The 'Lino' Ship Affair
After a while it became known that the Italian ship 'Lino' had sailed with a cargo of arms and ammunition in the direction of Beirut harbor and that electricity poles had been loaded onto the deck in order to serve as camouflage. A decision was taken to attack the ship.
During the first months of the War of Independence, emissaries were working feverishly in Europe and America trying to purchase and transfer armaments to Eretz Israel in order to strengthen the 'Hagana' and 'Palmach' forces who had very few weapons at their disposal.
Sheike Dan, the emissary in Yugoslavia received information that the Czechoslovakian munitions factory, 'Zabariovka', had sold 8,000 rifles and 6,000,000 rounds of ammunition to Syria. The consignment was due to arrive at Fuma harbor for loading onto the ship bound for Syria. Sheike approached the Italian authorities and suggested that they confiscate the consignment and sell it to the Israelis instead, but they refused using the excuse they did not want to enter into conflict with their Czechoslovakian neighbor.
A few days later it was revealed that the Italian ship 'Lino' had already sailed, laden with the cargo of arms and ammunition, in the direction of Beirut port and that electricity poles had been loaded on the deck in order to serve as camouflage.
The subject was brought to the attention of Shaul Avigor, who was the principal coordinator in Europe of arms purchasing and aliya. In order to prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of the enemy, the idea of sinking the ship was raised. Despite the concern that such an attack would, in all likelihood, cause complications in relations with Italy (that served as the central base for the 'Hagana' activities), they were all prepared to take all the risks and make every effort to prevent the shipment from falling into the hands of the Arabs.
Sheike Dan, the emissary in Yugoslavia received information that the Czechoslovakian munitions factory, 'Zabariovka', had sold 8,000 rifles and 6,000,000 rounds of ammunition to Syria. The consignment was due to arrive at Fuma harbor for loading onto the ship bound for Syria. Sheike approached the Italian authorities and suggested that they confiscate the consignment and sell it to the Israelis instead, but they refused using the excuse they did not want to enter into conflict with their Czechoslovakian neighbor.
A few days later it was revealed that the Italian ship 'Lino' had already sailed, laden with the cargo of arms and ammunition, in the direction of Beirut port and that electricity poles had been loaded on the deck in order to serve as camouflage.
The subject was brought to the attention of Shaul Avigor, who was the principal coordinator in Europe of arms purchasing and aliya. In order to prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of the enemy, the idea of sinking the ship was raised. Despite the concern that such an attack would, in all likelihood, cause complications in relations with Italy (that served as the central base for the 'Hagana' activities), they were all prepared to take all the risks and make every effort to prevent the shipment from falling into the hands of the Arabs.