Palmach: Encyclopedia II - Palmach - History

Palmach - History

The Palmach (Hebrew abbreviation of "Plugot Mahatz פלוגות מחץ" - in English strike force) were the regular fighting forces of the Yishuv (Jewish settlement) in Palestine prior to the establishment of state of Israel.

The Palmach was established by the British military and Haganah on May 15, 1941 to help the British protect Palestine from the Nazi German threat. They were also to assist British forces with the planned invasion of Syria and Lebanon, then held by Vichy French forces. British experts trained the Palmach special soldiers and equipped them with small arms and explosives. However, after the British victory at El-Alamein in 1942, the British ordered the dismantling of Palmach. Instead the whole organisation went underground.

Since British funding had stopped, Yitzhak Tabenkin, head of the Kibbutzim union suggested Palmach could be self-funding by letting the warriors work in the Kibbutzim. Each Kibbutz would host a Palmach platoon and supply them with food, homes and resources. In return the platoon would safeguard the kibbutz and carry out work such as agricultural work. The proposal was accepted in August 1942, when it was also decided that each month Palmach members would have eight training days, 14 work days and seven days off.

Combining military training with agricultural work meant:

1. Maintenance of an independent, easily mobilised military force.
2. A force in which members' labour funded 80% of Palmach's budget. Money from Haganahwas dedicated to weapons and training.
3. The force would be hard to track down.
4. Easier recruitment of people from Kibbutzim and Moshavim.
5. The creation of groups of settlers, who could form the base for future settlements.
6. Education of soldiers in Zionist values.

The program of combined military training, agricultural work and Zionist education was called "Ach'shara Meguyeset" הכשרה מגויסת (meaning "Drafted\Recruited Training").

Later on, it was agreed with the Zionist youth movements that each person from the ages of 18-20 ("Gar'een" meaning "nucleous" or "kernel" in Hebrew) would undergo training. This was the base for the Nahal settlements. The training enabled Palmach to expand its numbers and recruit more people to its lines.

Basic training included physical fitness, small arms, mêlée and Krav Maga, basic marine training, topography, first aid, and squad operations. Most of the Palmach members received advance training in one or more of the following areas: sabotage and explosives, reconnaissance, sniping, communications and radio, light and medium machineguns and operating 2 inch and 3 inch mortars. Platoon training included long marches, combined live-fire drills with artillery support and machineguns and mortars.

Palmach put emphasis on training independent and broadminded field commanders who would take the initiative and set an example for their troops. Palmach trained squad commanders and company commanders. The major commanders training course was in the Palmach and many Haganah commanders were sent to be trained in the Palmach. The Palmach commanders' course was the source for many field commanders which were the backbone of Haganah, and later, the Israeli Defense Forces.

Between 1945 and 1946, Palmach units carried out attacks against British infrastructure such as bridges, railways, radar stations and police stations. Such activities ceased, however, after "Black Sabbath" (June 29, 1946), when British forces carried out mass arrests of Palmach and Hagannah leaders.

Palmach units took a major part in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. At the beginning of the war, Palmach units were responsible for holding Jewish settlements (such as Gush Etzion, Kfar Darom and Revivim) against Arab militias. Although inferior in numbers and arms, Palmach soldiers held out long enough to let Haganah mobilise the Jewish population and prepare for war.

After the establishment of the Israeli Defence Forces, the Palmach was dissolved into two IDF brigades - the Negev Brigade and Yiftach Brigade. The Negev and Yiftah Brigade fought in the Negev against the Egyptian army and managed to stop them and later to repulse them into the Gaza Strip and Sharem al-Sheikh. Yiftah Brigade later was transferred to the north.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki