Notes

Hay's notes on the Hanita settlement in western Galilee on the Lebanon border. Hanita was a tower and stockade settlement established in early 1938, with a view to a future land settlement in Palestine. It was important because it was on the main route between Palestine and Lebanon. this was used by Arab arms smugglers, but British did not intervene. Wingate visited it after Passover 1938; There were fears that the settlement would be lost as a result of the Macdonald White Paper (1939). Arabs attacked because they believed it would become a fortified position but they were beaten back by a Haganah force. Wingate's night operation against Arab villages. Tegart's fence on the border was useless, easy to breach, and largely a political gesture. Night patrols originally had 15-20 members but later increased to 100-180. Wingate insisted on complete silence during marches. Describes Wingate's address in Hebrew to the band. Attack on Jordia, which was the base of the Aromshi tribe, whom the Jews respected. they were believed to be planning an attack onHhanita, so Wingate attacked first. Jordia operation was before the formal commencement of SNS. Wingate left Hanita immediately after the engagement. British police visited Hanita and warned the settlers about Wingate.