Historical background

The division was established in April 1948 and acted in escorting convoys to Jerusalem , the breakthrough to Jerusalem, and in the battles that were in Jerusalem and its surroundings. The brigade included the 4th, 5th Palmach battalions and the 6th ("Jerusalem" battalion) that had been established earlier.
In Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim where the main base of the fighters who defended the road to Jerusalem was, is the brigade monument And in his cemetery lie most of the martyrs of the division

Many battles were fought in the area of Sha’ar HaGai (Bab al-Wad) , a narrow place that could be easily blocked and thereby block the road to Jerusalem.
The brigade participated in the battles for Gush Etzion , and from it came the platoon of the Convoy of 35 made up of the soldiers of the 6th battalion headed by the deputy commander of the battalion - Danny Mass, and went out on January 15-16, 1948 with the aim of helping the defense of Gush Etzion. On the way to the site, the platoon was discovered and all its men were killed
In February 1948, the brigade (the 5th battalion) took part in the ice factory in the village of Yazur, which was controlled by Arab forces that threatened the road to Jerusalem. This action was a milestone in the transition of the "Haganah" forces to the fighting of a regular army .
The brigade participated (the 5th and 6th battalions) escorting the Nabi Daniel convoy, a convoy intended to deliver supplies to the besieged Gush Etzion. During clashes with the convoy crossing, 15 fighters of the brigade , were killed.
In March 1948, a convoy left Huldah to bring supplies to Jerusalem, the convoy was secured by the fighters of the 4th and 5th battalions of the Palmach. The convoy was attacked and during the fighting 22 fighters were killed
In the Nachshon operation in April 1948, in which the Kastel was captured and the road to Jerusalem was temporarily opened, the fifth and sixth battalions participated ,
In April 1948, a large convoy with the leaders of the settlement left for Jerusalem. The end of the convoy was attacked, during the attack 13 of the fighters of the brigade were killed
The brigade participated in Operation "Danny" (as part of the IDF), an operation whose purpose was to occupy the area between Rosh Ha’Ain, Ramla, Lod and Latron

In May 1948, as a result of the brigade’s operations, the construction of Burma Road, the road bypassing the main road to Jerusalem, began
In the same month, the brigade captured Mount Zion in Jerusalem, to help the Jewish quarter of the city

About the signs

The signs are made of metal, are on a pole and are rectangular, with the lower part not being straight but in a zigzag shape. . Most of the signs are at the Harel Brigade observatory, where the fifth battalion of the brigade is commemorated Click for a larger image and at the sixth battalion memorial site in Yitzhak Rabin Park .
More signs are on the battle sites