After issuing the White Papers, most notoriously the White Paper of 1939, the british placed themselves at odds with Israel. To make things worse, the situation in europe demanded a new Home for the Jews, as european Jewry had nowhere to run to. While the british were making "peace" with the germans, they were declaring war against all of Israel. And even after the german intentions became apparent and britain sank into the depths of war, the british still refused to grant Jewish refugees entrance into their Homeland. The british sided with the arabs in Israel, that were led by the mufti of Jerusalem. It is known that this leader had ties with the germans, and that he urged hitler to kill all the Jews, pleading as well with the germans and other Arab leaders to help him massacre all the Jews of the middle east (to read more about the mufti click here). When the british sided with these people, it became apparent to everyone that they were the enemy of Israel. Therefore the Jews had to wage war against the british.

But Jews have always been a weak and divided people, since they have spread themselves across borders and have lived as minorities amongst the vast majorities. And Jews have consistently betrayed themselves, since they have sworn their loyalties to nearly every foreign land. If all the Jews lived in one country, then at least they could defend themselves by defending that country. But the Jews have been scattered upon the face of the earth, and thus they have betrayed themselves with every ounce of their strength. The british policy was almost as destructive as that of the nazis, but it was the germans that did the actual killing. Therefore the germans were Israel's number one enemy. Since england was fighting germany, the Jews were faced with a big dilemma. By fighting england, they would be helping germany, but by fighting germany they would be helping the british. Yet the Jews of Israel were weak anyhow, and whatever they did they wouldn't have had much of an affect on the greater conflict. Therefore they were best off joining the british in order gain a foothold into europe so that they could rescue their people, and then defy the british so they could attempt to bring their people to Israel. And in Israel they were best suited with a policy of defiance to the british, because england had enough problems to deal with that it should have to invest too much effort in Israel. This gave Israel an advantage, because the british didn't have the strength to rule over Israel.

But the Jews are also foolishly stubborn, in that they stick to their ideals and fight for their opinions even when their thoughts have no merit. And the Jews preserve their loyalties and keep their promises even when this is treacherous to themselves and traitorous to each other. So most of the Jews in Israel and especially in America treated the british as friends and the arabs as equals. Therefore they cooperated with the british even against their own people, leaving their brothers to die and betraying their own neighbors. Although there were some that characterized the will of Israel, and this sentiment was embodied by the Irgun and Lehi, and sometimes aided by the Haganah. During and after the war (WWII) these people fought to save their brothers in europe and return them to safety in Israel. And after the war, they fought the british, contributing greatly to the liberation of Israel. Yet these groups were like the Maccabees of earlier days; for while they succeeded in their intentions, they have failed in their success, because the british occupation has been replaced with that of the Americans. They knew Israel had to be liberated, but they did not understand what for.

Introduction to the Irgun and the Irgun Site

These chapters in the history of the Irgun Tzvai Le'umi (the National Military Organization), known in Hebrew by its acronym Etzel, and in English as the Irgun or IZL, were written specifically for this Internet website. They are arranged chronologically in order to provide a complete picture of the history of the Irgun, from its establishment in 1931 to its disbanding after the State of Israel came into being.

In its initial years, the Irgun was primarily concerned with repelling Arab riots in the country. Whilst the Haganah adhered to the policy of self-restrain ('havlaga') in the face of Arab attack, the Irgun activity resisted Arab aggression.

With the publication of the 1939 White Paper restricting Jewish immigration into Israel, the Irgun had no choice but to direct their efforts against the british too. A truce was briefly declared after the outbreak of the Second World War. When the full extent of the Holocaust became known, and it was clear that britain was continuing to implement the White Paper, the Irgun realized that there was no alternative but to renew the armed struggle against the british in Israel.

On February 1, 1944, the Irgun proclaimed a revolt against british rule over Israel and demanded that the british leave the country forthwith and a Jewish state be established. The gradual intensification of military action against the mandatory government undermined the basis of british rule. These operations, carried out with the Lehi (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel) and occasionally with the Haganah as well, ultimately forced the british government to bring the question of the future of Israel before the United Nations.

On November 29, 1947, the un assembly decided to partition Israel into two states: a Jewish state, the State of Israel, and an Arab state.

Now, that the british archives have been opened, it is obvious that the armed fight against the british, in which the Irgun took a prominent part, had a decisive role in their withdrawal from the Country.

For a complete understanding of the events leading to the liberation of Israel and the Israeli declaration of Independence, visit the Irgun Site. It is a story well worth reading; the history of the rebirth of Israel. Relive the glory of a long awaited prophecy being realized. It is the time of Israel's Redemption; when events unfold, four thousand years in the making: The Irgun Site.

Ze'ev Jabotinsky, Founder of the Revisionist Movement

The Irgun Tzva'i Le'umi ("National Military Organization"--I.Z.L., Etzel, or the Irgun) was a Jewish underground armed organization founded in Jerusalem in the spring of 1931 by a group of Haganah commanders, headed by Avraham Tehomi. Joining forces with a clandestine armed group of Betar members, they formed a parallel, yet more activist defense organization than the Haganah.

In April 1937, during the Arab riots, the organization split over the question of how to react to Arab terrorism, and about half its members returned to the Haganah, which was controlled by the Jewish Agency. The rest formed a new Irgun Tzva'i Le'umi, which was ideologically linked to the Revisionist movement. Rejecting the "restraint" (havlagah in Hebrew) policy of the Jewish Agency and the Haganah, the organization carried out armed reprisals against arabs.

After the publication of the White Paper in May 1939, I.Z.L. directed its activities against the british mandatory authorities. At the outbreak of World War II, I.Z.L. declared a truce, which led to a second split (June 1940) and the formation of a new underground group (Lochmei Herut Israel, or Lehi) led by Avraham Stern. I.Z.L. members contributed to the war effort against the germans by joining the British army's "palestinian" units and later the Jewish Brigade. In February 1944, I.Z.L. declared war against the british administration, which continued to implement the White Paper. The Jewish Agency and the Haganah moved against the I.Z.L. in a campaign nicknamed by the underground the sezon ("hunting season"), during which some of I.Z.L.'s members (including several leaders) were kidnapped and handed over to the british authorities.

When the british labor government's anti-Zionist policy disappointed post-war hopes, Haganah, I.Z.L., and Lehi formed a united front. The I.Z.L. attacks culminated in blowing up a wing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, headquarters of the [british] "palestine" government and the military command, on July 22, 1946. The united fighting front disintegrated in August 1946, after the arrest of the Jewish Agency leaders, but I.Z.L. and Lehi continued their attacks on military and governmental objectives. Under the pressure of the continual attacks, the british retreated to security zones where they lived in a state of siege.

David Raziel, Leader of the Irgun

The Jerusalem units of I.Z.L. fought in most sectors of the city and joined the national army on Sept. 21, 1948.

From the Encyclopaedia Judaica CD-ROM Edition (c) Judaica Multimedia (Israel) Ltd. and Keter Publishing House. All Rights Reserved.

Avraham Stern

During January and February 1942 the clashes between members of the Stern group and the british military and civil authorities reached their peak, and the british forces reacted by arresting and killing leading Stern group members. On February 12, 1942, Avraham Stern himself was caught in his hiding place and was killed on the spot by british police officers. Considerably weakened, the group was on the verge of complete disintegration when some of its detainees managed to escape from prison and regrouped their forces. They then gave themselves the new name of Lochmei Herut Israel.

In early 1944, Lehi resumed its operations under a triumvirate leadership (Yizchak Shamir, Nathan Yellin-Mor, and Israel Eldad-Scheib), continuing them with short interruptions until the end of the mandate in 1948. Members of the group were ordered to be continually armed. Those who were caught admitted in court to being its members, refused to recognize the court's authority, and made political statements. In November 1944, two Lehi members, Eliahu Hakim and Eliahu Bet-Zuri assassinated Lord Moyne, british minister of state for the middle east, in cairo. They were caught, tried, and hanged in cairo in March 1945.

In July 1945, Lehi and IZL agreed to cooperate in their struggle against the british, and in November 1945 Lehi joined the Haganah and IZL in the Hebrew Resistance Movement (Tnu'at HaMeri HaIvri), which existed for nine months. During and after this period, Lehi carried out sabotage operations and armed attacks on military objectives and government installations (army camps, airfields, police stations, railway trains), while also attacking individual members of the british police and army, and organizing expropriations to secure funds. Its clandestine radio station waged a continual propaganda campaign, and posters and declarations were distributed.

In April 1947, Lehi began sabotage operations outside Israel, mailing bombs to british statesmen. The mandatory authorities reacted by making administrative arrests of anyone suspected of belonging to or helping Lehi and by passing severe sentences on those caught in operations or even merely carrying arms. On March 17, 1947, Moshe Barazani was sentenced to death for having a hand grenade in his possession. Together with Meir Feinstein, a member of IZL, Barazani blew himself up in the Jerusalem prison before the sentence could be carried out. The history of Lehi was marked by frequent prison breaks and escapes from arrest in Israel (Mazra'a, Latrun, Jerusalem, Acco, Athlit) and from the countries of forced exile (Eritrea, Sudan, and Kenya). After the United Nations resolution on the partition of Israel in November 1947, Lehi participated in attacks on Arab regular and irregular forces, including the attack on the village of deir yasin near Jerusalem, which they captured together with IZL (April 9, 1948).

On May 29, 1948, two weeks after the establishment of the State of Israel, members of Lehi joined the Israeli army. In Jerusalem, however, they continued to fight separately for a time. After the assassination of the un mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte, in Jerusalem on September 17, 1948, an act which a group of Lehi members were suspected of perpetrating, the Israeli authorities enforced the final disbanding of Lehi in Jerusalem. After its leading members were arrested and investigated for a short period, Lehi ceased to exist. Its leaders took part in the elections to the First Knesset as the Fighters' List and Nathan Yellin-Mor was elected as representative. Memorial meetings in the memory of Avraham Stern are held annually by an association of Lehi members.

From the Encyclopaedia Judaica CD-ROM Edition (c) Judaica Multimedia (Israel) Ltd. and Keter Publishing House. All Rights Reserved.