Jewish History         

---

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jewish history  is the history of the Jewish people, faith, and culture. Since Jewish history encompasses nearly four thousand years and hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes. Additional information can be found in the main articles listed below, and in the specific country histories listed in this article.

 Main article: History of ancient Israel and Judah

 Ancient Israelites

For the first two periods the history of the Jews is mainly that of the Fertile Crescent. It begins among those peoples which occupied the area lying between the Nile river on the one side and the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers on the other. Surrounded by ancient seats of culture in Egypt and Babylonia, by the deserts of Arabia, and by the highlands of Asia Minor, the land of Canaan (later known as Israel, then at various times Judah, Coele-Syria, Judea, Palestine, the Levant, and finally Israel again) was a meeting place of civilizations. The land was traversed by old-established trade routes and possessed important harbors on the Gulf of Akaba and on the Mediterranean coast, the latter exposing it to the influence of other cultures of the Fertile Crescent.

Traditionally Jews around the world claim descent mostly from the ancient Israelites (also known as Hebrews), who settled in the land of Israel. The Israelites traced their common lineage to the biblical patriarch Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Jewish tradition holds that the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons (one of whom was named Judah), who settled in Egypt. Their direct descendants respectively divided into twelve tribes, who were enslaved under the rule of an Egyptian pharaoh, often identified as Ramses II. In the Jewish faith, the emigration of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan (the Exodus), led by the prophet Moses, marks the formation of the Israelites as a people.

 

1759 map of the tribal allotments of Israel

Jewish tradition and the Bible (Genesis through Malachi) has it that after forty one years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites arrived to Canaan and conquered it under the command of Joshua, dividing the land among the twelve tribes. For a period of time, the united twelve tribes were led by a series of rulers known as Judges. After this period, an Israelite monarchy was established under Saul, and continued under King David and Solomon. King David conquered Jerusalem (first a Canaanite, then a Jebusite town) and made it his capital. After Solomon's reign the nation split into two kingdoms, Israel, consisting of ten of the tribes (in the north), and Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (in the south). Israel was conquered by the Assyrian ruler Shalmaneser V in the 8th century BCE. There is no commonly accepted historical record of those ten tribes, which are sometimes referred to as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.

 The diaspora

Main article: Jewish diaspora

Many of the Judaean Jews were sold into slavery while others became citizens of other parts of the Roman Empire. The book of Acts in the New Testament, as well as other Pauline texts, make frequent reference to the large populations of Hellenised Jews in the cities of the Roman world. These Hellenised Jews were only affected by the diaspora in its spiritual sense, absorbing the feeling of loss and homelessness which became a cornerstone of the Jewish creed, much supported by persecutions in various parts of the world. The policy towards proselytism and conversion to Judaism, which spread the Jewish religion throughout the Hellenistic civilization, seems to have ended with the wars against the Romans and the following reconstruction of Jewish values for the post-Temple era.

Of critical importance to the reshaping of Jewish tradition from the Temple-based religion to the traditions of the Diaspora, was the development of the interpretations of the Torah found in the Mishnah and Talmud.

 Land of Israel

Main article: History of the Jews in the Land of Israel

In spite of the failure of the Bar Kokhba revolt, Jews remained in the land of Israel in significant numbers. The Jews who stayed in Palestine went through numerous experiences and armed conflicts against consecutive occupiers of the Land. Some of the most famous and important Jewish texts were composed in Israeli cities at this time. The Jerusalem Talmud, the completion of the Mishnahand the system of niqqud are examples.

---

History of the State of Israel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The State of Israel (Hebrew: מדינת ישראל‎, Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after thousands of years of Jewish dispersal. The Zionist enterprise, with its goal of creating a Jewish national home in Eretz Yisrael, was set in motion by Theodor Herzl in 1897, at the First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland.

Historical background

Main articles: Jewish history, Land of Israel, History of the Jews in the Land of Israel

Jewish ties to Israel before the formation of the Zionist movement

Evidence of a Jewish presence in Israel dates back 3,400 years, to the formation of the religion. The name "Jews" derives from their origin in Judah. Over the course of this long history, the Jews have several times been dispersed and then returned from exile, buttressed by the remarkable power and influence of their holy book, The Tanakh (the Old Testament).

The yearning to return to Eretz Yisrael became a universal Jewish theme after the Jewish-Roman wars, which saw the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in the year 70 CE and the subsequent exile of the Jews. A second Jewish revolt in 135 led to the renaming of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina and Judah became known as Palestine until the Crusades. With the destruction of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th century, the British restored the use of the name "Palestine", however the creation of the Jewish state of Israel means that the name used for the territory may vary.

Jews continued to see the Land of Israel as their spiritual home and the Promised Land. While their numbers were smaller, there has never been a time over the last three millennia when there were no Jews in Eretz Yisrael. For generations, however, the theme of the ingathering of the exiles and the re-establishment of the kingdom of Israel was religious in tone due to the belief that the Jewish people would return to Zion with the coming of the Messiah, i.e., through divine intervention. Some Jewish leaders proposed or attempted to return, but they were a minority.

The Crusades were devastating for the Jewish presence in Palestine. Jews were massacred, burnt alive or sold into slavery. The murder of Jews began during the Crusaders' travels across Europe and continued in the [Holy Land]. ^After the Arab reconquest in the thirteenth century, Sultan Baybars ravished the land to ensure it could not sustain a large population and would not be attractive to invaders. It remained poor under the Ottomans, who took over in the 16th century and ruled it until the 20th.

Between the 13th and 19th centuries, the number of those who made the aliyah (literally "ascent", Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel) rose mainly due to the resurgence of messianic fervor among the Jews of Spain, France, Italy, the Germanic states, Russia and North Africa. During this period, Jewish immigration was also spurred by a general decline in the status of Jews across Europe and an increase in religious persecution. The expulsion of Jews from England (1290) France (1391), Austria (1421) and Spain (the Alhambra decree 1492) were seen by many as a sign of approaching redemption and contributed to the messianic spirit of the time.

By the mid-19th century, the Land of Israel was a part of the Ottoman Empire and a province of Syria, populated mostly by Muslim and Christian Arabs, as well as Jews, Greeks, Druze, Bedouins and other minorities. By 1844, Jews constituted the largest population group (and by 1890 an absolute majority) in a few cities, most notably Jerusalem (although as a whole, the Jewish population made up far less than 10% of the total).

 1897-1917: The Zionist Revolution

Main articles: Zionism, Aliyah, and May Laws

During the 19th century the spread of Enlightenment ideals across Europe led to the emancipation of Jews across the continent. It also led to a counter-reaction of Europeans who sought to prevent Jews from being granted citizenship and who saw them as alien, non-European community. Opponents of Jewish civil rights called themselves antisemites and became increasingly well organized as the century wore on. In Tzarist Russia, the government actively encouraged pogroms in an effort to divert popular resentment at the government and to drive out the Jewish population.

Among the millions of Jews who fled Russia, a small section headed for Palestine. Mikveh Israel was founded in 1870 by Alliance Israelite Universelle, followed by Petah Tikva (1878), Rishon LeZion (1882), and other agricultural communities founded by the members of Bilu and Hovevei Zion.

Growing antisemitism, pogroms and the birth of new nations across Europe led to an increase in the number of Jews who considered the possibility of re-establishing themselves as an independent nation. Support for pogroms from left-wing groups (as "legitimate expressions of working class anger") and the desire to preserve their identity, led some socialist Jews to seek solutions within their own community.

In 1897, the First Zionist Congress proclaimed the decision "to establish a home for the Jewish people in Eretz-Israel secured under public law." The movement made little political progress before the First World War and was regarded with suspicion by the Ottoman rulers of the Holy Land.

Not only religious Jews were drawn to Zionism but also secular nationalists and secular left-wing socialists who aimed to reclaim the land by working on it and who formed socialist collectives. This was accompanied by Revival of the Hebrew language.

During the First World War, in December 1916, Lloyd George, a committed Christian Zionist, was made British Prime Minister. Lloyd George ordered an invasion of the Levant, including Israel.

Lloyd George's initiative and British desire to gain Jewish support in the fight against Germany led to his foreign minister, Lord Balfour making the Balfour Declaration of 1917. This stated that the British Government "view[ed] with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people"..."it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

The British invasion force, led by General Allenby, included a force of Jewish volunteers (mostly Zionists), known as the Jewish Legion

1948: War of independence and statehood

See also: Declaration of Independence (Israel), 1947-1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine, and 1948 Arab-Israeli War

1948 Arab-Israeli War
Part of the Arab-Israeli conflict
David Ben Gurion (First Prime Minister of Israel) publicly pronouncing the Declaration of the State of Israel, May 14, 1948. Tel Aviv, Israel, beneath a large portrait of Theodore Herzl, founder of modern political Zionism.
Date November 1947–March 1949 Location Middle East Result Israeli victory, Tactical and strategic Arab failure, 1949 Armistice Agreements Territorial changes State of Israel established from captured territories, Jordanian occupation of West Bank, Egyptian occupation of the Gaza Strip
Combatants
Israel Haganah Irgun Palmach Foreign Volunteers	Egypt,  Syria,  Transjordan,   Lebanon,  Iraq,  Saudi Arabia,  Yemen,  Holy War Army,  Arab Liberation Army
Commanders
Yaakov Dori,  Yigael Yadin	John Bagot Glubb,  Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni,  Hasan Salama,  Fawzi Al-Qawuqji,  Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi
Strength
Israel: 29,677 initially rising to 115,000 by March 1949	Egypt: 10,000 initially rising to 20,000  Iraq: 5,000 initially rising to 15–18,000  Syria: 2,500–5,000  Transjordan: 6,000–12,000   Lebanon: 1,000 initially rising to 2,000   Saudi Arabia: 800–1,200  Yemen: unknown  Arab Liberation Army: 3,500-6,000
Casualties and losses
6,373 KIA (4,000 troops and about 2,400 civilians)	Unknown (between 10,000 and 15,000)

The requirement for Britain to implement the UN's Resolution on Palestine proved the catalyst for British withdrawal. Concerned that implementation of the division would severly damage Anglo-Arab/Muslim relations, Britain resolved to resign its mandate over Palestine and withdraw, a conclusion endorsed by the British Cabinet on September 29, 1947. The date of depature was fixed for May 1948.

Fighting began before the formal British departure. Estimates for the number of fighters on each side vary between historians and in the early stages of the conflict most fighters were part-time volunteers. The number of men under arms was not static but grew as the conflict progressed. The number of Palestinian fighters is hard to estimate, but is estimated at around 10,000. By May 1948 the number of Yishuv fighters was around 30,000.  According to Morris 'By April-May the Haganah was conducting brigade-size offensives, [...] by mid-May it had thoroughly beaten the Palestinian militias and their foreign auxiliaries.

On May 14, 1948, the last British forces left Haifa, and the Jewish Agency, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the creation of the State of Israel, in accordance with the 1947 UN Partition Plan. U.S. President Harry S. Truman immediately recognized the new state, followed hours later by Soviet premier Joseph Stalin. Arab League members Egypt, TransJordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq declared war and announced their rejection of the UN partition decision. They claimed the right of self-determination for the Arabs of Palestine over the whole of Palestine and charged that a quarter of a million Arabs had fled Palestine due to 'Zionist aggression. They were joined by Saudi-Arabia and Yemen.

On the northern front, the Syrian army was blocked in Deganya. The Jordanian 'Arab Legion', commanded by British officers, refrained from invading Israeli territory and focussed on occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Iraqis held an area adjacent to the modern West-Bank but did little else. On the Southern front, Haganah forces managed to block the invading Egyptian armies in the Ashdod area, and Irgun forces halted the Egyptians advancing on Jerusalem, at Ramat Rachel.

On May 29, 1948 the British initiated United Nations Security Council Resolution 50 and declared an arms embargo on the region. However Soviet-controlled Czechoslovakia violated it. This was critical in allowing the Jewish state to acquire military hardware to match that available to the invading Arab states.

In early June, the UN declared a month-long truce. Large numbers of Jewish immigrants, many of them World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors began arriving, and many joined the newly-created Israel Defense Forces (IDF). When the fighting resumed, Israel gained the upper hand.

In March 1949, after many months of battle, a permanent ceasefire went into effect and Israel's interim borders, later known as the Green Line, were established. Following the ceasefire declaration, Britain released over 2,000 Jewish prisoners it was holding on Cyprus and recognized the state of Israel. On May 11, 1949, when the war ended, Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations.

The war for Israel's Independence was the costliest in its history. Out of a Jewish population of 650,000, some 6,000 men and women were killed in the fighting, including 4,000 soldiers in the IDF. The exact number of Arab losses is unknown but the estimates ranged from 10,000 to 15,000 people.

According to United Nations figures, 711,000 Palestinians left Israeli-controlled territory in 1948 and 1949. From his study of the Israeli archives, Benny Morris discovered that the main direct cause of this exodus was military attacks by the Haganah and the IDF. He also confirmed former revelations that after the first truce, the IDF proceeded to massive expulsions of Arabs during operations Dani and Hiram. These conclusions of Morris are now widely accepted among scholars. Morris also concluded the exodus was «made by war, not by design», but there still remains a controversy whether or not there was an official or unofficial policy behind these expulsions and whether this policy was applied as early as April 1948 or even December 1947.

As a result of the war of 1948 and the birth of Israel, several hundreds of thousands of Jews fled Arab lands, and most of them settled in Israel.

The new state established a 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, which first met in Tel Aviv but moved to Jerusalem after the 1949 ceasefire. In January 1949, Israel held its first elections. The first President of Israel was Chaim Weizmann.  David Ben-Gurion was elected prime minister.

From 1948 until 1977 all governments were led by Mapai and the Alignment, predecessors of the Labour Party. Early on, a religious status quo agreement was reached between Ben-Gurion and the Rabbinate. One component of the agreement was the exemption of yeshiva students from military service.

---

IDF -  Israel Defense Forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Emblem of the IDF

The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל‎ Tzva HaHagana LeYisrael, "Defense Military of Israel", commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym צה"ל, pronounced Tzahal), is Israel's military forces, comprising the Israeli Army,  Air Force  and  Sea Corps.

Main article: History of the Israel Defense Forces

The IDF was founded May 26, 1948 after the establishment of the state of Israel "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life". The IDF succeeded the Haganah (in particular, its operational branch, the Palmach) as the permanent army of the Jewish state. It was also joined by former elements of the Jewish Brigade that fought under the British flag during World War II.

After the establishment of the IDF the two Jewish underground organizations the Etzel and Lehi joined with the IDF in a loose confederation but were allowed to operate independently in some sectors until the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, after which these two organizations were disbanded, and their members integrated into the IDF. The modern IDF came into existence during the period from 1949 to 1956 by experience gained through regional conflicts with their Arab neighbours. From 1956 to 1966, the IDF faced less conflict and used this time to purchase new equipment and change from an upstart army to a professional fighting force. As well, this period allegedly saw Israel develop its nuclear capability. Following these developments, the IDF increasingly emerged as one of the most powerful and modern military forces in the world recognized by many as "The Modern Sparta".

Israeli military technology

The IDF possesses top-of-the-line weapons and computer systems used and recognized worldwide; some of it American-made are indigenously modified and upgraded to match IDF battle standards (such as the M4A1 assault rifle, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon  jets and Apache helicopter). Israel also has developed its own independent weapons industry, which has developed weapons and vehicles such as the Merkava battle tank series, Kfir fighter aircraft, and various small arms such as the Galil and Tavor assault rifles and the Uzi submachine gun.

The IDF also has several large internal research and development departments, and it purchases many technologies produced by the Israeli security industries including IAI, IMI, Elbit, El-Op, Rafael, Soltam and dozens of smaller firms. Many of these developments have been battle-tested in Israel's numerous military engagements, making the relationship mutually beneficial, the IDF getting tailor-made solutions and the industries a very high repute.

 Main Israeli developments

 

An Israeli Merkava main battle tank.

Israel's military technology is most famous for its guns, armored fighting vehicles (tanks, tank-converted APCs, armoured bulldozers, etc.) and rocketry (missiles and rockets). Israel also designs and in some cases it has manufactured aircraft (Kfir, Lavi; both discontinued) and naval systems (patrol and missile ships). Much of the IDF's electronic systems (intelligence, communication, command and control, navigation etc.) are Israeli-developed, including many systems installed on foreign platforms (esp. aircraft, tanks and submarines). So are many of its precision-guided munitions.

Israel is the only country in the world with an operational anti-ballistic missile defense system ("Hetz", Arrow, developed with funding and technology from the United States), though an operational system is in place protecting the Moscow area. Israel has also worked with the U.S. on development of a tactical high energy laser system against medium range rockets (called Nautilus or THEL).

Israel has the independent capability of launching reconnaissance satellites into orbit (a capability which only Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the People's Republic of China, India and Japan hold). Both the satellites (Ofeq) and the launchers (Shavit) were developed by the Israeli security industries.

Israel has also recently purchased the brand new APC, The Wolf Armoured Vehicle, to be used in urban warfare and to protect an official.

---

IDF - Code of Conduct

In 1992, the IDF drafted a Code of Conduct that is a combination of international law, Israeli law, Jewish heritage and the IDF's own traditional ethical code - Ruach Tzahal רוח צה"ל ("The Spirit of the IDF ").

The Stated Values of the IDF

• Tenacity of Purpose in Performing Missions and Drive to Victory - "The IDF servicemen and women will fight and conduct themselves with courage in the face of all dangers and obstacles; They will persevere in their missions resolutely and thoughtfully even to the point of endangering their lives."

• Responsibility - "The IDF servicemen or women will see themselves as active participants in the defense of the state, its citizens and residents. They will carry out their duties at all times with initiative, involvement and diligence with common sense and within the framework of their authority, while prepared to bear responsibility for their conduct."

• Credibility - "The IDF servicemen and women shall present things objectively, completely and precisely, in planning, performing and reporting. They will act in such a manner that their peers and commanders can rely upon them in performing their tasks."

• Personal Example - "The IDF servicemen and women will comport themselves as required of them, and will demand of themselves as they demand of others, out of recognition of their ability and responsibility within the military and without to serve as a deserving role model."

• Human Life - "The IDF servicemen and women will act in a judicious and safe manner in all they do, out of recognition of the supreme value of human life. During combat they will endanger themselves and their comrades only to the extent required to carry out their mission."

• Purity of Arms - "The IDF servicemen and women will use their weapons and force only for the purpose of their mission, only to the necessary extent and will maintain their humanity even during combat. IDF soldiers will not use their weapons and force to harm human beings who are not combatants or prisoners of war, and will do all in their power to avoid causing harm to their lives, bodies, dignity and property."

• Professionalism - "The IDF servicemen and women will acquire the professional knowledge and skills required to perform their tasks, and will implement them while striving continuously to perfect their personal and collective achievements."

• Discipline - "The IDF servicemen and women will strive to the best of their ability to fully and successfully complete all that is required of them according to orders and their spirit. IDF soldiers will be meticulous in giving only lawful orders, and shall refrain from obeying blatantly illegal orders."

• Comradeship - "The IDF servicemen and women will act out of fraternity and devotion to their comrades, and will always go to their assistance when they need their help or depend on them, despite any danger or difficulty, even to the point of risking their lives."

• Sense of Mission - "The IDF soldiers view their service in the IDF as a mission; They will be ready to give their all in order to defend the state, its citizens and residents. This is due to the fact that they are representatives of the IDF who act on the basis and in the framework of the authority given to them in accordance with IDF orders."

 Code of Conduct against terrorists

Recently, a team of professors, commanders and former judges, led by Tel Aviv University the holder of the Ethics chair, Professor Asa Kasher, developed a code of conduct which emphasizes the right behavior in low intensity warfare against terrorists, where soldiers must operate within a civilian population. Reserve units and regular units alike are taught the following eleven rules of conduct, which are an addition to the more general IDF Spirit:

1. Military action can only be taken against military targets.
2. The use of force must be proportional.
3. Soldiers may only use weaponry they were issued by the IDF.
4. Anyone who surrenders cannot be attacked.
5. Only those who are properly trained can interrogate prisoners.
6. Soldiers must accord dignity and respect to the Palestinian population and those arrested.
7. Soldiers must give appropriate medical care, when conditions allow, to oneself and one's enemy.
8. Pillaging is absolutely and totally illegal.
9. Soldiers must show proper respect for religious and cultural sites and artifacts.
10. Soldiers must protect international aid workers, including their property and vehicles.
11. Soldiers must report all violations of this code.

Israeli Special Forces History

Israel has a long history of Special Forces (SF) activation and deployment, dating even before the official declaration of the Israeli state and the forming of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in 1948.

The Israeli SF history can be divided into three time periods:

• Activation of Special missions units before the declaration of the Israel state.

• 1948-1974: The establishment of the SF units after the declaration of the Israeli state.

• 1974: The acquiring of Counter Terror and hostage rescue capabilities.

Activation of Special units before the declaration of the Israel state

During 1920-1945, Israel was under a British regime (Mandate). The civilians were both Jews and Arabs and they frequently engage each other, usually over territorial disputes. The British mostly sided with the Arabs, and while the Arabs were allowed to carry weapons, the Jews weren't allowed to organize, carry arms and to protect themselves. As a result, in 1920-1929 the Israeli Jews formed several underground resistance movements, with main purpose of protecting fellow Jews from the Arab terrorists attacks, and eventually to force the British out of Israel.

When the Israeli state was formed, and the IDF could freely and openly move its equipment, there was no longer a need for these teams and they were disbanded. But in 1987 when the Intifada - the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli regime in the Occupied Territories - broke out, the Israeli security services (the IDF, the Israeli Border Guard - MAGAV and the Israeli Police - IP) that were inspired by the success of PALMACH Mistaravim teams, formed new units of Mistaravim.

While the PALMACH handled land-based assignments well, the Hagana also needed a dedicated maritime special unit. So, in 1943 the PALMACH's Sea Company ("Plugat Hayam" - Palyam, in Hebrew) was formed. As their name suggests, the PALYAM were in charge of underwater demolition and maritime activity units. The majority of its activities were yet related to the escorting of ships: immigration ships (while the Exodus became the most famous, there were altogher 66 of them), and many arm ships that carried vital arms to Israel during the Independance War. These activities included a lot of land activities primarily in Italy & France, but also in Romania, Bulgaria, Sweden, Franch Algeria, Greece & Yoguslavia, preparing the ships and the immigrants (ma'apilim). In this prime role, the Palyam members were working under the operational command of the Mossad Le'aliya Bet, and speacial envoys of the Hagana for arm procurement. In 1948, when the IDF was formed, many of the PALYAM members joined the IDF Navy and formed its core personnel and command. In particular, the PALYAM members who specialized in maritime sabotage joined in to form the famous Shayetet 13, the IDF Naval Commando unit.

1948-1974 the establishment of SF units after the declaration of the Israeli state

In 1948 all the resistance movements were joined together in order to form the IDF. One of the Hagana outfits - the Golany unit, was turned into the IDF first infantry brigade in February 48 - the Golani infantry brigade.

When reassigned under the IDF command, the Golany infantry brigade formed the Special Reconnaissance Platoon. This platoon was a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) Unit, acting as pathfinder for the infantry brigade. But unlike the other reconnaissance platoons that existed in each of the Golany brigade's battalions, the  Special Reconnaissance Platoon was also in charged on taking out key enemy strongholds, and execute more complex missions such as demolition and intelligence gathering.

The Special Reconnaissance Platoon was in fact the first official Israeli SF unit. Later, it evolved into Sayeret Golani, which is today considered as one of the finest units in the IDF.

In June 1948 the IDF formed its Paratroopers airborne unit - the T'zanhanim Company. The T'zanhanim Company was designed as an elite infantry unit tasked with the most demanding missions.

In the early 1950's the Arabs (both terrorists and full fledged armies) launched thousands of assaults against the Israeli borders, aimed mainly at civilians. The IDF attacked in retaliation, but the regular infantry units (including the T'zanhanim) were simply not up for the task. So in 1951 the IDF formed Unit 30 - a classified Unit that belonged to the IDF South command. Unit 30 was designed to execute retaliation missions while operating in small and well-trained teams.

However, Unit 30 operatives lacked sufficient and proper SF training, and performed poorly, so in 1952 the Unit was disbanded.

In August 1953, the IDF tried again to form a dedicated new SF unit, and created Unit 101 as a SF unit designed to perform complex missions far behind Israeli borders. Unit 101 was composed of 20-25 men, most of them former T'zanhanim and Unit 30 personnel.

The creation of Unit 101 was a major landmark in the Israeli SF history. Unit 101 established small unit maneuvers, activation and insertion tactics that are utilized even today. Beside Sayeret MATKAL, Unit 101 is considered to be the unit with the most influence on the Israeli infantry oriented units including both special and conventional units.

Part from its tactical innovations, Unit 101 was also unique in two ways:

• It was the first time the IDF formed a brand new SF unit from scratch, rather then modify a previously exiting infantry oriented unit, like with the Golany brigade Special Reconnaissance Platoon.

• It was the first time the IDF formed a unit that received its orders directly from the IDF General Staff (the IDF High Command - MATKAL) and not by a lower sub-command.

Unit 101 only existed for five months and was disbanded after a raid in which the unit's members killed dozens of unarmed enemy citizens in an infamous brutal retaliation act.

Once disbanded, Unit 101 was merged with T'zanhanim company. After the merger the joint outfit turned into a brigade size unit, composed of two battalions - 869 Battalion (made out of the original T'zanhanim company personnel) and 101 Battalion (made out of former Unit 101 personnel).

With the increase in manpower, the T'zanhanim unit became an elite infantry brigade rather the elite infantry company as it was before. This merger was actually quite ironic since the T'zanhanim officers were originally the biggest opposition against the creation of Unit 101 as simply didn't wanted another competitor for prestigious retaliation missions that until the formation of Unit 101 where their own bread and butter.

With the much larger personnel, Arik Sharon, the former Commanding Officer (CO) of Unit 101 and then the new CO of the T'zanhanim infantry brigade, was able to launch full scale SF attacks against Arab terrorists, and the T'zanhanim infantry brigade pretty much ruled all the Israeli SF operations in the rest of 1950's.

In the late 1950's the IDF noticed that since the T'zanhanim Unit had turned into a infantry brigade rather then the SF unit it was before, it was lacking a small SF unit. So in 1958 Abraham Arnan formed Sayeret MATKAL, answering directly to the IDF High Command.

In many ways, in its formation, Sayeret MATKAL combined the operational experience gathered by Unit 101 and the unit's structure of the UK Special Air Service (SAS) - the role model for SF units worldwide.

Sayeret MATKAL was also formed one year after the IDF first helicopter squadron became operational in 1957. With a close cooperation between the two outfits, the unit was able to deploy longer and deeper then any unit before.

After losing the prestigious SF title, the T'zanhanim brigade formed it own SF unit - Sayeret T'zanhanim in October 1958, mainly as a response to the creation of Sayeret MATKAL.

In the early 1970's and especially throughout the 1960's there was a new trend in the IDF - the Regional Command Sayerets. Israel is operationally divided into three commands - South, North and Center. After witnessing the successful formation of Sayeret MATKAL and Sayeret T'zanhanim in the late 1950's, each command also wanted a SF unit of its own. So units like Sayeret Shaked (South Command), Sayeret Shoualey Shimshon (South Command), Sayeret Harouv (Center Command) and Sayeret Egoz (North Command) were formed.

While those units were supposed to be skilled LRRP units, performing delicate intelligence gathering missions, most of them soon became raids units competing with Sayeret MATKAL, S'13 and Sayeret T'zanhanim on the raids missions.

The command-level raids Sayerets were loose cannon units, acting as autonomous outfits, with no discipline what so ever. After those units ran wild for few years in the 1960's, they were all disbanded once the IDF commands realized that they could get the same level of performance from the infantry brigades Sayerets units already existing in each of the infantry brigades, without maintaining several very expensive independent SF units.

1974 - The Acquiring of Counter Terrorism and Hostage Rescue Team Capabilities.

Up until the 1970's, the Israeli SF units (including Sayeret MATKAL) had a very limited Counter Terror (CT) capability and no hostage rescue capability whatsoever. The IDF SF units were mainly hard core infantry LRRP units, which focused their training on the missions they were originally design to perform such as intelligence gathering and open field infantry combat, and didn't train on CT because of budget problems and lack of awareness.

There were no civilian SF units and the IDF was the sole security organization in charge on the security of Israeli state, both domestic and foreign. Back then the Israeli Police handled only criminal nature crimes, and the Israeli Border Guard (MAGAV) handled only borders protection.

Today the situation is completely different as most of the Israeli SF (both military and civilian) have a very advanced CT and hostage rescue capabilities. Many new civilians SF units were created, and the Israeli Police and the MAGAV are in charge on the Israeli state domestic security.

Photos from the terror attack in the Munich Olympics, 1972. Left - a terrorist seen in the Israeli team building. Right - the heliotrope that was supposed to carry the kidnappers and sponges to safety burned after a terrorist toss a grenade into to it during a police raid.

The change occurred happened due to the severe Israeli security situation over the years and several traumatic incidents in the 1970's, when Israel, and the rest of the world, had witnessed a rise in brutal and sophisticated terrorism acts, which Israel was the victim of many such acts.

In the early 1970's Israel was the victim of many CT attacks. In this photo Ehud Barak, the former Israeli Prime Minister, leading Sayeret MATKAL entry team (disguised as refueling personnel) during the Sabena air plane raid, 1972. This mission, officially known as Operation Isotope, was the first successful airplane raid in history. Same as in buses' hostage rescue tactics, the airplane raid techniques developed in the 1970's and in 1980's by Sayeret MATKAL and Unit YAMAM, are used globally even today.  

The very worst and painful of those acts from an Israeli point of view was the Mahalot Massacre incident. In May 15, 1974, three heavily armed terrorists took over the Mahalot High School in north of Israel, taking several dozens teachers and students as hostages in the process. Sayeret MATKAL, then the Israeli unit with the most advanced CT capability (together with Sayeret Golany) was selected to carry out the rescue attempt.

At the beginning of the raid, Sayeret MATKAL sniper was suppose to take out the terrorist who was guarding the room in which most of the hostages were being held. The sniper, who was equipped with World War 2 Mauser 98 and not used to short range headshot sniping, failed to kill the target and only wounded him.

The injured terrorist started throwing grenades and began auto-firing at the hostages. More mistakes were made, both in planning and in execution and at the end of the Sayeret MATKAL raid all three terrorists were dead, but 21 children and four adults, all of which civilians, were killed. Moreover, at least two civilians were killed by friendly fire since Sayeret MATKAL entry team was under-trained in CQB pinpoint shooting and hit some hostages who were standing close to the terrorists.

Sayeret MATKAL personnel looking at a dead terrorist after the raid in the Mahalot High School, May 15, 1974. The failed rescue which cost the lives of over 20 civilians what the trigger for the acquiring of the current Israeli SF CT and hostage rescue abilities. 

After this fiasco in Mahalot, the Israeli government, with the IDF General Staff, made three important decisions (mainly because of the outraged public opinion):

• An all-new civilian CT Unit would be created under MAGAV, much like the German domestic CT unit - GSG9.  This unit was later named Unit YAMAM.

• Most of Israel's SF units would acquire advanced CT capabilities, with Sayeret MATKAL and S'13 in the cutting edge.

• Sayeret MATKAL and S'13 would form one team in each Unit that will specialize In CT scenarios. These two teams are in fact sub units within the Takeover units and have access to best personnel and weapons available to the units, quite similar to the U.S. Navy SEALs and the Development Group (DEVGRU).

Operators from Unit YAMAM during bus hostage rescue training in the late 1970's. Note that all operators are armed with M16A1 then a rare item in Israel.

After the government made its decisions, the Israeli units began a very extensive and intensive training regime, both alone and with foreign instructors. The instructors were mainly from Britain's SAS, the American Navy SEALs and later from the American Delta Force.

Because of the accelerated training and the massive amount of field experience gathered, the Israeli units soon had a tremendous CT capability. In 1980 Sayeret MATKAL and S'13 were fully CT operational and the rest of the units were not far behind.

Sayeret Golany members preparing for their failed hostage rescue operation in the Misgav Ham Kibbutz, 1980. This operation was a land mark in the Israeli SF tactical history since it was the first mission in which CT dogs from Unit Oket'z were deployed against terrorists. Note the very basic gear carried by the operators - regular uniforms, IMI Uzi SMG, and bullet proof vests.

In 1985 another important step was made. The Mitkan Adam army base, the IDF Special Training Installation, was formed including the IDF CT Warfare School (Unit 707) and the IDF Snipers School.

The CT units began structural and organized training instead independent training as was before. Soon all units had the same training and used the same tactics, which much helped in the case of joint unit operations.

Between 1980 and 1990, although all units were fully CT qualified and operational ready, the responsibilities of each units were not clear since there was no operational plan stating that. Every time a CT scenario happened, the nearest units to the area arrived and started arguing on who would execute the raid. This often led to the fact that the unit, which was finally selected for the job, was not necessarily the best fitted one but rather the one who arrived to the scene first, or the one who had the biggest influence in senior officer ranks.

In order to solve this problem a new plan was written in 1990. The "Army of the Sky" plan (T'zva Shamayim - T'ZAVACH, in Hebrew) stated which unit does what and when. T'ZAVACH is basically the plan by which Israel fights terrorism both domestic and foreign, until this very day.

In 1987 the intifada broke out and several Israeli undercover CT units were formed in the IDF, MAGAV and in the Israeli Police.

Golani Brigade  


Golani Brigade insignia

“Victory at war comes not from the number of soldiers.”

 Maccabees I, 19

The Golani brigade was formed on February 28, 1948, when the Levanoni brigade deployed on Israel's Lebanese border was divided into two smaller brigades. Golani was stationed in the valleys and hills of the Lower Galilee in northern Israel. Their combatants included members of the Haganah, residents of settlements in the areas of combat, and enlisted soldiers from all over the country. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, the soldiers of the brigade fought in the areas of Mishmar Ha'emek, Tiberias, Migdal, Zemach and Rosh Pinna. Their mission was to defend the Upper Galilee and the Galilee valleys. They also participated in the victory at Safed in Operation Yiftach. They captured Arab Sejera, and Bet Shean and its environs.

Upon the foundation of the State, Arab armies invaded the country. In the north, this included the Syrian army, the Iraqi army, the Lebanese army, and Kaukji's irregulars. The Golani brigade was deployed to face this threat, although it had severely depleted ranks and was short of arms. New arrivals to the State of Israel were thrown into the fray; many joined the Golani brigade. The new refugee recruits, though fiercely loyal to the country and proud of their Judaism, were reluctant soldiers. There were economic and social problems 'at home' in the transit immigrant camps. The standard of army equipment was poor. The available weapons were Czech rifles, with a built­in magazine that held only five rounds, and Sten machine guns, which were originally designed as cheap throwaways for British paratroopers to use until their 'real' weapons were dropped. As for transport, each battalion had one station wagon, a tender van, and a single truck. One company had their leave stopped by their commander because they dared respond to the battalion CO's interest in their problems by showing him boots that were tied with string to stop the soles from dropping off. However, the Golani Brigade succeeded in bringing the Syrian columns of armor and infantry to a halt, sometimes through the use of Molotov cocktails and face­to­face combat. Iraqi forces were halted in the Jordan Valley. The guerilla, improvisational tactics that prevailed in the pre­State era were grafted with the Brigade commander's experience in the British Army to set the tone of Golani combat doctrine.

The Golani brigade took part along with the Seventh armored infantry brigade, and the Carmeli brigade in Operation Dekel (in the Galilee). In this operation, the forces involved captured the Nazareth area from Kaukji's irregulars. Golani troops, now incorporated into the newly­formed Israel Defense Forces participated in activities to gain control over the entire Galilee in what was called Operation Hiram. This involved counter­thrusts that penetrated as deep as the Litani River in Lebanon.

Battalions of the Golani Brigade

Barak Battalion 

Named after the biblical judge and military commander. Upon its establishment in the War of Independence, its area of activity was defined as the Sea of Galilee district, the lower Galilee and the Jordan Valley.

Gideon Battalion

Also named after a mythical judge and military commander. Upon its establishment in the War of Independence, its area of activity was defined as the Sea of Galilee district, the Ein Harod valley region and the Bet Shean valley.

The First Breachers' Battalion

Originally a battalion in the Givati Brigade, it joined the Golani brigade after the disbanding of the Givati in 1956.

"Golani Buds"

Sayeret Matkal was formed in 1958 by an officer by the name of Avraham Arnan. He petitioned the IDF General Staff to create a unit that could be dispatched to enemy-held territory to carry out top secret intelligence gathering missions. The unit was initially based on the examples set forth by the SAS. Members of the unit were trained by Bedouin trackers on the finer points of looking and thinking like an Arab. Sayeret Matkal was also formed one year after the IDF's first helicopter squadron became operational and close co-operation between the two allowed Sayeret Matkal to deploy for longer and deeper inside Arab territory than any unit before.

In 1959, a draftee named Ehud Barak was accepted into Sayeret Matkal. He later succeeded Unit 101 commando, Lt. Meir Har-Zion in becoming Israel's most decorated soldier. Whilst with Sayeret Matkal, Ehud Barak participated in many operations, including leading the Operation Isotope (airplane hostage rescue) in 1972 and leading the 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon. He later progressed in his military career to become the IDF Chief of Staff in 1991 and retired after the end of his tenure in 1995. In 1999 Ehud Barak became the 10th Prime Minister of Israel.

Although a top-secret unit, Sayeret Matkal had a tremendous influence on the IDF. They were the original developers of helicopter infiltration techniques in Israel. In addition, their heavy use of the Uzi led them to convince Israel Military Industries to produce an Uzi with a folding stock for increased accuracy while maintaining its small frame.

    SHAYETET 13     

Shayetet 13 (Shayetet, Hebrew: שייטת 13‎, Flotilla 13) is the Israel Defense Forces naval commando elite special forces (SF) unit. The unit (S-13) is considered one of the top-three SF units in Israel (along with Sayeret Matkal - the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit - and Shaldag Unit - the Air Force commando unit). S-13 is the unit that specializes in maritime hostage rescue and counter-terrorist missions. Only a handful of Shayetet 13 missions have been publicized or otherwise missions publicly attributed to the unit.

 Founding

S-13 is one of the most veteran Israeli SF units. It was formed in 1949 by Yohai Ben-Nun and was based upon the Naval Brigade of the Haganah - the Jewish resistance movement during the British Mandate in Palestine. In the unit's early years, there was a debate in the IDF regarding the need for such a unit so S-13 was small and with low budget. In 1960, S-13 existence was first made public and its operators received their renowned bat-winged insignia rather than a general Israeli Navy insignia worn until then.

Within the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) Navy exists an elite unite of commandos known as the Bat Men. Their official name is Shayetet 13, or Flotilla 13, and they are responsible for the IDF Navy's Special Warfare capabilities. Flotilla 13 can trace it's roots back to the birth of the Israeli nation, and in their service they have managed to carve an international reputation as one of the best, if not most experienced, naval special warfare units in the world.

Israel's Naval Commandos under go a rigorous selection phase like most other elite units. In the case of the Naval Commandos, however, the initial selection phase stresses psychological toughness and tests hopefulls in their ability to take and operate under stress and fear. There is not a big push to weed out those unfit for the unit quickly, the training process is long and hard, with plenty of time for those who don't quite match up to move on to other units. In all, a potential Shayetet 13 operator will have to undergo almost a year and 8 months or training before he can pin on the coveted crest of the unit.

---

SAYERET GOLANI

Sayeret Golani was created in 1951. It was originally named Machleket Siyur Meyuchedet, or Special Reconnaissance Platoon; a part of the 1st Golani Infantry Brigade. Since its creation, the members of the Golani's brigade reconnaisance element have proven themselves to be a effective force with many capabilities beyond the simple reconnaissance role. They have operated all over Israel and even beyond; in beruit, lebannon, Syria, and even Uganda.

Sayeret Golani has had a bloody but illustrious history. The unit assaulted and took Mt. Hernon's strategically located peak in a fierce battle during the Six Days War. In the beginning of the Yom Kippur War the elite Syrian 82nd Paratroop Regiment seized the mountain top from the small contingent of Israeli defenders. Sayeret Golani was tasked to retake the strategic location.

2000 hours on October 21, 1973. Sayeret Golani members begin scaling the steep cliffs at the base of Mt. Hernon. Six hours later, at 0200 the next day, they reached the top and the fighting began. By 0730 a firebase had been secured near the cable car to the top of the mountain. By this time the Golani fighters were using RPGs and rifle fired grenades liberated from dead Syrian defenders to augment their attack, causing many of the defending Syrians to flee or surrender. At 1100 hours, the Israeli and Golani brigade flags were raised to the top of the base's listening post antennae. The nine hour battle had killed 55 Golani members and wounded 79 others. Captain Vinnik (posthumously advanced to the rank of Major), leader of the Sayeret, was also killed. Even though mortally wounded in the beginning stages of the battle, he had continued to direct his commandos until he had finally been caried down the mountain in a stretcher.

Sayeret Golani uses grueling selection process that can end at any time--washouts are sent to the regular units to serve out their committments. Upon completion of the Gibush (selection phase), potential commandos are trained in a vast array of necessary skills. Training is said to last about a year and 8 months.

The curriculum includes a broad array of new techniques to learn and master. Skills such as parachuting, demolitions, escape and evasion, survival, and intelligence work are covered. The soldiers of Sayeret Golani are expected to be proficient with all of the weapons used in their area of operation. Due to the nature of their operations, they also have their own urban warfare training center, known as hell town.

Members who pass all the tests and training are rewarded with the badge of the Sayeret, a small metal pin with a flying tiger as the emblem. Dating back to the beginning of the Sayeret, this is their symbol and where they get their unofficial name, Ha'Namer Ha'Me'ufaf, the Flying Tiger.

---

SHALDAG ELITE UNIT

Unit 5101 or Shaldag (Hebrew: יחידת שלדג, Kingfisher Unit) is the Israeli Air Force  commando unit, considered one of the IDF elite units. They provide assistance and operate in Counter Terrorism and hostage rescue operations, as well as reconnaissance missions.

They are staged out of Palmachim Airbase; the unit comprises 40-50 soldiers, with five to six teams of eight to nine operators. They are regularly outfitted with M16 or M4A1 assault rifles with the M203 grenade launcher attached. When performing Counter-Terrorist/hostage rescue duties they carry the Sig-Sauer or Glock 9mm series pistols and the Mauser SR 82/66 sniper rifle.

The Unit was founded in 1974 following the Yom Kippur War. Initially operating as a Sayeret Matkal reserve company, it was eventually transferred to the Air Force.

 Known operations

• Operation Moses
• Lebanon conflict: Operation Accountability and Operation Grapes of Wrath, for which it was awarded the Chief of Staff Award
• Second Lebanon War: Operation Sharp and Smooth.
  
  

  ---