동아시아의 평화와 화해의 정치학 Scrapbook: Israel Birth of a Nation Documentary

2025-02-17

Israel Birth of a Nation Documentary

Anna Bens

482,747 views Apr 25, 2015

World War Documentary,

World War 2,

Documentary,

====

Transcript

[Music]

war was to become the fate of a generation of Jews living in Palestine the land of Israel they and often their

parents were people who had struggled and built for half a century inspired by a dream of Jewish

sovereignty and they were to be joined by Jews from Arab countries and by those who had survived the European tragedy

and longed for a Homeland free from persecution Egypt no Soviet Union Yes

United [Music] Kingdom the United States yes

resolution of the duck committee for palestin was adopted by C3 boots SE

[Applause] against at the end of the second World War War the Jews of Palestine would

determine to establish a state the first manifestation of Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel for 2,000 years on

the 29th of November 1947 the United Nations voted to establish two states

one Jewish one Arab in a partition Palestine the Arabs swore to resist the

creation of a Jewish State even by War this film is the story of that war

[Music] a [Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

this is the land of Israel also called Palestine since the Roman Conquest 2,000 years earlier it was some 300 M long and

40 Mi wide a land that had been fought over for centuries it would now be

fought over once

again the partition Plan gave the Jews of Palestine a small state within the land of

Israel areas of predominantly Arab population were to become part of the Arab State including most of the Galilee

predominantly Jewish areas would remain Jewish the neev was given to the Jews

Jerusalem at the map Center was to be [Music]

internationalized the British had conquered Palestine during the first world war and the League of Nations had

authorized a British mandate to govern the country Palestine seemed somehow not a mandated territory but part and parcel

of the British Empire an Empire that found itself under siege after the second world war as more and more people

strove to become independent the British could ruled Palestine for 30

years more than 30 British forts were scattered throughout the country they controlled strategic roads and Junctions

the forts were built in 1936 against the Arab Revolt in 1948 as the British

prepared to withdraw each one became the scene of a bitter struggle for control between Jews and

[Music]

Arabs this fort at geser was located near the railway crossing of the River Jordan that connected Palestine to trans

Jordan and Syria at the center of the country at latron this was the police Fort which

dominated the entrance to the gorge leading up to Jerusalem from the coastal plain the Jewish population of Palestine

was only 600,000 When The War of Independence began yet from that small community there emerged a group of

leaders of rare quality they were a generation that had hoped to be farmers

and Builders of the land but were made leaders by a tumultuous series of

events David Boran was the leader of the Jewish community and became the first prime minister of Israel yal Alon was a

military commander of excellence and daring a native born Israeli his

associate Yak Rabin was also native born yigal yadin was a brilliant strategist

who became Army chief of staff and later a world-renowned archaeologist mosha danan also made his

Mark in Israel's war of independence he was both a warrior and later a Statesman mahim Bean was the leader of

theun committed not to partition but to Jewish sovereignty in the entire

land the Jews of Israel were divided into a number of armies or military groupings all of them had been

underground armies during the Mandate conducting training far from the eyes of the British

police the Hagar was the strongest of the pre-state armies it reported to the

head of the Jewish agency David benorian as the war started the Hagar had 32

th000 part-time soldiers registered and about 13,000 weapons mostly rifles the

Hagar had scarcely enough ammunition for 3 Days

fighting the Palmar was the elite Commando unit drawing much of its membership from Collective settlement

the kibot Sim it was also part of the hagana but had a semi-independent

command on the eve of war the Palmar had 3,000 fighters in its

ranks the etel eron was a right-wing Force its members engaged in terrifying

acts of violence against the British and the Arabs the aor had some 2,000

Fighters within its

ranks directly on after the United Nations decision to partition Palestine the euphoric dream of Jewish statehood

in the land of Israel was punctured by the harsh reality of

gunfire 3 days after Arab snipers attacked a civilian bus on the Mediterranean Coast killing five Jews

Arabs stormed the Jewish commercial center in Jerusalem outside the Jaffa gate causing havoc and destruction and

nearly Burning It To The Ground no one was killed but the Jewish population was in shock

in Jerusalem and elsewhere Arab and Jewish communities were already in a state bordering on War British patrols

sought to secure peace and Order within the country meanwhile the British formulated secret plans for their

departure from the

country the leader of palestine's Jews was David Boran he was respected and

even feared by his colleagues benorian wanted to fight the Arabs curb the power

of the dissident Aon and Forge a Jewish Nation his vision of a democratic Jewish

State and his strategy for attaining it shaped the fight of the new Israelis

against their

enemies some of boran's decisions judged by conventional military standards were unusual he was determined to hold

Jerusalem the historic religious symbol of Jewish statehood and nationhood and to hold it against all military advice

the city was far from the coastal plain subject to Arab Siege and extraordinarily difficult to defend

benorian was also committed against military advice to the defense of every single Jewish settlement just to the

south of Jerusalem was gion a group of four small Collective settlements or kibot Sim with only a few hundred

residents gion was located outside the borders of the Jewish state in the United Nations partition

plan in early January a Palmar officer Uzi naris became the gush Eton

Commander immediately when I look at that block I

understood the block was doomed there was

no uh no opportunity no chance for those

four little Kim tiny Kim already besieged to

survive convoys to gush etsion from Jerusalem had to pass through a number of Arab Villages and Arab controlled

roads within a few days of Nares having arrived Arabs from surrounding Villages

attacked the settlement on January the

14th in the morning I think that never in my life I saw so many

Arabs in that Valley here which is called the Valley of the

blessing and all of them you know so many thousands were moving

slowly mainly towards farion nois got a message by radio from

a nearby kibutz that the Arabs had stopped to eat breakfast before their assault

that pause provided the opportunity naris authorized an attack so the Palm

platoon called them in the middle of eating storm them attacked

them and all of them withdrew killed or injured or whatever

and that was really the break of the attack the Jewish troops were left with

little weaponry and and almost no ammunition naris requested help from the Palmar Command Center at kibutz Mal

hamisha a special mission was authorized on January the 15th 35 men

including many students from the Hebrew University set off on foot through the Judean Hills at night to bring

reinforcements to The Defenders of the etsion block they had no radio an Arab

whom they met apparently misdirected them and then mobilized the Arab villagers against them

all 35 were

[Laughter] [Music]

killed Arabs from the surrounding Villages gathered to view the dead these photographs were captured later by

Israeli forces the bodies were mutilated [Music]

H that was really very very tough

because the Arabs Palestinians at that

time listen you killed your enemy okay why do you have to dismember

[Music] him the killing of the 35 brought home

the reality of a brutal War to Palestinian Jews the funeral was somber

pictures of the mutilated bodies were not released to the public the civilian leader of kabutaron was David Ben

David that was a shock and we were afraid that the fate

of the 35 Could Be Our Fate as well there were

many opinions some some were more strong somewhere not so strong as I was but uh

that gave us the feeling that a ve a very a very hard f is going to to happen to

[Music]

us this is the youth Village of Ben sheman located near the Arab city of L

and outside the Jewish State according to the United Nations partition

plan this film shown here for the first time was taken by one of the teachers of Ben sheman and sat in a desk drawer for

50 years the youngsters were mainly survivors of the

Holocaust British soldiers together with hugan our guards accompanied the youngsters they traveled to quav vitkin

a village in Jewish held territory on the Mediterranean Coast where they hoped they would find

safety to the north of the country the battle was also developing

the northern cities were mixed including both Jews and Arabs Hyer on the seash shore was the

country's main port and still under British control the British were using their power to stifle Jewish

[Music] immigration though most of the Galilee was populated with Arab Villages Israeli

kibot Sim was scattered throughout the area [Music]

an Arab Liberation Army under kuki operated with the support of the vaunted Syrian Army it controlled The Plains of

the north on the 16th of February ki's forces attacked in the Jordan Valley a

trat a religious kibot the Jews staved off the attack one Jew and 40 Arabs were

killed to save face the Arabs claimed a great Victory with 300 Jewish dead

[Music] in Jerusalem the battle was also developing on the 22nd of February there

was a major explosion on bahuda Street 47 Jews were killed 130 were wounded the

Jews were Furious they suspected the involvement of deserters from the British army helping the Arabs plant the

bombs on the 11th of March there was yet another explosion this one at the Jewish

agency building in the center of of Jerusalem effectively the seat of Jewish government a car filled with explosives

was left at the entrance by a previously trusted Arab employee of the United States consulate the explosion killed 12

Jews the Arab Villages surrounding Jerusalem created a strangle hold on the city cutting it off from the coast the

Arabs would harass and attack convoys causing casualties and death the Palmar

cracked Harel Brigade was given the job of holding the road to Jerusalem among

those with the Brigade was a 17-year-old

[Music] nurse on that Hill that one with a

beautiful fur tree the Arabs waited there and they'd informed the Arab Villages around here that we were coming

there was the village b m s and other Arab Villages they'd wait over there

inform all the other Villages and then they'd be waiting for us on the road they'd come down to the road itself

firing at our tires simply it became face to- face battle they got that close to our

[Music] convoys each Convoy was a desperate Venture a number was stopped there was

looting and killing many Jewish lives were lost some convoys got through as

the battles continued the myths and legends grew one one young poet wrote at the time the convoys broke through to

the city on both sides of the road are dead are piled up the iron skeleton is

as quiet as my friend bab elwad remember our names forever bab elwad on the road

to the [Music]

city the iron skeletons still stand on the road to Jerusalem REM minders of the

[Music]

battle directly following the second world war European Jews had tried desperately to gain entrance to

Palestine but were blocked by British restrictions many of these Jews were Holocaust Survivors they dreamed not

just of Refuge in the land of Israel but of a secure life in a Jewish state

British surveillance of the Palestine Coast was constant though the British managed to

keep many Jews out they principally succeeded in making the Jewish refugees only more determined to reach the land

they regarded as home a Hagar ship unafraid was one of

those stopped when caught the refugees were shipped to detention camps on the island of Cyprus some 200 mil

[Music] away some European Jews however had

already sneaked through the barrier of British surveillance among them was one of the few who knew how to shoot a

machine gun a holocaust Survivor who had been a partisan fighter in the forests of Poland and then afterwards had

trained others at the be and bson displaced persons Camp his name mahim

ulman I took a choice to come here to create a

country to marry to bring up children for everyone who was killed in the

Holocaust in Europe this fighting here was like to be an V in the ghetto no

chance to go out but we have to fight April 1948 it became known as the

cruel month it was both cruel and crucial the month that would determine the direction of the

war inside Jerusalem there was fighting to control individual neighborhoods

there were Jewish victories but also losses the Arab Siege on Jerusalem tightened Jewish jerusalemites had

barely enough to eat or drink each drop of water was precious it was estimated

that only two weeks food supply stood between Jerusalem and

starvation shelling came from the old city and Arab Villages around Jerusalem

Jewish areas were held but there was no territorial contiguity making effective defense difficult the Jewish quarter of

the old city populated mostly by religious Jews was reinforced by Hagar

and Palmar

fighters on the outskirts of Jerusalem Arab villagers and irregular troops surrounded the city assaulting the

Convoy bringing food and supplies the Jews suffered terrible losses anakim

ulman was an eyewitness memories of death and life of

sacrificing patriotism of United people that they have been ready to do

everything and uh the name of the action was death of

victory so in early April the Palmar stationed

in the hills around Jerusalem planned an attack to free the Jerusalem Corridor so

that food and other supplies could be brought into the [Music]

city this footage shows Arab troops preparing for battle on one of the hills around Jerusalem the cameraman was with

the Arab troops as they attacked the Arabs are practicing the C capture of a Jewish settlement just outside the

city each Village around Jerusalem was crucial to the control of the

[Music] city only a few miles outside Jerusalem

was This Magnificent hill with a view stretching out all over Judea down to the Mediterranean Sea it was called the

Castel or castle and the remains stand where there had once been a Roman and

later a crusader Fort Arab control of this hill at

Castell cut off Jewish Jerusalem from the coast on April the 3rd Jewish forces

captured the hill but after a continuous Six-Day battle they were driven off

their last order became a watchword all privates will Retreat all commanders

will cover their withdrawal on the evening of the 8th of April the Jews still held the Hill

though thousands of Arab Irregulars were approaching ever closer one of the platoon commanders on the Castel was

maim om the one who sit on the castle control all the area and the commander

was the the Palestinian Commander was Abdul kader

husseini and he sent everybody who come thousands of them and the last attack we

let them come in until the fence because we have been short of bullets

they have report before they came to the fence that they already inside but then

we push them back then later after half an hour a [ __ ] with United Nation came he

wanted to see our commander then he said you don't know at whom you kill Abdul

husseini is dead here on the [Music]

road there was a massive funeral for husseini in Jerusalem on the Temple mount the area called by the Arabs Haram

El Sharif the holy Sanctuary Hussein's death soed disillusionment in Arab ranks

their best commander had been killed on the same day as the funeral

the 10th of April there was another disaster for the Arabs one with a profound political

effect forces of the Aon Jewish Army attacked an Arab Village de yed and

conquered it but there were more than 200 Arab dead many of them women and children the regular Jewish leadership

was a gast and disavowed the attack Arabs elsewhere abandoned their homes

fleeing in the hope that they would return shortly afterwards behind the Conquering Arab armies a main Arab

objective was the Jewish quarter of the old city Jews had lived here for hundreds of years within walking

distance of the Wailing War Arab shelling was continuous on April the 3D 13th a kindergarten was hit and 20

children injured as The Siege continued the hardship and distress inside the

quarter intensified so did the [Music]

shell hassa Hospital on Mount scopus adjoining the Mount of Olives and situated next to the Hebrew University

was connected to the rest of Jewish Jerusalem by a narrow road through an Arab quarter a was Jerusalem's main

Jewish hospital supported by an American women's organization it served both Jews

and Arabs but there was no immunity from the spreading

violence on April the 14th the Jewish Convoy was driving along this road it

was bringing with it doctors nurses medical supplies and patients to the hadassa hospital Arab gunmen opened fire

pinning the Convoy down 77 Jews were killed a young American Girl wrote in

her diary all Jerusalem is walking around asking itself is there no end to

it in the country's North the hills of the Galilee were as fertile in mid- April 1948 as they are today the farmers

Jews and Arabs alike wanted to harvest their crops before fullscale hostilities broke out the British planned to

evacuate the area's police stations but would not say exactly when

as the Arabs planned their attacks emergency meetings took place in the kibot Sim boran's order was to hold

every Jewish settlement by mid April despite Fierce Arab attacks not a single

Jewish settlement had been lost on April the 15th the British

evacuated the police forts at safid and here at neusa strategic points

controlling the Eastern Galilee this Elite Commander unit prepared a two-prong surprise attack on neb USA

many of these young men lost their lives the attack was driven off the Palmar Was

Defeated for the first time a failure that shocked Jewish morale y parad was

one of the fighters in one night H half of our people were killed or severely

wounded 22 people mostly from one group from one group living in one k boots

coming from the same youth movement elsewhere there were startling

successes on the 18th of April the British evacuated the police fort in tiberias after Arab attacks Jewish

forces took the initiative and cut the city in two the Arab civilians fled

leaving the city under Jewish control a few days later with the British secretly

laying plans for their final departure from hia the hagard determined to seize the city and thus open up its port to

Jewish immigration in the battle for Hyer the Jewish and Arab forces were evenly

matched about 600 fighting men on each side at sunset on April the 20th the

Hagan launched a pincer attack on the Arab quarter from the port below and the upper town

above the Hagar appealed to the Arab population to stay in hia but most Arab

civilians fled leaving the city to the

Jews the fighting was fierce the Jewish forces were stunningly

successful in the fighting they were dead on both

sides the battle ended on April the 22nd with a Jewish Victory as the Arab

leaders left hyper they told the Jews we do not recognize you and we shall return

when you are no longer

here on the 24th of April the British evacuated the police Fort at semar at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee

the Jews succeeded in taking it over just a few days later a few miles

to the South the police fought near kibot geser became the scene of battle

as the British evacuated Jews from kibot geser seized the police

Fort gesha means bridge and Three Bridges cross the River Jordan at this spot one of them dating from Roman times

the Hyer Damascus railroad crossed the Turkish Bridge the railway station nearby and the bridges were strategic

points that controlled the crossing between trans Jordan and Palestine suddenly on the 27th of April

the Jordanian Arab Legion a British trained and well-armed regular army

appeared appeared on the Jordanian side of the river the young men and women of gesha

few of them more than 30 years old had limited military training the kibot children had already been evacuated at a

kibot meeting it was decided that one person from each married couple with children would be sent away to safety

among those present was duie bar we decided that from every family one

family with with children one of the parents shall be out decide that the children shall not be Orphans of the two

parents only of one and we decided that mostly the mother is going out living

here and uh but in some cases the mother was more important for the defense of

the place than the father and the decision was that he was more important for the defense of this place should

remain here facing determined Jewish resistance the Arab Legion halted and

turned the Arab Legion forces from gesha were transferred to the Jerusalem

front skirmishes throughout the city were already determining the outlines of Jerusalem's

neighborhoods the Jews desperately short of food and ammunition decided nonetheless to go onto the attack to

link up the Jewish neighborhoods on the 29th of April Jewish forces attacked in

the katamon section the key to the battle was the Greek Orthodox Monastery of s Simon held by Iraqi Army troops

the Jews secured the position making the monastery a Jewish command post the Jews

now controlled most of the western part of the city though the Jewish quarter of the old city was beleaguered and cut

off towards the end of April on the 26th the battle for Jaffa a port city next to

Tel Aviv began Jaffa was part of the area to be included in the Arab State under the United Nations partition plan

yon forces led the way in an attack coordinated with the Hagan Arm British shelling of Tel Aviv and an

aerial attack on nearby batam Were Meant to help the Arabs British soldiers fired

on the Jews who threatened to bring about the fall of this vital Arab City by the 11th of May the Jews had won

there was mass flight from Jaffa by the Arabs 70,000 Arab residents only 3,000

remained in the city almost simultaneously the the fight

for the control of the Eastern Galilee in the north of the country reached its climax the Arabs of safed had a

reputation as tough Fighters when the British had evacuated in mid April a Palmar unit had infiltrated into the

Jewish quarter in the upper City for a period of several weeks there was a

stalemate finally we made one attack it was unsuccessful the morale was very low

the people of suffed shouted on us why you do it for us because otherwise we'd

surrender to the Arabs and we shall survive and live now they will Massacre all of us palar Commander yigal Alon

infiltrated through Arab lines to organize an attack on the evening of the 10th of May the attack began in the

morning safad was empty about 15,000 people left in one

night and sa was in our hand

in Tel Aviv the Jewish leadership was ever more determined to declare a state they feared an invasion from regular

Arab armies one possibility for stopping the onslaught was to persuade the king of trans Jordan Abdullah to remove

himself from the Coalition of Arab armies Boran designated gayer as a

secret Emissary she proceeded secretly at night with a small team through Arab

controlled territory last minute efforts were made to avert war on May the 10th golden

mayir came here to the River Jordan and disguised as an Arab woman crossed the bridge to meet King Abdullah at his

Summer Palace at shuna the king said there would be no war if the Jews agreed not to declare EST State and if they

halted all future Jewish immigration this was unacceptable tens of thousands

of survivors of the Holocaust were waiting to enter Palestine if his majesty wants War goldem mayor told the

king there will be War and she added perhaps we will meet again soon after the establishment of the

state with the state about to be declared the Arabs renewed their attacks on the small Jewish kibuts kariton to

the south of Jerusalem the wounded were removed to a neighboring kibot Arab

Irregulars then entered karion and massacred all who were there shortly

afterwards the transjordanian Arab Legion expelled the Irregulars and captured the neighboring Jewish

settlements and the moment when the Jewish uh state was created established

we The Last of Us left the gion Theon block and became prisoners of

War on the 14th of May 1948 Israel became a

state was now Jewish sovereignty within a part of the land of Israel after 2,000

years of dispersion there was happiness on the streets of Tel Aviv and

Jerusalem the joy of the present obscured the looming dangers of what might happen on the

[Music]

tomorrow on May the 15th Egyptian Spitfires attacked Tel Aviv damage on

the first day of allout war was considerable one Spitfire was shot down

the Arabs had shown that their fighter planes had a Long Reach right into the Jewish population

centers military opinion was fairly unanimous but the state could not survive field Marshall Montgomery who

had commanded the Victorious Allied armies in North Africa and Northern Europe gave us his opinion the state of

Israel would be defeated within 2 weeks the Arabs threatened Israel on

every front to the South the Egyptian Army prepared a fullscale attack on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the center the

Jordanian Arab Legion was already in Jerusalem and now reinforced its troops

they were joined by the Iraqi Army to the north both the Syrian and Lebanese

armies prepared for Invasion on May the 15th the syrians

were poised to attack here at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee they Advanced during the night the two near

nearest Jewish settlements were evacuated at sear 42 Jews were defending the former British police Fortress they

fought for two days until all 42 were killed in Tel Aviv David benorian

ordered mosha down to the north with the words hold the Jordan Valley

settlements Diane rallied the forces for defense but ammunition and arms were desperately short at 4:30 on the morning

of May the 20th the Syrian Army attacked aana with tanks and flamethrowers a bloody battle

[Music]

ensued the syrians were on the verge of Victory when at about noon two Israeli

artillery pieces which had only recently landed at Tel Aviv Port arrived and open

fire the effect was immediate both physically and psychologically the syrians withdrew DEA had been saved a

thrill of relief swept through the new state regular Arab armies could be defeated Israel could

survive the artillery pieces were a French make called napoleonics the Hagan's Northern command

had only two of them they proved invaluable

[Music] to the south of Dan the kutnik of kibot gesha were reinforced by the Hagar they

had spent 2 weeks in training they had more arms and ammunition than before but

as if to confirm their worst fears an Iraqi Army Force suddenly appeared on

the Jordanian side of the river where the Jordanian Arab Legion had been camped only 2 weeks earlier

on May the 16th the Iraqis blew in the gate and an Iraqi armored vehicle entered into the center of the Fortress

it was quickly destroyed by the Israelis for 7 Days the fort at gesha was besieged kibbutzniks and Israeli

soldiers maintaining themselves against enormous odds then on the seventh day

the two Israeli artillery pieces which had successfully defended DEA to the north were rushed South opened fire and

the Iraqis fled to the south of the country in the

neev desert the Israelis had several settlements holding the water line to these settlements was crucial the

Egyptians expected light opposition from the Israeli

forces the Egyptian Army decided on a massive two-pronged attack that would cut the country in two one force would

cut through the Judean mountains to seize Jerusalem from the south thus depriving King Abdullah of Jordan of

exclusive control of the city the main Egyptian force would push up along the coast towards Tel

Aviv this mockup of a battlefield commemorates the hund men and women who

held out heroically against the attacking Egyptian forces for 5 days

on May the 19th the Egyptians attacked here at Yad morai south of Tel Aviv The Defenders faced infantry tanks artillery

and aircraft on the second day of the battle 18 men were killed on the third day the kibot signaled the men's morale

is sinking they approach exhaustion one of the commanders of the threatened kibot was Muna

brandine they attacked us with artillery airplanes and mortars

their infantry Advanced to a distance of 150 M from our lines we opened fire we attacked and

then they had losses and they pulled back we thought they would withdraw all

together in those first two days of battle we had 18 men killed

reinforcements arrived but after 5 days of intense fighting the kibot had to be abandoned the those 5 days provided an

essential breathing space whereby arms and reinforcements could be sent North for the defense of Tel

Aviv next to me my friends died people I'd grown up with people I'd known since

I was a youth here my friend's baby and my baby lived in the very same room

it was a spiritual problem how could we personally stand up to what was happening and still endure I said to

myself keep calm stay under control you have to take action against the

Invader the Egyptians believed that conquering Yad morai constituted a great

Victory their army prepared a propaganda film to boast of the achievement it was

mostly simulated at the kibuts itself the Egyptians staged a replay of the

action the only really true scenes of the battle at Yad morai were these

filmed in the kibot cowshed the Egyptian filmmakers showed how many cows their

forces had killed the Egyptian flag flew over kibot y

Mori in Jerusalem there were continual skirmishes benorian was determined to hold the city but Jerusalem was still

cut off from the coast and food was scarce when a convoy did get through

with precious food and ammunition it was a joyous event it was not certain that the

Israelis could defend the new city much less the Jewish quarter of the old

city on the 27th of May the old city fell it was a heartbreaking end to a

story of courage and of desperate

hope the Arab Legion freed the women and children who were allowed to proceed to West Jerusalem they held the men as

prisoners of

[Music] War one of the Jewish Fighters was

Esther kingold a religious girl originally from Britain she was hit by a

Jordanian shell on the last day of battle when the Jewish quarter surrendered Jordanian soldiers brought

her wounded but still alive to the nearby Armenian Monastery though on her

deathbed she refused the offer of a cigarette it was the Sabbath and smoking was forbidden she had written to her

parents just a few days earlier I am writing to beg you that whatever may have happened to me you will make the

effort to take it in the spirit that I want for I myself have no regrets we have had a bitter fight I have tasted

hell but it has been worthwhile because I am quite convinced that the end will see a Jewish State and the realization

of all our longings I am full of pleasure but the thought that you will come and enjoy the fruits of that for

which we are fighting be happy and remember me only in happiness Shalom and

goodbye your loving Esther

h [Music]

[Music]

Israel's war of Independence was fought by young people conscious of a special history they fought for political

Independence but also they felt for the very life and future of the Jewish people the first months of War saw them

stand their ground against an enemy determined to destroy [Music]

them the feeling was that this is a terminal

War we fight not for a certain Victory

not a victory in a certain battle but the battle is for our physical survival

of each one of us of us as a nation of us as a group and of our country and of

all our history [Music]

[Music]

it was the end of May 1948 Jewish Independence was already a fact

in the words of the English girl Esther kingold whether others interfere or help

us in our difficulties we know we shall get over them the confidence was great but

fighting was taking place all over the country during several weeks of harsh

fighting the new Israel had defended itself against five invading Arab armies

and had gained stunning Victor much of the Galilee was in Israeli hands from Tiberius in the east

to Hyer in the West in the south of the country the Egyptian Advance had been halted well short of Tel Aviv although

Egyptian forces straddled the northern neev and had the potential for offensive action in the center the Arab Legion

held most of what is known as the West Bank King Abdullah hoped to Annex that area to trans

Jordan the western part of the city of Jerusalem remained Jewish but was under siege the Jewish quar of the old city

and judaism's most holy place the Western Wall were in Arab [Music]

hands the last big obstacle to holding the western part of Jerusalem was this police Fort at latrun it controlled the

entrance to the gorge up to the city unless the road to Jerusalem were opened up once and for all Jewish Jerusalem

would be vulnerable borian decided to apply all available resources and pay whatever the price to capture lron

manakum Olman was a platoon commander in the battle we loved

pingon but sometime he took on himself things that he was not very professional and he gave the order to

take the people from the ship the one who went from the Concentration Camp after the Holocaust and to attack latrun

from the side of Tel Aviv the people have not seen Tel Aviv and a lot of them they died here right

straight here it had been a searingly hot day the

attacking Force lacked ammunition and many did not even have water

bottles more than a 100 Jews died in that first attack on latron one of the

heaviest losses ever incurred by Israel in a single battle many of those who died were Holocaust Survivors with no

remaining family to mourn them as The Siege of Jerusalem

intensified a second attack on latrun seemed imperative it was launched on the 30th of May the orders were to drive the

Arab Legion from the police Fort eight Israeli Armored Cars took

part in the attack they reached the walls of the fort but were driven off under intense hailes of fire among the

fighters was a holocaust Survivor from Lithuania Sol ganor the problem was to

actually open the the the huge gate was a very heavy gate and and once we sort

of broached it the infant was supposed to move in and when we really came up

quite close and we were few meters away and there was nobody behind us they

started shooting at us from all directions from the windows of the Fortress the Arab Legion held the fort

and the Israelis were forced to withdraw the road to Jerusalem remained

blocked with the Israeli Army approaching exhaustion a different route to Jerusalem had to be found that route

was found almost by

Chance the failure to take latron meant that there was no Road link to Jerusalem

two Israeli soldiers were given permission to go home on leave to the coast provided they did Ser their own risk it

was they who discovered this track on June the 1st it was used by a platoon of Israeli soldiers followed by a single

Jeep the track ran in the no man's land between the two armies parallel to the

road as Porters and mules rushed supplies along it to Jerusalem construction began on a road that could

take trucks the building of the Burma Road named after a second world war Supply route from India to China ended

The Siege of Jerusalem nothing could now stop the supplies coming into

[Music] Jerusalem still with the ceasefire approaching the Jordanian Arab Legion

retained the latrun fort benorian ordered Israeli commanders to launch a final attack the Palmar Jerusalem unit

was joined by additional forces brought down especially from the north among the fighters was Yer parag there was no time

to cooperate enough and to organize uh logistically between the two

different groups that one come from Jerusalem one come all the way from Galilee the result was a mistake that

the local people occupy their wrong kill although they were familiar with the area but they made a

mistake the attack failed during the retreat his Commander told the lightly

armed Yer parag and two other soldiers to block the road against a possible Arab

Counterattack so we asked him and went to retreat and he said what to what direction to tr he

said and which we understood that he plan that we stay here for good and I

can tell you that it was the only time during the whole war and I was in War

for the whole year almost every night if only one what time that I had the real

feeling that today I am going to die that Arab counter attack never came

in the north of the country under the shadow of Mount Hermon the Israelis Consolidated their gains but in the last

days before the ceasefire both kuki and the Syrian Army tried desperately for a

single dramatic Victory the syrians focused their attack here at Mish Maha

yarden the commander of a haagan reserve unit here was

raski I got an order from the grade Commander he said that on route to us there were two guns 265 mm guns from the

area of Dan to the south of us we got them finally and we began to

shoot at the syrians we shot about 10 Rounds not more than that and then the Syrian attack broke and they

dispersed a second Syrian attack was foiled by a minefield on the night of

the 9th of June with the ceasefire approaching the syrians attacked for a third time this time in an area

unprotected by mines they succeeded in establishing a foothold and then in

overrunning the

settlement a ceasefire was agreed on the 10th of June both sides were exhausted

here at latron the ceasefire was supervised by United Nations officers the bodies of the Dead had laid been in

the sweltering heat for days and were beginning to decompose now after the fierce battles

there was an exchange of the Dead in almost 4 weeks of continual

combat against regular armies Israel had lost 1,100 soldiers and civilians a

serious loss for a young country but there was also a sense of

exhilaration it no longer seemed likely or even possible that the Arabs could destroy the state of Israel or wipe it

from the map of the Middle East in the last few days before the

ceasefire I wanted very much to be wounded to survive and to reach the ceas

fire then I shall be alive after the war but when the ceasefire came we very much

disappointed because we had a feeling that you did not finish our business

that first ceasefire came to us as duw from Heaven one Israeli Commander

proclaimed soldiers went home to see their families their friends their loved ones for the first time in

[Music]

months the first truth gave Israel a much needed breathing space using its

procur agents overseas Israel brought in arms and ammunition thereby securing a slender

but real advantage over its Arab enemies the Israeli Army once a poultry Force

had now grown to 49,000 men and women training

intensified a determined effort was made to get the planes that could form a real Air Force to counter Arab

attacks some of the planes came from the United States others from Europe particularly from Czechoslovakia

many of the young Pilots were World War II veterans from the Allied armies from America and Britain the planes were the

nucleus of the Israel Air Force they were swiftly integrated into the order of battle to provide critical support to

Israeli ground units among the ships carrying arms to Israel was the Alena its hold contained

enough arms to supply several battalions the Altera had been procured and supplied by the dissident iRun movement

was feared by Borum as a separate private [Music]

Army Yun leader Manakin beIN and Boran after bitter negotiations failed to

reach agreement on where the arms should go or who should get them meanwhile the Alena approached closer to Israel's

Shore it was summer there was a ceasefire and the Tel Aviv beaches seemingly provided welcome relief from

the trauma of War

the altalena arrived from Europe off the seashore here at telaviv on board were many iRun supporters and arms destined

for the iron forces benorian was determined that there should be no independent private armies in the new

state and insisted that the iron give up both the ship and its arms when the ilon refused he gave the orders to open fire

[Music] the Alena incident threatened the young

state with Civil War one of the Army's best young commanders Yak Rabin carried

out the prime minister's command Jews killed Jews and valuable arms were lost overboard in the

Mediterranean Sea at the end of the day borian won uniting the Army into a

single Undisputed command though he had risked splitting the nation ilun leaders

including beIN went to the funerals of their colleagues

the truth lasted until the 9th of July What followed was a 10day cyclone of Israeli activity that advanced Israel's

positions in many places throughout the country four areas were Central to the new round of fighting in the north at

sharam and Nazareth the Israelis gained control of the remaining Arab Villages and cities that could still form pockets

of resistance at the center of the country just below the Galilee intelligence and

tactical failures cost the Israelis a clear Victory Iraqi army forces continued to hold this bulge near the

Arab city of Jenine and then there were two other places Lord and

ramlin Lord and Ramy were Arab cities that had the potential to block free movement of Israeli forces to the Negev

and to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and threatened the safety of Jewish areas along the

Mediterranean under the overall command of yigal Alon and the Tactical leadership of Moshe Dian the Israelis

moved to capture this area of large Arab

population the Arab towns of L and ramler were being used by the Arab armies as a base from which to attack

the coastal plane an Israeli operation was launched against them on July the 9th on the following day the Israeli

Commando battalion led by mosha Diane broke into L The Raid here only lasted

for 47 minutes but caused confusion among the Arab Forces 2 Days Later

ramler was occupied thousands of Arabs fled encouraged to do so by the Israeli

officers at boran's Express command the center of the country was

now Israel Israel captured the country's sole International Airport built by the British near Lord and immediately began

converting it into an operational Air

Base scarcely 20 mil to the South the Egyptians had set up their headquarters

in the Arab town of mijal part of ashalon today this Egyptian film captured several month later by Israel

shows mdal under Egyptian control the Egyptians were convinced that their forces could not only hold the northern

NE but expand those areas under Egyptian rule [Music]

among the positions held by the Egyptians were the former British police stations at Iraq El Mania and here at

Iraq swedan the Iraq swedan Fort anchored Egyptian positions in the

northern NE areas controlled by Egypt and came to be known as the fua

pocket on the 12th of July Egyptian forces from Iraq swedan attacked kibot

nebba only 2 miles away a fierce fight ensued a few hundred kotnik staved off

the attack of the regular Egyptian Army breaking their

offensive by the end of 10 days fighting the map had been transformed again there

was a new ceasefire though the Israelis seemed more secure most of the neets still lay in Egyptian

[Music] hands United Nations now pressed for a

political solution that would stabilize the situation their chosen Emissary was a

distinguished swed count folk bernot the man who had helped Jewish refugees during World War II bernot traveled to

the critical areas of dispute and formulated a compromise that most Jews interpreted as being

pro-arab his plan welcomed by the Egyptians and the British would have left the entire neave desert to the

Arabs not to the Israelis as formulated in the United Nations original partition plan

on September the 17th count bernot was driving to tea with the Israeli military governor of Jerusalem when his car was

ambushed on this corner by the stern gang and he was murdered his murder was immediately denounced by the government

of Israel benorian ordered arrest all Stern gang leaders surround all Stern

bases confiscate all arms kill any who

resist the murderers of bernot were never found only recently biographies

and Recollections have indicated who in the right-wing group actually pulled the

trigger the war resumed on the 15th of October the Israelis were desperate to

free the neev they formulated a plan of attack against the Egyptian

forces the Egyptians were particularly Adept at fighting from fixed positions

the fork at Iraq swedan saw seven battles between Israeli and Egyptian forces many Israeli lives were lost in

head-on attacks finally the Israelis bypassed

many Egyptian positions and on the 25st of October opened an attack on the capital of the neev the biblical city of

Bersa to take Bersa was relatively easy and I do not know why I think that maybe

because the Egyptians lost the spirit to fight they

did not imagine that we will dare to capture the capital of

the after an exchange of fire Egyptians inside the BBA police Fort surrendered

the nearby mosque was also captured at 9:15 in the morning of the 22nd of

October Israeli Brigade headquarters received the message be Sheba is in our

hands at 3:00 that afternoon a new general ceasefire was

ordered the Israelis had taken considerable territory kibuts Yad morai

was liberated the Israeli kotnik the residents of Yad morai returned to their

homes it was a somber homecoming for 5 months the kibot had been under Egyptian

Military control much of it was destroyed the israeli's first job was

properly to reberry the kibot members who had fallen they had then to proceed with the Reconstruction of their

homes meanwhile in the north of the country the Israelis launched operation hyam named after the king of Ty in the

Lebanon who had sent cedos to Aid King Solomon in constructing the first temple in Jerusalem in biblic

times the aim of operation hyam was to capture all of the Galilee up to the mandatory boundaries of the

country the operation was meant to destroy the remaining forces of kuki and

his Palestine Liberation Army and then expel Syrian Lebanese and Iraqi forces

from the country the operation was brilliantly [Music] successful K's Army was totally defeated

some 1500 rifles were captured and in addition many machine guns anti-tank

rifles and food the Arabs of Galilee now chose to stay in their Villages they

surrendered they did not flee and many welcomed the

Israelis throughout the areas controlled by the Israeli Army it sought peaceful relationships with the Arab villagers

Army units collected arms and ammunition from Arab [Music]

villagers it it was the beginning of a new era Arabs who remained made their

peace with the Jews and became citizens of the new state in the immediate aftermath of the

war Arab villagers were placed under Israeli military

control the Israeli forces entered Drew's Villages as well the Drews had

their own religion and offshoot of Islam many DRS had already chosen to Ally themselves with the Jews not the

Arabs and had actually served in the Israeli army during the fighting now all Drew's Villages joined in the close

alliance between the Jews and Drews the entire Drews population became citizens

of the state of [Music]

Israel during the November the Israelis continued to make advances throughout the neev givati Brigade formed a Cavalry

unit that roam the neev seizing terrain that motorized units found

impenetrable an effective ceasefire had been achieved on the Jordanian front Israel saw the continued Egyptian

determination to fight as an opportunity the Egyptian authorities tried to conceal their weak position

from their own public afraid of criticism at home and even of internal

unrest on the 10th of December 1948 yigal yadin director of operations of

the Israeli forces gave the order defeat of the invading enemy and its expulsion

to the boundaries of the country in preparation for the battle his operations officer Yak Rabin secretly

laid repairs to an ancient Roman Road which led straight across the neev into the Sinai battle began on the night of

December 22nd 23rd commanded by yigal Alon the Israeli forces freed the whole of the western

neev the aim of the operation was not only to capture territory but to compel the Egyptians to open negotiations for

an Armistice the Israelis thrust forward in well-coordinated actions though there were some Israeli

setbacks the advance Westward was rapid many Egyptian soldiers were taken

prisoner the Egyptian Army was still a fighting force but the large number of Prisoners cast doubt on its future

Effectiveness we participated very actively and efficiently in an operation

called the HEV campaign is one of the names of Mount

Si so the target the objective of that operation campaign was to drive away the

Egyptian Army from the recognized frontiers of

Palestine namely oir today

nitsana it was here at nitsana on the 27th of December 1948 that the crucial

battle took place for control of the western

netive the Egyptian forces were arride the old Turkish Railway line strongly dug in and fortified after a fierce

battle they were defeated and many high ranking Egyptian officers were taken prisoner hither to the Egyptian Army had

been fighting on Israeli soil now it had to look to the defense of Egypt

itself the Sinai Sun had set on many wars the end of this one was now at hand

with the route Westward into the Sinai desert open Israel wanted to secure the best possible terms for peace almost

immediately yal Alon ordered the Israeli troops to cross into sin they Advanced

speedily threatening to cut off the Egyptian Army in Gaza Egypt was suddenly

ready for talks with Israel though not while Israeli troops remained on Egyptian

soil the British in support of Egypt sent five planes to scout Israeli

positions in Sinai Israel managed to shoot them down an incredible military achievement for Israel's young Air Force

and a humiliation for Britain the Downing only increased the

political pressure on Israel Boran under mounting British and American pressure

ordered his troops to withdraw Israeli soldiers were already at Lish in Northern Sinai when they received the

order jalalon and his Deputy Yak Rabin were unhappy they thought that Israel

could negotiate a full peace with Egypt before leaving sin Israel withdrew within days armist

talks began on the island of roads in the Mediterranean the roads talks were chaired by the American Born United

Nations intermediary Ralph Bunch the initial atmosphere was Frosty though the

Egyptians finally agreed to sit together in the same room they refused to speak directly to the Israelis the head of the

Israeli delegation was Walter aan the Egyptians addressed their remarks

exclusively to Bunch as if we were not there for us we of course saw the

Egyptians were there and we were interested in including the Egyptians but this distance was still

artificially maintained for a little while until one member of our delegation

and I can't remember now who it was but one member of our delegation said something which offended the Egyptians I

think offended them terribly so they immediately turned to on him and said you have no right to say anything of the

kind and then all of a sudden they realized that they had spoken directly to the Israeli delegation after all they

were only human and when they heard something which annoyed them they reacted directly uh in that way the ice

was broken as a result of the Armistice signed on the 24th of February Egyptian

troops withdrew from the fua pocket fully vacating Israeli territory the

Egyptian General s Taha nicknamed the Sudanese tiger had fought well and was

respected by the Israelis Israel gained the entire Northern neiv without further

fighting as part of the Armistice agreement Egypt retained control of the crowded Gaza Strip where many

Palestinian refugees had also gathered

with the Egyptian talks looking successful there was a hope for peace on all fronts and the beginning of normal

life here in Jerusalem the Israelis were eager to establish their state and their

democracy no symbol of viable democratic government was more potent than that of a parliament angorian decided on opening

the knesset the Israeli Parliament at the Jewish agency building in Jerusalem on the 14th of February

1949 the building was the same one that had been partially blown up by an Arab terrorist the year

before the Egyptian negotiations had left the disposition of the neev open

talks with the Lebanese and transjordanian governments began on the 1st of March the jordanians are thought

of claiming the netive for themselves the Israelis wanted it for Israel as proposed in the United Nations partition

plan the last Israeli operation of the war was launched on the 5th of March

1949 advancing Southward through the neev desert two Israeli units competed

to be the first to reach the head of the Gulf of akaba and the former British police post at elat a distance of 150

M these actual films of the operation were taken by Israeli Army photographers

the Israel forces followed two separate routes through the neev both brigades were under orders to avoid combat with

enemy forces Scouts from the air and on the ground established the location of

Arab outposts the Israelis Advanced steadily through the dramatic desert

landscape the neave Brigade reached the police station at aat at 3:00 in the

afternoon of March the 10th there had been no resistance they also had no

Israeli flag with them they improvised in what Israeli law became known as the

ink flag a flag drawn only in ink a message went back to headquarters the

palmach neev Brigade and the Golani Brigade present the Gulf of elat to the

state of Israel meanwhile the Jordanian negotiations continued borders were

marked out in the Jerusalem area some thought the talks would fail King

Abdullah kept a delegation talking in roads but decided to conduct the substantive negotiations himself in

trans Jordan we received a message from the King of Jordan King dalah the

grandfather of the present King that um he wanted to negotiate the um basic

terms of the Armistice in person in other words he did not rely on his delegation in roads to negotiate the

details of the agreement and we decided everything directly with him and the the

decisions were then communicated to the delegations in roads talks resulted in significant border Corrections is got W

ARA in the north including a series of Arab Villages where Iraqi troops had occupied the hills W ARA provided Israel

more direct access between the coastal plane and the Eastern Galilee benorian had wanted it

desperately in exchange the Israelis gave up a small strip of land near

heon another Israeli aim was to control the railroad that ran from the coast up to Jerusalem near Jerusalem it went

through the Arab Village of BET safafa King Abdullah agreed to give Israel the railroad and divide the village

expecting Israeli acquiescence in his own plans to Annex the entire West Bank of the

Jordan after the war the situation of the Arabs was nowhere more bizarre than in this Village of B safafa just south

of Jerusalem under the armist dis agreement this Railway and that part of the village to my right went to Israel

The Village part to my left to Jordan European Railway Carri have a sign do

not lean out of the window Israelis used to joke that carriages on this line had a sign do not lean out of the

state meanwhile the doors of the state had been opened the new state declared

the right of return any Jew wishing to do so could come to the country and make it his Jews poured into to

Israel from the very first days of the new state immigrants arrived here in hiort and their hundreds their thousands

and their tens of thousands they came from Europe including survivors of the Holocaust from North Africa from the

Americas from Iran Iraq even from India just as the resources of the port were

strained to its utmost in order to bring them in so the state had to use incredible exertions to absorb

them with the war over the Israelis had to think about demobilizing and then

establishing a proper Army to defend the state the Weaponry shipped into Israel

during the war was enough to form the foundation of a peacetime Army now there were thousands of trained battle tested

soldiers augmented by newcomers from around the

world the Israel Defense Forces had proved themselves in battle but the chief of staff yadin realized that a

permanent Army would be needed to defend the new state Israel was too poor a nation to afford a large standing army

yadin went to Switzerland where he was impressed by the citizens Army there Israel's citizens Army was based upon

compulsory military service and an Ever growing pool of

reserves in March 1949 a British Jew Bernard be decided to visit the state of

Israel beum had been a soldier in the second world war but had never served in Palestine he was inspired by a vision to

capture on Phil the feel of the life of the new state and to do so in color what

follows is beam's extraordinary photographic record of life in Israel in March and April

[Music] 1949 this was was L airport many years

later and many Renovations later it would become known as benuron International

[Music]

Airport Tel Aviv was a small Mediterranean City it was the aftermath

of War not too much traffic special concerts were offered many soldiers

still wander the streets the Hulk of the altalena still

hovered off the T Aviv [Music]

coast and this is Bernard beatum the juny photographer of Israel in its very first days the ex- British soldier

[Music]

beum went to Jaffa still scarred by [Music]

War here the central bus station of herzlia north of Tel Aviv

[Music]

after a few days beum traveled to Jerusalem the contrast with Tel Aviv could not have been greater Jerusalem

high in the Hills is colder than Tel [Music]

Aviv in the first months after the war it was a somber City a city seemingly

heavy with history an incomplete City marked by its recent strife and resulting division to which the Eternal

stones of Jerusalem had been witnessed it was a city that was destined to remain the capital of Israel

but in March 1949 it was a city permeated by the aftermath of battle

[Music]

beam's cameras reached over the walls of division to document from afar the transjordanian side of the city which

held Many religious holy sites including the Western War judaism's holiest site

at which the jordanians refused to allow Israelis to visit

[Music]

beat of then went South at The Fortress called Iraq swedan he saw the remains of

War he visited the nearby kibot called neaba that had so valiantly resisted

Egyptian advances [Music]

overseas volunteers working in the kibot kitchen posed for beacham's

camera from kibot nebar Beach and traveled further south to Beba capital

of the neev [Music]

desert the reminders of War were everywhere bedwin soldiers now served in

the Israeli [Music]

Army the city gave little hint of the Metropolis it was destined to become the the Israeli flag flew over

[Music]

[Applause] it the bedwin who wandered the netive

desert still came to BBA to drink coffee in the town's cafes and to sell their

goods they would become Israeli citizens

from the neev desert beum traveled North one of his stops was at a Jordan Valley

kibot called ashot Yakov the kibot was a thriving

Enterprise its members could once again be Farmers not

[Music] solders beum approached the city of

tiberious from the southern end of the caner the Sea of Galilee

Tiberius commands a view of the Sea of Galilee and its sights the city was still partially in

[Music]

Ruins there were warning signs danger Minds there were reminders of War

everywhere

the city seemed to be starting life again the sense of renewed life was

[Music]

everywhere the city and its nearby sites are precious to Christians this is where

Jesus spent his last years beum climbed aboard a small boat

to travel across the lake to the kibot a which stood directly under the Syrian

guns on these Hills Armistice negotiations with the syrians had not

yet begun but the guns were quiet and here too life was beginning again

[Music]

back in tiberias Israeli soldiers were out for some well-deserved RNR rest and

[Music]

Recreation it was April 1949 and the incredible thing about the young people

of Israel was their spontaneity these were among the very

first weeks and months of a new life for the people of Israel then as if from nowhere above the

Sea of Galilee there emerged a rainbow [Music]

Israel's war of Independence was a war for the establishment of a state and also for the survival of a people The

Fortunes of War determined the ceasefire lines Armistice negotiations established

borders that lasted for 19 years until Israel was threatened once again those

who fought in Israel's war of independence remember it of the most dramatic and important period of their

lives a contribution to their people and its future [Music]

the state of Israel was now established 6,000 Jews had been killed in the war of independence 1% of the population the

state of Israel offered a ray of hope that at the end of great suffering there could be rebirth and a new life a people

had returned to the land from which they had sprung [Music]

[Music]

oh [Music]

[Music]

====

886 Comments

Sejin Lifeforce 生命

Add a comment...

@aash6992

3 years ago

You have provided an invaluable source of history that will help many today and in the future, understand the history of Israel.

1 reply

@tdfisk

9 years ago

One of the great ironies of war in 1948 on was Israel receiving a very large number of German weapons and aircraft. The first time I saw a picture of an Israeli ME-109 with Israeli markings I laughed like crazy. There are a lot of the Nazi MG-42 in this film, one of the best machine guns of WWII. They really play down America's help to Israel, it was massive in supplies and volunteers. In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, we sent hundreds of the most modern main battle tank the M-60 along with everything they needed to defend themselves. There were hundreds of flights of our biggest transport plane the C-5 Galaxy to get to Israel amazingly quick.In the Six Day War my ship, the USS Sylvania, was only 13 miles off the coast of Egypt and we were preparing to fight the Russians who threatened to send troops to Egypt. I spent my 19th birthday June 7th on a gun mount. Israel was born only 3 weeks before I was.

Thomas

25 replies

@mreza84

6 years ago

I am from Iran, Love & Peace for state of Israel ✌️ ❤️

4 replies

@azukarzuchastux8066

2 years ago

Ezekiel 37:21 - And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.

@annoyboyPictures

7 years ago

LONG LIVE ISRAEL. LONG LIVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE. From ASIA... your Allies in the East...

1 reply

@thgentleman9210

6 years ago (edited)

I've traveled most of the Middle East and I can tell you that Israel is the most liberal Free Nation in that world.

14 replies

@kantobomjen4510

6 years ago

Israel is God's timepeice.Israel is not going away.

@Elgatpoelilliven

7 years ago

God bless Israel God bless the Jewish people I support and love Israel

2 replies

@Biz5

7 years ago

What's up my Jews!? Give a fellow Jew some likes!

@2009Infidel

4 years ago

Love from Finland. God bless Israel and keep her safe.

2 replies

@neilhobson3624

3 years ago

The Jews are a phenomenon. Their survival is just staggering. They’ve just got stronger and stronger since reforming their state. They sure ain’t going down without a fight this time.

They look after each other like I’ve never seen before 👍🇬🇧.

2 replies

@Josh1.8

6 years ago

I'm an Arab I have great respect for the jews

8 replies

@phampx1

11 months ago (edited)

@1:28 "The people had returned to the land for which they had sprung." No occupying here.

@h03b73

4 years ago

I expected this comment section to be full of people complaining about their history homework, not propaganda 😂

1 reply

@christiansantiago7748

6 years ago

Jesus christ was born in israel "the promise land" He will protect it no matter what! Praise you lord..

5 replies

@FestusKiplagatgpi

5 years ago

Blessed Israel forevermore into ETERNITY, you have stood with Kenya through thick and thin. Thank you Bennie!

@danielmoses8173

4 years ago

Thank you father for the restoration of Israel, in Jesus mighty name

2 replies

@curtisjohnson7308

7 years ago

Against all odds, the Jews survived

139

41 replies

@KovnerNakam

9 years ago

An extraordinary epic, for its deep meanings and transcendent connotations maybe the most heroic and moving piece of history of all times.

Long live, oh gracious People of Israel! You deserve the best!

2 replies

@tylerscholl4742

5 years ago

Excellent documentary! Thank you! Am Yisrael chai! :)

@ashokghosh4339

6 years ago

i am Indian i love jews and Israel great people great nation long live israel

@Livingmydreammm

5 years ago

Beautiful Thank you❤❤❤

@MaccabiHaifaVideos

4 years ago

We have no other home but Israel

@suzieesquivel9594

6 years ago (edited)

God bless Israel and its people

Unbelievably this small country will soon be the Center of all the Apocalyptic events

This place was chosen from the very beginning of creation

Isaiah 65-17. Isaiah 66

Zachary 14:4

Jeremiah 31:23

@مظفرالعزاوي-ج5ل

6 years ago

Israel is good, love from Iraq

5 replies

@bunnylady6758

3 years ago (edited)

Like David facing 5 Goliaths, with Russian backing. Nothing is impossible with God. If He wants His people to stay, they stay. God be glorified and the Lord Jesus.

@2sridhark

6 years ago

I am from India. I learnt all about birth of Israel from the book "O Jerusalem" by Larry Collins and Lapierre.

1 reply

@samueljackson6188

2 years ago

Ah, back when the history channel was actually about history!

2 replies

@buffdadio1

2 years ago

One of the most inspirational documentaries I’ve ever seen

@bellyfiore1

4 years ago

First class documentary . Incredible that Israel exists. viva.

@sooraareh646

5 years ago

So sad that! The sons of Ibrahim fought with each in brutal way😢😢😢

1 reply

@Hamburglar96

7 years ago

Long Live Israel!!

@819molavestreet4

4 years ago

Love from Philippines.

@doodlepadhi

5 years ago

Stay Strong _ we salute the Heroic Jewish People

From India

@alejandroaguilar9038

6 years ago

TOUGHEST PEOPLE OF ALL TIME

2 replies

@ernieland2480

7 years ago

God Bless Israel! Her King is coming soon!

11 replies

@lonw.7016

6 years ago (edited)

Palaestina was a small Roman sub-division located next the the Sea of Galilee. The British (allies) conquered the Sanjat of Jerusalem and the Sanjat of Tripoli from the Ottomans. EDit: the Romans named the area the Province of Judaeh. My spellings may be incorrect.

@bangladeshisraelfriendship8242

6 years ago

Long live Israel. Jewish survived against all threats and hostile situations.

Israel is only country in middle east with civilized values with many different religions or non religious people living peacefully with Joy despite surrounded by hostile neighbors.

1 reply

@maheshdash6930

5 years ago

Long live 🇮🇱. Luv from India🇮🇳

@Dan-lq4op

3 years ago (edited)

Praise God,,his word endures forever.

1 reply

@kingemorej4035

6 years ago

Shalom! Long live Israel! From Philippines!

@swkoppable

3 years ago

ישראל לעולם ועד🥰

@yonisamber8169

3 years ago

Anyone else notice the LAPD transmision that they used by accident at 59:46?

Was left scratching my head how Hollenbeck units fit into the middle east in 1948!

1 reply

@ZIONSCHRISTIAN

8 years ago

fulfillment of God's Word!!! Long Live Israel!!!!!!!

10 replies

@SwaneeS-q2l

1 year ago

Long live Israel! We are praying for you! 🇮🇱❤

@andersonsantucci9325

5 years ago

Long live to Israel,we Love Israel,from Brazil

1 reply

@WesW3187

2 years ago

Those courageous Israelis. It’s like they knew they would win. It was in their destiny. If they read their bibles they would have known it would be so. They love their country. The people who lived in Palestine during the last 2000 years didn’t do anything with it. It was not theirs. God threw the Jews out of their country because of their disobedience, but he said he would return them in the last days. He has done so. He said the deserts would bloom and they are. Israel is a mighty country because God protects them. Most of Israel doesn’t know this and are oblivious to the success their God has bestowed on them. Israel doesn’t believe in the true God. They think all their success is due to their stubborn resilience, but the bible says clearly that he is looking after them that he will return, and that Israel will mourn for him as for an only child and grieve bitterly as one does for a firstborn son who has died. Zechariah ch 12 vs 10. I love you Israel. But you must repent.

@chifunirochariskandaya6249

3 years ago

I love Israel

@ishmaelatorudibo5464

7 years ago

God bless Israel! Peace Be Upon Jerusalem!!

3 replies

@dnmpatriot

6 years ago

Amazing...a guerrilla Army defeats 5 regular national armies!!!

@jeremielendo1131

3 years ago

It´s amazing that no country of the world helped the 24 h old young state of Israel. Fortunately, the existence of Israel depends on Gott. And nobody can win over Him.

1 reply

@mitzvahgolem8366

6 years ago

League of Nations mandate on Palestine SanRemo conference 1917. The world promised to give us our homeland back long before ww2 1948.

1 reply

@benrob7239

6 years ago

Please can we put it this way when Israel became a nation again.

1 reply

@polonye

6 years ago

We are originated from Israel now some of my people are in Burma and Thailand love u Parents Israel

@markr.katzman3743

6 years ago

Boy....has Eilat come a long way, as has Israel! Israel has always treated defeated enemies with decency - it's Rabbinic and based on the Torah. Am Yisrael Chai.

2 replies

@rahulramakrishnan5044

3 years ago

Long live Israel....love from 🇮🇳india

@arajoaina

4 years ago (edited)

Isn’t it funny that the Palestinians suddenly felt that Palestine was their land when in fact it belonged to the British. Why didn’t they fight against the Brits for their land? Also, All the land Israel took during the wars rightfully belong to Israel. It’s the price the Arabs paid for starting the wars. If Arabs gets them back; they will not think twice before they start another war. They must understand that starting wars will cost them.

2 replies

@oopscanada

7 years ago

It's just incredible how God helped Israel to reposes their land. May God bless Israel. Its just incredible that so many Arab and European nations could not overcome the tiniest and youngest nation in history. The british should be ashamed of themselves for not helping Israel. and the Americans as well. We are just glad that now things are different. Any civilized nation who supports democracy must support Israel.

@rden66

8 months ago

Never knew the British fired on the Israelis,what duplicitous people they are

@ffreiheitskämpfer

1 year ago

i never hated Israel never will

@eliseolopez2790

5 years ago

history show when Israel puts their faith in God,no one can go agaist Israel.

3 replies

@Snakesborough

8 years ago

Stay strong Israel and never give up the Golan or Judea and Samaria.

13 replies

@Trigger-Happy03

2 years ago

At first I was very pro-Palestinian, but after reflecting on the topic, I have become increasingly supportive of the Israeli cause, yet I only hope that this conflict can be resolved diplomatically and by peaceful means. Both communities deserve a place to call their own, and it is a manifestation of a miracle that Israel won against a coalition of Arab nations over and over again, thus deserving the right to call that land their own. Not only that, but Israel shares the values and principles of the Western World.

1 reply

@Ultrafiresrevenge

2 years ago

I started beliving in the Bible more...as Isreal is so unique in its OWN ways.

@kuriakosevarkey498

7 years ago

God bless His people

3 replies

@Bho311

3 years ago

Can someone tell the the music that is played..

@steveroberts4549

1 year ago

They are not real jews but converts from the great khazar kingdom that once existed around turkey…

2 replies

@brandonb641

7 years ago

God bless Israel.

3 replies

@danpillai7618

3 years ago

Mahatma Gandhi is Respected 👍

@alfredsinganogideongideon6818

7 years ago

Let's call it rebirth because it belongs to them

@tiferetschafler492

3 years ago

the history of jewish resilience and perseverance is absolutely astounding.

@gerryjames9720

6 years ago

Pretty good documentary, but the animation for map illustrations was terribly rudimentary and unclear. Would have been better with a map and a marker.

1 reply

@jasminejeanine2239

6 years ago

who is this old!!! Def originally in vhs, back in the day, lol Im starting to fill old lol

1 reply

@ASamuel89

6 years ago

in what year was Palestine created? who was its leaders? what was the currency ?

2025-02-17

Israel Birth of a Nation Documentary

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