Lehi (militant group)

Avraham Stern Lehi ( Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel , "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel") was a radical self-described terrorist group that had as its goal the eviction of the British from Palestine to allow unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state . British authorities termed the group the Stern Gang , a label that persists in historical accounts.

Lehi emblem Lehi ( , Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel , "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel," לח"י - לוחמי חרות ישראל ) was an armed underground Zionist group in the British Mandate of Palestine . Its goal was to forcibly evict the British authorities from Palestine, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state . It was initially called the National Military Organization in Israel . The Lehi is also commonly referred to, after its founder, Avraham Stern , as the Stern Group or Stern Gang . The smallest and most radical of Mandatory Palestine's three Zionist paramilitary groups ( Haganah , Irgun , and Lehi), the group never had more than a few hundred members. Lehi split from the Irgun in 1940 and by 1948 was identified with both religious Zionism (although most members were not Orthodox Jews ) and left-wing nationalism (despite most members wanting to remain politically unaligned). It carried out the November 1944 assassination in Cairo of Lord Moyne , along with several attacks on the British administration in Palestine. It was described as a terrorist organization by the British authorities and was banned by the newly-formed Israeli government under an anti-terrorism law passed three days after the group's September 1948 assassination of the UN mediator Folke Bernadotte . The United Nations Security Council called the assassins "a criminal group of terrorists," and Lehi was similarly condemned by the subsequent United Nations mediator Ralph Bunche . Israel granted a general amnesty to Lehi members on 14 February 1949. In 1980 the group was honored by the institution of the Lehi ribbon , a military decoration awarded "for military service towards the establishment of the State of Israel". Future Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir was among its leaders. "ELIAHU AMIKAM Stern Gang Leader" ( Free Preview; full article requires payment. ) . The Washington Post . 16 August 1995. pp. The [AMIKAM] Stern Gang -- known in Hebrew as Lehi, an acronym for Israel Freedom Fighters -- was the most militant of the pre-state underground groups. A History of Zionism ( Google Book Search ) (3rd ed. ed.). This was known pejoratively by the British as "the Stern Gang' - later as Lehi " Shindler, Colin. Ami Pedahzur, The Israeli Response to Jewish terrorism and violence.

Military unit Lehi ( ; Lohamei Herut Israel – Lehi , "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel – Lehi"), often known pejoratively as the Stern Gang , was a Zionist paramilitary organization founded by Avraham ("Yair") Stern in Mandatory Palestine . Its avowed aim was to evict the British authorities from Palestine by resort to force, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state, a "new totalitarian Hebrew republic". It was initially called the National Military Organization in Israel , upon being founded in August 1940, but was renamed Lehi one month later. The group referred to its members as terrorists and admitted to having carried out terrorist attacks. Lehi split from the Irgun militant group in 1940 in order to continue fighting the British during World War II . Lehi initially sought an alliance with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany , offering to fight alongside them against the British in return for the transfer of all Jews from Nazi-occupied Europe to Palestine. Believing that Nazi Germany was a lesser enemy of the Jews than Britain, Lehi twice attempted to form an alliance with the Nazis. During World War II, it declared that it would establish a Jewish state based upon " nationalist and totalitarian principles". After Stern's death in 1942, the new leadership of Lehi began to move it towards support for Joseph Stalin 's Soviet Union . In 1944, Lehi officially declared its support for National Bolshevism . It said that its National Bolshevism involved an amalgamation of left-wing and right-wing political elements – Stern said Lehi incorporated elements of both the left and the right – however this change was unpopular and Lehi began to lose support as a result. Lehi and the Irgun were jointly responsible for the massacre in Deir Yassin . Lehi assassinated Lord Moyne , British Minister Resident in the Middle East, and made many other attacks on the British in Palestine. On 29 May 1948, the government of Israel, having inducted its activist members into the Israel Defense Forces , formally disbanded Lehi, though some of its members carried out one more terrorist act, the assassination of Folke Bernadotte some months later, an act condemned by Bernadotte's replacement as mediator, Ralph Bunche . After the assassination, the new Israeli government declared Lehi a terrorist organization, arresting some 200 members and convicting some of the leaders. Just before the first Israeli elections in January 1949, a general amnesty to Lehi members was granted by the government. In 1980, Israel instituted a military decoration, an "award for activity in the struggle for the establishment of Israel", the Lehi ribbon . "This group was known to its friends as LEHI and to its enemies as the Stern Gang." Blumberg, Arnold. "calling themselves Lohamei Herut Yisrael (LHI) or, less generously, the Stern Gang." Lozowick, Yaacov. This was known pejoratively by the British as "the Stern Gang' – later as Lehi " Shindler, Colin. "ELIAHU AMIKAM Stern Gang Leader" (Free Preview; full article requires payment.) . The Washington Post . 16 August 1995. pp. The [AMIKAM] Stern Gang – known in Hebrew as Lehi, an acronym for Israel Freedom Fighters – was the most militant of the pre-state underground groups. With German armies at the gates of Palestine, he offered co-operation and an alliance with a new totalitarian Hebrew republic.' Laqueur, Walter (2003) [1972]. A History of Zionism ( Google Book Search ) (3rd ed.). "British Intelligence and the Mandate of Palestine: Threats to British national security immediately after the Second World War". Israeli Ministry of Defense . The ribbon is awarded to: All those who were members of the LEHI underground for a term of six months or more, in the period dating from 1940 up until the establishment of the State of Israel ... Presentation of the ribbon began in 1980.

Zionist paramilitary organization (1940–1948) Lehi ( ; Lohamei Herut Israel – Lehi , "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel – Lehi"), often known pejoratively as the Stern Gang , was a Zionist paramilitary militant organization founded by Avraham ("Yair") Stern in Mandatory Palestine . Its avowed aim was to evict the British authorities from Palestine by use of violence, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state. It was initially called the National Military Organization in Israel , upon being founded in August 1940, but was renamed Lehi one month later. The group referred to its members as terrorists and admitted to having carried out terrorist attacks. Lehi split from the Irgun militant group in 1940 in order to continue fighting the British during World War II . It initially sought an alliance with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany . Believing that Nazi Germany was a lesser enemy of the Jews than Britain, Lehi twice attempted to form an alliance with the Nazis, proposing a Jewish state based on "nationalist and totalitarian principles, and linked to the German Reich by an alliance". After Stern's death in 1942, the new leadership of Lehi began to move towards support for Joseph Stalin 's Soviet Union and the ideology of National Bolshevism , which was considered an amalgam of both right and left. Regarding themselves as "revolutionary Socialists", the new Lehi developed a highly original ideology combining an "almost mystical" belief in Greater Israel with support for the Arab liberation struggle. This sophisticated ideology failed to gain public support and Lehi fared poorly in the first Israeli elections . In April of 1948, Lehi and the Irgun were jointly responsible for the massacre in Deir Yassin of at least 107 Palestinian Arab villagers, including women and children. Lehi assassinated Lord Moyne , British Minister Resident in the Middle East, and made many other attacks on the British in Palestine. On 29 May 1948, the government of Israel, having inducted its activist members into the Israel Defense Forces , formally disbanded Lehi, though some of its members carried out one more terrorist act, the assassination of Folke Bernadotte some months later, an act condemned by Bernadotte's replacement as mediator, Ralph Bunche . After the assassination, the new Israeli government declared Lehi a terrorist organization, arresting some 200 members and convicting some of the leaders. Just before the first Israeli elections in January 1949, a general amnesty to Lehi members was granted by the government. In 1980, Israel instituted a military decoration, an "award for activity in the struggle for the establishment of Israel", the Lehi ribbon . The Times of Israel . The Stern Gang: Ideology, Politics and Terror, 1940–1949 Joseph Heller page 114 "Above all, in the summer of 1943 Lehi had still not broken free from the doctrine of persecutor and enemy'. Even after the extent of the Holocaust was revealed, Lehi refused to depict Hitler rather than England as the main foe." Heller, Joseph (1995). In Wistrich, Robert S. ; Ohana, David (eds.). Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy . "Lehi's leader Stern stated that he incorporated elements of both the left and the right." "This group was known to its friends as LEHI and to its enemies as the Stern Gang." Blumberg, Arnold. "calling themselves Lohamei Herut Yisrael (LHI) or, less generously, the Stern Gang." Lozowick, Yaacov. This was known pejoratively by the British as "the Stern Gang' – later as Lehi " Shindler, Colin. Triumph of Military Zionism : Nationalism and the Origins of the Israeli Right . The Washington Post . 16 August 1995. pp. The [AMIKAM] Stern Gang – known in Hebrew as Lehi, an acronym for Israel Freedom Fighters – was the most militant of the pre-state underground groups. A History of Zionism ( Google Book Search ) (3rd ed.). "British Intelligence and the Mandate of Palestine: Threats to British national security immediately after the Second World War". Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy . Israeli Ministry of Defense . The ribbon is awarded to: All those who were members of the LEHI underground for a term of six months or more, in the period dating from 1940 up until the establishment of the State of Israel ... Presentation of the ribbon began in 1980. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

Zionist paramilitary organization (1940–1948) Lehi ( Hebrew pronunciation: [ˈleχi] ; Hebrew : לח״י , sometimes abbreviated "LHI"), officially the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel (Hebrew: לוחמי חרות ישראל , romanized: Lohamei Herut Israel ) and often known pejoratively as the Stern Gang , was a Zionist paramilitary militant organization founded by Avraham ("Yair") Stern in Mandatory Palestine . Its avowed aim was to evict the British authorities from Palestine by use of violence, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state. It was initially called the National Military Organization in Israel , upon being founded in August 1940, but was renamed Lehi one month later. The group referred to its members as terrorists and admitted to having carried out acts of terrorism. Lehi split from the Irgun militant group in 1940 in order to continue fighting the British during World War II . It initially sought an alliance with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany . Believing that Nazi Germany was a lesser enemy of the Jews than Britain, Lehi twice attempted to form an alliance with the Nazis, proposing a Jewish state based on "nationalist and totalitarian principles, and linked to the German Reich by an alliance". After Stern's death in 1942, the new leadership of Lehi began to move towards support for Joseph Stalin 's Soviet Union and the ideology of National Bolshevism , which was considered an amalgam of both right and left. Regarding themselves as "revolutionary Socialists", the new Lehi developed a highly original ideology combining an "almost mystical" belief in Greater Israel with support for the Arab liberation struggle. This sophisticated ideology failed to gain public support and Lehi fared poorly in the first Israeli elections . In April 1948, Lehi and the Irgun were jointly responsible for the massacre in Deir Yassin of at least 107 Palestinian Arab villagers, including women and children. Lehi assassinated Lord Moyne , British Minister Resident in the Middle East, and made many other attacks on the British in Palestine. On 29 May 1948, the government of Israel, having inducted its activist members into the Israel Defense Forces , formally disbanded Lehi, though some of its members carried out one more terrorist act, the assassination of Folke Bernadotte some months later, an act condemned by Bernadotte's replacement as mediator, Ralph Bunche . After the assassination, the new Israeli government declared Lehi a terrorist organization, arresting some 200 members and convicting some of the leaders. Just before the first Israeli elections in January 1949, a general amnesty to Lehi members was granted by the government. In 1980, Israel instituted a military decoration, an "award for activity in the struggle for the establishment of Israel", the Lehi ribbon . The Times of Israel . Even after the extent of the Holocaust was revealed, Lehi refused to depict Hitler rather than England as the main foe." Heller, Joseph (1995). In Wistrich, Robert S. ; Ohana, David (eds.). Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy . "Lehi's leader Stern stated that he incorporated elements of both the left and the right." "This group was known to its friends as LEHI and to its enemies as the Stern Gang." Blumberg, Arnold. "calling themselves Lohamei Herut Yisrael (LHI) or, less generously, the Stern Gang." Lozowick, Yaacov. This was known pejoratively by the British as "the Stern Gang' – later as Lehi " Shindler, Colin. Triumph of Military Zionism : Nationalism and the Origins of the Israeli Right . The Washington Post . 16 August 1995. pp. The [AMIKAM] Stern Gang – known in Hebrew as Lehi, an acronym for Israel Freedom Fighters – was the most militant of the pre-state underground groups. A History of Zionism ( Google Book Search ) (3rd ed.). "British Intelligence and the Mandate of Palestine: Threats to British national security immediately after the Second World War". Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy . "Jewish Self-Defence and Terrorist Groups Prior to the Establishment of the State of Israel: Roots and Traditions" . However, before its final demise, the Lehi carried out one final terrorist act that brought on a wide-ranging operation by the Israeli security forces against it, including an Israeli government decision to declare it a terrorist organisation. On 16 September 1948, Lehi members assassinated the Swedish Count Folke Bernadotte, who came to Israel as a diplomat of the United Nations. Apparently the reasons for the assassination were grounded in the Lehi's basic lack of trust in the temporary Israeli government. Israeli Ministry of Defense . The ribbon is awarded to: All those who were members of the LEHI underground for a term of six months or more, in the period dating from 1940 up until the establishment of the State of Israel ... Presentation of the ribbon began in 1980. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).