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| '''Ben Dunkelman''' (1913–1997) was a ] ] who became a war hero for his efforts in ], when he enlisted with the ] and fought on some of the worst battlefields of the war during the allied ], including ], ], and the ]. His father was David Dunkelman, the founder of the Canadian men's retailers, ]. | '''Ben Dunkelman''' (1913–1997) was a ] ] who became a war hero for his efforts in ], when he enlisted with the ] and fought on some of the worst battlefields of the war during the allied ], including ], ], and the ]. His father was David Dunkelman, the founder of the Canadian men's retailers, ]. | ||
| After the war, Dunkelman returned to Canada, but again decided to travel to war, this time to fight for ] in the spring of 1948. He arrived there at a time when the Israeli army was short of officers with combat experience, and he became the commander of the ], the country's best-known armored brigade. In his autobiography, Dunkelman tells the story of how, between July 8 and 18, 1948 during ], he led the 7th Brigade and its supporting units as it moved successfully to capture the town of ] (Dunkelman 1984). Following the capture, Dunkelman received orders from General Chaim Laskov to expel the civilian population in the town but he refused to implement these orders |
After the war, Dunkelman returned to Canada, but again decided to travel to war, this time to fight for ] in the spring of 1948. He arrived there at a time when the Israeli army was short of officers with combat experience, and he became the commander of the ], the country's best-known armored brigade. In his autobiography, Dunkelman tells the story of how, between July 8 and 18, 1948 during ], he led the 7th Brigade and its supporting units as it moved successfully to capture the town of ] (Dunkelman 1984). Following the capture, Dunkelman received orders from General Chaim Laskov<ref>According to Ben Gourion, these orders came from Moshe Zalitzky (Carmel) - Gelber, Yoav (2006), ''Palestine 1948'', Sussex Academic, Brighton, ISBN 1845190750, p.166</ref> to expel the civilian population in the town but he refused to implement these orders, forcing Laskov to obtain higher sanction. Finally Ben Gourion vetoed the order. As a result most of the citizens of Nazareth remained as in the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Laskov had appointed another officer as military governor.<ref>Morris, Benny (2004). ''The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521009677, pp.419-420.</ref> | ||
| Dunkelman wrote an autobiography called ''Dual Allegiance'' in collaboration with the Israeli journalist and translator, Peretz Kidron.<ref>Dunkelman, Ben (1984). ''Dual Allegiance: An autobiography'', Goodread Biography. ISBN 0887801277</ref> Kidron reproduced his record of Dunkelman's account of the capture of Nazareth in a book chapter entitled "Truth Whereby Nations Live": | Dunkelman wrote an autobiography called ''Dual Allegiance'' in collaboration with the Israeli journalist and translator, Peretz Kidron.<ref>Dunkelman, Ben (1984). ''Dual Allegiance: An autobiography'', Goodread Biography. ISBN 0887801277</ref> Kidron reproduced his record of Dunkelman's account of the capture of Nazareth in a book chapter entitled "Truth Whereby Nations Live": | ||
Revision as of 16:03, 5 May 2006
Ben Dunkelman (1913–1997) was a Canadian Jew who became a war hero for his efforts in World War II, when he enlisted with the Queen's Own Rifles and fought on some of the worst battlefields of the war during the allied Operation Overlord, including Caen, Falaise, and the Scheldt. His father was David Dunkelman, the founder of the Canadian men's retailers, Tip Top Tailors.
After the war, Dunkelman returned to Canada, but again decided to travel to war, this time to fight for Israel in the spring of 1948. He arrived there at a time when the Israeli army was short of officers with combat experience, and he became the commander of the 7th Brigade, the country's best-known armored brigade. In his autobiography, Dunkelman tells the story of how, between July 8 and 18, 1948 during Operation Dekel, he led the 7th Brigade and its supporting units as it moved successfully to capture the town of Nazareth (Dunkelman 1984). Following the capture, Dunkelman received orders from General Chaim Laskov to expel the civilian population in the town but he refused to implement these orders, forcing Laskov to obtain higher sanction. Finally Ben Gourion vetoed the order. As a result most of the citizens of Nazareth remained as in the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Laskov had appointed another officer as military governor.
Dunkelman wrote an autobiography called Dual Allegiance in collaboration with the Israeli journalist and translator, Peretz Kidron. Kidron reproduced his record of Dunkelman's account of the capture of Nazareth in a book chapter entitled "Truth Whereby Nations Live":
- Two days after the second truce came into effect, the Seventh Brigade was ordered to withdraw from Nazareth. Avraham Yaffe, who had commanded the 13th battalion in the assault on the city, now reported to me with orders from Moshe Carmel to take over from me as its military governor. I complied with the order, but only after Avraham had given me his word of honour that he would do nothing to harm or displace the Arab population. My demand may sound strange, but I had good reason to feel concerned on this subject.
- Only a few hours previously, Haim Laskov had come to me with astounding orders: Nazareth´s civilian population was to be evacuated! I was shocked and horrified. I told him I would do nothing of the sort -in view of our promises to safeguard the city´s people, such a move would be both superfluous and harmful. I reminded him that scarcely a day earlier, he and I, as representatives of the Israeli army, had signed the surrender document in which we solemnly pledged to do nothing to harm the city or its population. When Haim saw that I refused to obey the order, he left.
There is a bridge on the Lebanese border called Gesher Ben in Dunkelman's honor. His story is told in the film Ben Dunkelman: The Reluctant Warrior.
References
- According to Ben Gourion, these orders came from Moshe Zalitzky (Carmel) - Gelber, Yoav (2006), Palestine 1948, Sussex Academic, Brighton, ISBN 1845190750, p.166
- Morris, Benny (2004). The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521009677, pp.419-420.
- Dunkelman, Ben (1984). Dual Allegiance: An autobiography, Goodread Biography. ISBN 0887801277
- Kidron, Peretz (2001). Truth Whereby Nations Live. In Edward Said and Christopher Hitchins (Eds.). Blaming the Victims: Spurious Scholarship and the Palestinian Question (pp. 85-96). Verso. ISBN 1859843409