Haganah, (Hebrew: “Defense”), Zionist military organization representing the majority of the Jews in Palestine from 1920 to 1948. Organized to combat the revolts of Palestinian Arabs against the Jewish settlement of Palestine, it early came under the influence of the Histadrut (“General Federation of Labour”). Although it was outlawed by the British Mandatory authorities and was poorly armed, it managed effectively to defend Jewish settlements.
The Haganah’s activities were moderate, at least until the end of World War II, in accord with the organized Jewish community’s policy of havlaga (“self-restraint”); it opposed the political philosophy and terrorist activities of the Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern Gang. The general membership of the Haganah served on a part-time basis; in 1941, a full-time commando force, the Palmach (Hebrew acronym for Pluggot Machatz, “Shock Companies”) was organized. After World War II, when the British refused to open Palestine to unlimited Jewish immigration, the Haganah turned to terrorist activities, bombing bridges, rail lines, and ships used to deport “illegal” Jewish immigrants.
After the United Nations’ decision to partition Palestine (1947), the Haganah came into the open as the defense force of the Jewish state; it clashed openly with British forces and successfully overcame the military forces of the Palestinian Arabs and their allies. By the time of the creation of the State of Israel (1948) the Haganah controlled not only most of the settled areas allocated to Israel by the partition but also such Arab cities as ʿAkko (Acre) and Yafo (Jaffa). By order of the provisional government of Israel (May 31, 1948) the Haganah as a private organization was dissolved and became the national army of the state. Its name is perpetuated in the official name of the Israeli armed services, Tzva Haganah le-Yisraʾel (“Israel Defense Forces”).