The Kfar Etzion massacre occurred on May 13, 1948, resulting in the deaths of 127 defenders and residents of the kibbutz. The vast majority of them were murdered after surrendering and being taken prisoner by the Jordanian Arab Legion and local irregular forces.
Background and Timeline of Events
• Date of Fall: The Etzion Bloc (Gush Etzion) fell on May 13, 1948, just one day before the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
• The Attackers: The final assault was carried out by the Arab Legion alongside local armed villagers and irregular forces.
• The Massacre: After the defenders surrendered, the survivors (including many wounded) were gathered in a central courtyard. An order was given—or an armed mob junto with soldiers broke out—and opened fire, executing dozens of defenseless prisoners of war.
• The Survivors: Only four individuals managed to survive the battle and the subsequent massacre.
The Four Survivors and Their Escapes
Only three Kfar Etzion residents and one Palmach member managed to survive the horrific massacre. According to historical records and their own testimonies, they escaped through the following circumstances: [1]
• Yaacov Edelstein and Yitzhak Ben-Sira: The two men initially attempted to evade capture by hiding among a jumble of boulders and tree branches. They were discovered by an elderly local Arab villager who told them not to be afraid and attempted to shield them from a rushing group of hostile Arab irregulars. As an argument ensued, two uniformed Jordanian Arab Legionnaires stepped in, took Edelstein and Ben-Sira into their custody, and preserved their lives as prisoners of war. [1]
• Nahum Ben-Sira: The brother of Yitzhak Ben-Sira, Nahum was separated from the main group of defenders when the killings began. He successfully hid undetected until nightfall and managed to escape on foot through the terrain to a nearby kibbutz. [1, 2]
• Alisa Feuchtwanger: A female member of the Palmach elite fighting force, Feuchtwanger hid in a ditch alongside several other defenders. The group was discovered, and everyone was killed except for her. She was dragged away by irregular militiamen who attempted to assault her. A Jordanian Arab Legion officer, Captain Hikmat Mihyar, arrived on the scene, shot two of the attackers, and took her under his personal protection, saving her life. [1]
Aside from these four, the remaining survivors of the broader battle for the Etzion Bloc were taken into Transjordan as prisoners of war. [3]
The Return of the Victims' Remains
Following the massacre and the total destruction of the kibbutz, the bodies of the fallen were left exposed at the site for over a year. Transjordanian forces initially refused to allow Israelis access to recover them. [3]
• The November 1949 Expedition: In late 1949, following negotiations and assistance from the Red Cross, an official agreement was reached with the Jordanians. IDF Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren was permitted to lead an expedition into the former Etzion Bloc to collect the remains. [4]
• Condition of the Site: Rabbi Goren documented that contrary to initial Red Cross reports, the Arab forces had not buried the dead. The bones of the victims were found scattered across trenches, firing posts, and underneath the ruins of demolished buildings. Many bodies were identified only by clothing scraps and laundry tags still bearing the names of their owners. [4]
• Mass Re-interment: The remains of the fallen defenders of Kfar Etzion, alongside soldiers recovered from other battlefields left behind enemy lines, were transported back to Israel. In November 1949, tens of thousands of citizens lined the streets as the victims were brought to a massive, state-honored funeral and buried in a mass grave at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. [4, 5]
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Kfar Etzion 1948 War
The Kfar Etzion massacre occurred on May 13, 1948, resulting in the deaths of 127 defenders and residents of the kibbutz. The vast majority of them were murdered after surrendering and being taken prisoner by the Jordanian Arab Legion and local irregular forces.
Background and Timeline of Events
• Date of Fall: The Etzion Bloc (Gush Etzion) fell on May 13, 1948, just one day before the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
• The Attackers: The final assault was carried out by the Arab Legion alongside local armed villagers and irregular forces.
• The Massacre: After the defenders surrendered, the survivors (including many wounded) were gathered in a central courtyard. An order was given—or an armed mob junto with soldiers broke out—and opened fire, executing dozens of defenseless prisoners of war.
• The Survivors: Only four individuals managed to survive the battle and the subsequent massacre.
The Four Survivors and Their Escapes
Only three Kfar Etzion residents and one Palmach member managed to survive the horrific massacre. According to historical records and their own testimonies, they escaped through the following circumstances: [1]
• Yaacov Edelstein and Yitzhak Ben-Sira: The two men initially attempted to evade capture by hiding among a jumble of boulders and tree branches. They were discovered by an elderly local Arab villager who told them not to be afraid and attempted to shield them from a rushing group of hostile Arab irregulars. As an argument ensued, two uniformed Jordanian Arab Legionnaires stepped in, took Edelstein and Ben-Sira into their custody, and preserved their lives as prisoners of war. [1]
• Nahum Ben-Sira: The brother of Yitzhak Ben-Sira, Nahum was separated from the main group of defenders when the killings began. He successfully hid undetected until nightfall and managed to escape on foot through the terrain to a nearby kibbutz. [1, 2]
• Alisa Feuchtwanger: A female member of the Palmach elite fighting force, Feuchtwanger hid in a ditch alongside several other defenders. The group was discovered, and everyone was killed except for her. She was dragged away by irregular militiamen who attempted to assault her. A Jordanian Arab Legion officer, Captain Hikmat Mihyar, arrived on the scene, shot two of the attackers, and took her under his personal protection, saving her life. [1]
Aside from these four, the remaining survivors of the broader battle for the Etzion Bloc were taken into Transjordan as prisoners of war. [3]
The Return of the Victims' Remains
Following the massacre and the total destruction of the kibbutz, the bodies of the fallen were left exposed at the site for over a year. Transjordanian forces initially refused to allow Israelis access to recover them. [3]
• The November 1949 Expedition: In late 1949, following negotiations and assistance from the Red Cross, an official agreement was reached with the Jordanians. IDF Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren was permitted to lead an expedition into the former Etzion Bloc to collect the remains. [4]
• Condition of the Site: Rabbi Goren documented that contrary to initial Red Cross reports, the Arab forces had not buried the dead. The bones of the victims were found scattered across trenches, firing posts, and underneath the ruins of demolished buildings. Many bodies were identified only by clothing scraps and laundry tags still bearing the names of their owners. [4]
• Mass Re-interment: The remains of the fallen defenders of Kfar Etzion, alongside soldiers recovered from other battlefields left behind enemy lines, were transported back to Israel. In November 1949, tens of thousands of citizens lined the streets as the victims were brought to a massive, state-honored funeral and buried in a mass grave at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. [4, 5]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org
[2] https://www.wexnerfoundation.org
[3] https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org
[4] https://www.tabletmag.com
[5] https://www.telfed.org.il