163-740: IDF victory The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 between the newly created Israel Defense Forces and the Irgun (also known as Etzel), one of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were in the process of merging to form the IDF. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, the Altalena , captained by ex-US Navy lieutenant Monroe Fein and led by senior Etzel commander Eliyahu Lankin , which had been loaded with weapons and fighters by
326-526: A Minister without Portfolio . Rafi also joined the unity government at that time, with Moshe Dayan becoming Defense Minister. Gahal's arrangement lasted until August 1970, when Begin and Gahal quit the government, then led by Golda Meir due to disagreements over the Rogers Plan and its "in place" cease-fire with Egypt along the Suez Canal, Other sources, including William B. Quandt , note that
489-785: A close security relationship with the United States , including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I and the Arrow defence system, among others. The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967 , possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads . The IDF’s actions and policies in the Palestinian territories have faced widespread criticism, with accusations of repression , discrimination, and abuses of Palestinian rights . The Israeli cabinet ratified
652-478: A "Tachkemoni" school, associated with the religious Zionist movement. In his childhood, Begin, like most Jewish children in his town, was a member of the Zionist scouts movement Hashomer Hatzair . He was a member of Hashomer Hatzair until the age of 13, and at 16, he joined Betar . At 14, he was sent to a Polish government school, where he received a solid grounding in classical literature . Begin studied law at
815-601: A "glass house", as the whole world looked inside. He knew that British total war and civilian repression would create both global sympathy for the Irgun's cause and international diplomatic pressure on Britain. Ultimately, the British Cabinet would be forced to choose between further escalating the repression or complete withdrawal, and Begin was certain that in the end, the British would leave. Further, so as not to disturb
978-489: A belligerent dissident. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948 and the start of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , Irgun continued to fight alongside Haganah and Lehi. On 15 May 1948, Begin broadcast a speech on radio declaring that the Irgun was finally moving out of its underground status. On 1 June Begin signed an agreement with the provisional government headed by David Ben-Gurion , where
1141-619: A choice between remaining with the Anders' Army to fight Nazi Germany in Europe, or staying in Palestine to fight for establishment of a Jewish state. While he initially wished to remain with the Polish army, he was eventually persuaded to change his mind by his contacts in the Irgun, as well as Polish officers sympathetic to the Zionist cause. Consequently, General Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski ,
1304-473: A clash was now inevitable. Fighting ensued and there were a number of casualties. In order to prevent further bloodshed, the Kfar Vitkin settlers initiated negotiations between Yaakov Meridor (Begin's deputy) and Dan Even , which ended in a general ceasefire and the transfer of the weapons on shore to the local IDF commander. Begin had meanwhile boarded the Altalena , which was headed for Tel Aviv where
1467-538: A cruise led by the Hazon Leumi organization leaves from the port of Jaffa to the place where the ship sank, where a memorial ceremony is held in memory of those who died on the ship. 32°04′43″N 34°45′53″E / 32.07861°N 34.76472°E / 32.07861; 34.76472 Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ; Hebrew : צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל Tsva ha-Hagana le-Yisra'el , lit. ' Army for
1630-575: A demonstration in Jerusalem attended by some 15,000 people, and gave a passionate and dramatic speech in which he attacked the government and called for its violent overthrow. Referring to the Altalena Affair, Begin stated that "when you fired at me with a cannon, I gave the order: 'No!' Today I will give the order, 'Yes!'" Incited by his speech, the crowd marched towards the Knesset (then at
1793-498: A five-year program envisioned by Rabbi Yehuda Amital which combines Torah learning and military service . Some distinguished recruits are selected to be trained to eventually become members of special forces units . Every brigade in the IDF has its special force branch. Career soldiers are paid on average NIS 23,000 a month, fifty times the NIS 460 paid to conscripts. In 1998–2000, only about 9% of those who refused to serve in
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#17327649774441956-504: A four pocket tunic (yarkit/yerkit) worn untucked with a pistol belt cinched tight around the waist over the shirt. The IDF Air Corps has a dress uniform consisting of a pale blue shirt with dark blue trousers. Most IDF soldiers are issued black leather combat boots , certain units issue reddish-brown leather boots for historical reasons — the paratroopers, combat medics, Nahal and Kfir Brigades, as well as some Special Forces units ( Sayeret Matkal , Oketz , Duvdevan , Maglan , and
2119-867: A full-scale defence force after the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine with an organized structure, consisting of three main units—the Field Corps , Guard Corps , and the Palmach . During World War II, the Yishuv participated in the British war effort, culminating in the formation of the Jewish Brigade . These would eventually form the backbone of the Israel Defense Forces, and provide it with its initial manpower and doctrine. Following Israel's Declaration of Independence , Prime Minister and Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion issued an order for
2282-683: A full-scale insurgency against the British, and together with the Haganah's illegal immigration campaign, this forced a large commitment of British forces to Palestine that was gradually sapping British financial resources. Three particular Irgun operations directly ordered by Begin: the Night of the Beatings , the Acre Prison break , and the Sergeants affair , were cited as particularly influencing
2445-403: A general ceasefire and the transfer of the weapons on shore to the local IDF commander. Meanwhile, Begin ordered the Altalena to sail to Tel Aviv, where there were more Irgun supporters. At 9:35 pm, the Altalena began cruising toward Tel Aviv. Many Irgun members, who had joined the IDF earlier that month, left their bases and assembled on the beach. Rumors began circulating that the Irgun
2608-677: A landslide, becoming the biggest party in the Knesset . Popularly known as the Mahapakh ("upheaval"), the election results had seismic ramifications as for the first time in Israeli history a party other than the Alignment/Mapai was in a position to form a government, effectively ending the left's hitherto unrivalled domination over Israeli politics. Likud's electoral victory signified a fundamental restructuring of Israeli society in which
2771-510: A lawyer named Yisrael Halperin. After the British searched the area but missed the street where his house was located, Begin and his family moved to a new home on a Tel Aviv side street, where he assumed the name Yisrael Sassover and masqueraded as a rabbi. Following the King David Hotel bombing, when the British searched the entire city of Tel Aviv, Begin evaded capture by hiding in a secret compartment in his home. In 1947, he moved to
2934-423: A legitimate organization and acted to take power by force." According to Begin biographer Daniel Gordis , organizational matters took longer than expected, and the sailing was postponed for several weeks. Meanwhile, on 1 June, an agreement had been signed for the absorption of the Irgun into the IDF and one of the clauses stated that the Irgun had to cease all independent arms acquisition activities. Consequently,
3097-528: A means of accentuating their differences. One of the fiercest confrontations between Begin and Ben-Gurion revolved around the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany , signed in 1952. Begin vehemently opposed the agreement, claiming that it was tantamount to a pardon of Nazi crimes against the Jewish people. While the agreement was debated in the Knesset in January 1952, he led
3260-474: A memoir written by one of the conspirators, Elieser Sudit. Begin's impassioned rhetoric, laden with pathos and evocations of the Holocaust, appealed to many, but was deemed inflammatory and demagoguery by others. In the following years, Begin failed to gain electoral momentum, and Herut remained far behind Labor with a total of 17 seats until 1961. In the 1965 Israeli legislative election , Herut and
3423-693: A new party in the Knesset, the Free Center , with the loss of three seats for Herut. After this revolt, Begin reversed his decision to retire and returned as party chairman in February 1967. The day the Six-Day War started in June 1967, Gahal joined the national unity government under Prime Minister Levi Eshkol of the Alignment, resulting in Begin serving in the cabinet for the first time, as
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#17327649774443586-453: A party chairman being elected; the chair would be vacant for eight months. Internal opposition to Begin' leadership came to a head a month after the convention, when Haim Amsterdam, an assistant to one of the opposition leaders, Shmuel Tamir , published a devastating attack on Begin in Ha'aretz ; this led to the suspension of Tamir's party membership. The leaders of the opposition then established
3749-500: A position in the reserve forces. No distinction is made between the assignment of men and women to reserve service. Menachem Begin Menachem Begin ( Hebrew : מְנַחֵם בֵּגִין Menaḥem Begin , pronounced [menaˈχem ˈbeɡin] ; Polish : Menachem Begin (Polish documents, 1931–1937); Russian: Менахем Вольфович Бегин , romanized: Menakhem Volfovich Begin ; 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992)
3912-571: A resolution to empower the army to use force if necessary to overcome the Irgun and to confiscate the ship and its cargo. Implementation of this decision was assigned to the Alexandroni Brigade, commanded by Dan Even [ he ] (Epstein), which the following day surrounded the Kfar Vitkin area. Dan Even issued the following ultimatum: To: M. Begin By special order from the Chief of
4075-491: A resolution to empower the army to use force if necessary. Implementation was assigned to the Alexandroni Brigade commanded by Dan Even [ he ] (Epstein), which the following day surrounded the Kfar Vitkin area in two regiments equipped with armor and artillery. In addition, the Israeli Navy deployed three corvettes off Kfar Vitkin. Even issued the following ultimatum: To: M. Begin By special order from
4238-561: A serious heart attack in December 1951. Between 1948 and 1977, under Begin, Herut and the alliances it formed ( Gahal in 1965 and Likud in 1973) formed the main opposition to the dominant Mapai and later the Alignment (the forerunners of today's Labor Party ) in the Knesset ; Herut adopted a radical nationalistic agenda committed to the irredentist idea of Greater Israel that usually included Jordan . During those years, Begin
4401-514: A slight resemblance to him, according to Begin, and were fed misinformation by Yaakov Meridor that he had had plastic surgery, and were thus confused over his appearance. Due to the British police conducting searches in the hotel's vicinity, he relocated to a Yemenite neighborhood in Petah Tikva , and after a month, moved to the Hasidof neighborhood near Kfar Sirkin , where he pretended to be
4564-626: A wireless message to the Altalena to stay put and await orders. A similar cable was sent to Shmuel Katz (member of the General Headquarters), who was then in Paris, but the ship had already departed the day before the message arrived. On 15 June, Begin and his comrades held a meeting with government representatives, at which Begin announced that the ship had sailed without his knowledge and that he wanted to hold consultations on how to proceed. In his diary for 16 June, David Ben-Gurion ,
4727-550: Is Herzi Halevi . The IDF includes the following bodies. Those whose respective heads are members of the General Staff are in bold: Ground Arm Air and Space Arm Sea Arm General Staff The IDF operates, as of 2024, a Multi-Domain Joint Operations Array, dealing with multi-domain operations , a joint warfare branch. Military: Civilian: Unlike most militaries,
4890-586: Is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister . On the orders of first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion , the IDF was formed on 26 May 1948 and began to operate as a conscript military , drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv —namely Haganah , the Irgun , and Lehi . It was formed shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence and has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel . In
5053-549: The 7th , and 8th armoured brigades, Oded , Harel , Yiftach , and the Negev . After the war, some of the brigades were converted to reserve units, and others were disbanded. Directorates and corps were created from corps and services in the Haganah, and this basic structure in the IDF still exists today . Immediately after the 1948 war, the Israel-Palestinian conflict shifted to a low-intensity conflict between
Altalena Affair - Misplaced Pages Continue
5216-399: The Altalena during the battle, and one crew member later claimed that IDF troops on the beach were hit by fire from one of the corvettes, which had aimed at the Altalena but overshot its target. On the beach, a battle between the IDF and Irgun forces along the shore erupted, and clashes between IDF and Irgun units also took place throughout Tel Aviv, mainly in the south and center. Fearing
5379-474: The Altalena returned fire with Bren guns mounted on deck. The Altalena arrived at midnight, running aground on the busiest stretch of shore, at the foot of David Frischmann Street, in view of locals, journalists, and UN observers watching from the terrace of the Kaete Dan Hotel (today Dan Tel Aviv). In response, Ben-Gurion ordered Yigael Yadin (acting chief of staff) to concentrate large forces on
5542-687: The British Empire and damage their prestige; this would cause the British Cabinet, as they had with the Black and Tans and the Auxiliary Division in Ireland, to unleash indiscriminate total war tactics against the whole Jewish civilian population, which would completely alienate the Yishuv . Similarly to Michael Collins, Begin banked on the international media being attracted to the action, which he referred to as turning Palestine into
5705-603: The Deir Yassin massacre , though Irgun and Lehi sources would deny a massacre took place there. Begin also repeatedly threatened to declare independence if the Jewish Agency did not do so. Throughout the period of the rebellion against the British and the civil war against the Arabs, Begin lived openly under a series of assumed names, often while sporting a beard. Begin would not come out of hiding until April 1948, when
5868-583: The Gaza War (2008–2009) , the 2012 Gaza War , the 2014 Gaza War , and the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis , causing the IDF to change many of its values and publish the IDF Code of Ethics . The Lebanese Shia organization Hezbollah has also been a growing threat, against which the IDF fought an asymmetric conflict between 1982 and 2000, as well as a full-scale war in 2006. The Israel Defense Forces have been accused of committing various war crimes since
6031-483: The HSAT Mk II/Mk III paratrooper helmets ), US M1 helmet , and French Modèle 1951 helmet – previously worn by Israeli infantry and airborne troops from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Some corps or units have small variations in their uniforms – for instance, military police wear a white belt and police hat , Naval personnel have dress whites for parades, paratroopers are issued
6194-648: The Haganah , had refrained from directly challenging British authority. They were convinced that the British would establish a Jewish state after the war due to support for the Zionist cause among both the Conservative and Labour parties. Giving as reasons that the British had reneged on the promises given in the Balfour Declaration and that the White Paper of 1939 restricting Jewish immigration
6357-509: The Irgun ( Etzel ), an underground Zionist paramilitary organization which had split from the main Jewish military organization, the Haganah , in 1931. Begin assumed the Irgun's leadership in 1944, determined to force the British government to remove its troops entirely from Palestine. The official Jewish leadership institutions in Palestine, the Jewish Agency and Jewish National Council ("Vaad Leumi"), backed up by their military arm,
6520-574: The Jewish Agency . As head of the Irgun, he targeted the British in Palestine . Later, the Irgun fought the Arabs during the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and, as its chief, Begin was described by the British government as the "leader of the notorious terrorist organisation". It declined him an entry visa to the United Kingdom between 1953 and 1955. However, Begin's overtures of friendship eventually paid off and he
6683-580: The Jewish Legion , both part of the British Army of World War I , further bolstered the Yishuv with military experience and manpower, forming the basis for later paramilitary forces. After the 1920 Palestine riots against Jews in April 1920, the Yishuv leadership realized the need for a nationwide underground defence organization, and the Haganah was founded in June 1920. The Haganah became
Altalena Affair - Misplaced Pages Continue
6846-762: The Liberal Party united to form the Gahal bloc under Begin's leadership, but the merger prompted several Liberal MKs to split and form the Independent Liberals and Gahal failed to gain seats in the election, or make up the seats it lost from the Independent Liberal defection. In 1966, during Herut's party convention, he was challenged by the young Ehud Olmert . The opposition group within Herut, however, sensed that Begin's leadership position
7009-539: The Nazi and Fascist parties" and accused his group (along with the smaller, militant, Stern Gang ) of preaching "racial superiority" and having "inaugurated a reign of terror in the Palestine Jewish community". In the first elections in 1949 , Herut, with 11.5 percent of the vote, won 14 seats, while Hatzohar failed to break the threshold and disbanded shortly thereafter. This provided Begin with legitimacy as
7172-566: The Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine , which took place on 29 November 1947, Jewish leaders proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. The declaration of independence was followed by the establishment of a provisional government and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The process of absorbing all military organizations into the IDF proved complicated, and several paramilitary groups continued to be active outside
7335-463: The University of Warsaw , where he learned the oratory and rhetoric skills that became his trademark as a politician, and viewed as demagogy by his critics. During his studies, he organized a self-defense group of Jewish students to counter harassment by anti-Semites on campus. He graduated in 1935, but never practiced law. At this time he became a disciple of Vladimir "Ze'ev" Jabotinsky ,
7498-567: The West Bank , including East Jerusalem ). In 2000, the IDF withdrew from Southern Lebanon and in 2005 from Gaza . Conflict between Israel and Islamist groups based in Gaza, notably Hamas , has continued since then. Moreover, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011, due to regional instability caused by the Syrian civil war . Since 1967, the IDF has maintained
7661-553: The founding of Israel in 1948. Israel ratified the Geneva Conventions on July 6, 1951, and on January 2, 2015, the State of Palestine acceded to the Rome Statute , granting the International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). A 2017 report by Human Rights Watch accused the IDF of unlawful killings , using excessive force in policing situations , forced displacement , excessive use of detention and excessive restrictions on movement , as well as criticized
7824-435: The "Chair of Subversive Activity against England", Begin had also carefully studied the highly successful use of guerrilla warfare tactics by Michael Collins during the Irish War of Independence . While planning the rebellion with Irgun commanders, Begin accordingly devised a highly similar strategy that he believed would force the British Empire out. He proposed a series of guerrilla warfare attacks that would humiliate
7987-465: The Air Force, tried to convince non-Jewish pilot volunteers to attack the ship. However, three pilots refused to participate in the mission, one of them saying, "You can kiss my foot. I did not lose four friends and fly 10,000 miles in order to bomb Jews." The Altalena was shadowed by navy corvettes on its way to Tel Aviv. As the ship neared the coastline, the corvettes began firing at it with bursts of machine gun fire, and stopped after fighters on board
8150-503: The Allied war effort against Nazi Germany , only British civilian administration and Palestine Police Force targets would be attacked at first, while British armed forces personnel would only be attacked after Adolf Hitler had been defeated. On 1 February 1944, the Irgun proclaimed a revolt. Twelve days later, it put its plan into action when Irgun teams bombed the empty offices of the British Mandate's Immigration Department in Jerusalem , Tel Aviv , and Haifa . The Irgun next bombed
8313-415: The British to leave due to the great loss of British prestige and growing public opposition to Britain remaining in Palestine at home they generated. In September 1947, the British cabinet voted to leave Palestine, and in November of that year, the United Nations approved a resolution to partition the country between Arabs and Jews. The financial burden imposed on Britain by the Jewish insurgency, together with
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#17327649774448476-455: The British, and the Jewish authorities sent feelers to the Irgun and Lehi to discuss an alliance. The result was the Jewish Resistance Movement , a framework under which the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi launched coordinated series of anti-British operations. For several months in 1945–46, the Irgun fought as part of the Jewish Resistance Movement. Following Operation Agatha , during which the British arrested many Jews, seized arms caches, and occupied
8639-403: The British, who still maintained nominal authority over Palestine, were almost totally gone. During the period of revolt, Begin was the most wanted man in Palestine, and MI5 placed a 'dead-or-alive' bounty of £ 10,000 on his head. Begin had been forced into hiding immediately prior to the declaration of revolt, when Aliza noticed that their house was being watched. He initially lived in a room in
8802-512: The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, I am empowered to confiscate the weapons and military materials which have arrived on the Israeli coast in the area of my jurisdiction in the name of the Israel Government. I have been authorized to demand that you hand over the weapons to me for safekeeping and to inform you that you should establish contact with the supreme command. You are required to carry out this order immediately. If you do not agree to carry out this order, I shall use all
8965-460: The Counter-Terror School). Women were also formerly issued sandals , but this practice has ceased. IDF soldiers have three types of insignia (other than rank insignia) which identify their corps, specific unit, and position. A pin attached to the beret identifies a soldier's corps. Individual units are identified by a shoulder tag attached to the left shoulder strap . The position/job of a soldier can then be identified by an aiguillette attached to
9128-405: The Defense of Israel ' ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal ( צה״ל ), is the national military of the State of Israel . It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces , the Israeli Air Force , and the Israeli Navy . It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus . The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff , who
9291-413: The Frumin Building on King George Street) and threw stones at the windows, and at police as they intervened. After five hours of rioting, police managed to suppress the riots using water cannons and tear gas. Hundreds were arrested, while some 200 rioters, 140 police officers, and several Knesset members were injured. Many held Begin personally responsible for the violence, and he was consequently barred from
9454-499: The General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, I am empowered to confiscate the weapons and military materials which have arrived on the Israeli coast in the area of my jurisdiction in the name of the Israel Government. I have been authorized to demand that you hand over the weapons to me for safekeeping and to inform you that you should establish contact with the supreme command. You are required to carry out this order immediately. If you do not agree to carry out this order, I shall use all
9617-443: The Haganah and Lehi during that period. Notable operations in which they took part were the battle of Jaffa and the Jordanian siege on the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem . The Irgun's most controversial operation during this period, carried out alongside Lehi, was an assault on the Arab village of Deir Yassin in which more than a hundred villagers and four of the attackers were killed. The event later became known as
9780-494: The Haganah, also joined the IDF with provisions , and Ben Gurion responded by disbanding its staff in 1949, after which many senior Palmach officers retired, notably its first commander, Yitzhak Sadeh . The new army organized itself when the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine escalated into the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , which saw neighbouring Arab states attack. Twelve infantry and armoured brigades formed: Golani , Carmeli , Alexandroni , Kiryati , Givati , Etzioni ,
9943-404: The IDF and Palestinian fedayeen . In the 1956 Suez Crisis , the IDF's first serious test of strength after 1949, the new army captured the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, which was later returned. In the 1967 Six-Day War , Israel conquered the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip , West Bank (including East Jerusalem ) and Golan Heights from the surrounding Arab states, changing the balance of power in
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#173276497744410106-422: The IDF and Irgun members at the beach ensued as a UN observation plane circled overhead and recorded the incident. Failing to reach an accord, Begin returned to the beach and conferred with his officers. As evening began, rifle fire broke out; which side fired first is a matter of dispute. Hillel Kook , an eyewitness, claimed it was the Irgun, which fired shots toward the sea to demonstrate their will to resist. As
10269-513: The IDF answer to a single General Staff . The Chief of the General Staff is the only serving officer having the rank of Lieutenant General ( Rav Aluf ). He reports directly to the Defense Minister and indirectly to the Prime Minister of Israel and the cabinet. Chiefs of Staff are formally appointed by the cabinet, based on the Defense Minister's recommendation, for three years. The government can vote to extend their service to four, and on rare occasions even five years. The current chief of staff
10432-480: The IDF uses the same rank names in all corps, including the air force and navy. From the formation of the IDF until the late 1980s, sergeant major was a particularly important warrant officer rank, in line with usage in other armies. In the 1980s and 1990s the proliferating ranks of sergeant major became devalued, and now all professional non-commissioned officer ranks are a variation on sergeant major ( rav samal ) except for rav nagad . All translations here are
10595-451: The IDF's support and protection for Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory . Human rights experts argue that actions taken by the IDF during armed conflicts in the OPT fall under the rubric of war crimes. Various UN special rapporteurs , alongside human rights and aid organizations including Human Rights Watch , Médecins Sans Frontières , Amnesty International , have accused Israel of war crimes. All branches of
10758-481: The IDF. One of the largest groups, the Irgun, planned to ship weapons and fighters to the newly formed state. The plans included a ship renamed Altalena (a nom de plume of Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky ) and a target date for the ship's arrival from Europe was set to mid-May 1948. The Altalena , former landing ship tank USS LST-138 , organized by Hillel Kook (a.k.a. Peter Bergson) purchased by Irgun members Gershon Hakim, Abraham Stavsky , and Victor Ben-Nachum,
10921-403: The Income Tax Offices in those three cities, followed by a series of attacks on police stations in which two Irgun fighters and six policemen were killed. Meanwhile, Lehi joined the revolt with a series of shooting attacks on policemen. The Irgun and Lehi attacks intensified throughout 1944. These operations were financed by demanding money from Jewish merchants and engaging in insurance scams in
11084-417: The Irgun agreed to formally disband and to integrate its force with the newly formed Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but was not truthful of the armaments aboard the Altalena as it was scheduled to arrive during the cease-fire ordered by the United Nations and therefore would have put the State of Israel in peril as Britain was adamant the partition of Jewish and Arab Palestine would not occur. This delivery
11247-410: The Irgun had more supporters. Many Irgun members, who joined the IDF earlier that month, left their bases and concentrated on the Tel Aviv beach. A confrontation between them and the IDF units started. In response, Ben-Gurion ordered Yigael Yadin (acting Chief of Staff) to concentrate large forces on the Tel Aviv beach and to take the ship by force. Heavy guns were transferred to the area and at four in
11410-465: The Irgun informed the Israeli government about the Altalena . The Irgun headquarters in Paris did their best to keep the Altalena ' s preparations for departure a secret, but it was difficult to conceal the movement of 940 men and the loading of a large quantity of arms and ammunition. It was feared that if the plans were discovered, attempts might be made to sabotage the Altalena at sea. For this reason, when it raised anchor on 11 June, no cable
11573-445: The Irgun leaders in Israel learned through the BBC broadcast of the embarkation of the vessel, they feared that this breach of the truce conditions (i.e., the ban on bringing military equipment and fighters into the country) would be discovered (though ultimately, these aspects of the truce were ignored by both sides). Menachem Begin decided therefore to postpone the arrival of the ship, and Irgun staff secretary, Zippora Levi-Kessel sent
11736-597: The Irgun soldiers would be fully integrated with the IDF and not kept in separate units. About a year later, Altalena was refloated, towed 15 miles out to sea and sunk. In August 1948, Begin and members of the Irgun High Command emerged from the underground and formed the right-wing political party Herut ("Freedom") party. The move countered the weakening attraction for the earlier revisionist party , Hatzohar , founded by his late mentor Ze'ev Jabotinsky . Revisionist 'purists' alleged nonetheless that Begin
11899-479: The Israeli military were granted an exemption. Permanent service is designed for soldiers who choose to continue serving in the army after their regular service, for a short or long period, and in many cases making the military their career. Permanent service is based on a contractual agreement between the IDF and the permanent position holder. After personnel complete their regular service, they are either granted permanent exemption from military service or assigned
12062-630: The Israelis, shocked world public opinion, Begin grew increasingly isolated. As IDF forces remained mired in Lebanon and the economy suffered from hyperinflation , the public pressure on Begin mounted. Depressed by the death of his wife Aliza in November 1982, he gradually withdrew from public life, until his resignation in October 1983. Menachem Begin was born to Zeev Dov and Hassia Begun in what
12225-531: The Jewish Agency building, from which many documents were removed, Begin ordered an attack on the British military and administrative headquarters at the King David Hotel following a request from the Haganah, although the Haganah's permission was later rescinded. The King David Hotel bombing resulted in the destruction of the building's southern wing, and 91 people, mostly British, Arabs, and Jews, were killed. The fragile partnership collapsed following
12388-612: The Knesset for several months. His behavior was strongly condemned in mainstream public discourse, reinforcing his image as a provocateur. The vehemence of Revisionist opposition was deep; in March 1952, during the ongoing reparations negotiations, a parcel bomb addressed to Konrad Adenauer , the sitting West German Chancellor , was intercepted at a German post office. While being defused, the bomb exploded, killing one sapper and injuring two others. Five Israelis, all former members of Irgun, were later arrested in Paris for their involvement in
12551-470: The Labor party, by formally accepting UN 242 in mid-1970, had accepted "peace for withdrawal" on all fronts, and because of this Begin had left the unity government. On 5 August, Begin explained before the Knesset why he was resigning from the cabinet. He said, "As far as we are concerned, what do the words 'withdrawal from territories administered since 1967 by Israel' mean other than Judea and Samaria. Not all
12714-599: The National Religious Party, as well as numerous corruption scandals. All these weakened the labor camp and finally allowed Begin to capture the center stage of Israeli politics. In 1977 Begin declared that "between the [Mediterranean] Sea and the Jordan River there shall only be Israeli sovereignty". Defunct Defunct On 17 May 1977 the Likud, headed by Begin, won the Knesset elections by
12877-561: The Savoy Hotel, a small hotel in Tel Aviv whose owner was sympathetic to the Irgun's cause, and his wife and son were smuggled in to join him after two months. He decided to grow a beard and live openly under an assumed name rather than go completely into hiding. He was aided by the fact that the British authorities possessed only two photographs of his likeness, of which one, which they believed to be his military identity card, bore only
13040-776: The Six-Day War. Later, Begin's government promoted the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Begin authorized the bombing of the Osirak nuclear plant in Iraq and the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 to fight PLO strongholds there, igniting the 1982 Lebanon War . As Israeli military involvement in Lebanon deepened, and the Sabra and Shatila massacre , carried out by Christian Phalangist militia allies of
13203-704: The Soviet Union , and following his release under the Sikorski–Mayski agreement because he was a Polish national, Begin joined the Free Polish Anders' Army as a corporal officer cadet . He was later sent with the army to Palestine via the Persian Corridor , where he arrived in May 1942. Upon arriving in Palestine, Begin, like many other Polish Jewish soldiers of the Anders' Army, faced
13366-493: The Tel Aviv beach and to take the ship by force. He also indicated to his interior minister that he would order the Israeli Navy to intercept any attempt by the Altalena to retreat into international waters. The IDF transferred heavy guns to the area and at 4 p.m. the next day, Ben-Gurion ordered the shelling of the Altalena . The first gunner ordered to shell the ship, a Red Army veteran named Yosef Aksen, refused, saying he
13529-501: The afternoon, Ben-Gurion ordered the shelling of the Altalena . One of the shells hit the ship, which began to burn. Yigal Allon , commander of the troops on the shore, later claimed only five or six shells were fired, as warning shots, and the ship was hit by accident. There was danger that the fire would spread to the holds which contained explosives, and Captain Monroe Fein ordered all aboard to abandon ship. People jumped into
13692-581: The battle for the Old City . Sixteen Irgun fighters were killed in the confrontation with the army (all but three were veteran members and not newcomers from the ship); six were killed in the Kfar Vitkin area and 10 on Tel Aviv beach. Three IDF soldiers were killed: two at Kfar Vitkin and one in Tel Aviv. About a year after the incident, the Altalena was refloated, towed 15 miles out to sea, and sunk. The Altalena Affair exposed deep rifts between
13855-501: The bombing, partly because contrary to instructions, it was carried out during the busiest part of the day at the hotel. The Haganah, from then on, would rarely mount attacks against British forces and would focus mainly on the Aliyah Bet illegal immigration campaign, and while it occasionally took half-hearted measures against the Irgun, it never returned to full-scale collaboration with the British. The Irgun and Lehi continued waging
14018-415: The camps in accordance with your arrangements. You have ten minutes to give me your answer. D.E., Brigade Commander The ultimatum was made, according to Even, "in order not to give the Irgun commander time for lengthy considerations and to gain the advantage of surprise." Begin did not respond. Claiming he needed more time, he drove to Netanya to consult directly with government leaders. A standoff between
14181-419: The camps in accordance with your arrangements. You have ten minutes to give me your answer. D.E., Brigade Commander The ultimatum was made, according to Even, "in order not to give the Irgun commander time for lengthy considerations and to gain the advantage of surprise." Begin refused to respond to the ultimatum, and all attempts at mediation failed. Begin's failure to respond was a blow to Even's prestige, and
14344-530: The cargo of military equipment. Concomitantly with the events at Kfar Vitkin, the government had convened in Tel Aviv for its weekly meeting. Ben-Gurion reported on the meetings which had preceded the arrival of the Altalena , and was adamant in his demand that Begin surrender and hand over all of the weapons: We must decide whether to hand over power to Begin or to order him to cease his separate activities. If he does not do so, we will open fire! Otherwise, we must decide to disperse our own army. The debate ended in
14507-458: The cargo. Ben-Gurion agreed to Begin's initial request that 20 percent of the weapons be dispatched to the Irgun's Jerusalem Battalion, which was still fighting independently. His second request that the remainder be transferred to the IDF to equip the newly incorporated Irgun battalions was rejected by the government representatives, who interpreted the request as a demand to reinforce an "army within an army". The Altalena reached Kfar Vitkin in
14670-562: The control over human resources and its placement. National military service is mandatory for all Israeli citizens over the age of 18, although Arab (but not Druze ) citizens are exempted if they so please, and other exceptions may be made on religious, physical or psychological grounds (see Profile 21 ). The Tal law exempted ultra-Orthodox Jews from service. In June 2024, Israel's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Haredi Jews were eligible for compulsory service, ending nearly eight decades of exemption. The army began drafting Haredi men
14833-551: The end of August 1939. Returning to Warsaw afterward, he left three days after the German 1939 invasion began, first to the southwest and then to Wilno . In September 1939, after Germany invaded Poland, Begin, in common with a large part of Warsaw's Jewish leadership, escaped to Wilno (today Vilnius ), then eastern Poland, to avoid inevitable arrest. The town was soon occupied by the Soviet Union , but from 28 October 1939, it
14996-504: The enthusiasm of the Haganah began to wane, and Begin's assumptions were proven correct. The Irgun's restraint also earned it much sympathy from the Yishuv, whereas previously it had been assumed by many that it had placed its own political interests before those of the Yishuv. In the summer of 1945, as it became clear that the British were not planning on establishing a Jewish state and would not allow significant Jewish immigration to Palestine, Jewish public opinion shifted decisively against
15159-411: The establishment as second-class citizens. His open embrace of Judaism stood in stark contrast to the Alignment's secularism, which alienated Mizrahi voters and drew many of them to support Begin, becoming his burgeoning political base. In the years 1974–77 Yitzhak Rabin 's government suffered from instability due to infighting within the labor party (Rabin and Shimon Peres ) and the shift to the right by
15322-504: The exception of five senior commanders (Moshe Hason, Eliyahu Lankin , Yaakov Meridor , Bezalel Amitzur , and Hillel Kook ), who were detained for more than two months, until 27 August, 1948. Eight IDF soldiers who refused to fire on the Altalena were court-martialed for insubordination. Meanwhile, Begin reached his clandestine radio station and ordered his men not to fight back. He called for them to assemble in Jerusalem and continue
15485-492: The face of history would have been different. In 2012, the wreckage of the Altalena was discovered by marine experts hired by the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in a search effort that the Israeli government helped to fund. The search was initially based on Israeli Navy's coordinates on the location where it was sunk, but after failing to turn up results, the search area was expanded. The Altalena
15648-464: The fighters who lost their lives in the incident, implying that Ben-Gurion, Rabin, and the IDF had committed murder. Defense Minister Ehud Barak subsequently demanded that the "severe mishap" be investigated and corrected. Speaker of the Knesset at the time and subsequently president of Israel Reuven Rivlin said at the ceremony that the Altalena Affair was an unatonable crime. Every year,
15811-555: The fighting began, Begin fled to the Altalena in a rowboat, under fire from the corvettes offshore, and Captain Fein maneuvered the Altalena to shield Begin, enabling him to board safely. On shore, the Irgun fighters were compelled to surrender. The IDF suffered two dead and six wounded, while the Irgun suffered six dead and 18 wounded. In order to prevent further bloodshed, the residents of Kfar Vitkin initiated negotiations between Yaakov Meridor (Begin's deputy) and Dan Even which ended in
15974-407: The fire would spread to the holds which contained explosives, Captain Fein ordered all aboard to abandon ship. Passengers jumped into the water, whilst their comrades on shore set out to meet them on rafts. Begin biographer Daniel Gordis writes that although Captain Fein flew the white flag of surrender, automatic fire continued to be directed at the unarmed survivors swimming in the water. Begin, who
16137-598: The following month. Until the draft of July 2015, men served three years in the IDF. Men drafted since July 2015 serve two years and eight months (32 months), with some roles requiring an additional four months of Permanent service. Women serve two years. The IDF women who volunteer for several combat positions often serve for three years, due to the longer period of training. Women in other positions, such as programmers, who also require lengthy training time, may also serve three years. Many Religious Zionist men (and many Modern Orthodox who make Aliyah ) elect to do Hesder ,
16300-451: The formation of the Israel Defense Forces on 26 May 1948. Although Ben-Gurion had no legal authority to issue such an order, the order was made legal by the cabinet on 31 May. The same order called for the disbandment of all other Jewish armed forces. The two other Jewish underground organizations, Irgun and Lehi , agreed to join the IDF if they would be able to form independent units and agreed not to make independent arms purchases. This
16463-671: The founder of the nationalist Revisionist Zionism movement and its youth wing, Betar. His rise within Betar was rapid: at 22, he shared the dais with his mentor at the Betar World Congress in Kraków . The pre-war Polish government actively supported Zionist youth and paramilitary movements. Begin's leadership qualities were quickly recognised. In 1937 he was the active head of Betar in Czechoslovakia and became head of
16626-571: The head of the provisional government, wrote: Yisrael [Galili] and Skolnik [Levi Eshkol] met yesterday with Begin. Tomorrow or the next day their ship is due to arrive: 4,500 tons, bringing 800–900 men, 5,000 rifles , 250 Bren guns , 5 million bullets, 50 bazookas , 10 Bren carriers . Zipstein (director of Tel Aviv port) assumes that at night it will be possible to unload it all. I believe we should not endanger Tel Aviv port. They should not be sent back. They should be disembarked at an unknown shore. Galili informed Begin of Ben-Gurion's consent to
16789-465: The heart of Tel Aviv and took the identity of Dr. Yonah Koenigshoffer, the name he found on an abandoned passport in a library. In the years following the establishment of the State of Israel, the Irgun's contribution to precipitating British withdrawal became a hotly contested debate as different factions vied for control over the emerging narrative of Israeli independence. Begin resented his portrayal as
16952-517: The hostilities over the Altalena Affair , underpinned the political dichotomy between Mapai and Herut. Begin was a keen critic of Mapai, accusing it of coercive Bolshevism and deep-rooted institutional corruption . Drawing on his training as a lawyer in Poland, he preferred wearing a formal suit and tie and evincing the dry demeanor of a legislator to the socialist informality of Mapai, as
17115-557: The independent Irgun, but arrived during the murky period of the Irgun's absorption into the IDF. Nineteen Israelis, three of them IDF soldiers and 16 of them Irgun members were killed in the confrontation. The incident brought the newfound Israel to the brink of civil war. As the British Mandate for Palestine was coming to an end, and following the United Nations General Assembly vote recommending
17278-472: The landing of the ship, adding a request that it be done as quickly as possible. Zippora Levi-Kessel then radioed the vessel to come in at full speed. The following day, a working meeting was held between Irgun representatives and Defense Ministry personnel. While the Irgun proposed directing the Altalena to Tel Aviv beach, Defense Ministry representatives claimed that Kfar Vitkin beach was preferable, as it would be easier to evade UN observers there. The ship
17441-634: The largest branch, that of Poland. As head of Betar's Polish branch, Begin traveled among regional branches to encourage supporters and recruit new members. To save money, he stayed at the homes of Betar members. During one such visit, he met his future wife Aliza Arnold , who was the daughter of his host. The couple married on 29 May 1939. They had three children: Binyamin , Leah and Hassia. Living in Warsaw in Poland, Begin encouraged Betar to set up an organization to bring Polish Jews to Palestine. He unsuccessfully attempted to smuggle 1,500 Jews into Romania at
17604-403: The late afternoon of Sunday, 20 June, greeted by Menachem Begin and a group of Irgun members on shore. Irgun sympathizers from the nearby town of Netanya and residents of the fishing village of Mikhmoret gathered on the beach to help unload the cargo. After the ship dropped anchor, 940 passengers disembarked and were taken to an army camp for induction into the IDF. Arms were unloaded throughout
17767-570: The leader of the Revisionist stream of Zionism. During the 1950s, Begin was banned from entering the United Kingdom , as the British government regarded him as "leader of the notorious terrorist organisation Irgun." Begin's disappointment at the result of the 1951 Israeli legislative election , in which Herut lost six of its 14 seats, led Begin to resign as Herut leader in August 1951, and naming Aryeh Ben-Eliezer as his successor. Despite sending
17930-502: The left shoulder strap and shirt pocket, and a pin indicating the soldier's work type. The military service is held in three different tracks: Sometimes the IDF would also hold pre-military courses (קורס קדם צבאי or קד"צ) for soon-to-be regular service soldiers. The Israeli Manpower Directorate ( Hebrew : אגף משאבי אנוש ) at the Israeli General Staff is the body which coordinates and assembles activities related to
18093-572: The local diamond industry. In 1944, after Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Resident Minister in the Middle East, the official Jewish authorities, fearing British retaliation, ordered the Haganah to undertake a campaign of collaboration with the British. Known as The Hunting Season , the campaign seriously crippled the Irgun for several months, while Lehi, having agreed to suspend their anti-British attacks,
18256-427: The madei bet is in olive drab . The dress uniforms may also exhibit a surface shine The service uniform for all ground forces personnel is olive green ; navy and air force uniforms are beige / tan (also once worn by the ground forces). The uniforms consist of a two-pocket shirt, combat trousers , sweater , jacket or blouse, and shoes or boots. The navy also has an all-white dress uniform. The green fatigues are
18419-468: The main political factions in Israel, and is still occasionally referenced in Israeli media to illustrate the current debate as to whether or not the use of force by the Israeli government against fringe Jewish political elements is legitimate. Proponents of Ben-Gurion's actions praised them as essential to establishing the government's authority and discouraging factionalism and formation of rival armies. This
18582-493: The means at my disposal in order to implement the order and to requisition the weapons which have reached shore and transfer them from private possession into the possession of the Israel government. I wish to inform you that the entire area is surrounded by fully armed military units and armored cars, and all roads are blocked. I hold you fully responsible for any consequences in the event of your refusal to carry out this order. The immigrants – unarmed – will be permitted to travel to
18745-489: The means at my disposal in order to implement the order and to requisition the weapons which have reached shore and transfer them from private possession into the possession of the Israel government. I wish to inform you that the entire area is surrounded by fully armed military units and armored cars, and all roads are blocked. I hold you fully responsible for any consequences in the event of your refusal to carry out this order. The immigrants—unarmed—will be permitted to travel to
18908-478: The much more consequential (but falsely-claimed "first" such organization), Bar-Giora , founded in September 1907. Bar-Giora was transformed into Hashomer in April 1909, which operated until the British Mandate of Palestine came into being in 1920. Hashomer was an elitist organization with a narrow scope and was mainly created to protect against criminal gangs seeking to steal property. The Zion Mule Corps and
19071-412: The name "Israel Defense Forces" ( Hebrew : צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל ), Tzva HaHagana LeYisra'el , literally "the army for the defence of Israel," on 26 May 1948. The other main contender was Tzva Yisra'el ( Hebrew : צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל ). The name was chosen because it conveyed the idea that the army's role was defence and incorporated the name Haganah , the pre-state defensive organization upon which
19234-735: The new army was based. Among the primary opponents of the name were Minister Haim-Moshe Shapira and the Hatzohar party, both in favor of Tzva Yisra'el . The IDF traces its roots to Jewish paramilitary organizations in the New Yishuv , starting with the Second Aliyah (1904 to 1914). There had been several such organizations, or in part even older date, such as the "Mahane Yehuda" mounted guards company founded by Michael Halperin in 1891 (see Ness Ziona ), HaMagen (1915–17), HaNoter (1912–13; see Zionism: Pre-state self-defense ), and
19397-592: The night. In all, 2,000 rifles, two million rounds of ammunition, 3,000 shells, and 200 Bren guns were unloaded at Kfar Vitkin. Concomitantly with the events at Kfar Vitkin, the government had convened in Tel Aviv for its weekly meeting. Ben-Gurion reported on the meetings which had preceded the arrival of the Altalena and was adamant that Begin hand over the weapons: We must decide whether to hand over power to Begin or to order him to cease his separate activities. If he does not do so, we will open fire! Otherwise, we must decide to disperse our own army. The debate ended in
19560-470: The official translations of the IDF's website. Conscripts ( Hogrim ) (Conscript ranks may be gained purely on time served) Warrant Officers ( Nagadim ) Academic officers ( Ktzinim Akadema'im ) Officers ( Ktzinim ) The Israel Defense Forces has several types of uniforms: The first two resemble each other but the Madei Alef is made of higher quality materials in a golden olive while
19723-529: The party his resignation letter and going abroad to Europe, the party's national council voted instead to make Ben-Eliezer deputy chairman and grant Begin a six month leave of absence , while re-electing him as party chairman. Begin did not return to public life until January 1952, prompted to do so by the growing debate around the Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany as well as by Ben-Eliezer being hospitalized due to
19886-412: The plot. Chancellor Adenauer decided to keep secret the involvement of Israeli opposition party members in the plot, thus avoiding Israeli embarrassment and a likely backlash. The five Irgun conspirators were later extradited from both France and Germany, without charge, and sent back to Israel. Forty years after the assassination attempt, Begin was implicated as the organizer of the assassination attempt in
20049-717: The political center. His 1977 electoral victory and premiership ended three decades of Labor Party political dominance. Begin's most significant achievement as Prime Minister was the signing of a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, for which he and Anwar Sadat shared the Nobel Prize for Peace . In the wake of the Camp David Accords , the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula , which had been captured from Egypt in
20212-453: The possibility of a Jordanian takeover of Jerusalem. Deputy Chief of Staff General Henri Coudraux, who was involved in the operation, told a 1949 inquiry that France had "reached a secret agreement with the Irgun, which promised it advantages if it were to come into power [in Israel]." He described the Irgun's representative in the negotiations, Shmuel Ariel, as "a terrorist who did not represent
20375-879: The region as well as the role of the IDF. In the following years leading up to the Yom Kippur War , the IDF fought in the War of Attrition against Egypt in the Sinai and a border war against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Jordan , culminating in the Battle of Karameh . The surprise of the Yom Kippur War and its aftermath completely changed the IDF's procedures and approach to warfare. Organizational changes were made and more time
20538-464: The river. His mother and his elder brother Herzl also were murdered in the Holocaust. Begin quickly made a name for himself as a fierce critic of the dominant Zionist leadership for being too cooperative with the British, and argued that the only way to save the Jews of Europe, who were facing extermination, was to compel the British to leave so that a Jewish state could be established. In 1942 he joined
20701-404: The same for winter and summer and heavy winter gear is issued as needed. Women's dress parallels the men's but may substitute a skirt for trousers and a blouse for a shirt. Headgear included a service cap for dress and semi-dress and a field cap or "Kova raful" bush hat worn with fatigues. Many IDF personnel once wore the tembel as a field hat. IDF personnel generally wear berets instead of
20864-515: The second-in-command of the Army, issued Begin with a "leave of absence without an expiration" which gave Begin official permission to stay in Palestine. In December 1942 he left Anders's Army and joined the Irgun. During the Holocaust , Begin's father was among the 5,000 Brest Jews rounded up by the Nazis at the end of June 1941. Instead of being sent to a forced labor camp, they were shot or drowned in
21027-588: The service cap and there are many beret colours issued to IDF personnel. Paratroopers are issued a maroon beret, Golani brown, Givati purple, Nahal lime green, Kfir camouflage, Combat Engineers grey, navy blue for IDF Naval and dark grey for IDF Air Force personnel. In combat uniforms, the Orlite helmet has replaced the British Brodie helmet Mark II/Mark III , RAC Mk II modified helmet with chin web jump harness (used by paratroopers and similar to
21190-497: The ship); six were killed in the Kfar Vitkin area and ten on Tel Aviv beach. Three IDF soldiers were killed: two at Kfar Vitkin and one in Tel Aviv. After the shelling of the Altalena , more than 200 Irgun fighters were arrested. Most of them were released several weeks later, with the exception of five senior commanders (Moshe Hason, Eliyahu Lankin , Yaakov Meridor , Bezalel Amitzur , and Hillel Kook ), who were detained for more than two months, until 27 August 1948. Begin agreed
21353-439: The ship, and employed heavy machine guns with armor-piercing rounds. Some soldiers refused to open fire on the Altalena , including a Palmach soldier whose brother, an Irgun officer, was on board. Menachem Begin, hoping to avert civil war, ordered his men not to shoot back, and the ship raised the white flag. However, the firing continued, and some Irgun members on board reportedly returned fire. The Israeli corvettes also fired at
21516-520: The territories; but by all opinion, most of them." In 1973, Begin agreed to a plan by Ariel Sharon to form a larger bloc of opposition parties, made up from Gahal, the Free Centre , and other smaller groups. They came through with a tenuous alliance called the Likud ("Consolidation"). In the elections held later that year, two months after the Yom Kippur War , the Likud won a considerable share of
21679-503: The tremendous public opposition to keeping troops in Palestine it generated among the British public was later cited by British officials as a major factor in Britain's decision to evacuate Palestine. In December 1947, immediately following the UN partition vote, the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine broke out between the Yishuv and Palestinian Arabs. The Irgun fought together with
21842-493: The votes, though with 39 seats still remained in opposition. Yet the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War saw ensuing public disenchantment with the Alignment. Voices of criticism about the government's misconduct of the war gave rise to growing public resentment. Personifying the antithesis to the Alignment's socialist ethos, Begin appealed to many Mizrahi Israelis, mostly first and second generation Jewish refugees from Arab countries , who felt they were continuously being treated by
22005-468: The wake of the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty , the IDF underwent a significant strategic realignment. Previously spread across various fronts— Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—the IDF redirected its focus towards southern Lebanon and its occupation of the Palestinian territories (the Gaza Strip and
22168-448: The water, whilst their comrades on shore set out to meet them on rafts. Although Captain Fein flew the white flag of surrender, automatic fire continued to be directed at the unarmed survivors swimming in the water. Begin, who was on deck, agreed to leave the ship only after the last of the wounded had been evacuated. Sixteen Irgun fighters were killed in the confrontation with the army (all but three were veteran members and not newcomers in
22331-588: Was accused of being an "agent of British imperialism " and sentenced to eight years in the Soviet gulag camps. On 1 June 1941 he was sent to the Pechora labor camps in Komi Republic, the northern part of European Russia. Much later in life, Begin recorded and reflected upon his experiences in the interrogations and life in the camp in his memoir White Nights . In July 1941, just after Germany attacked
22494-411: Was agreement on the anchoring place of the Altalena , there were differences of opinion about the allocation of the cargo. Ben-Gurion agreed to Begin's initial request that 20% of the weapons be dispatched to the Irgun's Jerusalem Battalion , which was still fighting independently. His second request, however, that the remainder be transferred to the IDF to equip the newly incorporated Irgun battalions,
22657-521: Was an Israeli politician, founder of both Herut and Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of Israel . Before the creation of the state of Israel , he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun , the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah . He proclaimed a revolt , on 1 February 1944, against the British mandatory government , which was opposed by
22820-505: Was an escalation of their pro-Arab policy, he decided to break with the official institutions and launch an armed rebellion against British rule, in cooperation with Lehi , another breakaway Zionist group. Begin had also carefully studied the tactics of the Indian independence movement . Even more importantly, during multiple meetings with Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin and senior IRA veteran Robert Briscoe , who jokingly described himself as
22983-409: Was consistent with other actions he took, such as dissolving the Palmach later that year. Furthermore, Ben-Gurion's supporters have argued that a state must have a monopoly over the use of force. The Irgun, by attempting to import weapons to use as a private militia , was undermining the legitimacy of the fledgling State of Israel. Opponents condemned what they saw as unnecessary violence. The debate
23146-557: Was dedicated to training for conventional warfare . However, in the following years the army's role slowly shifted again to low-intensity conflict, urban warfare and counter-terrorism . An example of the latter was the successful 1976 Operation Entebbe commando raid to free hijacked airline passengers being held captive in Uganda . During this era, the IDF also mounted a successful bombing mission in Iraq to destroy its nuclear reactor. It
23309-541: Was erected in the Nahalat Yitzhak Cemetery in Givatayim in 1998. The official government memorial ceremony for the victims is held annually on the cemetery grounds. The ceremony is primarily attended by relatives of the victims and political personalities identified with Israel's national camp. In 2011, invitations circulated by Israel's Ministry of Defense used the word murdered in reference to
23472-412: Was eventually found sitting on the seabed several kilometers off the coast of Rishon LeZion at a depth of about 300 metres (1,000 ft). A sonar survey confirmed the ship's identity. The Israeli government subsequently announced plans to raise the wreck and install it on dry land as a monument. The first memorial to the sixteen Irgun fighters and three IDF soldiers killed in the Altalena sinking
23635-492: Was granted a visa in 1972, five years prior to becoming prime minister. Begin was elected to the first Knesset , as head of Herut , the party he founded, and was at first on the political fringe, embodying the opposition to the Mapai -led government and Israeli establishment. He remained in opposition in the eight consecutive elections (except for a national unity government around the Six-Day War ), but became more acceptable to
23798-412: Was his duty to obey orders. Threatened with a court-martial if he did not fire, Daleski reluctantly complied. One of the shells hit the ship, and it began to burn. Yitzhak Rabin commanded the IDF and Palmach forces on the shore. Yigal Allon later claimed that five or six shells were fired as warning shots, and hit the ship by accident. IDF troops on the shore also directed heavy small-arms fire towards
23961-644: Was involved in the Lebanese Civil War , initiating Operation Litani and later the 1982 Lebanon War , where the IDF ousted Palestinian guerrilla organizations from Lebanon . For twenty-five years the IDF maintained a security zone inside South Lebanon with their allies the South Lebanon Army . Palestinian militancy has been the main focus of the IDF ever since, especially during the First and Second Intifadas , Operation Defensive Shield ,
24124-462: Was on deck, agreed to leave the ship only after the last of the wounded had been evacuated. Although civil war appeared imminent, a cease-fire was arranged by the evening of 22 June. Mass arrests were carried out against Irgun soldiers who had joined their former comrades, and Irgun units in the IDF were disbanded, with their soldiers dispersed among other units. In all, more than 200 Irgun members were arrested. Most were released several weeks later, with
24287-527: Was originally intended to reach Israel on 15 May 1948, loaded with fighters and military equipment. Weapons valued at 153 million francs were donated by the French government, in accordance with a secret agreement approved by French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault . The exact text of the agreement has not been found, and the French motivation is unclear. However, it is known that Bidault was very concerned about
24450-595: Was out to steal Jabotinsky's mantle and ran against him with the old party. The Herut party can be seen as the forerunner of today's Likud . In November 1948, Begin visited the US on a campaigning trip. During his visit, a letter signed by Albert Einstein , Sidney Hook , Hannah Arendt , and other prominent Americans and several rabbis was published which described Begin's Herut party as "terrorist, right-wing chauvinist organization in Palestine," "closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to
24613-517: Was planning a military coup. According to the book Altalena by journalist and political analyst Shlomo Nakdimon [ he ] , Ben-Gurion instructed the Israeli Air Force to sink the ship on the high seas, long before it approached the shore. This would have resulted in much greater loss of life aboard. Gordon Levett , a Mahal volunteer pilot, wrote in his book Flying Under Two Flags that Heiman Shamir, deputy commander of
24776-502: Was reignited for a short time when Likud headed by Menachem Begin won the 1977 elections . Begin later said, "My greatest accomplishment was not retaliating and causing civil war ." Years later, on the eve of the Six-Day War , in June 1967 (when Levi Eshkol was prime minister ), Menachem Begin joined a delegation which visited Sde Boker to ask David Ben-Gurion to return and accept the premiership again. After that meeting, Ben-Gurion said that if he had then known Begin as he did now,
24939-472: Was rejected by the Government representatives, who interpreted the request as a demand to reinforce an "army within an army." The Altalena reached Kfar Vitkin in the late afternoon of Sunday, 20 June. Among the Irgun members waiting on the shore was Menachem Begin, who greeted the arrivals with great emotion. After the passengers had disembarked, members of the fishing village of Mikhmoret helped unload
25102-480: Was sent to the Irgun command in Israel, for fear that it would fall into the wrong hands. These precautionary measures proved fruitless, however, and the following day the BBC reported that the Altalena had sailed from Port-de-Bouc , France , in the direction of Israel with 940 Jewish volunteers and a large quantity of weapons on board. The first truce in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War had also begun on 11 June and when
25265-456: Was spared. Begin, anxious to prevent a civil war, ordered his men not to retaliate or resist being taken captive, convinced that the Irgun could ride out the Season, and that the Jewish Agency would eventually side with the Irgun when it became apparent the British government had no intention of making concessions. Gradually, shamed at participating in what was viewed as a collaborationist campaign,
25428-476: Was systematically delegitimized by the ruling party, and was often personally derided by Ben-Gurion who refused to either speak to or refer to him by name. Ben-Gurion famously coined the phrase 'without Herut and Maki ' (Maki was the communist party ), referring to his refusal to consider them for coalition, effectively pushing both parties and their voters beyond the margins of political consensus. The personal animosity between Ben-Gurion and Begin, going back to
25591-413: Was the background for the Altalena Affair , a confrontation surrounding weapons purchased by the Irgun resulting in a standoff between Irgun members and the newly created IDF. The affair came to an end when Altalena , the ship carrying the arms, was shelled by the IDF. Following the affair, all independent Irgun and Lehi units were either disbanded or merged into the IDF. The Palmach, a leading component of
25754-418: Was the capital of the Republic of Lithuania. Wilno was a predominately Polish and Jewish town; an estimated 40 percent of the population was Jewish, with the YIVO institute located there. As a prominent pre-war Zionist and reserve status officer-cadet, on 20 September 1940, Begin was arrested by the NKVD and detained in the Lukiškės Prison . In later years he wrote about his experience of being tortured. He
25917-409: Was the smoking gun Britain would need to urge the UN to end the partition action. Intense negotiations between representatives of the provisional government (headed by Ben-Gurion) and the Irgun (headed by Begin) followed the departure of Altalena from France. Among the issues discussed were logistics of the ship's landing and distribution of the cargo between the military organizations. Whilst there
26080-445: Was then Brest-Litovsk in the Russian Empire (today Brest , Belarus ). He was the youngest of three children. On his mother's side he was descended from distinguished rabbis. His father, a timber merchant, was a community leader, a passionate Zionist , and an admirer of Theodor Herzl . The midwife who attended his birth was the grandmother of Ariel Sharon . After a year of a traditional cheder education Begin started studying at
26243-434: Was therefore instructed to make for Kfar Vitkin. Intense negotiations between representatives of the provisional government (headed by Ben-Gurion) and the Irgun (headed by Begin) followed the departure of the Altalena from France. Among the issues discussed were logistics of its landing and distribution of the cargo. Whilst there was agreement on the anchoring place of the Altalena , there were differences of opinion about
26406-420: Was too strong to challenge directly and concentrated on winning control over the party organization. They won overwhelming victories in all votes for the composition of party institutions. Begin responded to these challenges by announcing his retirement as party chairman and suggesting he would also resign seat in the Knesset. Begin's move mobilized delegates in support of him, but the party convention ended without
26569-473: Was willing to be executed for insubordination and this would be "the best thing he did in his life." At this, his superior, Nathan Plotnik, ordered him to be imprisoned to await a court-martial for insubordination. Then Hillel Daleski, a recent immigrant from South Africa , initially protested, telling Shmuel Admon, the commander of the IDF Artillery Corps, that "I didn't come to the Land of Israel to fight against Jews." However, his superior yelled at him that it
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