Haapala (Immigration) from Arab Countries
The Palmach worked closely with the activities of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet,' which took care of the illegal immigration (Haapala) of Jews from Arab countries.
The Palmach worked closely with the activities of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet,' which took care of the illegal immigration (Haapala) of Jews from Arab countries. The Palmach activity in Arab countries ran by individual envoys who worked singularly or in small groups, while risking captivity and espionage charges. During 1943–1946, tens of Palmach members engaged in smuggling immigrants through the northern border as part of the 'Land Squad' (Hachuliya Hayabashtit.) During the years of the Second World War, Jewish soldiers who were camped in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, helped smuggle Jews to Eretz Israel, mainly using a constant vehicle contact between their bases and Eretz Israel.
In the years 1941-1943, the Haapala by land from the north was sparse and amounted to 100 people a month at the most. The initiative of engaging the Palmach in this area of activity belonged to Liuvka Yivzuri, who was responsible for bringing Jews from eastern countries on behalf of 'Hamossad for Aliya Bet.' He suggested to Shaul Meirov (Avigur), who headed 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet', to enlist the help of Palmach members who worked in settlements along the northern border. The Palmach Commander, Yitzhak Sadeh, and his deputy, Yigal Alon, responded to the appeal and Yivzuri was appointed "Aliyah (Immigration) Officer" near the Palmach HQ.
The 'Land Squad' was a small unit of Palmach members that engaged in absorbing immigrants and smuggling them into Eretz Israel through the northern border. At first, only two-three members participated in each operation, hence its name – 'the Land Squad' ('Hachuliya'). It apparently operated from October 1943 to April 1946 (the start and end dates are estimated, for lack of exact documentation.) In that period, the 'Squad' helped bring about 5000 immigrants out of the 7500 who took the land routes in the years 1939-1948.
The 'Squad' can be credited for hundreds of sallies across the border to smuggle immigrants. The center of the 'Squad's activity was in the Galilee panhandle in the Upper Galilee.
In the years 1941-1943, the Haapala by land from the north was sparse and amounted to 100 people a month at the most. The initiative of engaging the Palmach in this area of activity belonged to Liuvka Yivzuri, who was responsible for bringing Jews from eastern countries on behalf of 'Hamossad for Aliya Bet.' He suggested to Shaul Meirov (Avigur), who headed 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet', to enlist the help of Palmach members who worked in settlements along the northern border. The Palmach Commander, Yitzhak Sadeh, and his deputy, Yigal Alon, responded to the appeal and Yivzuri was appointed "Aliyah (Immigration) Officer" near the Palmach HQ.
The 'Land Squad' was a small unit of Palmach members that engaged in absorbing immigrants and smuggling them into Eretz Israel through the northern border. At first, only two-three members participated in each operation, hence its name – 'the Land Squad' ('Hachuliya'). It apparently operated from October 1943 to April 1946 (the start and end dates are estimated, for lack of exact documentation.) In that period, the 'Squad' helped bring about 5000 immigrants out of the 7500 who took the land routes in the years 1939-1948.
The 'Squad' can be credited for hundreds of sallies across the border to smuggle immigrants. The center of the 'Squad's activity was in the Galilee panhandle in the Upper Galilee.