Who were the Haganah and Irgun?

The Haganah and Irgun were two Jewish paramilitary organizations that played significant roles in the history of the Zionist movement and the establishment of the State of Israel. Both groups were active during the British Mandate of Palestine (1920-1948), but they differed in their methods and ideologies.

Haganah

Formation: The Haganah was founded in 1920 as a response to Arab attacks on Jewish communities in Palestine. It was initially a loose, volunteer-based organization aimed at defending Jewish settlements.

Role: Over time, the Haganah evolved into a more structured and organized force. It became the main defense organization of the Jewish community in Palestine (known as the Yishuv). The Haganah's activities included defending Jewish communities, organizing illegal immigration of Jews into Palestine (in defiance of British restrictions), and conducting military operations against British forces and Arab militants.

Ideology: The Haganah was aligned with the mainstream Zionist movement, particularly the labor Zionists, who advocated for a more moderate approach to achieving Jewish statehood. The group generally operated within the framework of the British authorities, at least until the latter years of the mandate, when tensions between the British and the Jewish community escalated.

Legacy: After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Haganah became the core of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the official military of Israel.

Irgun (Etzel)

Formation: The Irgun, also known as Etzel (an acronym for the Hebrew name Irgun Tsvai Leumi), was formed in 1931 by members who split from the Haganah. They believed that the Haganah's approach was too passive and that a more aggressive strategy was necessary to achieve Jewish statehood.

Role: The Irgun adopted a more militant approach, engaging in direct attacks against British military and administrative targets as well as Arab militants. The group is perhaps most famous for the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in 1946, which was the British administrative headquarters. This attack resulted in the deaths of 91 people and was one of the most significant and controversial actions of the group.

Ideology: The Irgun was aligned with the Revisionist Zionist movement, led by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, which advocated for a more assertive approach to achieving a Jewish state, including the use of armed force. The Irgun saw the British as occupiers who needed to be expelled from Palestine to allow for the establishment of a Jewish state.

Legacy: The Irgun disbanded after the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, and many of its members joined the newly formed IDF. The group's leader, Menachem Begin, later became the Prime Minister of Israel and founded the Likud party, which has been a major political force in Israel.

Differences and Conflicts

The Haganah and Irgun had significant ideological and strategic differences, leading to tensions and conflicts between the two. The most notable of these was the Altalena Affair in 1948, a violent confrontation between the newly formed IDF (largely based on the Haganah) and the Irgun over the control of arms. The incident highlighted the deep divisions within the Jewish community at the time, but it also marked a turning point towards the unification of the various Jewish military forces under the IDF.