This article is about the history of the Israeli Defence Forces. For current status of the IDF, see: Israeli Defence Forces and Israel.

Table of contents
1 The Foundation of the Israeli Defence Forces
2 Before 1948
3 The First Arab-Israeli War
4 1949-1956
5 The Sinai Campaign (1956)
6 1956 - 1966
7 The Six Days War (1967)
8 The Attrition War (1967-1970)
9 Yom Kippur War (1973)
10 1974-1981
11 Appendices

The Foundation of the Israeli Defence Forces

The Israel Defence Forces (Hebrew: צבא הגנה לישראל Tsva Haganah Le-Israel, often abbreviated צה"ל Tsahal) is the name of Israel's armed forces (army, air force and navy). It was formed following the founding of Israel in 1948 to "defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel" and "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life". The predecessors to the IDF were the Haganah (in particular, its operative detachmen, the Palmach) and the British armed forces, in particular the Jewish Brigade that fought during World War II.

After the establishment of the IDF, the two Jewish guerillas the Irgun and Stern gang came under control of the IDF. But they were allowed to operate independently in Jerusalem until the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war after which they eventually dispersed.

= Time Line and Major events =

Before 1948

Following the 1947 UN Partition Plan which divided the British Mandate of Palestine, the country became increasingly hostile and fell into a state of civil war. In accordance with Plan Dalet the Haganah tried to secure the areas alloted to the Jewish state in the partition plan and the blocs of settlements that were in the part alloted to the Arab state.

The First Arab-Israeli War

(See also: 1948 Arab-Israeli War)

On May 15, 1948 David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the state of Israel. His first order was the formation of the IDF - The Israeli Defence Forces. The IDF was based on the people who had served in the Haganah and the Palmach and was declared as the only legal armed force in Israel. Another main source of manpower was the immigrants from Europe. Some of them Holocaust survivors and others veterans from World War II.

Following the declaration of independence, Arab armies invaded Israel. Egypt came from the south, Lebanon and Syria from the north, Jordan from the east and Iraqi and Saudi troops were sent to help the Palestinian Arabs fight off the Zionists.

The IDF was in the initial phase of the war inferior in numbers and armaments. Due to a number of reasons, the Arabs never managed to exploit their superiority i numbers. The Zionists managed to successfully defend themselves in virtually all battlefields with the notable exception of East Jerusalem. After the first truce June 11 - July 8, the Zionists managed to seize the initiative due to enrollments and supplies of arms. Notable achievements of the IDF incclude the conquest of Eilat (Um Rashrash), Zefat, Nazareth, Haifa and the liberation of the Gallile and the Negev. The war continued until July 20, 1949, when the cease-fire with Syria was signed. By then the IDF had managed to repel the Egyptions to the Gaza Strip while Jordan took over the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

1949-1956

In those years the IDF has started to rebuild itself as a modern army. It acquired heavier weapons and established armor corps and air force (see Israeli Air Force). In order to enhance the morale and organisation of the army and to combat the resurgent problem with Palestinian infiltration, Unit 101 was formed. It was led by Ariel Sharon (who later became Prime Minister in Israel), and carried out a number of retaliatory strikes on Jordan territory to deter the infiltrators. After the notorious Qibiya Massacre in 1953 it was merged with the Paratroopers Battalions and Sharon became its commander. Unit 101 is regarded as the mother of the IDF's strike force units. In those years the IMI Uzi SMG and the FN FAL rifle were issued as standarts infantry weapons.

The Sinai Campaign (1956)

(See also: 1956 Suez War)

In 1954 or 1955 Egypt erected a special force unit known as the Fedayeen, its purpouse was similar to the purpouse that Unit 101 had had. It led to the escalation of hostilities over the Israeli-Egyptian border and eventually resulted in the 1956 Suez War. When President Gamal Abdul Nasser, encouraged by support from the Soviet Union, nationalized the Suez Canal IDF launched a full scale attack into Sinai. Israeli armour, equipped with tanks, such as M4 Sherman and AMX13 quickly defeated the Egyptian forces and took control over the canal. Israel withdrew from Sinay under international pressure from the USA. But it had achieved numerous goals; the borders dramatically tranquilized, Nasser promised to dispand the Fedayeen, the Suez Canal was once again open to shipping and maybe most important of all, Israel had given lesson that it wouldn't forget. The successful war elevated the reputation of the IDF and contributed a lot to the moral of the soldiers.

1956 - 1966

Following the successful campaign in Sinai, the IDF used this relative quiet decade to massive arment and proffesionalism efforts. The main suppliers of weapons were France and USA which sold rifles, tanks and even jet fighter - the reknowned Dassault Mirage III to Israel. The peak of France assistance was the erection of the nuclear reactor in Dimona at 1960.

The Six Days War (1967)

(See also: 1967 Six Day War)

The reasons for the war were the concentration of 100,000 Egyptian troops in the Sinai Peninsula anf the closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships. Those two steps of Gamal Abdul Nasser were interperated by the Israeli government as Egytptian prepartion for war, and after forming a unity government, despite of international pressure, the Israelis decided on a massive preemptive strike.

In the morning of June 5, 1967, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched a massive airstrike that destroyed the majority of the Egyptian air force on the ground. At noon, the Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian air forces, about 450 aircrafts, were annihilated. This preemptive strike known as Operation Red Sheet, Mivtza Sadin Adom.

The Egyptian presuaded Syria and Jordan to join the war by lying to them and reporting on "amazing victories" at Sinai. The two Arab countries reluctantly joined the war. Jordan by shelling West Jerusalem and Syria by entering Israel from the Golan Heights.

Meanwhile, the IDF ground quickly overran the Eygptian army in Sinai and were about to reach Alexandria. About 15,000 Egyptian soldiers were killed, 4482 fell into captive and 80% of the Egyptian tanks were destroyed. Only 338 Israeli were killed in Sinai and the Israel losses there were only about 63 tanks.

All Sinai was captured again. The IDF later captured the Golan Heights from the Syrians and the West Bank from Jordan.

On June 7th Israeli troops - "Harel" unit, "Jerusalem" unit and elite paratroopers accompanied by tank - captured the Old City of Jerusalem The conquest of the Western Wall and Temple Mount was considered as the highlights of the war and a dramatical and emotional peak by the Israeli people. The reunifaction of east and west Jerusalem as one city under Jewish control were celebrated widely in Israel.

The Six Day War had great implents toward the state of Israel and the IDF. In 6 days Israel has tripled its territories and defeated 3 Arab armies - Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan, Israel Tal, Moshe Peled and Mordechai Gur were admired by the public as "war heroes" while the IAF pilots won unprecedented prestige and was considered as "the best pilots in the world" (even today, the IAF is considered to be one of the most competent air forces in the world).

The Attrition War (1967-1970)

(See also: 1970 War of Attrition)

Because of Israel's strike in the Six Day Wars, France cast an embargo and banned all weapons sales to Israel. Israel overcome the embargo by finding other suppliers (such as the USA) and developing its own weapons - for example: The Kfir fighter jet.

After the Six Day War was over, IDF outposts on the Suez Canal were shelled by the Egyptian army. It was a long and bitter war that ended after 3 years due to Israeli air superiority.

There were also frictions and battles with Syrian forces on the northern border. In the Israeli reprisal operation ("Three Days Battles" June 24 - June 27, 1970) about 350 Syrian soldiers were killed.

Yom Kippur War (1973)

(See also: 1973 Yom Kippur War)

The Yom Kippur War, also known as the "October War" in Arab countries broke the Israeli over-confidence created after the glorious victory of the Six Day War. This time, Jordan stayed out and wasn't involved in the war. The war opened on October 6th 1973, the Jewish holdiday of Yom Kippur.

Egypt and Syria attempted to regain the territory under Israeli occupation by force. Their armies launched a joint surprise attack on the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday (the most sacred day of all in which each Jew must atton for his sins, pray and avoid eating and drinking) -- the Syrian forces attacking fortifications in the Golan Heights and the Egyptian forces attacking fortifications around the Suez Canal and on the Sinai Peninsula. The troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Israeli army. After three weeks of fighting, though, and with U.S air-lifted reinforcements of weapons and equipments (first shipment arrived on October 14th), the IDF pushed the forces back beyond the original lines.

In the Golan Heights, small groups of brave tank commanders such as Avigdor Kahalani has managed to hold back dozens of Syrian tank. By October 10th, the IDF recaptured the entier Golan Heights and on October 11th Israeli armour forces invaded into Syria and destroy the Iraqi reinforcements. On October 22nd, the Golani infantry brigade has capture mount Hermon (an important strategic outpost).

In the Sinai Penisula, Israeli armour barely managed to stop the overwhelming Egyptian attack. The Egyptians attack with 2000 tanks while there were only 300 Israeli tanks to defend the area. Israeli armour forces suffered a lot of casualties on the first three days and were forced to withdraw from the Suez Canal outposts. After being strengthen by reserve forces, the IDF laaunched counter attack. On October 14th, General Ariel Sharon managed to breach through the Suez Canal and cause havoc in the logistic back of the Egyptian army. On October 24th, after Israeli troops were 101 km away from Cairo, and under heavy international pressure, a cease-fire treaty was signed and the war was over.

The price of the war was heavy. 2700 Israelis were killed and 5600 were wounded. About 300 Israeli soldiers taken into captive. The Egyptian paid higher price with 12000 dead, 35000 wounded and 8400 taken captive. 3000 Syrian soldiers were killed, 5600 were wounded and 411 taken captive.

In Israel, the war caused a civil outrage, forcing the government to appoint an investigation commission. The Agranat commission found serious flaws in the functioning of the intelligence forcasting branch who failed in forseeing the war and ignored various warning. The Chief of Staff, David Elazar ("Dadu") have resigned after harsh criticism by the commission. Although the commission praised Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir on her leadership during the war, she resigned following the war and was replaced by Yitzhak Rabin.

1974-1981

Until 1974, the IDF was concieving Syrian and Egyptian attacks ment to weaken IDF posts on the border and force the Israeli government to withdraw. However, the IDF managed to sustain low casualties. The IDF reprisal strikes inflicted the Egyptians and Syrians heavy casualties. After international involvement in 1974, the attacks stopped.

Following the French embargo and the US air-lifted supplies of weapons and ammunition, the IDF started to base itself upon American and Israeli made weapons and technologies. The American M16 assult rifle entered service along with the Galil assult rifle - an Israeli variant of the Soviet AK-47. M14 were issued as sniper rifles along with surplus of M1 Carbines given for the Police.

In those years the IDF invested most of its effort in dealing against international terror, such as the Munich Massacre, committed by the PLO following its deportion from Jordan to Lebanon in the "Black September" of 1970. The PLO focused mainly on airlines kidnapping and its terrorist hijacked serveral commercial airlines flights.

In 1976, group of PLO terrorist hijacked airliner with 83 Israeli passengers and held them hostages in the Entebbe airport in Uganda. Israeli elite SF unit - Sayeret Matkal - went on complex hostages-resuce operation and managed to save 80 of the passengers, with only one loss (Johnathan Netanyaho, Benjamin Netanyaho's brother). The operation, officially called Operation Johnathan but widely refered as Operation Entebbe, is regard by many military experts as one of the most brightest and successful covert operation ever made.

In those year the IAF recieved the new generation of warplanes. In 1977 the first F-15 Eagle American warplanes have arrived to Israel and only a year after they logged their first shot down in the world when IAF F-15 shot down Syrian Mig fighters. In 1980 the F-16 Fighting Falcon has arrived and the model's first areial shot down was also credited to the Israeli Air Force.

Because of wave of terrorist attacks (most notable is the road massacre of 37 civilians) coming from the PLO in Lebanon, the IDF engaged Operation Litani, a wide-ranging and thorough anti-terrorist operation which included occupying part of Southern Lebanon in 1978.

In 1979 the first Israeli-made Merkava Mk1 main battle tank entered into service. The tank was fully developed and manufactured by Israel and exceeded the enemies' tanks in every parameter. It first saw war in Lebanon and was proved as great success.

In 1979 a peace treaty was signed with Egypt, when Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat have agreed on peace for giving the entier Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. The peace agreement, still valid today, closed the bitter southern front and let the IDF focus on the raging northern border.

In 1981 the Israeli Air Force destroyed Iraq's Osiraq nuclear reactor. The Israeli government suspected that the Iraqis will use the nuclear reactor to build atomic bomb. On June 7, four F-16 fighters, covered by F-15 jets, flown 1100 km to Iraq and bombed the nuclear reactor, thus, thwarting the Iraqi nuclear program and serverly holding back the Iraqi plans for getting a nuclear bomb.

Appendices

List of Chief of the General Staff

The Chief of the General Staff (in Hebrew: רמטכ"ל, pronounced: Ramatkal) is the high commander of the IDF and answers to the Defence minister and the Prime minister. All Ramatkals are in the rank of Lieutenant General (in Hebrew: רב אלוף , pronounced: "Rav Aluf").

  1. Yaakov Dori (1948-1949)
  2. Yigal Yadin (1949-1952)
  3. Mordechai Maklef (1952-1953)
  4. Moshe Dayan (1953-1958)
  5. Haim Leskov (1958-1961)
  6. Tzvi Tzur (1961-1964)
  7. Yitzhak Rabin (1964-1968)
  8. Haim Bar Lev (1968-1972)
  9. David Elazar (1972-1974)
  10. Mordechai Gur (1974-1978)
  11. Refael Eithan "Raful" (1978-1983)
  12. Moshe Levi (1983-1987)
  13. Dan Shomron (1987-1991)
  14. Ehud Barak (1991-1995)
  15. Amnon Lipkin-Shahak (1995-1998)
  16. Shaul Mofaz (1998-2002)
  17. Moshe Ya'alon "Boogie" (2002-current)

Other famous generals and soldiers

  • Aluf Ariel Sharon (commander of Unit 101, head of armoured brigade during 1973 Yom Kippur War, prime minister).
  • Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyaho (Sayeret Matkal, former prime minister).
  • Aluf Mishne Ilan Ramon (senior F-16 pilot, bombed Iraqi reactor in 1981, first Israeli astronaaut, died on the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster).
  • Meir Har-Zion (Unit 101 commando raider).
  • Meir Pail (historion).
  • Tat-Aluf Efi Eitam (politician, head of Mafdal party).
  • Tat-Aluf Arie Eldad (professor and chief doctor).
  • Tat-Aluf Yiftah Spektor (senior F-16 pilot, bombed Iraqi reactor).
  • Avigdor Kahalani (Yom Kippur War hero, held the Syrian forces back).
  • Yanush Ben Gal ((Yom Kippur War hero, held the Syrian forces back).
  • Aluf-Mishne Imad Fares (excellent Druze officer, commander of Givati Brigade 2001-2003).
  • Aluf Itzhak Mordechai (senior paratrooper commander, former defence minister).
  • Aluf Amram Mitzna (politician, former Labor party leader).
  • Aluf Matan Vilnai (politician).
  • Aluf Israel Tal "Talik" (the father of the Merkava main battle tank project).
  • Aluf Moshe Peled "Musa" (famous armour general)