Palmach and Illegal Immigration operations
The Jewish immigration to Eretz Israel was a fundamental condition for the fulfillment of "the return to Zion" vision, according to which the land of Israel would be a refuge for the Jewish nation, where it would renew its independence. The term 'Haapala' (Illegal Immigration or 'Aliyah Bet') symbolized the determination in carrying out the Jewish immigration against the will of Britain, the superpower.
The Jewish immigration to Eretz Israel was a fundamental condition for the fulfillment of "the Return to Zion" vision, according to which the land of Israel would be a refuge for the Jewish nation, where it would renew its independence. The term 'Haapala' (Illegal Immigration or 'Aliyah B') symbolized the determination in carrying out the Jewish immigration against the will of Britain, the superpower. The Haapala endeavor demonstrated the determination of the Jewish Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine, the Zionist movement throughout the world and the refugees themselves, mostly holocaust survivors, in fighting for their right to freely immigrate to Mandatory Palestine.
The objectives of the Haapala endeavor were: Saving Jews during the Second World War and releasing them from camps across Europe after the war; strengthening the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Israel; denying the legality of the immigration limitations as set in the "White Paper" (from May 1939) and violating them; expressing the powerful relationship between the Jewish Yishuv and the destroyed Diaspora, and strengthening the Zionist belief among survivors; a means of soliciting the world view against the British government's "White Paper" policy, so as to change it.
The Haapala played a crucial role in the battle of the Jewish Yishuv and the Zionist movement against British policy, which ultimately led to the establishment of the State of Israel. The party in charge of the Haapala endeavor on behalf of the Jewish Agency was 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' (the secret organization responsible for Illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine from 1938 to 1948), headed by Shaul Meirov (Avigur). About 75,000 immigrants tried to enter the country during the Haapala period. Only about 10,000 of them succeeded in illegally entering the country. The rest were caught and detained by the British, and were gradually released as part of the monthly quota of immigration certificates allocated by the British. The Haapala was conducted in two ways: by sea – from the European and North-African shores, and by land – through the northern border.
The Palmach served as the leading operational force of the Haapala, collaborating with members of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet', and assisted by various Jewish volunteers. By order and instruction of the Palmach HQ and the 4th Battalion, the Brigade's activity was divided into three spheres: Deployment in the Haapala countries of origin (European and Arab countries); running the Haapala operations; attacking British targets that interfered with the Haapala. The land detachment operated overland via the northern border, and managed to bring in about 5000 Jews from Arab countries from 1943–1946. With the Palmach's assistance, 65 ships with about 70,000 immigrants arrived at the country's shores by sea during 1945-1948. Only 13 small ships with about 2500 immigrants managed to break through the British blockade on the country's shores. During 1945–1947, the Palmach conducted a series of military operations intended to prevent the capturing of immigrants arriving in Eretz Israel and releasing them from detention. They also interfered with the radar facilities and coastal police that helped locate immigrant ships, and sabotaged British navy vessels that participated in capturing the immigrants and deporting them to Cyprus. In addition, the Palmach helped organize immigrants who were deported to Cyprus in a military training framework that was titled "The Defenders Line", and smuggle them to Eretz Israel. The Palyam (and its 'Naval squad') played a major role in these operations.
The Haapala struggle was the means as well as a goal: It expressed an active, fighting policy to remove the immigration limitations set by the British rule, while at the same time, fulfilled the very essence of the Zionist act by persistently bringing Jews to Eretz Israel in any way possible.
The objectives of the Haapala endeavor were: Saving Jews during the Second World War and releasing them from camps across Europe after the war; strengthening the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Israel; denying the legality of the immigration limitations as set in the "White Paper" (from May 1939) and violating them; expressing the powerful relationship between the Jewish Yishuv and the destroyed Diaspora, and strengthening the Zionist belief among survivors; a means of soliciting the world view against the British government's "White Paper" policy, so as to change it.
The Haapala played a crucial role in the battle of the Jewish Yishuv and the Zionist movement against British policy, which ultimately led to the establishment of the State of Israel. The party in charge of the Haapala endeavor on behalf of the Jewish Agency was 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' (the secret organization responsible for Illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine from 1938 to 1948), headed by Shaul Meirov (Avigur). About 75,000 immigrants tried to enter the country during the Haapala period. Only about 10,000 of them succeeded in illegally entering the country. The rest were caught and detained by the British, and were gradually released as part of the monthly quota of immigration certificates allocated by the British. The Haapala was conducted in two ways: by sea – from the European and North-African shores, and by land – through the northern border.
The Palmach served as the leading operational force of the Haapala, collaborating with members of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet', and assisted by various Jewish volunteers. By order and instruction of the Palmach HQ and the 4th Battalion, the Brigade's activity was divided into three spheres: Deployment in the Haapala countries of origin (European and Arab countries); running the Haapala operations; attacking British targets that interfered with the Haapala. The land detachment operated overland via the northern border, and managed to bring in about 5000 Jews from Arab countries from 1943–1946. With the Palmach's assistance, 65 ships with about 70,000 immigrants arrived at the country's shores by sea during 1945-1948. Only 13 small ships with about 2500 immigrants managed to break through the British blockade on the country's shores. During 1945–1947, the Palmach conducted a series of military operations intended to prevent the capturing of immigrants arriving in Eretz Israel and releasing them from detention. They also interfered with the radar facilities and coastal police that helped locate immigrant ships, and sabotaged British navy vessels that participated in capturing the immigrants and deporting them to Cyprus. In addition, the Palmach helped organize immigrants who were deported to Cyprus in a military training framework that was titled "The Defenders Line", and smuggle them to Eretz Israel. The Palyam (and its 'Naval squad') played a major role in these operations.
The Haapala struggle was the means as well as a goal: It expressed an active, fighting policy to remove the immigration limitations set by the British rule, while at the same time, fulfilled the very essence of the Zionist act by persistently bringing Jews to Eretz Israel in any way possible.