Israeli soldier aiming his weapon. May 1948. Frank Scherschel
King Abdullah (fore CL) and his party standing in front of the Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Israel. John Phillips
David Ben Gurion. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Golda Meir. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Kibbutz break. Tel Aviv, Israel. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Men of Emir Mohamed Saleh in their camp listening to latest news. April 1948. John Phillips
Emir Mohamed Saleh leading his follwers, John Phillips. April 1948
Haganah Soldiers. June 1948. Frank Scherschel
Frank Adam comments: In the seventh picture – of the Israeli troops in a back area – note the two styles of British helmet. Two on the viewer’s left are in the “battle bowler” from the trench war of 1914-18, and most of the others are in the style that appeared from ‘43-’44 till the end of the steel helmet era. The Mark II (dor bet) with its bell curve silhouette and more sweep to the rear was designed to protect the nape and neck when crawling or lying on the ground because it could not be worn forward with the strap behind the head. There was also a brimless type for airborne trops only visible in the quayside picture in the first set of pictures.
Bugler playing the Last Post at funeral of a British soldier. June 1948. Frank Scherschel
Boy and girl Haganah members. Tel Aviv, Israel. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Jewish soldiers lying injured in hospital after surrender of city. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
Wounded Arab Legionnaire is carried by civilian volunteers. Jerusalem. May 1948
Arab Legion in Jerusalem. May 1948. John Phillips
Bodies of dead Jews lie in the rubble along Tel Aviv waterfront after Arab raid. May 1948. Frank Scherschel
Troops blindfolding Polish adventurers doing sabotage for Arabs. May 1948. John Phillips
Frank Adam comments: “The Polish trouble makers were probably deserters or demob from when the Anders Army which Stalin released to Churchill via Teheran. Anders’ Army passed through the British 8th Army back area that was Palestine and Egypt to train and then went on to win Cassino.”
UPDATE: The database identifies these as “Jewish Troops”. I think these are British, note the white bands above the shoes, indicative of Brit. uniform.
Perry Zamek comments: “The photo of the two Polish saboteurs – you question whether the troops were Jewish, and suggest that the white gaiters indicate that the soldiers were British. I would differ – I think the soldiers were actually Jewish MP’s. The soldier behind the truck, with a nightstick, and the soldier on the left, immediately behind the prisoner, both have an armband that clearly shows the Hebrew letter Mem. I think the armband actually had the letters Mem Tzadik, for Mishtara Tzvait – Military Police. The soldier behind him appears to be carrying a Sten gun. The uniforms were probably seized by Haganah forces when the British left, and probably assigned first to the MP’s (note that at least two of the soldiers have lanyards, and nightsticks rather than rifles).”
Haganah guard sitting in the Arab sector of Hafia. April 1948. John Phillips
Mayor of Jewish quarter "Muhktar" Weingarten being escorted to Arab Legion headquarters by Arab soldiers. Jerusalem. June 1948. John Phillips
People attending banquet during truce. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
An explosion blasting a path in Jewish-held old city after Arabs carefully crept through gunfire to plant dynamite under walls during attack by Arab Legion. Jerusalem. June 1948. John Phillips
Hagannah soldier. June 1948. Frank Scherschel
Frank Adam comments: There are at least three Haganah Sten guns in this series of pictures – all probably home made – a cheap and nasty blow back weapon of barrel, breech block and spring that could go off if you dropped it butt end first, that the British first designed in 1940 when they lost all their equipment at Dunkirk. They quickly smoothed the design and eventually made 2.5 million of the Mark II, nicknamed “the Woolworths gun” at allegedly 5 shillings – one dollar then. One story being to use up 9mm pistol ammo captured in the fall of Tunis, but in the second half of the war it equipped all who might need close quarter defence of the “burp gun” as Cold War Americans called the genre, but did not need to fire accurately to a distance: drivers, gunners, NCO’s, signallers, tankees logistics troops – about a 1/3 to half the divisional personnnel.
About 1942 Haganah obtained a specimen and realised the jackpot as they had a lot of disparate rifles in their caches with little ammunition, some being 19th century single shots. These were now dismantled for the barrels to saw up to make four Stems with garage mmachinery to make the butts and bodies. Ammunition was stolen or made from bulk imports of lipstick cases for cartridge cases. You can see the original underground factory near the new Rehovot Station and in Haganah Museum in Rothschild Avenue TA are several paired specimens used in settlement defence.
Barricade in front of entrance to building. May 1948. Frank Scherschel
Frank Adam comments: The wall in front of a shop front is a blast shelter wall typical of air raid shelters 40’s technology. Evidently by the painted lettering which spells “shelter” this wall enables people to be safer in the concrete building’s front lobby should bombs or shells start falling in the street. This technique is complementary to the picture of the people sheltering in a school corridor.
Arab soldiers with rifles being transported in military vehicles. March 1948. John Phillips
Frank Adam comments: There are two interesting technical details here. First the Arab Legion photos show them with the British World War I rifles with the snubbed muzzle cap.
The photo of the arab troops packed into requisitioned civilian lorries with extempore wooden safety grills – in that they are not a standard British or US issue (and do not have French Citroen or Renault trademarks either?) – are carying rifles with muzzles projecting well over the forestock furniture. These are probably French Lebels and so a Syrian unit in spite of the British pattern ‘37 braces they are wearing. From 1940 to ‘46 French units in Syria and elsewhere would have used replacement clothing from British or US stocks. By 1948 Syria & Lebanon were independent at British (1945?) insistence which was the French gripe that led to French support of Haganah Aliyah Bet and the independence of Israel in 1948.
John Glubb (C) and his wife feeding pigeons. Israel. April 1948. John Phillips
King Abdullah Ibn Hussein (L) talking to an officer. April 1948. John Phillips
Pablo de Azcarate (R) of the United Nations Truce Commission talking to doctors and a nurse. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillip
View of Jewish outpost near Egyptian border, showing trenches, gun emplacements and barded wire. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Haganah topography class. Tel Aviv, Israel. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Haganah men crawling along wall. 1948. Tel Aviv, Israel
An injured Jew in Jerusalem. June 1948. John Phillips
Shelter in corridor of a school building. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
A man looking at blood in an Arab classroom, May 1948. John Phillips
Refugees gathering their belongings to take aboard the British ship, May 1948. John Phillips
Registering for duty in Tel Aviv. 1948. Dmitri Kessel
Haganah member. Tel Aviv, Israel. 1948
An Arab Legionnarie pointing his gun at John Phillips, April 1948
A sign indicating Army traffic in Hafia. May 1948. John Phillips
Photos licensed for personal non-commercial use only by LIFE.
The 1948 Israel LIFE photographs are published in three posts:
Further Reading:
LIFE in Israel in 1948 – Part 1
LIFE in Israel in 1948 – Part 3
LIFE – Israel 1960 by Paul Schutzer
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
This is fascinating to see. Thanks
Part 2 is as interesting as part 1. Thank you. A great collection.
The War of Independence of the State of Israel is the story of the Jewish nation revival against all the odds.
Several interesting facts one should know well. British Empire did all it could to stumble the UN resolution from 29-Nov-47.
They detained holocaust survivors in Cypress till 1949 even though State of Israel declaration took place in May 14 1948.
British were in Haifa Port till July 1948 and did all they could to the last minute to disturb immigration and Navy Buildup.
John Glubb (C) shown in second part with his wife was a British General commanding the Trans Jordan Legion (Jordanian Legion) and was the one who ordered to attack Jerusalem old city Jewish quarter.
British troops by the order of their ministry of colonies transferred key positions and strong holds to the Arabs, see the story of Tiberias as well as supported Jaffa Arabs in attacking Tel-Aviv.
British RAF was taking a part in attacking Hagana troops in the Egyptian front, they were shut down by the young Israeli Air-Force. See Ezer Weizmann biography and IAF history.
Yes the photograph in part two is Hachorva synagogue that was blasted by the Jordanian Legion and was restored two yeas ago (2007). Other synagogue in the Jewish quarter that was blasted is Nisan-Beck. This is in contrast to IDF liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem that protected the Islamic holy places
Avi, thank you for the comment although a black and white picture of the history would be non starter. I.e. those Haifa streets didn't just get empty because of the swine flue… Mose specifically I am interested in the history of the surrender of the Jewish quarter in the old city. Was the Arab Legion part at the British Army? Was there an attempt to hold on to the quarter? Did Ben Gurion just give up on the part of Jerusalem that was demarcated to Jordan by the UN? Was there ever consideration for the inhabitants of the Jewish section of Jerusalem to stay there?
Thank you very much for taking the time to post these.
It meant a lot to me.
It means a lot to me that you appreciate this.
There are two interesting technical details here. First the Arab Legion photos show them with the British World War I rifles with the snubbed muzzle cap.
The photo of the arab troops packed into requisitioned civilian lorries with extempore wooden safety grills – in that they are not a standard British or US issue (and do not have French Citroen or Renault trademarks either?) – are carying rifles with muzzles projecting well over the forestock furniture. These are probably French Lebels and so a Syrian unit in spite of the British pattern '37 braces they are wearing. From 1940 to '46 French units in Syria and elsewhere would have used replacement clothing from British or US stocks. By 1948 Syria & Lebanon were independent at British (1945?) insistence which was the French gripe that led to French support of Haganah Aliyah Bet and the independence of Israel in 1948.
Secondly the status & responsibility of client state troops is politcally nice. The Arab Legion was British equipped, trained and had a lot of British field officers (majors & colonels) and its commander all, “on contract,” or, “secondment.” In 1920 – 46 it was the originally gendarmerie desert patrol force of the Emirate of Transjordan which the British had created within the Eastern part of the Palestine Mandate. In English English, “gendarmerie” is a nationally organised, armed but police force at the direction of civil power, local and central (state troopers in US?). Britain audited TJ's books ie approved the budget, and supplied quite a few senior civil officers all supervised by a Resident who reported to the High Commissioner in Jerusalem his immediate local senior, and directly to the Colonial Office, London. So in the 1941 Iraqi campaign and for internal security ie guard duties in Palestine 1945-47 inclusive, the Arab Legion was available (from '46, turning itself into an “army”) to the British commander in Palestine or Iraq as another British unit – having formally asked for their service through usual channels from the Transjordanian government which was internally fairly independent – or had to be treated as such to keep up appearances and so political effectiveness. In 1946 the British signed a treaty with Transjordan to become the Kingdom of Jordan and so strictly an ally, rather than a dependent territory – but it depended on a pa sub of £4 ($11) million from London till the 50's when Hussein fired Glubb and the US after '56 gradually substituted for UK as it frequently has across the World since 1945, but in its own variations of retired officers on contract in Kossovo Iraq and other locations.
Nevertheless there are press photos of Legionaries on duty in Jerusalem's “Bevingrad” in '46-'47 as it was Bevin's initial policy that the Arab parts of Palestine would go in with Jordan – by one of his remarks. Eventually the Jordanian Government withdrew the Legion by early '48 from West of the Jordan entirely, till Abdullah invaded Palestine in May '48. By the memoirs and statements of the time any British seconded officers had returned to their own British units or were kept East of the Jordan, but there were still some contract officers in the force across the River.
Just in case this all sounds ad hoc if not outright louche, it is the stuff of British avoidance of systematic big thinking and as a defence measure in the 1941 “flap” when it looked as if Rommel might break through Egypt, the British incorporated the Palestine Police – a civilian formation albeit armed – into the British Army. As such it sent a detachment to march in the victory parade in London.
In the seventh picture – of the Israeli troops in a back area – note the two styles of British helmet. Two on the viewer's left are in the “battle bowler” from the trench war of 1914-18, and most of the others are in the style that appeared from '43-'44 till the end of the steel helmet era. The Mark II (dor bet) with its bell curve silhouette and more sweep to the rear was designed to protect the nape and neck when crawling or lying on the ground because it could not be worn forward with the strap behind the head. There was also a brimless type for airborne trops only visible in the quayside picture in the first set of pictures.
The wall in front of a shop front is a blast shelter wall typical of air raid shelters 40's technology. Evidently by the painted lettering which spells “shelter” this wall enables people to be safer in the concrete building's front lobby should bombs or shells start falling in the street. This technique is complementary to the picture of the people sheltering in a school corridor.
The Polish trouble makers were probably deserters or demob from when the Anders Army which Stalin released to Churchill via Teheran. Anders' Army passed through the British 8th Army back area that was Palestine and Egypt to train and then went on to win Cassino.
There are at least three Haganah Sten guns in this series of pictures – all probably home made – a cheap and nasty blow back weapon of barrel, breech block and spring that could go off if you dropped it butt end first, that the British first designed in 1940 when they lost all their equipment at Dunkirk. They quickly smoothed the design and eventually made 2.5 million of the Mark II, nicknamed “the Woolworths gun” at allegedly 5 shillings – one dollar then. One story being to use up 9mm pistol ammo captured in the fall of Tunis, but in the second half of the war it equipped all who might need close quarter defence of the “burp gun” as Cold War Americans called the genre, but did not need to fire accurately to a distance: drivers, gunners, NCO's, signallers, tankees logistics troops – about a 1/3 to half the divisional personnnel.
About 1942 Haganah obtained a specimen and realised the jackpot as they had a lot of disparate rifles in their caches with little ammunition, some being 19th century single shots. These were now dismantled for the barrels to saw up to make four Stems with garage mmachinery to make the butts and bodies. Ammunition was stolen or made from bulk imports of lipstick cases for cartridge cases. You can see the original underground factory near the new Rehovot Station and in Haganah Museum in Rothschild Avenue TA are several paired specimens used in settlement defence.
amazing!
Thank you for your enlightening comments. Really deep knowledge of the subject.
Frank Adam, do you know where I could find more information on polish deserters in Palastine? I knew that many Polish Jews that came with the Anders Army stayed. But I didn't know about ethnic Poles working for the Arabs after WWII. I'm very interested in this topic and would be greatful for any kind of hint.
One of the “deserters” from the Anders Army was Manachem Begin. He blended into the Jewish population and became the leader of the Irgun. At one point he grew a beard and disguies himself as a Rabbi. My cousin, a communist fool, joined Sikorski's Army and stayed in Europe instead of getting out of Europe. He wound up back in Bialystock after the war, was reunited with the one of his five children who survived and finally got to Sweden in 1948, where he dies in his 80s.
Very intersteing and important, could you please send me more pics
The photos are license by Life and cataloged accordingly, I will not be sending you nothing sir.
The photo of the two Polish saboteurs – you question whether the troops were Jewish, and suggest that the white gaiters indicate that the soldiers were British. I would differ – I think the soldiers were actually Jewish MP's. The soldier behind the truck, with a nightstick, and the soldier on the left, immediately behind the prisoner, both have an armband that clearly shows the Hebrew letter Mem. I think the armband actually had the letters Mem Tzadik, for Mishtara Tzvait – Military Police. The soldier behind him appears to be carrying a Sten gun. The uniforms were probably seized by Haganah forces when the British left, and probably assigned first to the MP's (note that at least two of the soldiers have lanyards, and nightsticks rather than rifles).
Perry, thank you for the clarification and observations, I will insert this into the body of the post.
The old city was not demarcated for Jordan – Jerusalem was suppose to be internationalized. When Israel declared a state and accepted the partition, they accepted that Jerusalem would be internationalized – though no one else in the world seemed to accept this – or try to enforce it.
inetrsting
Thank you for the background.
Do you have any information on a transport of czechs from constanza romania to israel 1948 such as dates of arrival in the port of haifa
Maybe some of the readers know the details.
Thank you
In 1948 there were over 25 000 Palestine Jews who had been British trained as troops or Jewish Settlement Police and so did things the British way till the and hoc changes of the war or the post war IDF debriefs regularised things. The MP’s might even be ex-British Jewish MP’s. The Palestine ATS (PATS) of which there were 4000, had two MP companies of their own; the regiments of the Jewish Brigade would have had a provost section each for, guard room and traffic control and probably a brigade platoon for traffic control. The sheer number of Jewish Palestine troops points to more than a couple of male Jewish provost companies (MP’s).
As regards specifically Polish deserters it will be tricky to trace but as Poles they might have known some Yiddiish or even got by on Polish with those Yishuv Jews who knew it. Russian and German were also common second languages in all East Europe and the Yishuv. Deserters survived in the underworld or on the edges of legit society but I do not know how though in big cities or a place like Palestine where a lot of people were uprooted immigrants it could not have been over difficult to pose in a second identity and take day piece jobs or petty crime. In parallel Britain suffered 100 000 UK deserters in WW II and for the Coronation (1953) the Churchill government pardoned certain categories but reading small print is not a normal fluency and a lot turned themselves in to the embarrassment of the authorities so the government found itself obliged in the 52 -53 winter to issue a general amnesty. If it was not over difficult to live in the shade in GB for eight years which still had ration books and ID cards it could well have been even easier in Palestine . British deserters are referred to in the Jerusalem Post reports on the Ben Yehuda St bombing.
The UN 181 demarcation of the Jerusalem corpus separatus area is very interesting but can only be studied on a large scale map as it was extended to include outlying Arab villages and so gerrymander an equality of Jews and Arabs even though in the city itself the Jews were nearly a 2/3rds majority. The Vatican has been alleged to have been behind the whole scheme and the gerrymander and could have used influence by referring to the Catholic vote (1/3 of US) and Catholic majority countries in Latin America on which the US relied to railroad policies through the UN General Assembly in the 50’s (before the Third World joined in 1960 and the boot went to he Soviet foot).
In photo #15, how could you recognize bodies are for Jews? Why to for Arabs?
I copied captions from the archives, all captions (with rare exceptions) are by the photographers themselves. So these are notes taken at the scene by the photographers.
How could you know that bodies in photo # 13 are for Jews, not for Arabs?
See my response to your previous comment.