May 20 1799 – 15 Iyar 5559
After a protracted siege lasting two months, Napoleon Bonaparte retreated from the walls of Acre with his troops, leaving it still safe in the hands of Ahmed al-Jazzar. His previous conquests of Gaza, Ramle and especially Jaffa had given him the reputation of a ruthless conqueror who preferred dead foes to prisoners. His massacre of Jaffa’s defenders stiffened the resistance Napoleon faced in Acre – all knew they were fighting for their lives. Al-Jazzar’s right hand man in the battle on the walls was a Jew, Haim Farhi.
Supplying his soldiers was an additional problem that eventually, as the days became months, forced Napoleon to retreat. Later, he told his biographer: “Had Acre fallen, I would have changed the world.”