Before Israel became a state, Jewish defense in Mandatory Palestine wasn’t one unified force—it was three rival underground militias with different politics, tactics, and red lines: the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi. This story follows how Arab unrest, British rule, World War II, and the refugee crisis pushed them from bitter infighting to uneasy cooperation—and finally into a single army. It also traces the last, violent test of unity in 1948, when the new state demanded one chain of command.
You can find this video on our YouTube channel Unpacked.
