Even about 76 years later, 94-year-old Michal Brenner is excited about the closure of her private circle on the Al-Hama railway bridge.
Step by step she advanced on the Green Dipped Mountain, aided by Lieutenant Colonel Gilad Cohen, former Battalion Commander of the Jordan Valley and the Valleys, and then they reached the rusty and ruined bridge on the international border with Jordan - the Al-Hama Bridge, which she blew up with her friends about 76 years ago. That's how excited I was, "she says after visiting the bridge, for the first time since the attack.
As part of the "Night of the Bridges", between 16 and 17 June 1946, the Palmach attacked 11 bridges at the same time, with the aim of harming the British by cutting off supply routes between Palestine and neighboring countries. It announced that Britain would not allow 100,000 Jews to immigrate to Palestine.
Nine of the bridges were blown up, one was badly damaged and one was not blown up.
The exciting visit was planned for a long time by Lt. Col. Cohen, who is expected to be released from the IDF soon, after being exposed to Brenner's story of a woman named Rivka Tzvieli, whose father was the sapper who blew up the bridge.
For technical reasons, the visit was postponed time and time again until it was finally implemented.
"Michal came here with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She told stories and jokes, and shared the atmosphere. It was a great privilege to bring her to the bridge. Thanks to her and her generation, generation 1948, we are here," says Gilad.
Michal, for her part, says that "in fact, this was the first time I saw the bridge up close in daylight, because the last time I was here we blew up the bridge at night. I do not know what the criteria are for choosing me over others and others to perform the operation. That there is nothing unusual about my service in the Palmach.
I was part of a group that all volunteered in those days.
It was a great privilege that I was chosen to participate in this action. "
"Part of history"
The visit was accompanied by several fighters from the Jordan Lions Battalion.
"I did not know the story before I got to the sector," notes Sgt. Emily Shchipkov. "We were on the bridge a month ago with our battalion commander, but it was completely different to get there with someone who took part in the battle herself. .
For Michal, the class was definitely exciting.
"There is nothing to compare what they do, with the latest weapons and their capabilities, compared to what we did. Maybe in terms of willingness and desire to be a part of our history things are similar, but in fact we did much less," she concludes.
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