The Hunting Season
Encyclopedia
The Hunting Season or The Saison was the name given to the Haganah
's suppression of the Irgun
's insurgency against the government of the British Mandate in Palestine.
the Yishuv
was torn between its fight against the British
for free Aliyah
and a Hebrew state, and the desire to join them against Nazi Germany
. The Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion
called to "fight the war as if there was no White Paper
and fight the White Paper as if there was no war". Indeed, by 1940 Irgun ceased its activities against the Mandate and sent its men to assist the British in several missions, one of which resulted in the death of its commander, David Raziel
, in Iraq
.
In 1943, as the tide was shifting in favor of the Allies
, the Agency decided to assist the British in any possible way, hoping to gain political benefits after the war. The Irgun and Lehi
opposed the decision, which resulted in a heated confrontation.
In the autumn of 1943 Lehi resumed its insurgencies against the British. Several months later, on February 1944, Irgun commander Menahem Begin declared a “Revolt” against the British Mandate, stating that the British had betrayed the Yishuv’s trust and that denial of Jewish immigration was a crime. Therefore, Irgun announced its intention to fight the British in order to drive them out of the Land of Israel
. Ben Gurion and the Agency objected and started a public struggle to force the Irgun and Lehi to cease such activities.
Between February and November 1944 the parties negotiated but to no avail. In addition to the British issue, there was also a question of the Agency’s authority to rule unelected. The Agency's leadership regarded the issue as an important power struggle and the Haganah forces started preparing for a possible armed conflict.
and Eliyahu Bet-Zuri
assassinated the British Resident Minister of state, Lord Moyne. This was the last straw as far as the Agency was concerned, and it made a series of decisions to curb Irgun and Lehi:
, Moshe Dayan
, Yisrael Galili
, Moshe Sneh
, Yaakov Dori
, Eliyahu Golomb
and Teddy Kollek
. A special force was made out of Palmah and SHAI
men, some of whom were specifically trained for the mission.
The Saison unit began following Irgun members for reconnaissance. A list of Irgun donors that was found was handed over to the British. Unit squadrons arrested Irgun members in hiding places in Kibbutzim (Ein Harod
, Mishmar Haemek
and Alonim
, among others). Irgun vice commander Yaakov Meridor
was even handed over to the British while Yaakov Tavin, the head of the Irgun intelligence, was held in solitary confinement at Ein Harod for about six months. Some testimonies suggested violent inquisitions and severe internment conditions. In addition to the kidnappings, dozens of Irgun members and supporters were fired from their jobs and students were expelled from educational institutions.
The Irgun refused to cease action against the British. Begin ordered his men not to react violently in order to prevent a "fraternal war". At that point the conflict worsened as the Agency ordered the Haganah to hand Irgun men to the British. Obedience to that order was purely voluntary, and some Haganah members were relieved of their duties for refusing to go along with it. Nevertheless, there was partial cooperation between the Agency's "department for special tasks" and the Palestine Police in the struggle against the Irgun.
During the Saison, the “department for special tasks" provided the British with information regarding several hundred Irgun members and armories. The transfer of information was conducted mostly by Kollek, who had direct contact with MI5
. Thanks to that information, several Irgun leaders and hundreds of its members were arrested and some were even deported to detainment camps in Africa
(mostly in Eritrea
). There is also evidence suggesting that the Agency used the Saison for political motives, naming members of the Revisionist Party
who weren’t Irgun members. A letter from the High Commissioner to the Minister of Colonies dating March 1, 1945, read: "Unfortunately, the Jewish Agency's lists of so-called terrorists continues to include numerous people who have no terror connections, but politically speaking are undesirable to the Jewish Agency. This adds to the difficulties the police has in separating the sheep from the goats [...]”
Despite the efforts, Begin’s hiding place wasn’t found. Still, the Irgun was severely struck by the Saison and by the end of February, 1945, its main aim – ceasing action against the British – was achieved. Subsequently, protests increased among the Yishuv against the Saison and by the end of March the Agency aborted it. In May 1945 the Irgun resumed its activities against the British, although to a lesser extent. In late October 1945 the Jewish Resistance Movement was established, joining Haganah, Irgun and Lehi together in a violent struggle against the British Mandate.
The term is also used in reference to the actions by Irgun against Lehi in 1940, during the Avraham Stern
split. The Irgun leadership gave the British the Lehi leaders’ hiding place and many of them were arrested.
Uri Avnery
considered Begin's decision to restrain as one which prevented a violent conflict. The Saison was also seen as a decisive step in establishing the Jewish Agency’s position as the sole leader of the Yishuv. Some think the Agency’s hegemony made possible the establishment of the State of Israel without a violent sectarian struggle. It has also been seen as a “minor civil war” which vaccinated the Israeli society.
The Saison left its mark on the Israeli political discourse in the following decades. It is sometimes linked to the tension between Herut
and Mapai
, specifically between their respective leaders, Begin and Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion would address Begin as “The MK sitting to the right of MK Bader
” and mention “the sacred cannon” which opened fire on the Altalena. He would also say "without Herut and Maki
" in reference to his potential coalition parties.
The Saison was mentioned by the Israeli right in the context of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
, and parallels were also drawn between the Saison and the Hamas-Fatah conflict in the Israeli occupied territories.
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
's suppression of the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
's insurgency against the government of the British Mandate in Palestine.
Background
At the break of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
was torn between its fight against the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for free Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
and a Hebrew state, and the desire to join them against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
called to "fight the war as if there was no White Paper
White Paper of 1939
The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over it, was a policy paper issued by the British government under Neville Chamberlain in which the idea of partitioning the Mandate for Palestine, as recommended in...
and fight the White Paper as if there was no war". Indeed, by 1940 Irgun ceased its activities against the Mandate and sent its men to assist the British in several missions, one of which resulted in the death of its commander, David Raziel
David Raziel
thumb|David RazielDavid Raziel was a fighter of the Jewish underground during the British mandate, and one of the founders of the Irgun.-Biography:...
, in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
In 1943, as the tide was shifting in favor of the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
, the Agency decided to assist the British in any possible way, hoping to gain political benefits after the war. The Irgun and Lehi
Lehi (group)
Lehi , commonly referred to in English as the Stern Group or Stern Gang, was a militant Zionist group founded by Avraham Stern in the British Mandate of Palestine...
opposed the decision, which resulted in a heated confrontation.
In the autumn of 1943 Lehi resumed its insurgencies against the British. Several months later, on February 1944, Irgun commander Menahem Begin declared a “Revolt” against the British Mandate, stating that the British had betrayed the Yishuv’s trust and that denial of Jewish immigration was a crime. Therefore, Irgun announced its intention to fight the British in order to drive them out of the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
. Ben Gurion and the Agency objected and started a public struggle to force the Irgun and Lehi to cease such activities.
Between February and November 1944 the parties negotiated but to no avail. In addition to the British issue, there was also a question of the Agency’s authority to rule unelected. The Agency's leadership regarded the issue as an important power struggle and the Haganah forces started preparing for a possible armed conflict.
The decision
On November 6, 1944 Lehi members Eliyahu HakimEliyahu Hakim
Eliyahu Hakim was a Lehi member who took part in the 1944 assassination of Lord Moyne, the British Minister Resident in the Middle East.Born in Beirut, Hakim moved to Mandatory Palestine with his family when he was seven. He grew up in the port city of Haifa. As a teenager, he joined Lehi, but...
and Eliyahu Bet-Zuri
Eliyahu Bet-Zuri
Eliyahu Bet-Zuri was a member of Lehi, who was executed in Egypt for assassinating Lord Moyne, the British Minister Resident in the Middle East....
assassinated the British Resident Minister of state, Lord Moyne. This was the last straw as far as the Agency was concerned, and it made a series of decisions to curb Irgun and Lehi:
- Firing suspects of membership from workplaces and expelling them from schools.
- Denial of members of shelter and sanctuary.
- Withholding funds for their activities
- Cooperation with the British struggle against them.
Implementation
Haganah leaders placed in charge included Yigal AllonYigal Allon
Yigal Allon was an Israeli politician, a commander of the Palmach, and a general in the IDF. He served as one of the leaders of Ahdut HaAvoda party and the Israeli Labor party, and acting Prime Minister of Israel, and was a member of the Knesset and government minister from the 10th through the...
, Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
, Yisrael Galili
Yisrael Galili
Yisrael Galili was an Israeli politician, government minister and member of Knesset. Before Israel's independence in 1948, he had served as Chief of Staff of the Haganah.-Biography:...
, Moshe Sneh
Moshe Sneh
Moshe Sneh was an Israeli politician and military figure. One of the founders of Mapam, he later joined the Israeli Communist Party , and was one of the leaders of a more pro-Israeli split in 1965.-Biography:...
, Yaakov Dori
Yaakov Dori
Yaakov Dori was the first Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces .Born in the present day Ukraine as Yakov Dostrovsky , son of Tzvi and Myriam, his family emigrated to Ottoman Palestine following the anti-Jewish pogrom in Odessa in 1905...
, Eliyahu Golomb
Eliyahu Golomb
Eliyahu Golomb was the leader of the Jewish defense effort in Mandate Palestine and chief architect of the Haganah, the underground military organization for defense of the Yishuv between 1920 and 1948.-Early life:...
and Teddy Kollek
Teddy Kollek
Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1989...
. A special force was made out of Palmah and SHAI
SHAI
Shai , established in 1940, was the intelligence and counter-espionage arm of the Haganah and the forebear of the Military Intelligence Directorate in Mandate Palestine....
men, some of whom were specifically trained for the mission.
The Saison unit began following Irgun members for reconnaissance. A list of Irgun donors that was found was handed over to the British. Unit squadrons arrested Irgun members in hiding places in Kibbutzim (Ein Harod
Ein Harod
Ein Harod was a kibbutz in Israel. It was located in northern Israel near Mount Gilboa. It is notable for being built near the battlefield of Ayn Jalut , a battle of huge macro-historical importance where the Mongols were defeated for the first time, in 1260.-History:The kibbutz was founded by...
, Mishmar Haemek
Mishmar HaEmek
Mishmar HaEmek is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 964....
and Alonim
Alonim
Alonim is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Lower Galilee, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 1947 Alonim had a population of over 450. In 2006 it had a population of 521....
, among others). Irgun vice commander Yaakov Meridor
Yaakov Meridor
Ya'akov Meridor was a Revisionist Zionist activist, Irgun commander and Israeli politician.-Biography:Meridor was born in Poland in 1913, to a family of middle-class merchants. After hearing reports of the first Arab rebellion in Mandate Palestine, he became a member of the Betar Movement in 1930...
was even handed over to the British while Yaakov Tavin, the head of the Irgun intelligence, was held in solitary confinement at Ein Harod for about six months. Some testimonies suggested violent inquisitions and severe internment conditions. In addition to the kidnappings, dozens of Irgun members and supporters were fired from their jobs and students were expelled from educational institutions.
The Irgun refused to cease action against the British. Begin ordered his men not to react violently in order to prevent a "fraternal war". At that point the conflict worsened as the Agency ordered the Haganah to hand Irgun men to the British. Obedience to that order was purely voluntary, and some Haganah members were relieved of their duties for refusing to go along with it. Nevertheless, there was partial cooperation between the Agency's "department for special tasks" and the Palestine Police in the struggle against the Irgun.
During the Saison, the “department for special tasks" provided the British with information regarding several hundred Irgun members and armories. The transfer of information was conducted mostly by Kollek, who had direct contact with MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
. Thanks to that information, several Irgun leaders and hundreds of its members were arrested and some were even deported to detainment camps in Africa
Irgun and Lehi internment in Africa
From 1944 to 1948, Irgun and Lehi men being held without trial at the Latroun concentration camp were deported by the British Mandate of Palestine authorities to internment camps in Africa, located in Sembel , Carthago, Sudan, and Gilgil...
(mostly in Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
). There is also evidence suggesting that the Agency used the Saison for political motives, naming members of the Revisionist Party
Revisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement. It is the founding ideology of the non-religious right in Israel, and was the chief ideological competitor to the dominant socialist Labor Zionism...
who weren’t Irgun members. A letter from the High Commissioner to the Minister of Colonies dating March 1, 1945, read: "Unfortunately, the Jewish Agency's lists of so-called terrorists continues to include numerous people who have no terror connections, but politically speaking are undesirable to the Jewish Agency. This adds to the difficulties the police has in separating the sheep from the goats [...]”
Despite the efforts, Begin’s hiding place wasn’t found. Still, the Irgun was severely struck by the Saison and by the end of February, 1945, its main aim – ceasing action against the British – was achieved. Subsequently, protests increased among the Yishuv against the Saison and by the end of March the Agency aborted it. In May 1945 the Irgun resumed its activities against the British, although to a lesser extent. In late October 1945 the Jewish Resistance Movement was established, joining Haganah, Irgun and Lehi together in a violent struggle against the British Mandate.
The "Little Saison"
The “Little Saison” refers to the actions committed by the Haganah in the spring and summer of 1947, meant to sabotage the Irgun and Lehi insurgencies against the British when Palestine was handed to the UN and UNSCOP. This time, the Haganah did not collaborate with the Mandate and didn’t hand people over.The term is also used in reference to the actions by Irgun against Lehi in 1940, during the Avraham Stern
Avraham Stern
Avraham Stern , alias Yair was a Jewish paramilitary leader who founded and led the militant Zionist organization later known as Lehi .-Early life:Stern was born in Suwałki, Poland...
split. The Irgun leadership gave the British the Lehi leaders’ hiding place and many of them were arrested.
Legacy
The Saison is regarded as one of the biggest moments of crisis faced by the Yishuv, setting it as the brink of a civil war.Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement.A member of the Irgun as a teenager, Avnery sat in the Knesset from 1965–74 and 1979–81...
considered Begin's decision to restrain as one which prevented a violent conflict. The Saison was also seen as a decisive step in establishing the Jewish Agency’s position as the sole leader of the Yishuv. Some think the Agency’s hegemony made possible the establishment of the State of Israel without a violent sectarian struggle. It has also been seen as a “minor civil war” which vaccinated the Israeli society.
The Saison left its mark on the Israeli political discourse in the following decades. It is sometimes linked to the tension between Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
and Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
, specifically between their respective leaders, Begin and Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion would address Begin as “The MK sitting to the right of MK Bader
Yohanan Bader
Yohanan Bader was a Revisionist Zionist leader and Israeli politician.-Biography:Bader was born in Kraków in Austria-Hungary , where he studied at a State Gymnasium. In his youth he was active in the Jewish Socialist Party, the "Bund" followed by "HaShomer Hatzair" but in 1925 he joined the...
” and mention “the sacred cannon” which opened fire on the Altalena. He would also say "without Herut and Maki
Maki (historical political party)
Maki was a communist political party in Israel. It is not the same party as the modern day Maki, which split from it during the 1960s and later assumed its name.-History:...
" in reference to his potential coalition parties.
The Saison was mentioned by the Israeli right in the context of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
, and parallels were also drawn between the Saison and the Hamas-Fatah conflict in the Israeli occupied territories.