Feb. 28, 1955 — Paratroopers Raid Gaza
Approximately 50 Israeli paratroopers conduct a raid against an Egyptian military camp in Gaza as a reprisal for repeated Arab attacks against Israeli civilians. Eight Israeli soldiers and 39 Egyptians are killed in the raid, called Operation Black Arrow, which is condemned by the United Nations. The raid highlights a split between the aggression of new Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion and the caution of Prime Minister Moshe Sharett.
March 1, 1920 — Arab Raiders Attack Tel Hai
In the first armed conflict between Arabs and Zionist settlers, an Arab militia attacks the Jewish agricultural community of Tel Hai on the border between British-controlled Palestine and French-controlled Syria in the Upper Galilee. The eight Jews killed in the battle include Joseph Trumpeldor, a co-founder of the Zion Mule Corps, who leads reinforcements rushing to Tel Hai from a nearby kibbutz, Kfar Giladi.
March 2, 1977 — First Woman Is Appointed to High Court
Israeli President Ephraim Katzir appoints Miriam Ben-Porat and Shimon Asher to the Supreme Court. Ben-Porat becomes the first woman to serve on the highest judicial authority of any country with a common law system. A native of Belarus, she made aliyah in 1936. Her parents and a brother were killed in the Holocaust. She became a lawyer in 1945 and first served as a judge on the Jerusalem District Court in 1958.
March 3, 1950 — Iraq Allows Jews to Leave
New Operation Ezra and Nehemia arrivals from Iraq leave the Lod airport for an absorption camp in April 1951. National Photo Collection of Israel.
The Iraqi government retracts a ban on the emigration of Jews moving to Israel, on the condition that they give up their Iraqi citizenship when they leave. Iraq’s change comes two days after Iran declares that it will not restrict Jewish emigration to Israel. In response, Israel launches Operation Ezra and Nehemia, which flies nearly 120,000 Iraqi Jews to Israel via Cyprus between May 1950 and January 1952.
March 4, 1987 — Pollard Is Sentenced to Life in Prison
Jonathan Pollard, who pleaded guilty to espionage charges in June 1986, is sentenced to life in prison for spying on the United States for Israel in 1984 and 1985 while serving with the Naval Intelligence Service. The U.S. government argues that Pollard’s spying has harmed U.S.-Arab relations and diminished U.S. influence over Israel, and he receives the maximum sentence. He is paroled in November 2015.
March 5, 1891 — Blackstone Petitions President for Jewish Home
William Blackstone, a Methodist lay leader, evangelist and real estate investor, submits a petition to President Benjamin Harrison and Secretary of State James Blaine that calls for creating “a home for these wandering millions of Israel” in Palestine. What is known as the Blackstone Memorial Petition follows a conference of Christians and Jews in Chicago in November 1890 and Blackstone’s visit to Palestine in 1888.
March 6, 1948 — Clifford Opposes State Dept. on Israel
Clark Clifford, a trusted adviser to President Harry Truman, writes two detailed memoranda arguing for the United States to support the partition of Palestine and lift an arms embargo on Jewish forces. In opposing the State Department’s policy staff and leadership, Clifford helps ensure Truman’s continued backing of the November 1947 U.N. partition resolution and recognition of Israeli independence in May.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.