Katamon - History

History

Katamon was established just before World War I. German aerial photographs taken during the war show a grid of building lots demarcated by stones. By 1914, a total of 5 homes had been built. From 1924, building activity resumed, mostly by affluent Christian Arabs, who built large mansions there.

At the beginning of the 1948 Palestine war the neighborhood was an Arab neighborhood between two Jewish neighborhoods, the only one in a line of Jewish neighborhoods. On the night of 5–6 January 1948, the Haganah bombed the Semiramis Hotel in Katamon, killing 24 or 26 people. During the war, attacks by the Arabic side originated from the San Simon Monastery in Katamon that was located in a strategic point overlooking the Jewish neighborhoods. On April 28, as part of Operation Yevusi, during the battle over control of the Greek Orthodox St. Simon monastery, Rafael Eitan, then a platoon commander, was shot in the head. Many others were killed and wounded on both sides. The Israelies were badly wounded and requested backup. Many were injured and badly wounded. So much so that retreat was considered, however it was impossible to evacuate all the injured. Afraid of the turture and murder that will befall the injured captives (based on the results of a retreat somewhere else) and the amount of damaged that will be caused to the Jews in the surrounding area the decision was made to blast the monistery with those who were dead or dying. Just before the command was executed the decidion was made by the commander Yitzhak Rabin to postepone the surrender. for fear that Jerusalem will be lost to the Jews if they will surrender in Katamon. Based on new information that was gathered by the intelligence force the decision was cancelled all together. Shortly after, Israeli backup came and the monistery. Because of the amount of solideres the Arab forces decided to retreat as well as civilians to escape. After their retreat at the end of May. A gutted Jordanian Legion tank was left as a monument at St. Simon park, but was removed in the late 1990s.

In her autobiography, Palestinian author Ghada Karmi describes growing up in Katamon, from which she and her father, linguist Hasan Karmi, and the rest of the family, fled in 1948 after fierce fighting broke out. Arab scholar and poet Khalil al-Sakakini and writer Sami Hadawi also left Katamon at this time. Al-Sakakini's daughter Hala wrote about revisiting the neighborhood in 1967.

On September 17, 1948, UN Mediator Folke Bernadotte and UN Observer André Serot, were assassinated by members of the Jewish underground Lehi while driving on Palmach Street in Katamon.