Palmach
Elite strike force of the Haganah in Mandatory Palestine / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Palmach (Hebrew: פלמ"ח, acronym for פלוגות מחץ, Plugot Maḥatz, "Strike Companies") was the elite (sayeret) fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv (Jewish community) during the period of the British Mandate for Palestine. The Palmach was established in May 1941. By the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it consisted of over 2,000 men and women in three fighting brigades and auxiliary aerial, naval and intelligence units. With the creation of Israel's army, the three Palmach Brigades were disbanded. This and political reasons compelled many of the senior Palmach officers to resign in 1950.[1]
Palmach | |
---|---|
Active | 1941–1948 |
Country | Mandatory Palestine (before 14 May 1948) Israel (after 14 May 1948) |
Allegiance | Haganah |
Type | Sayeret |
Role | Amphibious warfare Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Bomb disposal Clandestine operation Close-quarters combat Combined arms Counterintelligence Covert operation Desert warfare Direct action Fire support Force protection HUMINT Indirect fire Irregular warfare Long-range penetration Maneuver warfare Military engineering Military intelligence Mountain warfare Naval boarding Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Special operations Special reconnaissance Tracking Underwater demolition Urban warfare |
Part of | Haganah |
Motto(s) | "Always at your command" "לפקודה תמיד אנחנו" |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Yitzhak Sadeh, Yigal Allon, Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan |
The Palmach contributed significantly to Israeli culture and ethos, well beyond its military contribution. Its members formed the backbone of the Israel Defense Forces high command for many years, and were prominent in Israeli politics, literature and culture.