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Palmach - Military organisation

Palmach - Military organisation: Encyclopedia II - Palmach - Military organisation

The Palmach was organised into regular companies (six at 1943), and five or six special units. Palmach special units included: Ha-Machlaka Ha-Germanit: the "German Department", it performed covert operations and sabotage operations against Nazi infrastructure in the Middle East and the Balkans. Ha-Machlaka Ha-Aravit: the "Arab Department", it performed covert operations and espionage missions against Arab militias, which frequently attacked Jewish settlements. It was the base for the Israeli Defense ...

Palmach: Encyclopedia II - Palmach - Military organisation

Palmach - Military organisation

The Palmach was organised into regular companies (six at 1943), and five or six special units.

Palmach special units included:

Ha-Machlaka Ha-Germanit: the "German Department", it performed covert operations and sabotage operations against Nazi infrastructure in the Middle East and the Balkans.
Ha-Machlaka Ha-Aravit: the "Arab Department", it performed covert operations and espionage missions against Arab militias, which frequently attacked Jewish settlements. It was the base for the Israeli Defense Forces's and the Border Police's "Mistaarvim" units.
Pal-Yam: the sea force of the Palmach, The Pal-Yam main activity was Ha'apala העפלה - the bringing of Jewish refugees from Europe by ships, despite the British White Paper of 1939 which limited Jewish immigration into Israel. Later the Pal-Yam became the Israeli Navy.
Sabotage Units: explosive experts became the basis for the Israeli Engineering Corps in the IDF.
The Air Force: made up of Jewish pilots, trained by the British, the Palmach air force was the basis for the Israeli Air Force. Until late 1948, they did not have any aircraft, but later obtained light aircraft for scouting operations.

The Palmach put emphasis on training field commanders (מפקדי שטח) and they became the basis for the Israeli army. Palmach-trained field commanders were trained more extensively than in many other armies and were taught to be broadminded, professional, show initiative and take responsibility for their actions. Palmach field commanders also took care of their soldiers' daily needs.

The legendary battlecry of the Palmach commander was "!אחרי" (Aharay), which literally means "follow me!". While in most armies the battlecry was "Charge!", the Hebrew commander led his troops instead of sending them out and staying behind.

The Palmach commanders' course, commanders' reputation and values were embedded into the Israeli Defence Forces and their legacy is alive even today, in the current generation of IDF field commanders.