Gezer, Israel

Infobox_Kibbutz
kibbutz_name = Gezer
foundation = 1945
founded_by = European immigrants
region = Shephelah
council = Gezer
industry =
affiliation = Kibbutz Movement
website =

Gezer ( _he. גזר) is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located in the Shephelah between Modi'in, Ramle and Rehovot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gezer Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 353.

The kibbutz was established in 1945 by immigrants from Europe, and was named after Tel Gezer, which is located nearby.Cite book
publisher = Mapa Publishing
isbn = 9657184347
pages = p. 108
others = Yuval Elʻazari (ed.)
title = Mapa's concise gazetteer of Israel
location = Tel-Aviv
date = 2005 he icon]

On 10 June 1948, the day after an attempt performed by "Yiftah" and "Harel" brigades to take Latrun, a battalion-size force of the Arab Legion, supported by irregulars and a dozen of armored cars attacked the kibbutz. This was defended by 68 Haganah soldiers. After 4 hours of battle, the kibbutz felt. 39 defenders were killed, a dozen escaped and the remaining were taken prisoner. 2 Arab legionnars were killed. At the evening, the kibbutz abandoned to the irregulars was taken back by two "Palmach" squads. [Benny Morris, "1948", (2008), pp.229-230.]

After the war it was rebuilt but came apart in 1964 due to social difficulties. The current kibbutz was founded in 1974 by a Gar'in form North America. The kibbutz holds Israel's only baseball field.

References