Ramat Yohanan
Encyclopedia
Ramat Yohanan is a kibbutz
in northern Israel
. Located near Kiryat Ata, it falls under the jurisdiction of Zevulun Regional Council
. In 2006 it had a population of 751.
The village was founded in 1932 on land bought by Yehoshua Hankin
from the Lebanese
in 1925. The founders were a mix of native Jews
and immigrants
from the United States
. It was named after Jan Smuts
, a prominent supporter of Zionism
.
It was the location of the Battle of Ramat Yohanan during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
. The Druze
regiment of the Arab Liberation Army
were defeated by the kibbutzniks and Haganah
soldiers, and saw the villages from which they launched their attacks razed in retaliation. Having run out of ammunition, the Druze withdrew to their base in Shefa-'Amr
with 100 casualties. As a result of their defeat, many Druze swapped sides in the conflict, and began co-operating with the Haganah.
In 1941, Yitzhak Rabin
joined the Palmach
section of the Haganah
during his practical training at kibbutz Ramat Yohanan.
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in northern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Located near Kiryat Ata, it falls under the jurisdiction of Zevulun Regional Council
Zevulun Regional Council
Zevulun Regional Council is a regional council in the Haifa District of Israel. Founded in 1950, it had a population of 10,900 in 2006.The council borders Mateh Asher Regional Council to the north, Jezreel Valley Regional Council and Shefa-'Amr to the east, Carmel Nature Reserve national park and...
. In 2006 it had a population of 751.
The village was founded in 1932 on land bought by Yehoshua Hankin
Yehoshua Hankin
Yehoshua Hankin was a Zionist activist who was responsible for most of the major land purchases of the World Zionist Organization in Ottoman Palestine....
from the Lebanese
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 1925. The founders were a mix of native Jews
Sabra (person)
Sabra is a term used to describe a Jew born in Israeli territory; the term is also usually inclusive of Jews born during the period of the establishment of the state of Israel. The word "sabra" is Arabic and Hebrew. Immigrants to Palestine began using it in the early 1930s, according to the The...
and immigrants
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was named after Jan Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
, a prominent supporter of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
.
It was the location of the Battle of Ramat Yohanan during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
1947–1948 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...
. The Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
regiment of 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...
were defeated by the kibbutzniks and Haganah
Haganah
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 :...
soldiers, and saw the villages from which they launched their attacks razed in retaliation. Having run out of ammunition, the Druze withdrew to their base in Shefa-'Amr
Shefa-'Amr
Shefa-'Amr, also Shfar'am is a predominantly Arab city in the North District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 35,300.-Etymology:...
with 100 casualties. As a result of their defeat, many Druze swapped sides in the conflict, and began co-operating with the Haganah.
In 1941, Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
joined the 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...
section of the Haganah
Haganah
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 :...
during his practical training at kibbutz Ramat Yohanan.