Palmach Settlements
During the second half of 1944, the Palmach's command decided to establish "agricultural settlements".
During the second half of 1944, the Palmach's command decided, in coordination with the settlement institutions and the Jewish Agency, to establish "agricultural settlements" in several locations within the borders of Mandatory Palestine. Settlements were designated for population by Palmach members about to be discharged, and the intention was that they establish temporary agricultural settlements for a defined period of time - until the arrival of the permanent settlement – both as a fighting military unit that would protect the settlement and its surroundings, as well as a reserve military force that would be utilized in any possible battle.
The idea of establishing settlements originated from the desire of the settling institutions and of the Jewish Agency to settle areas that had been under Jewish ownership, but were located in regions in which Jews avoided settling due to the White Paper's land laws. Leaders of the Jewish Yishuv felt that it was necessary to settle groups of people in these locations – not on a permanent basis, but in order to prove and set the affiliation of these locations with the Jewish Yishuv. This form of settlement was implemented even at the beginning of the century, when members of Hashomer organization temporarily settled on land purchased by Jews, cultivated the land and protected it. This, for example, is how Merchavia was founded.
According to this settlement concept, in locations designated for settlements, the settlers would engage in their establishment, agricultural preparation and fortification, until the arrival of the settling body.
The Palmach adopted this settlement format. Palmach units were supremely suited for the implementation of the settlement concept, since they could provide the settling institutions with groups of young men and women that were trained to bear arms, had previous experience in agricultural work in the field, but did not perceive themselves as being entitled to inhabit the sites permanently, even though they were the first to settle them. The units who populated these settlements were considered Palmach members: for half of each month they worked in the settlements as salaried laborers, and during the second half of the month they trained as Palmach fighters.
Over time, seven settlements were founded: Beit Keshet was the first, and the next settlements founded were: Birya, near Safed; Hakuk, near Wadi Amud; Misgav Am and Ramot Naftali near the Lebanese border; Jib Yosef (Amiad) next to the Tiberias - Rosh Pina road, and Ein Zeytim.
The location of the settlements was determined based on two primary conditions:
Selection of an environment devoid of adjacent Jewish settlements, in order for the settlements to serve as a point of departure in case of riots; Locations were selected from the military-political and settlements points of view so as to be in line with the aspiration of the Jewish Agency's leaders to make it as difficult as possible to implement the Partition edicts and Land laws.
The idea of establishing settlements originated from the desire of the settling institutions and of the Jewish Agency to settle areas that had been under Jewish ownership, but were located in regions in which Jews avoided settling due to the White Paper's land laws. Leaders of the Jewish Yishuv felt that it was necessary to settle groups of people in these locations – not on a permanent basis, but in order to prove and set the affiliation of these locations with the Jewish Yishuv. This form of settlement was implemented even at the beginning of the century, when members of Hashomer organization temporarily settled on land purchased by Jews, cultivated the land and protected it. This, for example, is how Merchavia was founded.
According to this settlement concept, in locations designated for settlements, the settlers would engage in their establishment, agricultural preparation and fortification, until the arrival of the settling body.
The Palmach adopted this settlement format. Palmach units were supremely suited for the implementation of the settlement concept, since they could provide the settling institutions with groups of young men and women that were trained to bear arms, had previous experience in agricultural work in the field, but did not perceive themselves as being entitled to inhabit the sites permanently, even though they were the first to settle them. The units who populated these settlements were considered Palmach members: for half of each month they worked in the settlements as salaried laborers, and during the second half of the month they trained as Palmach fighters.
Over time, seven settlements were founded: Beit Keshet was the first, and the next settlements founded were: Birya, near Safed; Hakuk, near Wadi Amud; Misgav Am and Ramot Naftali near the Lebanese border; Jib Yosef (Amiad) next to the Tiberias - Rosh Pina road, and Ein Zeytim.
The location of the settlements was determined based on two primary conditions:
Selection of an environment devoid of adjacent Jewish settlements, in order for the settlements to serve as a point of departure in case of riots; Locations were selected from the military-political and settlements points of view so as to be in line with the aspiration of the Jewish Agency's leaders to make it as difficult as possible to implement the Partition edicts and Land laws.