The massacre in Kafr Qassem

Kafr Qassem is located 20 kilometers northeast of Tel Aviv , near the city of Petah Tikva , on a green line , which in 1956 was the actual border between Israel and Jordan. Until 1967, Arabs, citizens of Israel, were under the control of the military administration and a number of restrictions were imposed on them (observance of curfews, restrictions on freedom of movement, etc.). Kafr Kassem was under the jurisdiction of the military administration of the Central District. In anticipation of the outbreak of war, Kafr Kassem was included in the zone of responsibility of the 17th reserve brigade of the IDF (commander - Colonel Isakhar Shedmi). The brigade was given a battalion of border police (commander - Major Shmuel Malinki)

On October 29, 1956, the Suez War began, between Israel, England and France on the one hand and Egypt on the other. Israeli intelligence feared that Jordan would enter the war on the side of Egypt. In this regard, it was decided to strengthen border protection and lengthen the curfew in border Arab settlements from 5 pm to 6 am. However, the MAGAV was informed of this decision only at 3:30 in the afternoon. According to Major Malinka, Colonel Shedmi ordered the shooting of any Arab who appeared on the street after the beginning of the curfew ^[2] . Major Malinki, the commander of the battalion controlling the Kafr Qassem area, issued an order to his officers. Mukhtar (the headman) of Kafr Kassem was informed about the introduction of curfew only at 4:30 in the afternoon. When he asked what to do with those who work in the fields and do not know anything about the beginning of the curfew, he was told that these people would be taken care of.

Subsequently, a platoon under the command of Lieutenant Gabriel Dahan shot several people who returned from work to the village during several separate incidents - 19 men, 6 women, 17 boys aged 8 to 17 years and 6 girls ^[3] .

Jamal Faridzh, one of the victims, who arrived in the village on a truck with another 28 passengers, recalls:

We talked to them. We asked if they wanted to verify our IDs. They did not want to. Suddenly, one of them said, “End with them” and they opened heavy fire. ^[four]

All other units under the command of Major Malinka, and in the Shedmi brigade did not open fire on civilians, because ^[5] their commanders arbitrarily canceled the orders of the higher command to open fire on those who violated curfew.

Initially, Israel banned the publication of information about the killings in Kafr Qassem. Only a few months later, under pressure from the press and members of the Knesset Meir Vilner and Taufik Tubi, he was removed. Those responsible for the incident were brought to justice ^[6] . Eight border guards were charged with murder. Major Malinki and Lieutenant Dakhan each received 17 and 15 years, respectively, but then their cases were reviewed by a higher court, their terms were shortened, and later they were released ahead of schedule. As a result, none of the perpetrators spent more than three and a half years in prison. Malinki later received the position of security officer at the Dimon nuclear power plant , and Dakhan was held responsible for “Arab affairs” at Ramla City Hall. ^[7] Colonel Shedmi was also put on trial, but the court did not convict him of the killings, and only guilty in unlawful curfews, and in punishment he was awarded a symbolic fine of 10 bars .

In November 1977, a reconciliation ceremony ( sulha ) was held in the presence of 800 guests, including Behor Shalom Shitrit (First Minister of Police of Israel ), General Zvi Ayalon and the village mukhtar .

In October 2014, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin attended a funeral ceremony dedicated to the 58th anniversary of this event. The president made a speech in which he called the incident “a serious crime” ^{[9] [10]} .

Earlier, in 2007, Shimon Peres also visited Kafr Qassim and brought condolences.

Since 2006, a memorial has been operating in Kafr Kassem, built with the money of the residents of the city ^[11] .