24 Facts About Palmach

Palmach contributed significantly to Israeli culture and ethos, well beyond its military contribution.

Palmach was established by the Haganah High Command on 14 May 1941.

Since the Palmach consisted of unpaid volunteers, the funding was used to cover the needs of twice that number of men.

Since British funding had stopped, Yitzhak Tabenkin, head of the kibbutz union HaKibbutz HaMeuhad, suggested the Palmach could be self-funding by having its members work in the kibbutzim.

Palmach put great emphasis on training independent and broadminded field commanders who would take the initiative and set an example for their troops.

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However, with David Ben-Gurion's decision, 1 October 1945, to launch an armed struggle against the British, the Palmach entered an alliance with the dissident groups, called The Hebrew Resistance Movement.

The first joint operation took place on 31 October 1945 when the Palmach sank three British patrol boats, 2 in Haifa and one in Jaffa, and were involved in 153 bomb attacks on bridges and culverts of the railway system.

In June 1946 the Palmach blew up ten of the eleven bridges connecting Palestine to its neighbouring countries.

Fourteen Palmach members were killed during the attack on Achziv Bridge.

On 31 December 1947 170 men from the Palmach launched an attack on Balad al-Sheikh, Haifa, in retaliation for the killing of 47 Jews at the Haifa oil refinery.

On 20 February 1948 the Palmach launched an operation in Caesarea, North of Tel Aviv, in which they demolished 30 houses, six were left standing due to lack of explosives.

Palmach units took a major part in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

At the beginning of the war, Palmach units were responsible for holding Jewish settlements against Arab militias.

In total, the Palmach lost 1,187 fighters during the war of independence and in the years prior to Israel's creation.

From June 1948 to December 1949, during which time the Palmach was absorbed into the army, 527 members died, 452 killed in action or in battle; 101 were killed during Operation Danny, including 45 at Khirbet Kurikur; 53 during Operation Yoav; 44 in Operation Horev and 22 during Operation Death to the Invader.

Palmach was organised into regular companies, and five or six special units.

Palmach put an emphasis on training field commanders and formed the basis for the Israeli army.

Palmach was a broad spectrum left-wing nationalist organisation, associated with socialist parties.

Since most of the Palmach's members came from the kibbutzim, the Mapam dominated the Palmach, with a majority of its officers being members.

Palmach members were not a unified, homogeneous collective with a single ideology.

Besides military contributions, the Palmach had great influence over the Israeli "Tzabar" culture.

Palmach activities included "Kumzitz", public singing and cross-country walking trips.

Palmach contributed many anecdotes, jokes, "chizbat", songs and even books and stories.

Palmach Museum, located on Chaim Levanon Street in Tel Aviv, near the Eretz Israel Museum, explores the Palmach legacy through the stories of individuals and groups.