Attacks on military installations in the 1950s
Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in the Gaza Strip