Operation Nachshon | |
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Part of the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine and the Plan Dalet | |
![]() Telegraph dated 5 April 1948, confirming the beginning of Operation Nachshon that same night. | |
Location | |
Date | 5–16 April 1948 |
Operation Nachshon (Hebrew: מבצע נחשון, Mivtza Nahshon; 5–16 April 1948) was a military operation of the Haganah during the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine and part of Plan Dalet.[1] Its objective was to open the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem road blockaded by Palestinian Arabs, and furnish arms and supplies to the besieged Jewish community of Jerusalem.[1] The operation was also known as "The operation to take control of the Jerusalem road," following which participating units later broke off to form the Harel Brigade.[2] Following attempts to take control of the road to Jerusalem were unsuccessful and led to the construction of a makeshift bypass—Burma Road.
Nachshon was the first major Haganah operation and the first step of Plan Dalet.[3][4][5][6][7] The Deir Yassin massacre was conducted as a part of the operation.[8] Operation Nachshon was carried out by the Haganah's Givati and what was later to be known as the Harel Brigade of the Palmach.