Metzudat Koach (Fortress 28) is a former British police station in the upper Galilee that became the site of one of the most daring operations of the pre-state Jewish underground. On the night of May 4, 1948, Palmach fighters assaulted the heavily fortified position to open the road to the besieged communities of the upper Galilee. Twenty-eight fighters were killed in the battle, and the fortress was named in their memory: Koach, the Hebrew word for 28.
The Battle
The British police station at Nebi Yusha controlled the road between Rosh Pina and Metula. After the British withdrawal, Arab forces occupied the position and used it to block Jewish access to the upper Galilee. The Palmach assault was costly but successful, and the capture of the fortress opened the road to the north, ensuring that the upper Galilee communities could be supplied and defended.
The Memorial
The fortress has been preserved as a memorial site and museum. The original buildings, scarred by the battle, house exhibits documenting the operation and the fighters who fell. The views from the fortress are spectacular, encompassing the Hula Valley, Safed, and the upper Galilee hills.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
Metzudat Koach tells a crucial chapter of the War of Independence. Hoshen Tours includes it in upper Galilee itineraries alongside Tel Hai and the pioneering communities of the north.