 The "Sha'ar HaGai" battalion of the Harel brigade also took up a position on the hills north and south of the road.It had to withstand the fire of the Arab Liberation Army artillery and the "unusual" fire of British armoured vehicles, but succeeded in holding the position and entrenched there.To the west, on 12 May, Givati brigade troops took the British detention camp on the road leading to Latrun, but abandoned it the next day.