Nazareth Captured in 1948 War

Date: July 16, 1948 • Location: Nazareth, Israel

Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

Nazareth is the largest city in the Northern District of Israel. In 2024 its population was 75,704. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and commercial center for the Arab citizens of Israel. The inhabitants are predominantly Arabs, of whom 69% are Muslim and 31% Christian. The city commands immense religious significance, deriving from its status as the hometown of Jesus, who is the central figure of Christianity and considered a prophet in Islam and the Baháʼí Faith.