One of the main problems the partition plan presented to the police was that the international zone of Jerusalem, where Jews were a majority population and some Jewish settlements of which the Etzion Block was a prime example were completely surrounded by Arab-allocated territory. The road between Bethlehem and Hebron was important to the police in 1947 and 1948. They needed it to keep Hebron District police in touch with HQ in Jerusalem.

It was important to Arabs and Jews as well. The Holy Arab Army needed it to bring supplies to their members besieging Jerusalem. Haganah needed it to bring men and supplies to the aid of settlements under attack in Galilee District and especially to the Gush Etzion block of settlements situated in territory close to Hebron that had been allocated to Arabs. Both Arabs and Jews attacked each other's vehicles travelling this road as a matter of routine.

At first the Police ordered Haganah not to use armoured vehicles escorted by their own armed men when sending supplies to Gush Etzion as that would only increase Arab fervor, so the initial convoys to Gush Etzion after the UN vote used open pick up trucks. The trucks were accompanied by uniformed Notrim.(See relevant page)

The convoy of 11^th December was the first failure of the pick up trucks. The four vehicles of the convoy were ambushed on the main road north of King Solomon's pools. Of the 18 people on board, ten were killed, four injured. Only four escaped unhurt.

Three days later, a convoy was attacked again with another person killed, Haganah command decided that, despite police orders, from then on it would use armored "sandwich" vehicles in the convoys escorted by armed Haganah men. They also reinforced the settlements defenders with trained Haganah members.

Ex B/C Barry Forrester, who was stationed at Hebron until the thirteenth of January 1948 has written the piece below about the Gush Etzion massacre. It reveals the isolation of young British constables from the world around them in 1947 and 1948 and how little they knew of significant events that occurred even a few miles from their billets unless they were sent out to take part.

"I never realised what a shocking event it was. I do remember hearing about a convoy being attacked and all those in the convoy being killed and their bodies mutilated in horrific fashion. I was told that the convoy had been stopped by a light air plane dropping hand grenades. Whether this was true or not I have no idea but it is feasible. I cannot remember the source of the story but it was probably information from Arab policemen and stories in the town of Hebron. I expect many local Arabs took part. The scene of this attack was not very far from Hebron Police Station so I do not know why were not involved, although reading all about it I'm thankful we were not. Maybe it was thought that our contribution would be too small? Our role in Palestine was coming to an end and what could we do? Regarding the attack on an Arab village in early December I never heard of any."

Next- The internal Battle for Jerusalem