Al-Qawuqji told the UN observers that he demanded depopulation of nearby Kibbutz Yiftah forces, and a diminution of Haganah (Israeli) forces in Manara. The Haganah responded by demanding that ALA withdraw from its positions. Al-Qawuqji rejected these counter-demands. The Haganah then informed the United Nations that in view of al-Qawuqji's actions it did not feel encumbered by the UN's cease-fire order, and on 24 October launched Operation Hiram. Historian Benny Morris concludes that although the Israelis had planned for Operation Hiram, they might not have launched this campaign without the justification provided by al-Qawuqji's military provocations. The ALA were driven from their positions, and the Arab forces lost all of upper Galilee, even though this had been assigned to the Arabs by the UN Partition Plan. On 30 October the Israeli Carmeli Brigade retook Sheikh Abd from the ALA, who had abandoned the position. Shortly thereafter the last of the ALA forces were driven out of Galilee, and al-Qawuqji escaped to Lebanon.