IDF Negev Beasts Operations, 1948

From the book, "Eyes of the Beholder" by David Teperson: A tabulation of the operations of the IDF Negev Beasts commando unit of the Palmach from its return to the Negev in October 1948, until the end of the war in March 1949.

1)    The return to the Negev: (including part of Operation Yoav)

-         Guarding and patrolling the water pipeline to the Kibbutzim

-         Patrols on the Egyptian border

-         Commando raids on the railway line and blowing up the rail routes

-         Ambushes on the road between Rafah, Khan-Yunis and Gaza

-         Intelligence action to get information on Egyptian positions that cut off the Negev and on the Egyptian occupied part of the Negev (including the Gaza strip).

2)    Operation Yoav: The capture and occupation of Beersheba.

3)    Occupation of the Kurnub (Dimona) old British police station, used by the Egyptian forces as communication center, on the way to the Dead Sea. We were accompanied by the Intelligence Unit, and tapped into the Egyptian telephone lines, between Bir Asluj and the Egyptian border. Additionally, an assault on Mishrefe (today’s Shivta) which overlooks Bedouins in the region.

4)    Breaking through to Sodom in the “Lot Campaign”.

5) Operation Horev: Occupation of Bir Asluj in the south, Mishrefe, and transition to occupation of Abu Ageila in Sinai.

6)    Destruction of the Bir Chama airport, a cooperative attack with Har`el brigade on El-Arish and ambushes of Egyptian trails on the El-Arish - Rafah road.

7)    Patrols on the Egyptian border near Hebron.

8)    Operation Uvda: Occupation of Eilat.

"Negev Beasts" (Hayot Hanegev) was the original and informal name of the 9th battalion Jeep company motorized commando of the Palmach Negev Brigade (Hativat Hanegev), a unique military force that played a key role in liberating the Negev in the Israel War of Independence.

Eyes of the Beholder relates some of the exploits of this little jeep unit, composed of Machal (overseas) volunteers from all over the world, as well as young Israeli Palmachniks like Avraham Adan (Bren), later General Bren, Mordechai (Motta) Gur and Haim Bar Lev. These are the men who conquered Beersheva and who raised the famous ink flag in Eilat. The book includes priceless photos and maps. It is a valuable first person account of what really happened, as well as a memorial to the Machal volunteers and Israeli soldiers who fought to defend Israel in 1948.

Colonel David (Migdal) Teperson, author of Eyes of the Beholder, grew up in the South African veldt, lived in the Kalahari desert, and learned the ways of the wild from age 13. His learned survival skills were aided by his 6' 6" frame and restless iron-clad constitution. He volunteered to defend the new state of Israel, serving first in the Alexandroni Brigade and later in the Negev Beasts in 1948, and fighting in every war of Israel.

These excerpts from the book are presented to honor the Machal volunteers and others who served in the Israel war of Independence and to give a close-up look at the history of that war and at the young men and women who made the state of Israel possible. The patch at right is the symbol of the Motorized Commando Unit.

Copyright

Eyes of the Beholder is copyright © by David Teperson, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission. Material appearing in these Web pages is reproduced by permission. To obtain printed copies of the entire book, contact Colonel David Teperson, P.O. BOX 9590, KFAR SHMARYAHU ISRAEL. 46910 TEL: 972-9-9582718 FAX: 972-9-9560673 E-MAIL: DAVE_TEP(at)NETVISION.NET.IL

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