Abu Ageila is a

road junction A junction is where two or more roads meet. History Roads are a means of transport, historically linking locations such as towns, forts and geographic features such as river fords. Where roads met outside of an existing settlement, these junct ...

and

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

in the north of the

Sinai Peninsula The Sinai Peninsula, or simply Sinai ( ; ; ; ), is a peninsula in Egypt, and the only part of the country located in Asia. It is between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, and is a land bridge between Asia and Afri ...

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, which, because of its proximity to Egypt's border with the

State of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, is strategically important. Located approximately 25 kilometres from Auja al-Hafir, and 45 kilometres southeast of

El Arish ʻArish or el-ʻArīsh ( ' ) is the capital and largest city of the North Sinai Governorate of Egypt, as well as the largest city on the Sinai Peninsula, lying on the Mediterranean coast northeast of Cairo and west of the Egypt–Gaza border ...

, it was the site of major battles in the

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

, and

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

wars between the two states. The adjacent location Umm Katef () was another key Egyptian position in the Abu Ageila battles. In 1930, there were about 10,000

'Azazme The Azazima/Azazimeh or Azazme/ 'Azazmeh/al-Azazmeh () are 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. During the 19th century the 'Azazme fought as ...

Bedouin Egyptians, related to the Tarabin in El Arish, living in the area. By 1948, the number was only 3,500. Land ownership was often disputed between the inhabitants. In his 2013 biography of

Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon ( ; also known by his diminutive Arik, ; 26 February 192811 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestin ...

, 'Arik: The Life of Ariel Sharon', David Landau records that, during the Israeli occupation of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Sharon ordered the secret expulsion from Abu Ageila of 3,000 of its inhabitants in late January 1972. Ostensibly, this was to clear the way for a military exercise code-named ''Oz'' (meaning "Valour" in Hebrew) in preparation for an attack on the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

were a further war to break out between Israel and Egypt. The expulsion order was executed by Israeli military personnel over three days during the onset of freezing temperatures in the desert. No warning was given to the inhabitants, and no time was allowed for them to collect their belongings before being removed from their homes. Lt. Gen.

David Elazar David "Dado" Elazar (; 27 August 1925 – 15 April 1976) was an Israeli senior military officer who was the ninth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), serving in that capacity from 1972 to 1974. He was forced to resign in the afterma ...

later ordered that the expelled inhabitants be allowed to return.Anshel Pfeffer
'Sharon ordered expulsion of 3,000 Bedouin, new biography reveals ,'
at Haaretz, 11 February 2014

Gallery

File:Abu 'Ujaylah.jpg, Egyptian water tanks at Abu Ageila. 1948 File:Ruafa Dam.jpg, Ruafa dam, 1948 File:Ruafa dam.jpg, Ruafa dam. 1948

References

{{Authority control Sinai Peninsula