El Auja Zone
Encyclopedia
Auja al-Hafir, also Auja, was an ancient road junction close to water wells in the western Negev
and eastern Sinai. It was the traditional grazing land of the 'Azazme
tribe. The border crossing between Egypt
and Ottoman/British Palestine, about 60 km south of Gaza, was situated there. Today it is the site of Nitzana
in the Southern District of Israel
.
In the middle of January, 1915, a Turkish Army force of 20,000 entered Sinai by way of El Auja on an unsuccessful expedition against the Suez Canal
.
The central route across the desert to the Suez Canal crossed from El Auja to Ismailia, until 1948 this was the only paved road between Palestine and Egypt. During the British Mandate of Palestine it was part of the District of Beersheba. During the British Mandate the location was a prison camp.
According to the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, the area was designated as part of the Arab state. In 1948 the Egyptian Army used the area as a military base. In the Battle of 'Auja
, a campaign of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it was captured by the 89th Mechanized Commando Battalion, which had an English-speaking platoon of volunteers from England, Germany, Holland, Rhodesia, South Africa, and the U.S.
As a result of the 1949 Armistice Agreements
, the area around the village, known as the al-Auja Zone, became a 145 km2 demilitarized zone
(DMZ), with compliance monitored by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
(UNTSO). On 28 September 1953 the Israeli army established a fortified settlement, Ktzi'ot
, overlooking the al-Auja junction. The first name given to this Nahal
outpost was Giv'at Rachel. Despite a recent request
for compliance with the armistice, Israel re-militarized the area on September 21, 1955. Israel continued to occupy the area until after its withdrawal from Sinai and Gaza, which ended the 1956 Suez Crisis. After this, and until the Six-Day War
, the DMZ and the border were monitored by the United Nations Emergency Force
. Israel has controlled the area since 1967.
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
and eastern Sinai. It was the traditional grazing land of the 'Azazme
'Azazme
A Bedouin tribe whose grazing territory used to be the desert around the wells at El Auja and Bir Ain on the border between Israel and Egypt.In 1948 the 'Azazme numbered around 3,500. During 1950 the entire tribe was driven from the area around El Auja. In a series of raids the IDF burnt tents and...
tribe. The border crossing between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Ottoman/British Palestine, about 60 km south of Gaza, was situated there. Today it is the site of Nitzana
Nitzana
Nitzana may refer to:*Nitzana , a city of the ancient Nabataeans located in the Negev desert in Israel*Nitzana , a communal settlement near the ruins of the Nabataean city...
in the Southern District of Israel
South District (Israel)
The Southern District is one of Israel's six administrative districts, and is the largest in terms of land area as well as the most sparsely populated. It covers most of the Negev desert, as well as the Arabah valley. The population of the Southern District is 1,002,400. It is 86% Jewish and 14%...
.
Etymology
Other sources name the locality el-Audja, 'Uja al-Hafeer, El Auja el Hafir and variations thereof.History
The Ottoman Empire built a police station in 1902. Before World War I it was the site of a military base. From 1905 to 1915 there were built a railroad and a large administrative centre together with administrators apartment building.In the middle of January, 1915, a Turkish Army force of 20,000 entered Sinai by way of El Auja on an unsuccessful expedition against the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
.
The central route across the desert to the Suez Canal crossed from El Auja to Ismailia, until 1948 this was the only paved road between Palestine and Egypt. During the British Mandate of Palestine it was part of the District of Beersheba. During the British Mandate the location was a prison camp.
According to the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, the area was designated as part of the Arab state. In 1948 the Egyptian Army used the area as a military base. In the Battle of 'Auja
Battle of 'Auja
The Battle of 'Auja, also called Battle of Nitzana, was a military engagement between the Israel Defense Forces and the Egyptian Army in and around 'Auja , a small village on the Egypt–Israel border. It was fought on December 26–27, 1948, as part of Operation Horev, an Israeli campaign meant to...
, a campaign of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it was captured by the 89th Mechanized Commando Battalion, which had an English-speaking platoon of volunteers from England, Germany, Holland, Rhodesia, South Africa, and the U.S.
1949 Armistice Agreements
The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israeli forces and the forces in...
, the area around the village, known as the al-Auja Zone, became a 145 km2 demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
(DMZ), with compliance monitored by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Its primary task was providing the military command structure to the peace keeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peace keepers to observe and maintain the...
(UNTSO). On 28 September 1953 the Israeli army established a fortified settlement, Ktzi'ot
Ktzi'ot Prison
Ktzi'ot Prison is an Israeli detention facility located in the Haluza sand dunes region. It is Israel's largest detention facility in terms of land area, encompassing ....
, overlooking the al-Auja junction. The first name given to this Nahal
Nahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
outpost was Giv'at Rachel. Despite a recent request
United Nations Security Council Resolution 108
United Nations Security Council Resolution 108, adopted unanimously on September 8, 1955, after another report by the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine, the Council noted the acceptance by both parties of the appeal of the Chief of Staff for an...
for compliance with the armistice, Israel re-militarized the area on September 21, 1955. Israel continued to occupy the area until after its withdrawal from Sinai and Gaza, which ended the 1956 Suez Crisis. After this, and until the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, the DMZ and the border were monitored by the United Nations Emergency Force
United Nations Emergency Force
The first United Nations Emergency Force was established by United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the 1956 Suez Crisis with resolution 1001 on November 7, 1956. The force was developed in large measure as a result of efforts by UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and a proposal...
. Israel has controlled the area since 1967.
Further reading
- Nitzana (Auja El-Hafir) Memorial Board For The 1948 Independence War Fighters In The Negev
- P. Colt. No. 60 - A Bilingual Entagion From The Year 54 AH / 674 CE
- Australian War Memorial AWM Collection Record: P02041.015
- Australian War Memorial AWM Collection Record: P02041.008
- Detailed map of 1953 with Al Āwja Neutral Zone
