List of killings and massacres in Mandatory Palestine

This is a list of killings and massacres committed in Mandatory Palestine. It is restricted to incidents in which at least three people were deliberately killed. This list does not include unlawful deaths due to criminal activity. It includes all casualties that resulted from the initial attack on civilians or non-combat military personnel.

Note: The designation "responsible party" below refers to those believed to be the principal instigators of the violence. Where culpability is disputed or ambiguous, the sources cited support the chosen designation.

Individual massacres during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine are listed below. In total, during the course of these events, between September 27, 1937 – 1939, 5,000 Arabs, 415 Jews and several hundred Britons were killed.[1][page needed]

List of killings and massacres committed in Mandate Palestine edit

Name Date Responsible party Fatalities notes
Battle of Tel Hai March 1, 1920 Arabs 13 8 Jews,[1] 5 Arabs killed[2] Armed Arabs were looking for French soldiers, and Jews mounted armed resistance.
Nebi Musa riots April 4–7, 1920 Arabs 9 5 Jews, 4 Arabs killed; 216 Jews, 18 Arabs, 7 Britons wounded[1][3][4] Started by inflammatory language at an Arab rally. Origin of violence uncertain, but a witness reported stone throwing by Arabs.
Jaffa riots May 1–7, 1921 Arabs 95 48 Arabs, 47 Jews killed; 140 Jews, 73 Arabs wounded.[5] Began as a fight between two Jewish groups. Arabs joined in because they thought they were being attacked.
Jerusalem Stabbings November 2, 1921 Arabs 5 5 Jews killed in Jerusalem in stabbing attack. Multiple wounded, including women and children.[6]
Palestine riots of 1929 August 23–29, 1929 Arabs 249 133 Jews, 116 Arabs killed; 339 Jews, 232 Arabs wounded;[1][3][7][8][9] includes the Hebron massacre (67 Jews killed; 58 Jews wounded and a massacre in Safed (18–20 Jews killed; 80 Jews wounded[9]) Mostly violence by Arabs against Jews; most Arabs killed by Mandate police. Thought triggered by a recent Jewish demonstration.
Black Hand killings at Kibbutz Yagur[10] April 11, 1931 Syrian/Palestinian armed group 3 3 jews at Kibbutz Yagur
1931-1932 attacks of the Black Hand[10] 1931-1932 Syrian/Palestinian armed group 6 6 jews
1933 Palestine riots in Jaffa [11] October 27, 1933 British police, Arab rioters 16 1 Arab policeman, 15 Arab demonstrators shot by British forces, 1 Arab child hit by a stray bullet.[11]
1933 Palestine riots in Haifa [11] October 27–28, 1933 British police 4 4 Palestinian rioters killed, 1 policeman stabbed, 3 Palestinian rioters wounded, 5 Jewish civilians injured by rioters, 4 of them seriously.
Jaffa riots (April 1936) April 19–20, 1936 Arabs 21 9 Jews killed, 40 Jews wounded (11 critically) in Arab attack in Jaffa. Police killed two attackers. Further 7 Jews and 3 Arabs killed the next day[12][13][14]
Arab General Strike April 20 – October 12, 1936 Arabs,British authorities 314 197 Arabs killed and 823 wounded, 80 Jews killed and 300 wounded, 37 military and police killed and 95 wounded.[15]
NA August 13, 1937 Arabs 4 4 members of a Jewish family, 3 children, shot dead by Arabs who broke into their home in Safed[16]
NA November 9, 1937 Arabs 5 5 Jewish Keren Kayemet workers killed near Har Haruach by an Arab ambush. Ma'ale HaHamisha was named in their honor.[17]
N/A March 28, 1938 Arabs 6 6 Jewish passengers killed by Arabs while traveling from Haifa to Safed.
N/A August 16, 1938 Arabs 3 A Jewish family was kidnapped by Arabs in Atlit. 3 killed.[18][19]
1938 Tiberias pogrom October 2, 1938 Arabs 19 19 Jews were killed.[20]
N/A February 27, 1939 Jewish militants (Irgun) 33 33 Arabs were killed in multiple attacks, incl. 24 by bomb in Arab market in Suk Quarter of Haifa and 4 by bomb in Arab vegetable market in Jerusalem.[21]
N/A June 2, 1939 Jewish militants (Irgun) 5 5 Arabs were killed by a bomb at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem.[22][23]
N/A June 19, 1939 Jewish Militants (Irgun) 20 20 Arabs were killed by explosives mounted on a donkey at a marketplace in Haifa.[22][24]
NA June 11, 1941 Italian Air Force 20 20 Jews killed in Tel Aviv during Italian air raid [25]
N/A November 1, 1945 Jewish militants (Irgun) 4 5 locomotives destroyed in Lydda station. Two staff, one soldier and one policeman killed. One of the bombers, Yehiel Dresner, was later executed for other crimes.[26]
King David Hotel bombing July 22, 1946 Jewish militants (Irgun) 91 91 killed, including 41 Arabs, 28 Britons, and 17 Jews; 40-45 wounded[27][28]
Fajja bus attacks November 30, 1947 Arab militants 7 7 Jews killed in two incidents by gunfire[29]
1947 Jerusalem riots December 2, 1947 Arabs 14 8 Jews Reported Killed[30][31]
al-Tira December 12, 1947 Jewish militants 13 13 Arabs killed, 10 wounded[32][33]
N/A December 12, 1947 Jewish militants (Irgun) 20 20 killed, 5 wounded by barrel bomb at Damascus Gate.[34]
N/A December 13, 1947 Jewish militants (Irgun) 16 16 Arabs killed; 67 Arabs wounded from bombings in Jerusalem and Jaffa; Irgun also burns down 100 Arab homes in Jaffa[1]
N/A December 16, 1947 Jewish militants (Irgun) 10 10 killed by bomb at Noga Cinema in Jaffa.[35]
al-Khisas massacre December 18, 1947 Jewish militants (Haganah) 10 10 Arabs killed[1]
N/A December 24, 1947 Arab snipers 8 4 Jews killed in Haifa by snipers, 4 Arabs killed in reprisals[1]
N/A December 26, 1947 Arab militants 7 7 Jews killed while driving in convoy to Jerusalem[1]
N/A December 28, 1947 Arab Snipers 10 5 Jews killed in Bab el Wad by snipers, 5 Arabs killed in reprisals[1]
N/A December 29, 1947 Arab militants 17 4 Jews killed in Tel Aviv from mortar and sniper fire, 13 Arabs killed in Jerusalem in Irgun bombing[1][36]
Bomb thrown on Damascus Gate Café in Jerusalem December 29, 1947 Jewish militants (Irgun) 13 11 Arabs, 2 Britons killed[1][37] Uri Milstein reported 15 casualties from the bombing in the Palestine Post.[38]
Haifa Oil Refinery massacre December 30, 1947 Arabs 39 Arabs beat 39 Jews to death and injured 49 after an Irgun bombing which killed 6[1]
Balad al-Shaykh massacre January 1, 1948 Jewish militants (Palmach) 50 17–70 Arabs killed in Haifa[1]
N/A January 3, 1948 Arab militants 4 3 Jews, 1 Briton killed in Jerusalem[1]
Bombing of Arab National Committee HQ January 4, 1948 Jewish militants (Stern Gang) 14 14 Arabs killed; 100 Arabs wounded[37]
Semiramis Hotel bombing January 5, 1948 Jewish militants (Haganah) 20 20 Arabs killed in Jerusalem[39]
N/A January 5, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 14 14 Arabs killed and 19 injured by truck bomb outside the 3-storey 'Serrani', Jaffa's built Ottoman Town Hall[40]
N/A January 5, 1948 Arabs, Jews 4 4 Arabs killed after attacking Jewish quarter in Safed[1]
Jaffa Gate bombing in Jerusalem January 7, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 18 15–20 Arabs killed[1][41]
N/A January 10, 1948 Arab militants 11 11 Jews killed, 1 decapitated near Yavne[1]
N/A January 14, 1948 Arab militants 7 7 Jews, 2 Britons killed in Haifa[1]
Convoy of 35 January 15, 1948 Arab militants 35 35 Jewish militants going to resupply blockaded kibbutzim at Gush Etzion attacked near Hebron by Arab militants.[42][1] It is known that the Jewish militants fought back, but there is little of Arab casualties.
N/A January 20, 1948 Arab militants 8 8 Jews killed in Yehiam[1]
N/A January 22, 1948 Arab militants 7 7 Jews killed near Yazur[1]
N/A January 25, 1948 Arab militants 10 10 Jews killed[1]
N/A January 27, 1948 British soldiers 4 4 Arabs killed in Gaza[1]
N/A February 3, 1948 Arab militants 6 6 Jews killed while riding buses in Haifa[1]
N/A February 7, 1948 Arabs, Jews 6 3 Arabs, 3 Jews killed in Haifa[1]
N/A February 8, 1948 Arabs 6 6 Jews killed in Jerusalem[1]
N/A February 8, 1948 Arab militants 3 3 Jews killed in Tel Aviv[1]
N/A February 10, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 7 7 Arabs killed near Ras el Ain after selling cows in Tel Aviv[43]
N/A February 12, 1948 Arabs 4 4 Jews killed in Jerusalem[1]
N/A February 15, 1948 Arab militants, Jewish militants 8 5 Arabs, 3 Jews killed[1]
Sa'sa' village ambush in the Safad district February 14, 1948 Jewish militants (Palmach) 11-60 Reports vary from 11 Arabs killed,[44] to 60 Arabs killed.[45] Reported to be revenge for Convoy of 35.
N/A February 17, 1948 Arab militants, Jewish militants 8 5 Arabs, 3 Jews killed[1]
N/A February 17, 1948 Jewish settlers 57 57 Arabs killed while taking part in attack on Jewish settlements Tirat Tzvi, Sde Eliahu, Ein HaNatziv[1]
Ramla vegetable market bombing February 18, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 12 12 killed, 43 wounded[46]
N/A February 19, 1948 Arab militants 4 4 Jews killed while riding buses in Haifa[1]
N/A February 21, 1948 Jewish militants 4 4 Arabs killed in Haifa[1]
Ben Yehuda Street bombing February 22, 1948 Arab militants, British deserters 55 55 Jews killed[1]
N/A February 25, 1948 Arab militants 3 3 Jews killed on road between Ramle and Tel Aviv[1]
N/A February 28, 1948 Arab militants 7 6 Arabs, 1 Jew killed during attack on Jewish village Kfar Sava[1]
N/A February 18, 1948 Arab militants 4 4 Arabs killed while participating in attack on Jewish settlement Mitzpe[1]
Rehovot Train bombing March 1, 1948 Jewish militants 28 28 Britons killed[1]
Bevingrad Officers Club bombing March 1, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 20 20 Britons killed; 30 Britons wounded[3]
N/A March 1, 1948 Arab militants 4 4 Jews killed on Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road[1]
N/A March 2, 1948 Arab militants 13 10 Arabs, 3 Jews killed during Arab attack on Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road[47]
N/A March 3, 1948 Jewish militants (Stern gang) 11 Car bombing in Haifa killed 11 Arabs[48]
N/A March 4, 1948 Arab militants 16 16 Jews killed on Jerusalem-Atarot road[1]
N/A March 9, 1948 Arab militants 3 3 Arabs killed while attacking a Jewish settlement Yehiam[1]
N/A March 11, 1948 Jews, Arabs 5 4 Arabs, 1 Jew killed in Tiberias[1]
Jewish Agency bombing March 11, 1948 Arab militants 13 13 Jews killed[1]
N/A March 14, 1948 Arab militants 7 7 Jews killed near Faluja[1]
N/A March 14, 1948 Jews, Arabs 5 4 Arabs, 1 Jew killed in Tiberias[1]
N/A March 18, 1948 Arab militants 9 5 Britons, 4 Jews killed in convoy near Acre[1]
N/A March 20, 1948 Arabs 7 7 Jews killed at Ein Harod[1]
N/A March 21, 1948 Arabs 6 6 Jews killed on Rosh Pinna-Safed road[1]
N/A March 22, 1948 Arab militants 24 4 Jews, 20 Arabs during attack on Jewish settlement Nitzanim[1]
N/A March 24, 1948 Jewish militants 36 36 Arabs killed near Tulkarem[1]
N/A March 26, 1948 Arab militants 8 6 Arabs, 2 Jews killed in attack on Jewish convoy near Gaza[1]
N/A March 28, 1948 Arab militants 6 6 Arabs killed while participating in attack on Jewish convoy near Rehovot[1]
N/A March 30, 1948 Arab militants 10 8 Jews and 2 British killed while fleeing from Jaffa[1]
Cairo-Haifa train bombing March 31, 1948 Jewish militants (Lehi) 40 40 Arabs killed; 60 Arabs wounded[1]
Massacre in an orange grove in Lydda April 1, 1948 Jewish militias 11 11 Arab laborers killed[49]
NA April 5, 1948 Jewish militants (Haganah) 10 10 Iraqis killed by Jewish militants in Lydda.[50]
Deir Yassin massacre April 9, 1948 Jewish militants (Irgun) 107 100-254 Arabs killed[51][52][53]
Hadassah medical convoy massacre April 13, 1948 Arab militants 79 78 Jews (nurses, doctors, and patients) and one British soldier killed[54][55]
Ein al Zeitun massacre May 3, 1948 Jewish militants (Palmach) 55 37–70 Arab prisoners
Kfar Etzion massacre May 13, 1948 Arab militants and Arab Legion 129 127–157 Jews killed[1]
Abu Shusha May 14, 1948 Israeli 52 52 Arabs killed

See also edit

References edit

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  2. ^ Segev 2001, p. 122-126.
  3. ^ a b c Bard, Mitchell G. (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict. Alpha. ISBN 1-59257-410-6.
  4. ^ Segev 2001, pp. 137–150.
  5. ^ Segev 2001, pp. 173–190.
  6. ^ "⁨דבר⁩ | עמוד 4 | 17 יולי 1936 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il.
  7. ^ Segev 2001.
  8. ^ "Communal relations - Jewish and Arab in the city of Hebron (2005)". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  9. ^ a b Shaw Report
  10. ^ a b Lachman, Shai (1982). "Arab Rebellion and Terrorism in Palestine 1929–1939". In Kedourie, Elie; Haim, Sylvie G. (eds.). Zionism and Arabism in Palestine and Israel. Frank Cass. ISBN 978-0-714-63169-1.
  11. ^ a b c "The Murison Commission Report - 4 January 1934 (Historical Text)".
  12. ^ "⁨דבר⁩ | עמוד 1 | 20 אפריל 1936 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il.
  13. ^ "⁨דבר⁩ | עמוד 8 | 20 אפריל 1936 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il.
  14. ^ "⁨דבר⁩ | עמוד 2 | 25 יוני 1937 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il.
  15. ^ "Ormsby-Gore on Local Situation". Palestine Post. October 30, 1936. pp. 1, 7.
  16. ^ "אזרחים חללי פעולות איבה - חיפוש לפי שם, אירוע או מקום מגורים - חוה אונגר ז"ל". Archived from the original on 2021-03-13. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
  17. ^ "אתר ההנצחה לחללי מערכות ישראל". אתר ההנצחה לחללי מערכות ישראל.
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  19. ^ "אזרחים חללי פעולות איבה - חיפוש לפי שם, אירוע או מקום מגורים - אליהו אליק קירז'נר ז"ל". Archived from the original on 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
  20. ^ "Mandate for Palestine - Report of the Mandatory to the LoN (31 December 1938)". domino.un.org. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2012. Tiber
  21. ^ Y. Ben-Ami, Years of Wrath, Days of Glory; Memoirs of the Irgun, Speller and Sons, New York 1982; p 229. Casualty figures from Palestine Post Feb 28, 1939.
  22. ^ a b (in Hebrew)Y. 'Amrami, A. Melitz, דברי הימים למלחמת השחרור ("History of the War of Independence", Shelach Press, 1951).
  23. ^ The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "The Split within the Irgun" section
  24. ^ Palestine Post, June 20–22, 1939
  25. ^ Dr. Yom-Tov Levinsky, מחורבן לחורבן - page 83
  26. ^ Horne, Edward (1982). A Job Well Done (Being a History of The Palestine Police Force 1920 - 1948). The Anchor Press. OCLC 834452921. Page 289.
  27. ^ "Irgun Zvai Leumi | Jewish right-wing underground movement | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 24 September 2023.
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  31. ^ http://images.rarenewspapers.com/ebayimgs/6.17.2012/image043.jpg [bare URL image file]
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  34. ^ Uri Milstein, History of Israel's War of Independence, Vol II. p51
  35. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p81.
  36. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p214.
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  39. ^ "The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos". www.nytimes.com.
  40. ^ The Scotsman newspaper, Jan 6, 1948
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  43. ^ Palestine Post, Feb 13, 1948
  44. ^ Khalidi, Walid (2006). All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948. Institute for Palestine Studies. p. 496. ISBN 0-88728-306-3.
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  52. ^ Morris, Benny (2004). "Chapter 4: The second wave: the mass exodus, April—June 1948, Section: Operation Nahshon". The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 238. ISBN 0-521-81120-1.
  53. ^ Milstein, Uri (1998) [1987]. "Chapter 16: Deir Yassin, Section 12: The Massacre". In Alan Sacks (ed.). History of the War of Independence IV: Out of Crisis Came Decision (in Hebrew and English). Translated by Alan Sacks. Lanhan, Maryland: University Press of America, Inc. p. 377. ISBN 0-7618-1489-2.
  54. ^ "Israel | Facts, History, Population, & Map | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 13 September 2023.
  55. ^ Milstein, Uri (1998) [1987]. "Chapter 16: Deir Yassin, Section 16: Brutality and Hypocrisy". In Alan Sacks (ed.). History of the War of Independence IV: Out of Crisis Came Decision (in Hebrew and English). Translated by Alan Sacks. Lanhan, Maryland: University Press of America, Inc. p. 387. ISBN 0-7618-1489-2.

Sources edit