During the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine against the Mandatory Palestine, the militant Zionist group Irgun carried out 60 attacks against Palestinian people and the British Army.[1] Irgun was described as a terrorist organization by The New York Times,[2][3] the Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry,[4] prominent world figures such as Winston Churchill[5] and Jewish figures such as Hannah Arendt, Albert Einstein, and many others.[6] The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes it as "an underground organization."[7] The New York Times at the time cited sources in an investigative piece which linked the Haganah paramilitary group to Irgun attacks such as the King David Hotel bombing.[8]

Irgun launched a series of attacks which lasted until the founding of Israel. All told, Irgun attacks against Arab targets resulted in at least 250 Arab deaths during this period. The following is a list of attacks resulting in death attributed to Irgun that took place during the 1930s and 1940s. Irgun conducted at least 60 operations altogether during this period.[9][10][11]

During the Arab revolt (1937–1939)

Further information: 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine
Date Casualties References
1937, March 2 Arabs killed on Bat Yam beach. [12]
1937, November 14 10 Arabs killed by Irgun units launching attacks around Jerusalem, ("Black Sunday") [13][14]
1938, April 12 2 Arabs and 2 British policemen were killed by a bomb in a train in Haifa. [14]
1938, April 17 1 Arab was killed by a bomb detonated in a cafe in Haifa [14]
1938, May 17 1 Arab policeman was killed in an attack on a bus in the Jerusalem-Hebron road. [14]
1938, May 24 3 Arabs were shot and killed in Haifa. [14]
1938, June 19 18 Arabs killed (9 men, 6 women and 3 children), 24 injured by a bomb that was thrown into a crowded Arab market place in Haifa. [15][16][17][18]
1938, June 23 2 Arabs were killed near Tel Aviv. [14]
1938, June 26 7 Arabs were killed by a bomb in Jaffa. [14]
1938, June 27 1 Arab was killed in the yard of a hospital in Haifa. [14]
1938, July 5 7 Arabs were killed in several shooting attacks in Tel Aviv. [14]
1938, July 5 3 Arabs were killed by a bomb detonated in a bus in Jerusalem. [14]
1938, July 5 1 Arab was killed in another attack in Jerusalem. [14]
1938, July 6 18 Arabs and 5 Jews were killed by two simultaneous bombs in the Arab melon market in Haifa. More than 60 people were wounded. The toll over two days of riots and reprisals was 33 dead, 111 wounded. [14][19][20][21]
1938, July 8 4 Arabs were killed by a bomb in Jerusalem. [14]
1938, July 16 10 Arabs were killed by a bomb at a marketplace in Jerusalem. [14]
1938, July 25 43 Arabs were killed by a bomb at a marketplace in Haifa. [14][22]
1938, August 26 24 Arabs were killed by a bomb at a marketplace in Jaffa. [14]
1939, February 27 33 Arabs were killed in multiple attacks, incl. 24 by bomb in Arab market in Suk Quarter of Haifa and 4 by bomb in Arab vegetable market in Jerusalem. [23]
1939, May 29 18 people were injured, including 13 Arabs and three British police, by mines detonated at the Rex cinema in Jerusalem. [24]
1939, May 29 5 Arabs were shot and killed during a raid on the village of Biyar 'Adas. [14]
1939, June 2 5 Arabs were killed by a bomb at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem. [14][25]
1939, June 12 1 British bomb expert trying to defuse the bombs killed, during a post office in Jerusalem was bombing [14]
1939, June 16 6 Arabs were killed in several attacks in Jerusalem. [14]
1939, June 19 20 Arabs were killed by explosives mounted on a donkey at a marketplace in Haifa. [14][26]
1939, June 29 13 Arabs were killed in several shooting attacks around Jaffa during a one-hour period. [14][27]
1939, June 30 1 Arab was killed at a marketplace in Jerusalem. [14]
1939, June 30 2 Arabs were shot and killed in Lifta. [14]
1939, July 3 1 Arab was killed by a bomb at a marketplace in Haifa. [14][28]
1939, July 4 2 Arabs were killed in two attacks in Jerusalem. [14]
1939, July 20 1 Arab was killed at a train station in Jaffa. [14]
1939, July 20 6 Arabs were killed in several attacks in Tel Aviv. [14]
1939, July 20 3 Arabs were killed in Rehovot. [14]
1939, August 26 2 British police officers including Ralph Cairns were killed by a roadside bomb in Jerusalem. [14]

During the Jewish insurgency (1944–1947)

Further information: Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
Date Casualties References
1944, September 27 Unknown number of casualties, around 150 Irgun members attacked four British police stations [29]
1944, September 29 1 Senior British police officer of the Criminal Intelligence Department assassinated in Jerusalem. [29]
1945, November 1 5 locomotives destroyed in Lydda station. Two staff, one soldier and one policeman were killed. One of the bombers, Yehiel Dresner, was later executed for other crimes. [30]
1945, December 27 3 British policemen and 4 Sotho soldiers killed during the bombing of British CID headquarters in Jerusalem; 1 British soldier killed during attack of British army camp in north Tel Aviv [31][32]
1946, February 22 Destroyed 14 aeroplanes at 5 RAF stations. [33]
1946, July 22 91 people were killed at the bombing of the King David Hotel (which was the British headquarters), mostly civilians, staff of the hotel or Secretariat,
41 Arabs, 15-28 British citizens, 17 Palestinian Jews, 2 Armenians, 1 Russian, 1 Greek and 1 Egyptian. 		[34][35][36]
1946, October 30 2 British guards killed during Gunfire and explosion at Jerusalem Railway Station. [37]
1946, October 31 Bombing of the British Embassy in Rome. Nearly half the building was destroyed and 3 people were injured. [38]
1946, November 13 6 Palestine police (2 British, 4 Arabs) killed in bombing of railway line. [39]
1947, March 1 17 British officers killed, during bombing of the Goldschmidt Officer's Club. [40]
1947, March 12 1 British soldier killed during the attack on Schneller Camp. [40]
1947, June 18 One Haganah member killed by a booby trap while sealing a tunnel dug by Irgun to blow up the British Headquarter in Citrus House, Tel Aviv. [41][42]
1947, July 19 4 locations within Haifa are attacked, killing a British constable and injuring 12. [43]
1947, July 29 2 kidnapped British sergeants hanged. [44]
1947, August 4 Two Suitcase time-bombs explode in the basement of the Hotel Sacher, Vienna (British Army Headquarters) [45][46]
1947, August 5 3 British policemen killed in bombing of British Labour Department office in Jerusalem [47]
1947, August 9 Jewish train engineer killed in Cairo-Haifa train bombing [48]
1947, August 12 1 British soldier injured in bombing of London-Villach military train outside Tauern tunnel near Mallintz, Austria. A second bomb failed to explode, the two were intended to derail the train over a steep cliff. No injuries from a second explosion outside British camp commandant's office in Velden. [45][49][50]
1947, September 26 4 British policemen killed in Irgun bank robbery. [51]
1947, September 29 10 killed (4 British policemen, 4 Arab policemen and an Arab couple) and 53 injured in Haifa police headquarters bombing by Irgun. One ton of explosives in a barrel was used for the bombing and Irgun said it was done on the first day of Sukkot to avoid Jewish casualties. [51][52][53]

During the Civil War (1947–48)

Further information: 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
Date Casualties References
1947, December 11 13 killed in attack on Tireh, near Haifa [54]
1947, December 12 20 killed, 5 wounded by barrel bomb at Damascus Gate. [55]
1947, December 13 6 killed, 25 wounded by bombs outside Alhambra Cinema. [56]
1947, December 13 5 killed, 47 wounded by two bombs at Damascus Gate. [56][57]
1947, December 13 7 Arabs killed (including two women and two children, 3 and 4 years old) and 7 others seriously wounded (two women and girl of 4 among them) in attack on Yehudiya. 24 Irgun men attacked the village, approaching from Petah Tikva shooting guns, dynamiting houses and throwing grenades. An armored British police car was also fired on. [56][57][58]
1947, December 16(ca) 10 killed by bomb at Noga Cinema in Jaffa. [59]
1947, December 29 Two British constables and 11 Arabs were killed and 32 Arabs wounded when Irgun members threw a bomb from a taxi at Jerusalem's Damascus Gate. [51][60][61]
1947, December 30 6 Arabs killed and, 42 injured by grenades at Haifa refinery, precipitating the Haifa Oil Refinery massacre, which led to the Balad al-Shaykh massacre. [62]
1948, January 1 2 Arabs killed and 9 injured by shooting attack on cafe in Jaffa. [63]
1948, January 5 14 Arabs killed and 19 injured by truck bomb outside the 3-storey 'Serrani', Jaffa's built Ottoman Town Hall [64]
1948, January 7 20 Arabs killed by bomb at Jaffa Gate. [65][66]
1948, February 10 7 Arabs killed near Ras el Ain after selling cows in Tel Aviv [67]
1948, February 18 12 Arabs killed and 43 wounded at a marketplace in Ramla [68]
1948, March 1 20 Britons killed and 30 wounded in the Bevingrad Officers Club bombing [69]
1948, April 9-April 11 107-120 Arabs killed and massacred (the estimate generally accepted by scholars, instead the first announced number of 254) during and after the battle at the village of Deir Yassin near Jerusalem, by 132 Irgun and 60 Lehi fighters. [70][71][72][73][74]
1948, April 6 7 British soldiers, including Commanding Officer, killed during an arms raid on Pardes Hanna Army camp. [75]
1948, April 25-30 Operation Hametz; Irgun captured several Arab towns around Jaffa, and later repulsed a British attempt to dislodge them from the town of Menashiya. [76]

See also

References

  1. ^ Arie Perliger and Leonard Weinberg, Jewish Self Defense and Terrorist Groups Prior to the Establishment of the State of Israel: Roots and Traditions. "Totalitarian Movements & Political Religions", Vol. 4, No. 3, 100, (2003); Online version.
  2. ^ Pope Brewer, Sam. IRGUN BOMB KILLS 11 ARABS, 2 BRITONS. The New York Times. December 30, 1947.
  3. ^ IRGUN'S HAND SEEN IN ALPS RAIL BLAST. The New York Times. August 16, 1947.
  4. ^ Walid Khalidi, From Haven to Conquest, p. 598; updated 1987 to From Haven to Conquest: Readings in Zionism and the Palestine Problem Until 1948, Institute for Palestine Studies, ISBN 978-0-88728-155-6.
  5. ^ Martin Gilbert. Churchill and the Jews. p. 270.
  6. ^ Adam Shatz. Prophets Outcast. pp. 65–67.
  7. ^ "Lexicon of Zionism". Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  8. ^ Irgun implicates Haganah in blast By Gene Currivans, The New York Times. July 27, 1947, Sunday Page 11, 628 words, http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00715F7355A147B93C5AB178CD85F438485F9&scp=4&sq=irgun+terrorist&st=p
  9. ^ Perliger and Weinberg, 101.
  10. ^ Prof. Yehuda Lapidot, The Irgun website Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, links to sections on history of Irgun.
  11. ^ J. Bowyer Bell, Terror out of Zion: the fight for Israeli independence (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1977). pp. 181
  12. ^ Leonard Weinberg, Ami Pedahzur, Religious fundamentalism and political extremism, Routledge, p. 101, 2004.
  13. ^ J. Bowyer Bell, Moshe Arens, Terror out of Zion,p. 39, 1996 edition
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad (in Hebrew)Y. 'Amrami, A. Melitz, דברי הימים למלחמת השחרור ("History of the War of Independence", Shelach Press, 1951. (a sympathetic account of events, mostly related to Irgun and Lehi).
  15. ^ Tom Segev, Haim Watzman. The Seventh Million. p. 39. Citing Arnold Zweig's letters to Sigmund Freud
  16. ^ "Haifa Bombs Fell Scores". New York Times. New York. 1939-06-19. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  17. ^ "Bomb Blast Kills 18 Arabs at Haifa". New York Times. New York. 1939-06-20. Retrieved 2015-09-09.[ ]
  18. ^ "18 Arabs Die In Bomb Blast". The Vancouver Sun. June 19, 1939. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  19. ^ Irgun site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Restraint and Retaliation section.
  20. ^ "23 Die as Violence Grips Palestine". New York Times. New York. 1938-07-07. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  21. ^ "Arabs Clash with British on Trans-Jordan Border: Palestine Violence Grows". New York Times. New York. 1938-07-08. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  22. ^ Palestine Post, July 26–27, 1938
  23. ^ Y. Ben-Ami, Years of Wrath, Days of Glory; Memoirs of the Irgun, Speller and Sons, New York 1982; p 229. Casualty figures from Palestine Post Feb 28, 1939.
  24. ^ Palestine Post, May 30, 1939
  25. ^ The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "The Split within the Irgun" section
  26. ^ Palestine Post, June 20–22, 1939
  27. ^ Palestine Post, June 30, 1939
  28. ^ Palestine Post, July 5, 1939
  29. ^ a b Martin Gilbert. Churchill and the Jews. p. 221.
  30. ^ Horne, Edward (1982). A Job Well Done (Being a History of The Palestine Police Force 1920 - 1948). The Anchor Press. ISBN 978-0-9508367-0-6. Page 289.
  31. ^ The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "The United Resistance" section.
  32. ^ Horne. Page 294
  33. ^ Horne. Page 296
  34. ^ Thurston Clarke, By Blood and Fire, G. P. Puttnam's Sons, New York, 1981
  35. ^ Martin Gilbert. Churchill and the Jews. p. 253.
  36. ^ Horne, page 300: Counts 16 British subjects, 3 policemen (2 Britons and one Arab), one Arab soldier, no British soldiers, and a third of those killed were Jews.
  37. ^ The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "The Raid on the Jerusalem Railway Station" section.
  38. ^ "Jewish Terrorists Admit Bombing Embassy in Rome". St Petersburg Times. 1946-11-05. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  39. ^ "Six Killed In New Trouble In Palestine". Virginia Chronicle. 1946-11-13. Retrieved 2022-11-14. Attackers described by police as Jewish extremists today ambushed a police dawn patrol, which daily combs railway lines for bombs, blasting its ramshackled hand-propelled trolly and killing all six officers aboard. The "suicide patrol," which was instituted two weeks ago when Irgun Zvai Leumi said it was launching an anti-railway drive was ambushed at Beit Safafa on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The patrol had been appearing daily at the same spot, a few minutes after starting its track inspection tour of the Jerusalem yards. Killed were two British constables, one arab sergeant and three arab police officers. Another train attack near Jaffa left a fireman and an Arab police guard wounded and stranded the day's first passenger train. In both attacks police said explosives buried between crossties were electrically detonated. The Palestine Railway Administration announced suspension of all passenger train service on the Jerusalem-Lydda and the Lydda-Jaffa line until further notice. A statement signed "Irgun Zvai Leumi," which said that Jewish underground organization took full responsibility for recent attacks on railways, were pasted on numerous walls in Jerusalem last night. Railway schedules have been restricted to daytime runs only since attackers against trains reached their height. Today's attackers raised to 14 the number of blasts at railways in the past month. Damage to tracks today at both places was negligible and traffic was scheduled to be resumed during the day. Police sources expressed apprehension about reaction to today's attacks, commenting that it was "Jewish terrorism but it left four Arabs dead and one wounded and both attacks occurred in Arab territory."
  40. ^ a b The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "Raid on the Jerusalem Officers Club" section.
  41. ^ Haganah Foils Irgun Plot to Bomb British Army Center in Tel Aviv. NY Times. June 19, 1947. Retrieved September 9, 2015
  42. ^ Haganah Foils Irgun Attempt to Blow Up British Headquarters in Tel Aviv; One Killed, June 19, 1947, JTA
  43. ^ Currivan, Gene (20 July 1947). "BRITISH CONSTABLE SHOT DEAD IN HAIFA; 5 Soldiers, 7 Jews Are Hit in Wide Terrorist Blows Protesting Ship Seizure". New York Times. Jerusalem. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  44. ^ The Irgun web site Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine, "The Gallows" section.
  45. ^ a b Irgun Boasts of Alps Blast NY Times, August 19, 1947
  46. ^ Two Bombs Explode in a Vienna Hotel NY Times, August 5, 1947
  47. ^ 35 Zionist Leaders Detained as Bomb Kills 3 Constables NY Times, August 6, 1947
  48. ^ Terrorists Wreck Haifa Troop Train NY Times, August 10, 1947
  49. ^ 175 Britons Escape in Rail Blast Near Tunnel in the Austrian Alps NY Times, August 14, 1947
  50. ^ Irgun's Hand Seen in Alps Rail Blast NY Times, August 16, 1947
  51. ^ a b c Donald Neff, Hamas: A Pale Image of the Jewish Irgun And Lehi Gangs, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May/June 2006, p. 14-15.
  52. ^ Terrorists Strike in Palestine Again NY Times, September 30, 1947
  53. ^ Blast Set by Irgun to Speed Army Exit NY Times, September 30, 1947
  54. ^ Palestine Post, Dec 14; Milstein, Vol 11, p91
  55. ^ Uri Milstein, History of Israel's War of Independence, Vol II. p51
  56. ^ a b c Palestine Post, Dec 14
  57. ^ a b Irgun Attacks in Palestine; 21 Arabs, 3 Jews Are Slain NY Times, December 14, 1947
  58. ^ Haganah kills 10 in raid on Arabs NY Times, December 20, 1947
  59. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p81.
  60. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p214.
  61. ^ Pope Brewer, Sam. IRGUN BOMB KILLS 11 ARABS, 2 BRITONS. The New York Times. December 30, 1947.
  62. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p91.
  63. ^ Palestine Post, Jan 2, 1948
  64. ^ The Scotsman newspaper, Jan 6, 1948
  65. ^ Palestine Post, Jan 9-10, 1948
  66. ^ Milstein, Vol II, p53
  67. ^ Palestine Post, Feb 13, 1948
  68. ^ Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
  69. ^ Bard, Mitchell G., PhD (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict. Alpha. ISBN 1-59257-410-6.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  70. ^ Kana'ana, Sharif and Zeitawi, Nihad (1987), "The Village of Deir Yassin", Bir Zeit, Bir Zeit University Press
  71. ^ Morris, Benny (2003). The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81120-1. (pbk.).: Chapter 4: The second wave: the mass exodus, April—June 1948, Section: Operation Nahshon, page 238
  72. ^ Milstein, Uri (1998) [1987]. Alan Sacks (ed.). History of the War of Independence IV: Out of Crisis Came Decision (in Hebrew and English). Translated by Alan Sacks. Lanhan, Maryland: University Press of America, Inc. ISBN 0-7618-1489-2.: Chapter 16: Deir Yassin, Section 12: The Massacre, page 376-381
  73. ^ Morris, Benny (2005). "The Historiography of Deir Yassin". Journal of Israeli History. 24 (1): 79–107. doi:10.1080/13531040500040305. S2CID 159894369.: page 100-101
  74. ^ britannica.com
  75. ^ The Scotsman: 17th, 18th April. Yaakov Meridor was reported to have been in command of the Irgun attackers. Those dead included Lieut-Colonel G.L. Hildebrand, Royal Artillery
  76. ^ Bell, Bowyer J.: Terror out of Zion (1976)

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