Tower and stockade
The tower and stockade settlement (Hebrew: חומה ומגדל Choma uMigdál, wall and tower; common is also the English name Stockade and Tower ) is a fortified agricultural Jewish settlement in Palestine; this form of settlement establishment was typical for the time of the Arab uprising in the late 1930s.
Historical context
In the 1930s, there was in Palestine during the British Mandate increasing tensions between the native Arabs and the Jewish population, which grew steadily through the aliyah ( immigration). This situation became especially since the assumption of power by the National Socialists in Germany in 1933. The Arab population resisted the migration and further Jewish settlement in the country. Should be also prevents further settlements are built on previously purchased by the Jewish National Fund land.
From a general strike in 1936, the Arab revolt developed in this tense atmosphere. There were violent clashes between the two communities, both sides had to complain about injuries and deaths. Also raids of armed units of Arab occurred on isolated agricultural Jewish settlements.
In order both to increase the number of settlers of Jews in sparsely populated areas and on the other to prevent loss near the border and disputed areas, the Jewish organizations decided the establishment of new settlements.
Special features of the settlements
In a settlement founded the settlers from the outset would have to deal with Arab attacks. Therefore, the settlements had to quickly build and be to defend well from the start.
The solution lay in the prefabricated construction: All required parts of the new town were prefabricated from wood. At the destination, the parts were put together by the settlers within a few hours. Within a day, so could a double wooden palisade with gravel filling and some cabins built as well as a pre-built watchtower be placed. The floor area comprised about 1 dunam ( = 1000 square meters).
From the first night of the new settlement be allowed to defend well.
Distribution of settlements
Striking is a significant accumulation of tower and stockade settlements in two north - south strip. About 90 % of the settlements are located in a 15 km wide strip along the Mediterranean coast or in the area of the Jordan Valley. 10 Solo settlements are located in the area near Bet Shean; In the late 1930s there was a strong likelihood that this area will be added to the Arab side.
History
The first tower and stockade settlement was Tel Amal, which was a few kilometers west of Bet Shean in December 1936. In a short time, created according to the same principle of construction 57 such settlements. The last tower and stockade settlement of this period was Amir in the Huleebene, founded in October 1939. If you add more settlements to which originated in the years leading up to the founding of the state on a similar principle, there are over a hundred of these places. Although many of the settlements were attacked, they could be kept from the Jewish side. Many of the settlements are kibbutzim, which still exist today.
A reconstruction of the settlement Tel Amal is on display in the National Park Gan haSchloscha.