Israeli ex-soldiers confess involvement in Palestinian mass killings during the 1948 conflict
Veteran Israeli Soldiers Admit Involvement in 1948 Massacres, Question Zionism's Legitimacy
Dozens of former Israeli military personnel have come forward, confessing to their part in massacres against Palestinian civilians during the 1948 conflict. These shocking revelations have been brought to light by an organization, possibly Yakir or an initiative like Yizkor, dedicated to uncovering the truth and spreading the Palestinian narrative about the country's history.
One of the veterans, Amnon Neumann, a 82-year-old native of Haifa, admitted his membership in the Palmach – an elite fighting force within the Haganah, the underground Jewish army during the British Mandate of Palestine. He joined the Palmach in 1946, arriving in Palestine from Poland at the age of 16.
Neumann confessed that there were minimal actual battles due to the poverty, disorganization, lack of training, and arms among the Palestinians. In contrast, the official Israeli account claims that the displacement and killing of Palestinians were regular outcomes of war.
Neumann admitted to participating in the forcible displacement of Palestinians from villages such as Simism, Najd, Kawkaba, Burayr, and others. He also acknowledged his role in the massacre of Burayr's inhabitants. Neumann noted that they were armed with Czech-made guns which they used to drive the locals towards the Gaza Strip. The Haganah forces surrounded the village on three sides, firing into the air before entering and forcefully expelling its people. The houses were intentionally set ablaze, following orders from the armed forces.
Another veteran, Arhamel Khnovitc, a 83-year-old resident of Daghania, confessed to participating in the massacre at the Dahmash Mosque in Al-Lydd in July 1948 and the ethnic cleansing of the villages of Jamzu and Dan'el. Khnovitc vividly remembers entering the mosque and firing a Fiat missile, following orders from his command. The blast caused numerous corpses to stick to the walls.
Benyamin Eisht, 85, from Bilhaym, recalled seeing Palestinian survivors of Al-Lydd and Ramla after the massacre, walking in lines towards Ramallah with corpses scattered along the roadside.
Testimonies by another veteran, Yitzhak Tishler, further support these accounts. Tishler, 83, who resides in Mafsirt Tsyon, admitted to looting houses and stores and taking part in the killing of dozens of villagers in the village of Al-Sheikh near Haifa, in retaliation for Jewish workers who were killed in a brawl near Rifyanry.
These harrowing stories challenge the traditional Israeli narrative and raise doubts about the legitimacy of Zionism. The organizations involved in historical documentation, such as Breaking the Silence, Zochrot, and various archival projects, contribute significantly to collecting and publicizing these accounts, shedding light on the darkness of the past and promoting dialogue about historical injustices. If the Yazkern organization is indeed involved, further details would be necessary to better understand its role in these revelations.
- The Palestinian narrative about the country's history, which has been uncovered by an organization like Yakir or an initiative similar to Yizkor, now includes the confessions of dozens of former Israeli military personnel.
- Amnon Neumann, a veteran who served in the Palmach during the British Mandate of Palestine, admitted his involvement in massacres against Palestinian civilians during the 1948 conflict.
- Minimal actual battles occurred during the conflict due to factors such as poverty, disorganization, lack of training, and arms among the Palestinians, as revealed by Neumann.
- Neumann admitted to participating in the forcible displacement of Palestinians from villages like Simism, Najd, Kawkaba, Burayr, and others, and the massacre of Burayr's inhabitants.
- Another veteran, Arhamel Khnovitc, admitted to his role in the massacre at the Dahmash Mosque in Al-Lydd and the ethnic cleansing of the villages of Jamzu and Dan'el.
- Benyamin Eisht recalled seeing Palestinian survivors after the massacre at Al-Lydd and Ramla, walking towards Ramallah with corpses scattered along the roadside.
- Yitzhak Tishler, another veteran, admitted to looting houses and stores and taking part in the killing of dozens of villagers in the village of Al-Sheikh.
- These shared accounts challenge the traditional Israeli narrative, raising questions about the legitimacy of Zionism and providing evidence of historical injustices.
- Historical documentation organizations like Breaking the Silence, Zochrot, and various archival projects are crucial in collecting and publicizing these accounts, bringing light to past darkness and promoting dialogue about these injustices.
