Abu Aweigila

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ABU AWEIGILA

ABU AWEIGILA (Ar. Abu ʿAweiqila ), strategic position in eastern Sinai, about 19 road mi. (30 road km.) W. of *Niẓanah. Situated near the course of Wadi el-Arish, at a road fork connected with el-Arish in the northwest and with Ismailiya in the west, it was a battlefield in the 1948, 1956, and 1967 wars. In one of the last battles of the War of Independence Israeli forces drove the Egyptians from ʿAslūj (near *Revivim) through Niẓana to Abu Aweigila, and from there moved on in the direction of el-Arish. During the Sinai Campaign the capture of the stronghold ultimately decided the outcome of the war. Before the Six-Day War (June 1967) the Egyptians extended their fortifications for many kilometers to all sides of Abu Aweigila and stationed a division in the area. The capture of the position enabled the Israeli Army to break through to the entire Sinai Peninsula.

[Efraim Orni]