Hamahlaka Ha'aravit - 'Hashahar' (the Arab Uint - Dawn)
The Palmach's Arab Unit, which was also called Mahleket Hashshar (the Dawn Unit), operated between 1943 and 1950. Its members were the Mista'arvim (warriors disguised as Arabs) and in the framework of its special activity they trained in Hista'arvut so that it would enable them to infiltrate and remain in the enemy's territory in Palestine and in the Arab countries in order to collect intelligence and execute specific and varied missions.
The Palmach's Arab Unit, which was also called Mahleket Hashshar (the Dawn Unit), operated between 1943 and 1950. Its members were the Mista'arvim (warriors disguised as Arabs) and in the framework of its special activity they trained in Hista'arvut so that it would enable them to infiltrate and remain in the enemy's territory in Palestine and in the Arab countries in order to collect intelligence and execute specific and varied missions. For the Mista'arvim, silence was of the highest importance; they usually operated individually or in couples, most of the time no one knew of his peer's missions, even after their execution. The less one knew – the better. This routine was meant to prevent the possibility that a member of the unit would fall captive and reveal secrets.
The unit was assembled during August 1943, initially from members of the Syrian Unit and the Arab Platoon who trained in the Hraibe' on the Carmel. The unit began its three months formation process in Kibbutz Hazore'a and then moved to Kibbutz Alonim, there it united as an organized operational unit. In 1945 the unit moved to Kibbutz Yagur and in 1946 to Kibbutz En Hahoresh. From then on only the new recruits followed the Palmach’s routine of agricultural labor and military training, while the seniors dedicated their time to operational activity. Most of the unit's members were Oriental Jews. Some of them came from the Palmach companies, while others were recruited directly to the unit, occasionally even before they reached the required recruitment minimal age. As opposed to the rest of the Palmach's units, the Shahar Unit did not recruit women to its lines. This created a social difficulty for the men, especially when they went to work and lacked female company. In time the unit comprised of some thirty to fifty men.
Yig'al Alon, who was the commander of the Syrian Unit and later of the Palmach, was considered the initiator and the developer of the Hista'arvut (imposing as an Arab). The unit's commanders were Yeruham Cohen, Yohanan Zariz, Shaul Biber, Dani Agmon, Sa'adia Amrani and Shmaria Gutman. The nit’s 'professional' instructor, in charge of instructing the men, sending them on operations and questioning them when they returned, was Shimon Somekh (Sam'an) who contributed greatly to its design, formation and success. Six of the unit’s men were killed in action beyond the border, the burial place of some is yet unknown.
The unit was subordinated organization- wise to Company Eight and the Fourth Battalion, but in fact its men were directly under the responsibility of the Palmach headquarters. The unit's men were tightly connected to the headquarters, and they would often eat together in barbeques which were accompanied with Arab Folklore. The unit's activity was executed in coordination with and under the authorization and inspection, weak at times and tighter at other times, of the Shai (the Hagana's intelligence service) and the Arab branch of the political department of the Jewish Agency.
In August 1948 the unit was subordinated to the Intelligence Service (the I.D.F's Intelligence corps) as an organic unit named I.S 18. The unit was dispersed at 1950; it was the last of the Palmach's units to be dispersed.
The unit's importance lies in the example it set in realizing the attempt to operate beyond the enemy's borders and in demonstrating a proper training method which enabled the men to be planted as intelligence agents in the enemy's territories. In the course of the War of Independence the unit produced some of the first Israeli intelligence agents in Arab countries. After the War many of its members were recruited to the Israeli Secret Services.
The unit was assembled during August 1943, initially from members of the Syrian Unit and the Arab Platoon who trained in the Hraibe' on the Carmel. The unit began its three months formation process in Kibbutz Hazore'a and then moved to Kibbutz Alonim, there it united as an organized operational unit. In 1945 the unit moved to Kibbutz Yagur and in 1946 to Kibbutz En Hahoresh. From then on only the new recruits followed the Palmach’s routine of agricultural labor and military training, while the seniors dedicated their time to operational activity. Most of the unit's members were Oriental Jews. Some of them came from the Palmach companies, while others were recruited directly to the unit, occasionally even before they reached the required recruitment minimal age. As opposed to the rest of the Palmach's units, the Shahar Unit did not recruit women to its lines. This created a social difficulty for the men, especially when they went to work and lacked female company. In time the unit comprised of some thirty to fifty men.
Yig'al Alon, who was the commander of the Syrian Unit and later of the Palmach, was considered the initiator and the developer of the Hista'arvut (imposing as an Arab). The unit's commanders were Yeruham Cohen, Yohanan Zariz, Shaul Biber, Dani Agmon, Sa'adia Amrani and Shmaria Gutman. The nit’s 'professional' instructor, in charge of instructing the men, sending them on operations and questioning them when they returned, was Shimon Somekh (Sam'an) who contributed greatly to its design, formation and success. Six of the unit’s men were killed in action beyond the border, the burial place of some is yet unknown.
The unit was subordinated organization- wise to Company Eight and the Fourth Battalion, but in fact its men were directly under the responsibility of the Palmach headquarters. The unit's men were tightly connected to the headquarters, and they would often eat together in barbeques which were accompanied with Arab Folklore. The unit's activity was executed in coordination with and under the authorization and inspection, weak at times and tighter at other times, of the Shai (the Hagana's intelligence service) and the Arab branch of the political department of the Jewish Agency.
In August 1948 the unit was subordinated to the Intelligence Service (the I.D.F's Intelligence corps) as an organic unit named I.S 18. The unit was dispersed at 1950; it was the last of the Palmach's units to be dispersed.
The unit's importance lies in the example it set in realizing the attempt to operate beyond the enemy's borders and in demonstrating a proper training method which enabled the men to be planted as intelligence agents in the enemy's territories. In the course of the War of Independence the unit produced some of the first Israeli intelligence agents in Arab countries. After the War many of its members were recruited to the Israeli Secret Services.