Jewish navy

For the Marine Force of the State of Israel see the article on the Israeli Sea Corps

A little known Zionist naval corps active from 1945-1947, prior to the First Arab-Israeli War. It was unsuccessful in its attempts to take over the city of Jaffa through blockade.

Siege of Jaffa
On September 18, 1945, a group of former Jewish Brigade members surrounded the old city of Jaffa on land. Their desire was to put one of the significant towns in the British Mandate of Palestine under Zionist control. David Berger, a former corporal and leader of the group, decided that a new 'modus operandi' was necessary. He bought surplus patrol boats from the British Government after the American government found the boats unsuitable for return under the provisions of the lend lease act. Berger's troops managed to keep the Arabs in the walls for a full six months by not allowing any military goods or luxuries into the city. But, finding the boats too costly to maintain, Berger and his comrades decided to set up checkpoints on several of the ancient roads leading into the old city until early 1947. Due to lack of funds, the group disbanded in March of that year.

References

Dawn's Break on Zion, the true story of the birth of modern Tel Aviv Jurgensen, D. E. Ed. Karen Wallstein. Oxford University Press, London: 1957

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu