In Israel’s fateful War of Independence, thousands of volunteers came from 59 countries to fight with their brethren and played a pivotal role in winning the war.
By SMOKY SIMONSmoky Simon shares his remarkable experiences from the War of Independence with IDF soldiers on May 8, when Israel marked Remembrance Day for its fallen and victims of terror(photo credit: TELFED)In Israel’s fateful War of Independence, over 4,800 volunteers from abroad (known as Machal) came from 59 countries to fight with their brethren. These Machalniks, most of whom were veterans of World War II, brought their skills and expertise and served in 14 branches of the IDF, including the Air Force, Navy, Infantry, Armor, Artillery, Medical Corps, Engineers, Anti-Tank, Radar, Communications and more. They played a pivotal role in three respects: first, in winning the war; second, in helping to train Israelis in certain military skills; and third, in establishing the foundations on which the IDF was founded – the ground forces, the Air Force, and the Navy.As the war clouds were gathering over Palestine in 1947-48, these veterans felt an obligation to support their brethren in the newborn State of Israel. Recruiting in the Diaspora was done through Zionist Federations, religious congregations, ex-servicemen organizations, by word of mouth, and by the Haganah. Four main factors motivated the Machalniks to volunteer their services: the Holocaust; the shameful deportations of Holocaust survivors by the British; the Arab threat of exterminating the Jewish population of Palestine; and the feeling of unity that unites the Jewish people in times of major crises.On May 1, 1948, Arab League Secretary-General Abdul Rachman Azzam Pasha declared: “If the Zionists dare to establish a State, the massacres which we will unleash on them will dwarf anything which Genghis Khan and Hitler perpetrated.”On May 15, the day on which six Arab armies attacked Israel, Azzam Pasha reinforced his previous declaration: “This will be a war of extermination and a momentous massacre, which will be spoken of like the Mongolian Massacres and the Crusades.”From the perspective of Jewish history, there can be no doubt that the declaration of the State of Israel and the War of Independence were the absolute pinnacles of 2,000 years of Jewish history – a history of exile, oppression, and injustice.The War of Independence was undoubtedly Israel’s most fateful war, a case of “To be, or not to be!” Out of a total Jewish population in the Yishuv of 600,000-650,000, over 6,300 Jews – civilians and military personnel – were killed in the War of Independence (1% of the entire population).In January 2019, the American Veterans of Israel (New York) were honored to receive the following formal citation from the IDF signed by Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, the outgoing chief of staff:“I wish to express my sincere appreciation for all the soldiers of Machal who, with courage, determination and boundless devotion, fought in the hardest battles in the War of Independence.The volunteers of 1948 chose to join our ranks from a shared belief in the righteousness of our cause. They stood determined in the face of the enemy for the sake of ensuring the independence of Israel. The bravery and deep sense of purpose that guided them, as well as their personal experience and professional skills, are the foundation upon which the Israel Defense Forces are built until this day. As they stood steadfast in the line of fire, before them lay the dream of 2,000 years: the establishment of a national home for the Jewish People in the Land of Israel.The soldiers of Machal, who gathered from every corner of the world and tied their fates to the people of this land, left a legacy that guides us to this day. We continue to walk in their footsteps as we work to fulfill our mission: to protect the State of Israel, to secure its existence, and if necessary, to triumph in war.In my name and in the name of the soldiers and officers of the IDF, I salute you!”
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