The 60th Anniversary Administration, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and Avigdor Kahalani, one of the heroes of the Yom Kippur War, has taken charge of the "In the footsteps of the 1948 combatants" project.
Some 45,000 youngsters in grades 10 and 11 from all over the country will journey to Jerusalem by different routes, passing through the pivotal battle sites in the War of Independence and the Six Day War. The students will be transported by bus, accompanied by guides, who, equipped with maps will recount at the actual battle sites, stories of the fierce battles waged en-route to Jerusalem and inside the city itself.
Some 2,500 students in each wave will depart from the Yad La-Shiryon (the Armored Corps) Memorial Site where the first battles were waged to try and gain an access route and break the blockade on Jerusalem in the War of Independence. They will proceed by several routes and go along the Burma Road, the trail taken by the Lamed Heh (the convoy of 35 soldiers), and to the Qastel Interchange, Ammunition Hill, etc.
The "In the footsteps of the 1948 combatants" march is designed to connect the youth with their roots and to strengthen their identification with Israel's heroes who fought for the creation of the State and for the liberation of Jerusalem.
The journey through Israel and the journey back in time to the places where the country's future was determined will contribute to the youngsters' education about their country's heritage and geography. The "In the footsteps of the 1948 combatants" journey will also strengthen the motivation of 10th and 11th graders to do their military service, strengthen their awareness of the country and its history and military legacy, and strengthen their love of the country.
Avigdor Kahalani: " 'In the footsteps of the 1948 combatants' is an activity that firmly routes the youth in their country and in Eretz Yisrael. In this way, we pass the torch from generation to generation. After completing the activity, each teenage boy and girl feels a commitment to the State and consequently, a commitment to enlisting in the army. The feedback from the youngsters is fantastic and we must continue the project.
The combatants of 1948 came forward to protect the nascent and recently established State, and risked their lives for it. The battles to break the blockade on Jerusalem and liberate it during the War of Independence are regarded as supreme instances of bravery and sacrifice, and set the tone and the values for the IDF's victory in the Six Day War and in the Liberation of Jerusalem.
The Arabs of Eretz Yisrael and the Arab States opposed the United Nations Assembly resolution to establish a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael alongside a Palestinian state, and initiated hostilities against the young State immediately upon its declaration of independence, on May 14, 1948. Then prime minister David Ben Gurion moved swiftly to organize the combatant forces and "defense forces", and the Israel Defense Force came into being on May 26, 1948.
The capital Jerusalem and its environs were the areas of the main fighting. The forces of the Jordanian Army known as the Arab Legion took control of Latrun and blocked the road to Jerusalem. Three bloody battles were fought in an attempt to conquer Latrun, but subsequently failed. However, using the territory conquered, a detour road was built to Jerusalem in the middle of the war, called the Burma Road, providing an access route to Jerusalem. At the same time, the "Mifal Hashiluah" was set up to pipe water to the besieged capital.
During the fighting, the Old City's Jewish Quarter remained cut off, and attempts to break through proved unsuccessful. The inhabitants of the Jewish Quarter were taken prisoner, but attempts by the Arab Legion to forge their way into West Jerusalem were thwarted. Fierce fighting also erupted against Jordanian and Egyptian forces at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, until the battle was finally won, with the Kibbutz remaining in the hands of the Israeli forces. Four battles were fought to forge secure passage for convoys and reinforcements to besieged Jerusalem: Operation Nachshon, Operation Harel, and the Maccabi and Kilshon operations (April and May 1948).
The War of Independence ended with the victory of the IDF, which repulsed the Arab armies and expanded the boundaries of the country beyond that defined for the Jewish state in the United Nations Assembly resolution.
Photograph: the War of Independence, an IDF exercise involving armored vehicles of the 8th Brigade | La-am