Golani Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry
brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division
and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret
. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the Israel Defense Forces
. The brigade consists of five battalions, including two which it kept from its inception (12th and 13th), one transferred from Givati
(51st), and two special forces battalions.
The brigade was formed on February 22, 1948 during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, when the Levanoni Brigade in the Galilee
split into the 1st Golani Brigade and the 2nd Carmeli Brigade. It has since participated in all of Israel's major wars and nearly all major operations, including the Sinai War
, Six-Day War
, War of Attrition
, Yom Kippur War
, Operation Entebbe
, Operation Litani
, the first and second wars in Lebanon, and various operations during the Palestinian intifada
s.
Although the brigade is known for insubordination problems, two of its commanders, Mordechai Gur
and Gabi Ashkenazi
, became IDF Chiefs of Staff. Many more reached the rank of Aluf
(Major General
).
drafted Plan Dalet
for its subsequent organization and operations. The plan divided the fighting militia (Field Corps
) into six regional brigades – Levanoni in the north, Alexandroni
in the Sharon region, Kiryati
in the Tel Aviv
area, Givati
in the Shephelah
, and Etzioni
in the Jerusalem area. On February 28, 1948, the Levanoni Brigade was split into two—Carmeli in the northwest, and Golani in the northeast.
Golani's area of operations included much of the Lower Galilee and Jezreel Valley
, the Jordan Valley
and the Huleh Valley. It extended to Jalame and Bat Shlomo
in the west. Major population centers included Safed
, Tiberias, Beisan and Nazareth
. The new brigade included five battalions, with its headquarters in Yavne'el
:
, Golani mostly participated in the battles for the mixed cities in the north, such as the Battle of Tiberias and battles in Safed
in April–May 1948. The 12th Battalion captured Shajara
on May 6, 1948, and the 13th captured Beisan on May 12. After these operations, responsibility over the northeastern part of the brigade's sector (the Tel Hai
area, 11th Battalion), was handed over to the Oded Brigade
and other forces. In December 1948, the 14th and 15th battalions were merged into the Mechanized Attack Battalion.
The first Golani action following the Arab invasion of Israel on May 15 was the defense of the Degania
s from the Syrian army
in the Battles of the Kinarot Valley
. Units from the Barak Battalion, with Yiftach
(Palmach
) and Guard Corps reinforcements, successfully fended off a Syrian attack. The brigade was also successful at repelling Iraqi forces at the Battle of Gesher to the south. After the Jordan Valley battles died out, Golani went on the offensive, attacking a number of Arab villages in its sector, and finally mounting an offensive on Jenin
together with the Carmeli Brigade on June 2, 1948. The attack eventually succeeded, but Jenin was retaken by the Iraqi army
shortly after.
During the Battles of the Ten Days between the first and second truces of the war (July 8–18, 1948), Golani managed to repel the Arab Liberation Army
attack on Sejera
from Lubya
, and helped capture Nazareth
and eventually Lubya in Operation Dekel
. Golani also participated in Operation Hiram
in October 1948, where at first it staged diversionary attacks from the south, and afterwards went on to capture Eilabun
, Mughar, Rameh
and other villages in the ALA First Yarmouk Battalion's zone.
In December 1948, the brigade was largely transferred to the south in preparation for Operation Horev
. Golani fought the Egyptians in the Gaza Strip
, in Operation Assaf
, the Battle of Hill 86
and later battles around Rafah
. In March 1949, the brigade was tasked with capturing Umm-Rashrash (today Eilat) with the 7th Brigade. Golani advanced through the Arava
region in the east, and arrived at the location two hours after the 7th. This was the last operation of the war.
near Tel Mutilla, and was attacked by reservist IDF troops. Golani reinforced a reserve battalion and entered a battle that lasted five days, costing the brigade 40 dead and 72 wounded. The battle caused a number of changes in the IDF doctrine and was a catalyst for the creation of Unit 101
. On October 28, 1955, after a border incident with Egypt around the Auja al-Hafir demilitarized zone, Golani was tasked with leading Operation Volcano, an attack on the Egyptian army in the area and the largest military operation at the time since the 1948 war.
In the Suez Crisis
of 1956, the brigade's task was to capture the area around the city Rafah
. The 51st Battalion, formerly of Givati
, led the assault on the Rafah Junction. They were ordered to abandon their vehicles after reaching a minefield and coming under fire from Egyptian artillery, although the battalion's sappers slowly created a way forward for a line of vehicles and the battalion captured the intended Egyptian positions. The 12th Battalion captured positions on the Rafah – Khan Yunis
road, and the 13th—positions south of Rafah.
In early 1960, after a border incident on the backdrop of the Israeli–Syrian water dispute, Golani destroyed the abandoned village al-Tawafiq, which overlooked Tel Katzir
and was used by the Syrians as a military base. In March 1962, Golani launched Operation Swallow against the Syrians at Nuqeib on the east bank of the Sea of Galilee
, in response to constant Syrian harassment of Israeli fishermen in the lake. In May 1965, as part of a larger operation, Golani conducted a raid on Shunat Nimrin in Jordan
.
, capturing the city by 15:00. The remainder of the brigade was kept in the north for the planned thrust against the Syrian army on the Golan Heights. Planning called for the 12th Battalion to capture Tel Faher
and Burj Babil, Banias
, Tel Hamra and Ayn Fit. The 51st would take Bahriat, Tel Azaziat
and Khirbet as-Suda. The 13th Battalion was left as an operational reserve in the northeastern tip of Israel.
On June 9, the 51st Battalion crossed the border and advanced north along the Syrian patrol road. Its 3rd Company turned west to find Bahriat abandoned, while 2nd Company turned west and flanked Tel Azaziyat. The soldiers drove into a minefield and were forced to abandon their half tracks, advancing to the trenches of Tel Azaziyat on foot. The battle continued from 16:21 to 17:06, ending in a Syrian surrender. At 16:46, 3rd Company captured Khirbet as-Suda, along with a T-54 tank. Meanwhile, the 12th Battalion split up to assault Burj Babil and Tel Faher. The forces at Tel Faher met stiff resistance and the 2nd Company now in Burj Babil was called to assist them. By 16:20, the southern position at Tel Faher had been taken. At 17:30, the Golani reconnaissance company came from the southeast to reinforce the 12th, and by 18:20, Tel Faher was in Israeli hands.
The 13th Battalion was called to help the 8th Brigade which was operating in the same area. They helped capture a position north of Za'ura, and the village Jbab al-Mis to the south. Just before dawn, the 51st assaulted Banias and captured it, followed by reinforcements from the 45th Brigade that captured Tel Hamra slightly to the north. During the course of the war, the Golani Brigade suffered 59 dead and 160 wounded, of them 23 in the Battle of Tel Faher.
(guerrilla) bases in Jordan
, Lebanon
and the West Bank
(now under Israeli control). The objectives of these raids was to undermine the fedayeen bases in order to prevent attacks against Israelis. The three main raids against Jordan during this period were: the attack on the village Wadi al-Yabis across the river from Tirat Tzvi; the attack on the Cones Position across from Ashdot Ya'akov
; and the attack on the Jordanian Ghor
canal and defensive line.
The raid on Wadi al-Yabis, codenamed Operation Asuta 12, was carried out by the Golani reconnaissance unit and the 12th Battalion on May 4, 1969. The forces did not meet any resistance and returned after completing the mission of destroying a number of structures. The Cone Position (named after a cone
-shaped building on the premises) was attacked by the reconnaissance unit in July 1969. The guerrillas fled, but alerted the Jordanians who opened artillery fire on the Israelis. After blowing up two bunkers, the Israelis returned. The destruction of the Ghor canal was a punitive measure against the Jordanian farmers of the area, from where numerous guerrilla attacks against Israeli farmers were initiated. The three positions defending it did not notice the Israeli forces. While the attack did not go as planned when the bombs laid near the canal were detonated prematurely, it was nevertheless destroyed and the water drained into the Yarmouk River
.
On the Lebanese front, Golani participated on numerous raids into southern
and eastern Lebanon
. In October 1969, the brigade's forces attacked Itarun (Operation Double Bass 1), Tel Sadr al-Arus and 'Arab Zahiran. Twenty-four buildings were destroyed across the three villages. Another operation, Double Bass 10, involved a retaliatory raid on Kfar Kila
on January 2, 1970 in response to the kidnapping of an elderly guard from Metula
by Fatah
two days earlier. Another retaliatory strike came on December 27, 1970, against the village Yatar, a major guerrilla base. A major attack was carried out in response to the 1972 Munich Massacre. On September 16, 1972, Operation Extended Turmoil 4 was launched against bases in southern Lebanon, containing an estimated 600 guerrillas. Golani forces reached the Litani river in the east, while Paratroopers reached Juwaya just south of the river. Most of the guerrilla forces did not engage the Israelis and chose to retreat, although over 40 of them were killed.
In the Gaza Strip
, Golani operated according to the new counter-terror IDF doctrine calling for adopting guerrilla tactics, and operating in small teams and in open areas. During this period, Golani units were also stationed along the Bar Lev line
and participated in the War of Attrition
, especially in the Qantara East area.
. The brigade's sector in the Golan Heights was lightly manned, and most of its units were either on leave or preparing for a planned major ceremony. The Syrians attacked in three major locations: near Khushniya, Quneitra
and Mas'ada. The 13th Battalion's position on Mount Hermon
was overrun
on October 6–7, 1973. The brigade was assigned defence of the northern Golan, in preparation for a push to retake the Hermon.
After helping fend off two major Syrian offensives, armored forces joined the battle in the area and gave Golani time to reorganize. A northern and southern force were created, with the southern force taking and defending major positions in the heart of the Golan, including Nafakh, a military base and junction on the Petroleum Road
. By October 10, those parts of the Golan under the brigade's responsibility were back under Israeli control, and the Syrians were pushed back over the Purple Line
. However, the 12th Battalion commander was killed in the battle for Mount Varda. The Israelis went to the offensive in the northern Golan on October 11. The 12th Battalion captured Jubata al-Khashab and Tel al-Ahmad, and later took positions and fended off Syrian attacks in Mazra'at Beit Jan. The 51st took Tel ad-Dahur, and after a failed attack on Beit Jann, took the village Hadar.
After the events of October 6, Israel was determined to recapture Mount Hermon, nicknamed the "eyes of the country". The Second Battle of Mount Hermon
commenced on October 8, when the 17th Battalion took tanks and half tracks up the slopes of the Hermon, but its attack failed and the battalion suffered 25 dead and 57 wounded. During the next 13 days, the Israelis exchanged artillery fire with the Syrians on the Hermon, but the next attack only came on October 21. Operation Dessert saw a joint force of Paratroopers and Golani retake the mountain. Golani staged a three-pronged attack by the 51st Battalion, the reconnaissance unit, and a motorized battalion. The reconnaissance unit captured the cable car position at dawn. The battle ended at 11:00, when the 51st Battalion reported that it had captured the Israeli Golan position.
After the Yom Kippur War, Golani forces were involved in the war of attrition
against Syria until the disengagement agreement of May 31, 1974. After the agreement was signed, the brigade, which had lost many of its top officers in the war, was transferred into the Sinai
to rebuild and train. They were brought back to the Golan Heights in early 1975.
in its battle against terror attacks and guerrilla raids by the Palestinian Fatah
organization. In July 1976, Golani soldiers participated in Operation Entebbe
in Uganda
. In March 1978, with the launch of Operation Litani
, much of the brigade moved to capture the village al-Hiyam. The 12th Battalion captured Marjayoun
and Rashaya al-Fukhar
. After clearing these villages, Golani units returned to Israel and advanced west along the Litani River
, capturing a number of villages and stopping at Abbasiya just east of Tyre.
In Operation Peace for Galilee, which later became known as the First Lebanon War, Golani's 51st Battalion fought in the vicinity of Nabatieh, and on June 6, 1982, the reconnaissance unit attacked the PLO-held Beaufort Castle. The 12th Battalion was subordinated to the Barak Armored Brigade
, with a planned thrust along the Lebanese coastal strip to Tyre. This force captured the villages Doha and Kafr Sil on June 9–10, 1982, on the outskirts of Beirut
. The brigade also took part in the Siege of Beirut
, where its units were present until the end of the war in September 1982.
in response to growing Palestinian attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. Golani participated in a number of battles against Palestinian militants, including the siege of the Ramallah Mukataa
, capture of Tulkarm
, and the Battle of Jenin
.
In the Second Lebanon War in July 2006, Golani participated in the Battle of Maroun al-Ras
and the 12th and 51st battalions fought in the Battle of Bint Jbeil
.
The Golani Brigade also participated in Operation Cast Lead. On January 6, 2009, three soldiers from the brigade were killed in northern Gaza in a friendly fire incident. Three other soldiers were severely wounded and twenty more had minor injuries.
The symbol of the brigade is a green olive tree
with its roots on a yellow background. It was drawn by the 12th Battalion's intelligence officer, who came from kibbutz Beit Keshet
, home to numerous olive trees. The colors green and yellow symbolize the green hills of the Galilee, where the brigade was stationed at the time of its creation and the olive tree is known for its strong roots that penetrate and firmly hold the land, reflecting the brigade's connection with the State of Israel's heritage. The yellow background on which the tree stands reflects the brigade's role in the south of the country in the war of 1948, when it captured Umm-Rashrash, now Eilat, Israel's southernmost city.
Early Golani soldiers were farmers and new immigrants, so the strong connection to the land (earth) was important to symbolize. For this reason, Golani's soldiers are designated by brown berets. The brown symbolizes the brigade's connection with the soil of the Land of Israel.
The Golani Brigade's official song was written by Amos Ettinger, composed by Efi Netzer and popularly performed by Yehoram Gaon
. The song mentions the brigade's many battles, including references to Rafah in the Sinai War, Tel Faher in the Six-Day War, and Mount Hermon in the Yom Kippur War.
, in the upper Galilee
east of Haifa
, stands the Golani Brigade Museum commemorating the brigade and its fallen troops. The site is also used for battalion ceremonies.
is the CTAR-21 Tavor Commando. Other infantry weapons are Negev LMG
, FN Mag
, M24 SWS
and M2 Browning. Rockets and missile include the M72 LAW
, RPG-7
, Rafael MATADOR
, TOW
and Spike
family.
The Golani Brigade's equipment includes a number of heavy IDF Achzarit
armored personnel carriers, which is built around a remanufactured T-55
tank chassis with a new 850 hp engine. The Achzarit is a very heavily-armored vehicle designed for the requirements of urban fighting, after Israeli M-113 APCs
proved insufficiently armored against car bombs, mines, and rocket-propelled grenades. Today they are replaced by the IDF Namer, advanced heavy APC based on a Merkava
chassis.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division
36th Division (IDF)
The Israel Defense Forces 36th Armor Division, also known as the Ga'ash Formation , is the largest regular-service armor division in the IDF. It is subordinate to the Northern Regional Command....
and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret
Beret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
. The brigade consists of five battalions, including two which it kept from its inception (12th and 13th), one transferred from Givati
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
(51st), and two special forces battalions.
The brigade was formed on February 22, 1948 during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, when the Levanoni Brigade in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
split into the 1st Golani Brigade and the 2nd Carmeli Brigade. It has since participated in all of Israel's major wars and nearly all major operations, including the Sinai War
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
, Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4 July 1976. A week earlier, on 27 June, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists and...
, Operation Litani
Operation Litani
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
, the first and second wars in Lebanon, and various operations during the Palestinian intifada
Intifada
Intifada is an Arabic word which literally means "shaking off", though it is usually translated into English as "uprising" or "resistance" or "rebellion". , not to be confused with the Arabic plural ...
s.
Although the brigade is known for insubordination problems, two of its commanders, Mordechai Gur
Mordechai Gur
Following his retirement from the IDF, Gur was appointed as the general manager of Kur Mechanica company. In 1981 he was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Alignment. Re-elected in 1984, he served as Minister of Health and was also a member of the Knesset's Security and Foreign Affairs...
and Gabi Ashkenazi
Gabi Ashkenazi
Gavriel "Gabi" Ashkenazi , was the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2007 to 2011.- Background and early life :...
, became IDF Chiefs of Staff. Many more reached the rank of Aluf
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
(Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
).
Founding and initial organization
As the end of the British Mandate of Palestine was fast approaching, the leadership of the HaganahHaganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
drafted Plan Dalet
Plan Dalet
Plan Dalet, or Plan D, was a plan worked out by the Haganah, a Jewish paramilitary group and the forerunner of the Israel Defense Forces, in Palestine in autumn 1947 to spring 1948. Its purpose is much debated...
for its subsequent organization and operations. The plan divided the fighting militia (Field Corps
HISH
The Hish was a corps formed by the Haganah in the British Mandate of Palestine in 1939 following the disbandment of the smaller mobilized force known as the Fosh. It was the Haganah's main surface corps, alongside Him and the Palmach....
) into six regional brigades – Levanoni in the north, Alexandroni
Alexandroni Brigade
The Alexandroni Brigade is an Israel Defense Forces brigade that fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Along with the 7th Armoured Brigade both units had 139 killed during the first battle of Latrun - Operation Ben Nun Alef .The unit is currently a reserve unit.-Katz controversy:In 1998, Teddy Katz...
in the Sharon region, Kiryati
Kiryati Brigade
The Kiryati Brigade was formed in 1948 by David Ben-Gurion and was one of the original nine brigades that made up the Haganah. The Kiryati Brigade was initially responsible for securing the area in and around Tel Aviv...
in the Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
area, Givati
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
in the Shephelah
Shephelah
The Shephelah is a designation usually applied to the region in south-central Israel of 10-15 km of low hills between the central Mount Hebron and the coastal plains of Philistia within the area of the Judea, at an altitude of 120-450 metres above sea level. The area is fertile, and a temperate...
, and Etzioni
Etzioni Brigade
The Etzioni Brigade , also 6th Brigade and Jerusalem Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Haganah and Israel Defense Forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It was founded in late 1947 as the Field Corps unit responsible for the defense of Jerusalem and its surroundings, where it operated during...
in the Jerusalem area. On February 28, 1948, the Levanoni Brigade was split into two—Carmeli in the northwest, and Golani in the northeast.
Golani's area of operations included much of the Lower Galilee and Jezreel Valley
Jezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
, the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
and the Huleh Valley. It extended to Jalame and Bat Shlomo
Bat Shlomo
Bat Shlomo is a moshav in northern Israel. Located on the southern slopes of Mount Carmel near Binyamina and Zikhron Ya'akov, it originally was built on 8068 dunams of land. It falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. In 1947 it had a population of 100...
in the west. Major population centers included Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, Tiberias, Beisan and Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
. The new brigade included five battalions, with its headquarters in Yavne'el
Yavne'el
Yavne'el is a moshava and a local council in the North District of Israel. It is named after a village in the tribe Naphtali , which was probably located on the tel north of the moshava. Located south-west of Tiberias, it was declared a local council in 1951...
:
| Number | Name | Meaning | Theater | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Alon | Oak Oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus... |
Upper Galilee Upper Galilee The Upper Galilee is a geographical-political term in use since the end of the Second Temple period, originally referring to a mountainous area overlapping the present northern Israel and southern Lebanon, its borders being the Litani river in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the west, the Beit... ("Tel Hai") |
Transferred to Oded Oded Brigade The Oded Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade, one of ten brigades fielded by the Haganah . It was headquartered in Jerusalem... in May 1948 |
| 12 | Barak | Lightning Lightning Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms... |
Lower Galilee and Jordan Valley Jordan Valley (Middle East) The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi... ("Benjamin") |
|
| 13 | Gideon | Gideon Gideon Gideon was an Israelite judge who appears in the Book of JudgesGideon may also refer to:- Religion :* Gideon , a figure in the Book of Mormon* Gideons International, distributor of copies of the Bible- Media :... |
East Jezreel Valley Jezreel Valley -Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in... ("Simeon") |
|
| 14 | Dror | Named after commander, Ya'akov Dror | Jezreel Valley Jezreel Valley -Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in... ("Levi") |
|
| 15 | Goren | Named after commander, Moshe Goren | Jordan Valley Jordan Valley (Middle East) The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi... |
Created to assist Barak Battalion in the Jordan Valley battles |
| Sources: Baltheim (1982), pp. 30–31; Etzioni (1951), p. 5 | ||||
1948 Arab–Israeli War
During the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
The 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine lasted from 30 November 1947, the date of the United Nations vote in favour of the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the UN Partition Plan, to the termination of the British Mandate itself on 14 May 1948.This period constitutes the...
, Golani mostly participated in the battles for the mixed cities in the north, such as the Battle of Tiberias and battles in Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
in April–May 1948. The 12th Battalion captured Shajara
Al-Shajara
al-Shajara is a former Palestinian Arab village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was located 14 kilometers west of Tiberias on the main highway to Nazareth near the villages of Lubya and Hittin....
on May 6, 1948, and the 13th captured Beisan on May 12. After these operations, responsibility over the northeastern part of the brigade's sector (the Tel Hai
Tel Hai
Tel Hai is the modern name of a settlement in northern Israel, the site of an early battle in the Arab–Israeli conflict, and of a noted monument, tourist attraction, and a college...
area, 11th Battalion), was handed over to the Oded Brigade
Oded Brigade
The Oded Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade, one of ten brigades fielded by the Haganah . It was headquartered in Jerusalem...
and other forces. In December 1948, the 14th and 15th battalions were merged into the Mechanized Attack Battalion.
The first Golani action following the Arab invasion of Israel on May 15 was the defense of the Degania
Degania
-Further reading:* Gavron, Daniel. The Kibbutz: Awakening from Utopia. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000.-External links:* *, from the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive internet site...
s from the Syrian army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
in the Battles of the Kinarot Valley
Battles of the Kinarot Valley
The Battles of the Kinarot Valley , is a collective name for a series of military engagements between the Haganah and the Syrian army during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, fought between May 15–22, 1948 in the Kinarot Valley. It includes two main sites: the Battle of Degania–Tzemah, and battles near...
. Units from the Barak Battalion, with Yiftach
Yiftach Brigade
The Yiftach Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade...
(Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
) and Guard Corps reinforcements, successfully fended off a Syrian attack. The brigade was also successful at repelling Iraqi forces at the Battle of Gesher to the south. After the Jordan Valley battles died out, Golani went on the offensive, attacking a number of Arab villages in its sector, and finally mounting an offensive on Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
together with the Carmeli Brigade on June 2, 1948. The attack eventually succeeded, but Jenin was retaken by the Iraqi army
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
shortly after.
During the Battles of the Ten Days between the first and second truces of the war (July 8–18, 1948), Golani managed to repel the Arab Liberation Army
Arab Liberation Army
The Arab Liberation Army , also translated as Arab Salvation Army, was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji...
attack on Sejera
Ilaniya
- Bibliography : * ed. Yuval Elazari - Map's Concise Gazetteer of Israel Today MAP - Mapping and Publishing, Tel Aviv, 2003...
from Lubya
Lubya
Lubya was a Palestinian Arab town located ten kilometers west of Tiberias that was captured and destroyed by Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
, and helped capture Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
and eventually Lubya in Operation Dekel
Operation Dekel
Operation Dekel , was the largest offensive in the north of Israel after the first truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was carried out by the 7th Armoured Brigade, a battalion from the Carmeli Brigade along with some elements from the Golani Brigade between 8–18 July. Its objective was to...
. Golani also participated in Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion...
in October 1948, where at first it staged diversionary attacks from the south, and afterwards went on to capture Eilabun
Eilabun
Eilabun is an Israeli-Arab local council in Israel's North District, located in the Beit Netofa Valley. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Eilabun had a population of 4,400 inhabitants in 2005. The population is predominantly Christian...
, Mughar, Rameh
Rameh
Rameh is a local council in the North District of Israel. It is entirely populated by Arabs, of whom around 51% are Christian, 29% Druze, and a further 20% Muslim...
and other villages in the ALA First Yarmouk Battalion's zone.
In December 1948, the brigade was largely transferred to the south in preparation for Operation Horev
Operation Horev
At the end of Israel's War of Independence Operation Horev was a large scale attack against the Egyptian army in the Western Negev. Its objective was to trap the Egyptian Army in the Gaza Strip...
. Golani fought the Egyptians in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, in Operation Assaf
Operation Assaf
Operation Assaf was an Israel Defense Forces operation against the Egyptian Army between December 5–December 7, 1948, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The successful operation's aim was to take control of the western Negev Desert...
, the Battle of Hill 86
Battle of Hill 86
The Battle of Hill 86 was a military engagement between the Israel Defense Forces and the Egyptian Army in Operation Horev. It was fought on December 22–23, 1948, and was the first battle of the operation...
and later battles around Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
. In March 1949, the brigade was tasked with capturing Umm-Rashrash (today Eilat) with the 7th Brigade. Golani advanced through the Arava
Arabah
The Arabah , also known as Aravah, is a section of the Great Rift Valley running in a north-south orientation between the southern end of the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea and continuing further south where it ends at the Gulf of Aqaba. It includes most of the border between Israel to the...
region in the east, and arrived at the location two hours after the 7th. This was the last operation of the war.
Border wars and Suez Crisis
After the 1948 Arab–Israeli war, the Golani Brigade participated in a number of reprisal raids in the first part of the 1950s. In 1951, a Syrian patrol entered the demilitarized zone1949 Armistice Agreements
The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israeli forces and the forces in...
near Tel Mutilla, and was attacked by reservist IDF troops. Golani reinforced a reserve battalion and entered a battle that lasted five days, costing the brigade 40 dead and 72 wounded. The battle caused a number of changes in the IDF doctrine and was a catalyst for the creation of Unit 101
Unit 101
Unit 101 was a special forces unit of the Israeli Defense Forces , founded and commanded by Ariel Sharon on orders from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in August 1953...
. On October 28, 1955, after a border incident with Egypt around the Auja al-Hafir demilitarized zone, Golani was tasked with leading Operation Volcano, an attack on the Egyptian army in the area and the largest military operation at the time since the 1948 war.
In the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
of 1956, the brigade's task was to capture the area around the city Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
. The 51st Battalion, formerly of Givati
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
, led the assault on the Rafah Junction. They were ordered to abandon their vehicles after reaching a minefield and coming under fire from Egyptian artillery, although the battalion's sappers slowly created a way forward for a line of vehicles and the battalion captured the intended Egyptian positions. The 12th Battalion captured positions on the Rafah – Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
road, and the 13th—positions south of Rafah.
In early 1960, after a border incident on the backdrop of the Israeli–Syrian water dispute, Golani destroyed the abandoned village al-Tawafiq, which overlooked Tel Katzir
Tel Katzir
Tel Katzir is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located to the south of the Sea of Galilee, it falls under the jurisdiction of Emek HaYarden Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 202....
and was used by the Syrians as a military base. In March 1962, Golani launched Operation Swallow against the Syrians at Nuqeib on the east bank of the Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias , is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately in circumference, about long, and wide. The lake has a total area of , and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m...
, in response to constant Syrian harassment of Israeli fishermen in the lake. In May 1965, as part of a larger operation, Golani conducted a raid on Shunat Nimrin in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
Six-Day War
On June 7, 1967, Golani units joined Israeli armor in its assault on NablusNablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, capturing the city by 15:00. The remainder of the brigade was kept in the north for the planned thrust against the Syrian army on the Golan Heights. Planning called for the 12th Battalion to capture Tel Faher
Tel Faher
Tel Faher is a former Syrian outpost in the Golan Heights that was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967.Tel Faher was the site of an intense battle between the Israel Defense Forces and the Syrians which ended in the conquest of the outpost by the Golani Brigade. Tel Faher is now a park...
and Burj Babil, Banias
Banias
Banias is an archaeological site by the ancient city of Caesarea Philippi, located at the foot of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights...
, Tel Hamra and Ayn Fit. The 51st would take Bahriat, Tel Azaziat
Tel Azaziat
Tel Azaziat is a hill in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, 330 m above sea level, 1.5 km east of moshav She'ar Yashuv, 1.5 km south east of kibbutz Dan and 2 km west of Tel Faher. The basalt hill was a Syrian military outpost built within the DMZ, used to shell the Israeli villages...
and Khirbet as-Suda. The 13th Battalion was left as an operational reserve in the northeastern tip of Israel.
On June 9, the 51st Battalion crossed the border and advanced north along the Syrian patrol road. Its 3rd Company turned west to find Bahriat abandoned, while 2nd Company turned west and flanked Tel Azaziyat. The soldiers drove into a minefield and were forced to abandon their half tracks, advancing to the trenches of Tel Azaziyat on foot. The battle continued from 16:21 to 17:06, ending in a Syrian surrender. At 16:46, 3rd Company captured Khirbet as-Suda, along with a T-54 tank. Meanwhile, the 12th Battalion split up to assault Burj Babil and Tel Faher. The forces at Tel Faher met stiff resistance and the 2nd Company now in Burj Babil was called to assist them. By 16:20, the southern position at Tel Faher had been taken. At 17:30, the Golani reconnaissance company came from the southeast to reinforce the 12th, and by 18:20, Tel Faher was in Israeli hands.
The 13th Battalion was called to help the 8th Brigade which was operating in the same area. They helped capture a position north of Za'ura, and the village Jbab al-Mis to the south. Just before dawn, the 51st assaulted Banias and captured it, followed by reinforcements from the 45th Brigade that captured Tel Hamra slightly to the north. During the course of the war, the Golani Brigade suffered 59 dead and 160 wounded, of them 23 in the Battle of Tel Faher.
Counter-terror activities between the wars
After the Six-Day War, the activity in northern Israel, where Golani was based, was mostly limited to raids against fedayeenFedayeen
Fedayeen is a term used to describe several distinct militant groups and individuals in West Asia at different times in history. It is sometimes used colloquially to refer to suicide squads, especially those who are not bombers.-Overview:...
(guerrilla) bases in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
(now under Israeli control). The objectives of these raids was to undermine the fedayeen bases in order to prevent attacks against Israelis. The three main raids against Jordan during this period were: the attack on the village Wadi al-Yabis across the river from Tirat Tzvi; the attack on the Cones Position across from Ashdot Ya'akov
Ashdot Ya'akov
Ashdot Ya'akov was a kibbutz in northern Israel. It was founded in 1924 by a kvutza of Hashomer members from Latvia on the land which is today Gesher...
; and the attack on the Jordanian Ghor
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
canal and defensive line.
The raid on Wadi al-Yabis, codenamed Operation Asuta 12, was carried out by the Golani reconnaissance unit and the 12th Battalion on May 4, 1969. The forces did not meet any resistance and returned after completing the mission of destroying a number of structures. The Cone Position (named after a cone
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
-shaped building on the premises) was attacked by the reconnaissance unit in July 1969. The guerrillas fled, but alerted the Jordanians who opened artillery fire on the Israelis. After blowing up two bunkers, the Israelis returned. The destruction of the Ghor canal was a punitive measure against the Jordanian farmers of the area, from where numerous guerrilla attacks against Israeli farmers were initiated. The three positions defending it did not notice the Israeli forces. While the attack did not go as planned when the bombs laid near the canal were detonated prematurely, it was nevertheless destroyed and the water drained into the Yarmouk River
Yarmouk River
The Yarmouk River is the largest tributary of the Jordan River. It drains much of the Hauran Plateau. It is one of three main tributaries which enter the Jordan between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. To the south, are the Jabbok/Zarqa and the Arnon/Wadi Mujib) rivers...
.
On the Lebanese front, Golani participated on numerous raids into southern
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
and eastern Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. In October 1969, the brigade's forces attacked Itarun (Operation Double Bass 1), Tel Sadr al-Arus and 'Arab Zahiran. Twenty-four buildings were destroyed across the three villages. Another operation, Double Bass 10, involved a retaliatory raid on Kfar Kila
Kfar Kila
KafarKila is a small village in Southern Lebanon.Kafarkila name comes from 'Kfar' and 'Kila' meaning the Bride Village....
on January 2, 1970 in response to the kidnapping of an elderly guard from Metula
Metula
Metula is a town in the Northern District of Israel. Metula is located between the sites of the Biblical cities of Dan, Abel Bet Maacah, and Ijon, bordering Lebanon.-Early history:...
by Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
two days earlier. Another retaliatory strike came on December 27, 1970, against the village Yatar, a major guerrilla base. A major attack was carried out in response to the 1972 Munich Massacre. On September 16, 1972, Operation Extended Turmoil 4 was launched against bases in southern Lebanon, containing an estimated 600 guerrillas. Golani forces reached the Litani river in the east, while Paratroopers reached Juwaya just south of the river. Most of the guerrilla forces did not engage the Israelis and chose to retreat, although over 40 of them were killed.
In the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, Golani operated according to the new counter-terror IDF doctrine calling for adopting guerrilla tactics, and operating in small teams and in open areas. During this period, Golani units were also stationed along the Bar Lev line
Bar Lev Line
The Bar Lev Line was a chain of fortifications built by Israel along the eastern coast of the Suez Canal after it captured the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt during the 1967 Six-Day War.-Overview:...
and participated in the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
, especially in the Qantara East area.
Yom Kippur War
Like the rest of the IDF, the Golani Brigade was caught by surprise with the first Arab attack of the Yom Kippur WarYom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. The brigade's sector in the Golan Heights was lightly manned, and most of its units were either on leave or preparing for a planned major ceremony. The Syrians attacked in three major locations: near Khushniya, Quneitra
Quneitra
Quneitra is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at an elevation of 1,010 metres above sea level...
and Mas'ada. The 13th Battalion's position on Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top there is “Hermon Hotel”, in the buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied...
was overrun
First Battle of Mount Hermon
The First Battle of Mount Hermon was fought at the outset of the Yom Kippur War between the Syrian Army and the Israel Defense Forces . On Yom Kippur, October 6 1973, Syrian commandos attacked and captured the IDF outpost on Mount Hermon. Two days later, the Syrians repelled an Israeli...
on October 6–7, 1973. The brigade was assigned defence of the northern Golan, in preparation for a push to retake the Hermon.
After helping fend off two major Syrian offensives, armored forces joined the battle in the area and gave Golani time to reorganize. A northern and southern force were created, with the southern force taking and defending major positions in the heart of the Golan, including Nafakh, a military base and junction on the Petroleum Road
Petroleum Road
The Petroleum Road is a privately owned north-south asphalt road in the Golan Heights. It is long. It begins near Mount Paras on the east edge of the central Golan, and ends in the northern Golan near the Israeli controlled Golan-Lebanese frontier, nearby Ghajar.Most of the road is marked on maps...
. By October 10, those parts of the Golan under the brigade's responsibility were back under Israeli control, and the Syrians were pushed back over the Purple Line
Purple Line (border)
The purple line was the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria after the 1967 Six Day War.-History:Syria gained independence from France in 1946 and on May 14, 1948 the British withdrew from Palestine as Israel declared its independence. Syrian forces participated in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
. However, the 12th Battalion commander was killed in the battle for Mount Varda. The Israelis went to the offensive in the northern Golan on October 11. The 12th Battalion captured Jubata al-Khashab and Tel al-Ahmad, and later took positions and fended off Syrian attacks in Mazra'at Beit Jan. The 51st took Tel ad-Dahur, and after a failed attack on Beit Jann, took the village Hadar.
After the events of October 6, Israel was determined to recapture Mount Hermon, nicknamed the "eyes of the country". The Second Battle of Mount Hermon
Second Battle of Mount Hermon
The Third Battle of Mount Hermon was fought on the night of October 21–22, 1973, between the Israeli Army and the Syrian Army over Mount Hermon, during the last days of the Yom Kippur War. Syrian troops had captured the IDF outpost on the mountain on October 6, and held it for two weeks...
commenced on October 8, when the 17th Battalion took tanks and half tracks up the slopes of the Hermon, but its attack failed and the battalion suffered 25 dead and 57 wounded. During the next 13 days, the Israelis exchanged artillery fire with the Syrians on the Hermon, but the next attack only came on October 21. Operation Dessert saw a joint force of Paratroopers and Golani retake the mountain. Golani staged a three-pronged attack by the 51st Battalion, the reconnaissance unit, and a motorized battalion. The reconnaissance unit captured the cable car position at dawn. The battle ended at 11:00, when the 51st Battalion reported that it had captured the Israeli Golan position.
After the Yom Kippur War, Golani forces were involved in the war of attrition
Attrition warfare
Attrition warfare is a military strategy in which a belligerent side attempts to win a war by wearing down its enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and matériel....
against Syria until the disengagement agreement of May 31, 1974. After the agreement was signed, the brigade, which had lost many of its top officers in the war, was transferred into the Sinai
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
to rebuild and train. They were brought back to the Golan Heights in early 1975.
Operations in southern Lebanon and First Lebanon War
During the 1970s, Golani made frequent raids into Southern LebanonSouthern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
in its battle against terror attacks and guerrilla raids by the Palestinian Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
organization. In July 1976, Golani soldiers participated in Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4 July 1976. A week earlier, on 27 June, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists and...
in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. In March 1978, with the launch of Operation Litani
Operation Litani
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
, much of the brigade moved to capture the village al-Hiyam. The 12th Battalion captured Marjayoun
Marjayoun
Marjayoun is a Lebanese town and administrative district, Marjeyoun District, in the Nabatieh Governorate in Southern Lebanon...
and Rashaya al-Fukhar
Rachaya Al Foukhar
Rachaya Al Foukhar is a Lebanese village in the district of Hasbaya in the Nabatiye Governorate in southern Lebanon. It is located on the western slopes of Mount Hermon at an altitude starting at 750 m with the highest summit being at 1,250 m.The population is Greek Orthodox.-External links:*...
. After clearing these villages, Golani units returned to Israel and advanced west along the Litani River
Litani River
The Litani River is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani River is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average...
, capturing a number of villages and stopping at Abbasiya just east of Tyre.
In Operation Peace for Galilee, which later became known as the First Lebanon War, Golani's 51st Battalion fought in the vicinity of Nabatieh, and on June 6, 1982, the reconnaissance unit attacked the PLO-held Beaufort Castle. The 12th Battalion was subordinated to the Barak Armored Brigade
Barak Armored Brigade
The 188th "Barak" Armored Brigade is an Israeli armored brigade, subordinate to Israel's Northern Regional Command. The symbol of the Barak Armor Brigade is a shield with a red border bearing a sword against a blue and white background featuring the Haifa coastline background and a sword on it...
, with a planned thrust along the Lebanese coastal strip to Tyre. This force captured the villages Doha and Kafr Sil on June 9–10, 1982, on the outskirts of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. The brigade also took part in the Siege of Beirut
Siege of Beirut
The Siege of Beirut took place in the summer of 1982, as part of the 1982 Lebanon War, which resulted from the breakdown of the cease-fire effected by the United Nations...
, where its units were present until the end of the war in September 1982.
Second Intifada and after
Two years after the start of the Second Intifada in 2000, Israel launched Operation Defensive ShieldOperation Defensive Shield
Operation Defensive Shield was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in 2002, during the course of the Second Intifada. It was the largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. The operation was an attempt by the Israeli army to stop the...
in response to growing Palestinian attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. Golani participated in a number of battles against Palestinian militants, including the siege of the Ramallah Mukataa
Mukataa
Mukataa is the name used to refer to the offices and administrative centers of the Palestinian National Authority.Mukataas were mostly built during the British Mandate as Tegart forts and were used both as British government centers and as dwellings for the British administrative staff. Some...
, capture of Tulkarm
Tulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
, and the Battle of Jenin
Battle of Jenin
The Battle of Jenin took place in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Israel Defense Forces entered the camp, and other areas under the administration of the Palestinian Authority, during the Second Intifada, as part of Operation Defensive Shield...
.
In the Second Lebanon War in July 2006, Golani participated in the Battle of Maroun al-Ras
Battle of Maroun al-Ras
The Battle of Maroun al-Ras was a battle of the 2006 Lebanon War, and took place in Maroun al-Ras, which is a small town in southern Lebanon on the border with Israel, and was a Hezbollah stronghold....
and the 12th and 51st battalions fought in the Battle of Bint Jbeil
Battle of Bint Jbeil
The Battle of Bint Jbeil was one of the main battles of the Litani offensive in the 2006 Lebanon War. It consisted of a series of military actions and clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the...
.
The Golani Brigade also participated in Operation Cast Lead. On January 6, 2009, three soldiers from the brigade were killed in northern Gaza in a friendly fire incident. Three other soldiers were severely wounded and twenty more had minor injuries.
Insignia
Olive Tree
The Olive Tree was a denomination used for several successive centre-left Italian political coalitions from 1995 to 2007.The historical leader and ideologue of these coalitions was Romano Prodi, Professor of Economics and former leftist Christian Democrat, who invented the name and the symbol of...
with its roots on a yellow background. It was drawn by the 12th Battalion's intelligence officer, who came from kibbutz Beit Keshet
Beit Keshet
Beit Keshet |Bow]]) is a kibbutz in the Lower Galilee, Israel.Founded in 1944, Beit Keshet was established by HaNoar HaOved graduates who were trained at the Kfar Tabor Agricultural School...
, home to numerous olive trees. The colors green and yellow symbolize the green hills of the Galilee, where the brigade was stationed at the time of its creation and the olive tree is known for its strong roots that penetrate and firmly hold the land, reflecting the brigade's connection with the State of Israel's heritage. The yellow background on which the tree stands reflects the brigade's role in the south of the country in the war of 1948, when it captured Umm-Rashrash, now Eilat, Israel's southernmost city.
Early Golani soldiers were farmers and new immigrants, so the strong connection to the land (earth) was important to symbolize. For this reason, Golani's soldiers are designated by brown berets. The brown symbolizes the brigade's connection with the soil of the Land of Israel.
The Golani Brigade's official song was written by Amos Ettinger, composed by Efi Netzer and popularly performed by Yehoram Gaon
Yehoram Gaon
Yehoram Gaon is a Jewish Israeli singer, actor, director, producer, TV and radio host, and public figure...
. The song mentions the brigade's many battles, including references to Rafah in the Sinai War, Tel Faher in the Six-Day War, and Mount Hermon in the Yom Kippur War.
Namesakes
At the Golani JunctionGolani Junction
Golani Junction , known as Maskana Junction in Arabic, is a key road junction in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel, located east of Haifa and west of Tiberias, at the intersection of highways 65 and 77. The Golani Brigade Museum commemorating the Golani Brigade is situated there...
, in the upper Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
east of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, stands the Golani Brigade Museum commemorating the brigade and its fallen troops. The site is also used for battalion ceremonies.
Equipment
Golani Brigade's standard assault rifleAssault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
is the CTAR-21 Tavor Commando. Other infantry weapons are Negev LMG
IMI Negev
The Negev is an Israeli 5.56 mm light machine gun, developed by Israel Military Industries Ltd. of Ramat HaSharon , as a replacement for the 5.56 mm Galil ARM light machine gun, whose barrel would overheat easily during sustained fire...
, FN Mag
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
, M24 SWS
M24 SWS
The M24 Sniper Weapon System is the military and police version of the Remington 700 rifle, M24 being the model name assigned by the United States Army after adoption as their standard sniper rifle in 1988...
and M2 Browning. Rockets and missile include the M72 LAW
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
, RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
, Rafael MATADOR
MATADOR (weapon)
MATADOR is a man-portable, disposable anti-armor weapon system developed in a collaboration between Singapore and Israel. It is an updated version of the German Armbrust design, and operates on the same principles...
, TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
and Spike
Spike
Spike may refer to:-Device to puncture or fasten:* Nail , especially one over ten inches long* Rail spike, or Screw spike used to construct railroad tracks* Tree spiking, making a tree dangerous to cut with a chainsaw...
family.
The Golani Brigade's equipment includes a number of heavy IDF Achzarit
IDF Achzarit
The Achzarit is a heavily armored armored personnel carrier manufactured by the Israeli Defence Forces Corps of Ordnance.-History:...
armored personnel carriers, which is built around a remanufactured T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
tank chassis with a new 850 hp engine. The Achzarit is a very heavily-armored vehicle designed for the requirements of urban fighting, after Israeli M-113 APCs
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
proved insufficiently armored against car bombs, mines, and rocket-propelled grenades. Today they are replaced by the IDF Namer, advanced heavy APC based on a Merkava
Merkava
The Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
chassis.
Units
| Number | Barak Battalion | Lightning | Infantry | 1948 (since brigade's founding) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Gideon Battalion | Gideon Gideon Gideon was an Israelite judge who appears in the Book of JudgesGideon may also refer to:- Religion :* Gideon , a figure in the Book of Mormon* Gideons International, distributor of copies of the Bible- Media :... |
Infantry | 1948 (since brigade's founding) | |
| 51 | HaBok'im HaRishon Battalion | First Breachers' | Infantry | 1956, following dismantlement of original Givati Brigade Givati Brigade The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets... |
|
| 621 | Egoz Reconnaissance Unit Egoz Reconnaissance Unit The Egoz Reconnaissance Unit is an elite special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces that specializes in guerrilla and anti-guerrilla warfare among other things. The Egoz Battalion is part of the Northern Command's Golani Brigade.... |
Nut | Anti-guerrilla special forces | 1995: The unit was founded anew in the northern command, and subordinated to Golani, considered the northern regional brigade | |
| Reconnaissance Battalion (Gadsar)(common to all IDF infantry brigades) | Orev Company | Raven | SF Heavy Weapons Anti-tank warfare Anti-tank warfare was created by the need to seek technology and tactics to destroy tanks and their supporting infantry during the First World War... |
||
| Engineering company | SF Combat engineering Combat engineering A combat engineer, also called pioneer or sapper in many armies, is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions... |
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| Reconnaissance company Sayeret Sayeret , literally means "reconnaissance unit" in the Israel Defense Forces . In practice, these units specialize in commando and other special forces roles, in addition to reconnaissance... |
SF Reconnaissance | ||||
| 351 | Signal Company (Palhik) | Communications Military communications Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name... |
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Commanders of the Golani Brigade
| Years | Name | Events during tenure | Rank released |
|---|---|---|---|
| February–May 1948 | Moshe Mann | Battles of the Kinarot Valley Battles of the Kinarot Valley The Battles of the Kinarot Valley , is a collective name for a series of military engagements between the Haganah and the Syrian army during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, fought between May 15–22, 1948 in the Kinarot Valley. It includes two main sites: the Battle of Degania–Tzemah, and battles near... |
Lieutenant Colonel |
| May–July 1948 | Mishael Shaham | Battle of Jenin | Colonel |
| 1948–1950 | Nahum Golan (Spiegel) | Operation Hiram Operation Hiram Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion... , Operation Uvda |
Brigadier General |
| 1950 | Dan Laner | Major General | |
| 1950–1951 | Avraham Yoffe Avraham Yoffe Avraham Yoffe was an Israeli general during the Six-Day War. He later entered politics, and served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1973 and 1977.-Biography:... |
Major General | |
| 1951–1952 | Meir Amit Meir Amit Meir Amit was an Israeli politician and general. He served as Director of the Mossad from 1963 to 1968 before entering politics and holding two ministerial positions.-Biography:... (Slutzky) |
Major General | |
| 1952–1954 | Asaf Simhoni | Major General | |
| 1954–1955 | Issachar Shadmi | Brigadier General | |
| 1955–1956 | Haim Ben David | Major General | |
| 1956–1957 | Binyamin Gibli Binyamin Gibli Binyamin Gibli was the head of Israeli Military Intelligence from June 1950 to March 1955. Gibli was forced to resign in the wake of the Lavon Affair, a failed Israeli operation in Egypt in 1954.-Biography:... |
Suez Crisis Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,... |
Colonel |
| 1957–1958 | Aharon Doron | Major General | |
| 1958–1960 | Elad Peled Elad Peled Elad Peled is a former Israeli general. He commanded the 36th Division, which operated in the West Bank during the Six-Day War. In the 1948 Arab–Israeli War he was a squad commander in the Palmach. He was also later involved in the Yom Kippur War.... |
Major General | |
| 1960–1961 | Aharon Yariv Aharon Yariv Aharon "Aharale" Rabinovich Yariv was an Israeli politician and soldier.Born in Moscow in the Soviet Union. When he was 15 he immigrated to Israel and studied at the Pardes Hanna Agricultural High School. Yariv began his military service in the Haganah and later the British Army. He then joined... (Rabinovich) |
Major General | |
| 1961–1963 | Mordechai Gur Mordechai Gur Following his retirement from the IDF, Gur was appointed as the general manager of Kur Mechanica company. In 1981 he was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Alignment. Re-elected in 1984, he served as Minister of Health and was also a member of the Knesset's Security and Foreign Affairs... |
Lieutenant General | |
| 1963–1965 | Uri Bar Ratzon | Colonel | |
| 1965–1966 | Shlomo Alton | Colonel (KIA) | |
| 1966–1968 | Yona Efrat | Six-Day War Six-Day War The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria... |
Major General |
| 1968–1970 | Yekutiel Adam Yekutiel Adam Yekutiel "Kuti" Adam was an Israeli general and former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces.... |
Major General (KIA) | |
| 1970–1972 | Yehuda Golan | Brigadier General | |
| 1972–1974 | Amir Drori Amir Drori Amir Drori was an Israeli general, founder and the first director general of the Israel Antiquities Authority.-Military career:Amir Drori was born in Tel Aviv in 1937 and graduated from the IDF's Junior Command Preparatory School in Haifa. He was drafted into the Israel Defence Forces in 1955,... |
Yom Kippur War Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria... |
Major General |
| 1974–1975 | Uri Simhoni | War of attrition with Syria | Major General |
| 1975–1976 | Haim Binyamini | Brigadier General | |
| 1976–1977 | Uri Saguy (Eisenberg) | Major General | |
| 1977–1978 | Amir Reuveni | Operation Litani Operation Litani The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river... |
Brigadier General |
| 1978–1980 | David Katz | Brigadier General | |
| 1980–1981 | Ilan Biran | Major General | |
| 1981–1982 | Erwin Lavi | First Lebanon War | Brigadier General |
| 1982–1984 | Immanuel Hert | Brigadier General | |
| 1984–1986 | Tzvi Poleg (Farkash) | Brigadier General | |
| 1986–1987 | Gabi Ofir | Major General | |
| 1987–1988 | Gabi Ashkenazi Gabi Ashkenazi Gavriel "Gabi" Ashkenazi , was the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2007 to 2011.- Background and early life :... |
Lieutenant General | |
| 1988–1990 | Baruch Spiegel | Brigadier General | |
| 1990–1991 | Moshe Tzin | Brigadier General | |
| 1991–1993 | Yair Naveh Yair Naveh Yair Naveh is a Major General in the Israel Defense Forces and is the current Deputy Chief of the General Staff. In 1975, he was drafted into the IDF where he served in all positions in the Golani Infantry Brigade from Company Commander to Brigade Commander... |
Major General | |
| 1993–1995 | Moshe Kaplinsky Moshe Kaplinsky Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky , is the CEO of Better Place Israel. Most recently, he was Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He was previously head of the Israel Defense Force's Central Command, whose area of responsibility includes the West Bank... |
Major General | |
| 1995–1997 | Erez Gerstein | Brigadier General (KIA) | |
| 1997–1999 | Gadi Eizenkot Gadi Eizenkot Aluf Gadi Eizenkot is a Major-General in the Israel Defense Forces.After joining the IDF Eizenkot was assigned to the Golani Brigade, which he himself would eventually command from 1997-8. During that time he received a B.A... |
Major General * | |
| 1999–2001 | Shmuel Zakai Shmuel Zakai Shmuel Zakai is an Israeli Brigadier-General who was forcibly discharged from the Israel Defense Force in November 2004 by order of Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon.... |
Brigadier General | |
| 2001–2003 | Moshe Tamir | Operation Defensive Shield Operation Defensive Shield Operation Defensive Shield was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in 2002, during the course of the Second Intifada. It was the largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. The operation was an attempt by the Israeli army to stop the... |
Brigadier General |
| 2003–2005 | Erez Tzukerman | Brigadier General | |
| 2005–2008 | Tamir Yadai | Second Lebanon War | Brigadier General * |
| 2008– | Avi Peled | Operation Cast Lead | Colonel ** |
| * - in active duty ** - current commander |
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See also
- List of Israeli military operations in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
- Battle of Bint JbeilBattle of Bint JbeilThe Battle of Bint Jbeil was one of the main battles of the Litani offensive in the 2006 Lebanon War. It consisted of a series of military actions and clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the...
External links
- The Official Golani Web Site In Hebrew
- http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/golani_brigade.html
- Sayeret Golani in the battle of Bint Jbail