Gesher Colony

Gesher is a cooperative settlement (kibbutz) established in 1939 on the lands of the depopulated Palestinian village of Jisr al-Majami, by Zionist refugees from Germany. The name  means  in Hebrew. The kibbutz is located approximately one kilometer from the Jordanian border, on the southern edge of Jisr al-Majami, and was named after the adjacent Roman bridge that crosses the Jordan River. Gesher has been mentioned in the context of the 1948 Arab–Zionist war. On the morning of May 15, 1948, the Iraqi army crossed the border and occupied Jisr al-Majami, initiating a siege on Gesher after crossing the Jordan River and launching attacks by land and air. As the colony neared collapse, the Iraqi army abruptly received orders to withdraw on May 20, 1948. The reasons behind the withdrawal remain unknown, except perhaps to those in positions of authority at the time, especially since the fall of Gesher was imminent. The colony is located 10 km south of Kibbutz Degania Alef and 15 km south of Tiberias. As of 2022, the number of settlers residing there was 462.

Sources:

• (Our Country Palestine) by Mustafa al-Dabbagh, Volume 7 – District of al-Jalil (Galilee) – Jordan Subdistrict

• The Hebrew website of the settlement