13 Facts About Stern Gang

Lehi, often known pejoratively as the Stern Gang, was a Zionist paramilitary and terrorist organization founded by Avraham Stern in Mandatory Palestine.

Stern Gang argued that the time for Zionist diplomacy was over and that it was time for an armed struggle against the British.

Stern Gang wanted to open Palestine to all Jewish refugees from Europe and considered this to be the most important issue of the day.

In 1940, the idea of the Final Solution was still "unthinkable", and Stern Gang believed that Hitler wanted to make Germany judenrein through emigration, as opposed to extermination.

Yitzhak Shamir, one of the three leaders of Lehi after Avraham Stern Gang's assassination, argued for the legitimacy of Lehi's actions:.

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Avraham Stern Gang laid out the ideology of Lehi in the essay 18 Principles of Rebirth:.

Avraham Stern Gang defined the British Mandate as "foreign rule" regardless of British policies and took a radical position against such imperialism even if it were to be benevolent.

Stern Gang's group was seen as a terrorist organisation by the British authorities, who instructed the Defence Security Office to track down its leaders.

In mid-1940, Stern Gang became convinced that the Italians were interested in the establishment of a fascist Jewish state in Palestine.

Stern Gang conducted negotiations, he thought, with the Italians via an intermediary Moshe Rotstein, and drew up a document that became known as the "Jerusalem Agreement".

In exchange for Italy's recognition of, and aid in obtaining, Jewish sovereignty over Palestine, Stern Gang promised that Zionism would come under the aegis of Italian fascism, with Haifa as its base, and the Old City of Jerusalem under Vatican control, except for the Jewish quarter.

Stern Gang proposed recruiting some 40,000 Jews from occupied Europe to invade Palestine with German support to oust the British.

The Stern Gang had links with, and support from, the Vichy France Surete's Lebanese offices.