From Palestine to Israel

Abstract

By August 1945, after being demobilized, I returned to Palestine, which was in turmoil — the British did everything in their power to prevent the concentration camp survivors arriving in overcrowded “illegal” ships from getting into the country. The Haganah members did their best to smuggle them in, frequently bringing them into armed conflict with the British. The British then developed even more brutal methods of “hijacking” the “illegal” ships, transporting the survivors to “concentration camps.” They searched for hidden arms in our settlements, and we fought back, but tried to avoid “personal” acts of terrorism. Other Jewish underground organizations, however, were convinced that only through terrorism would the British be forced to allow immigration and to give up the mandate. In one well-known incident they blew up part of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem housing the British headquarters. Although warned in advance to leave the hotel, many people were killed in the explosion. The British caught and hung some of the people involved, and in a retaliatory act two British sergeants were taken hostage and killed. In this constant struggle, brutality was the order of the day.