On the morning of April 13th 1948 a big convoy left the center of Jewish Jerusalem on its way to surrounded mount Scopus (the mountain was surrounded by Arab forces and the access to the hospital on the mountain was only in convoys coordinated with the British army). The convoy included 9 armed vehicles. Two were combat vehicles with “Hagana” soldiers, two ambulances, two busses and 3 trucks. In the convoy there were 120 people, amongst them employees of the “Hadasa” hospital, the Hebrew university, “Hagana” soldiers defending the mountain, sick people and visitors. After approval from the British that the way is safe the convoy entered the Arab area where the road went, area that the british promised to secure. Around 9:40 am the convoy arrived to a turn in the road, in the Shich-Jarach Arab neighborhood, a large charge exploded under the first armed vehicle, stopping the whole convoy. The Arabs started shooting from houses on both sides of the street, 5 vehicles managed to turn and go back, 4 were trapped, the leading armed vehicle, an ambulance and the two buses. In the 4 trapped vehicles were 90 people. During the whole morning attempts were made to rescue the convoy people, first by a small British force and then by “Hagana” troops, all those failed. The convoy’s first armed vehicle men continued firing back during all that time to stop the Arabs from closing on the convoy. Around 2pm the Arabs managed to set the two buses on fire, causing tens of victims. Only around 4 pm the British managed to stop the Arabs from firing and rescue the survivors. 77 people were killed, amongst them 67 soldiers and 10 civilians.
Photos taken by Dr. Avishai Teicher