Page 21 - Old Katamon adv-RB_Neat

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Advanced Level – ‫קטמון הישנה‬

The Battle of San Simon

In 1948, Katamon was a mostly Arab neighborhood. The
neighborhood had strategic importance because the tall San
Simon monastery allowed for a commanding view of the entire
area. From the monastery’s roof, Arab armies fired at the Jews in
the adjacent neighborhoods incessantly. Both sides realized that
whoever controls the monastery, will control the whole area. So
the soldiers of the Palmach planned an operation to conquer the
monastery.
On April 4th 1948, in the middle of the night, soldiers of the
Palmach got near the monastery, which was empty of soldiers.
The Arab soldiers had settled in houses around and opened fire at
the soldiers.
Despite this, the Palmach soldiers stormed the monastery and
were able to conquer it! A very hard battle began, which lasted
all day and all night. Half of the fighters were killed or wounded
and almost no ammunition was left.
The soldiers realized that the situation is bad and they are unable
to carry all of their wounded out under the heavy fire. They
decided to blow up the monastery with them inside it, in order to
not fall captive. At the same time, the Arab force’s state worsened
as well and they too lacked ammunition and soldiers. The soldiers
in the monastery got word that Arab soldiers had been seen
running away from Katamon. The Arabs’ fire slowly lessened
until it ceased. The wounded were evacuated out of the monastery
on gurneys via Rehavia, while the soldiers and neighborhood
residents sang and cheered them on.
This battle encouraged the Jewish soldiers and residents in
Jerusalem and the victory enabled to create a connection between
the Jewish neighborhoods in the south and the neighborhoods in
the north.
It’s been said about this battle, “Remember, when it rains - the
enemy gets wet as well. He who holds on for one more moment,
wins.”

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