This article deals with the history and development of tanks of the Israel Defense Forces (particularly Israeli Ground Forces), from their first use after World War II in the establishment of the State of Israel after the end of the British Mandate, and into the Cold War and what today is considered the modern era.
History
Pre-independence
Before Israel gained independence in 1948, neither Israel nor the Arab nations surrounding it had many tanks. They both had to obtain their weapons through arms dealers or from any country that would supply them.
The first Israeli armoured tanks and vehicles were, as was the case of many other countries, imported or based on others' designs, but they eventually developed their own. In Israel, plans were made to import them before the country was even formed, and rudimentary armoured cars and trucks were prepared in secret.
Following the United Nations General Assembly vote for the Partition Plan for Palestine on 29 November 1947, the Jewish forces started to build and procure mobile armoured cars and supply trucks and to purchase and bring in tanks and a large number of half-tracks to prepare for the termination of the British Mandate and the Israeli proclamation of statehood on 14 May 1948.Resolution 181 (II). Future government of Palestine A/RES/181(II)(A+B) 29 November 1947 During this period, the Jewish and Arab communities under the British Mandate clashed with only light arms, while the British intervened only occasionally during their withdrawal.
From January onwards, operations became increasingly militarised. A number of Arab Liberation Army regiments infiltrated into Palestine, each active in a variety of distinct sectors around the different coastal towns.
The Army of the Holy War, under the command of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, came from Egypt with several hundred men. Having recruited a few thousand volunteers, al-Husayni organised the blockade of the 100,000 Jewish residents of Jerusalem.Dominique Lapierre et Larry Collins (1971), chap. 7, pp. 131–153 To counter this, the Yishuv authorities tried to supply the city using convoys of up to 100 armoured vehicles, but the number of casualties in the relief convoys surged. By March, al-Husayni's tactic had paid off. Almost all of Haganah's armoured vehicles had been destroyed, the blockade was in full operation, and hundreds of Haganah members who had tried to bring supplies into the city had been killed.Benny Morris (2003), p. 163 The situation for those who dwelt in the Jewish settlements in the highly isolated Negev and north of Galilee was more critical.
The Arab League began to believe that the Palestinian Arabs, reinforced by the Arab Liberation Army, could put an end to partition. The British decided on 7 February 1948 to support the annexation of the Arab part of Palestine by Jordan.Henry Laurens (2005), p.83
David Ben-Gurion ordered Yigal Yadin to plan for the announced intervention of the Arab states. The result of his analysis was Plan Dalet, whose stated purpose was to take control of the territory of the Jewish state and to defend its borders and people, including the Jewish population outside of the borders, in expectation of an invasion by regular Arab armies. According to the Israeli Yehoshafat Harkabi, Plan Dalet called for the conquest of Arab towns and villages inside and along the borders of the area allocated to the proposed Jewish state—according to the UN Partition Plan.
Plan Dalet went into effect at the start of April, marking the second phase of the war. Haganah took the offensive, beginning with Operation Nachshon, which sought to lift the blockade on Jerusalem. Armored cars and forces tried to clear out the roads and escort supply trucks as they tried to reach Jerusalem. Arab attacks on communications and roads intensified. The failure of the convoys and the loss of Jewish armoured vehicles shook the Yishuv leaders' confidence. Fifteen hundred men from Haganah's Givati brigade and Palmach's Harel brigade conducted sorties to free up the route to the city between 5 April and 20 April. The operation was successful, and enough foodstuffs to last two months were trucked into Jerusalem for distribution to the Jewish population.Dominique Lapierre et Larry Collins (1971), pp.369–381 The success of the operation was assisted by the death of al-Husayni in combat.
At the same time, the large-scale operation of the Arab Liberation Army was defeated at Mishmar HaEmek.Benny Morris (2003), pp. 242–243 Their Druze allies left them through defection.Benny Morris (2003), p.242
Within the framework of creating Jewish territorial continuity according to Plan Dalet, the forces of Haganah, Palmach and Irgun moved to consolidate areas with Jewish populations as the British had essentially withdrawn their troops. The situation pushed the leaders of the neighboring Arab states to intervene, with the Arab Legion of Transjordan's monarch, King Abdullah I moving tanks and armoured forces into the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine.
Preparing for Arab intervention, Haganah successfully launched Operations YiftahBenny Morris (2003), pp. 248–252 and Ben-'AmiBenny Morris (2003), pp. 252–254 and with limited armored forces they tried to hold what areas they had under their control and sent forces to secure the Jewish settlements of Galilee. Operation Kilshon created an Israeli-controlled front around Jerusalem.
With the creation of Israel's army, the three Palmach brigades were disbanded and its members formed the backbone of the Israel Defense Forces high command for many years. The few tanks and armoured cars of these brigades were the beginning of the armoured forces in the Israeli Army.
Arab–Israeli War of 1948
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) was founded following the establishment of the State of Israel, after Defense Minister and Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion issued an order on 26 May 1948. In 1946, Ben-Gurion had decided that the Yishuv would probably have to defend itself against both the Palestinian Arabs and neighbouring Arab states and accordingly began a "massive, covert arms acquisition campaign in the West". By September 1947 the Haganah had "10,489 rifles, 702 light machine-guns, 2,666 submachine guns, 186 medium machine-guns, 672 two-inch mortars and 92 three-inch (76 mm) mortars" and acquired many more during the first few months of hostilities. Initially, the Haganah had no heavy machine guns, artillery, armored vehicles, anti-tank or anti-aircraft weapons, nor military aircraft or tanks.Morris, 2003, p. 16. In the United States, Yishuv agents purchased three B-17 bombers, and dozens of half-tracks, which were repainted and defined as "agricultural equipment". In Western Europe, Haganah agents amassed guns and mortars but most importantly ten H-35 light tanks, and a large number of half-tracks. The Israelis also got two Cromwell tanks from sympathizers at a arms depot in the Haifa port area, which would form the basis of the Israeli Armored Corps.
Then on 14 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel to be known as the State of Israel, a few hours before the termination of the Mandate at midnight and conflict with Arab irregulars as well as forces of the neighboring Arab states, Egypt, Jordan (Transjordan) and Syria, invaded what had just ceased to be the territory of the British Mandate,Yoav Gelber, Palestine 1948, 2006 – Chap.8 "The Arab Regular Armies' Invasion of Palestine". and immediately attacked Jewish settlements.Morris, 2008, pp. 236–237, 247, 253–254 The Israeli tank force included a small number of Sherman and Cromwell tanks, as well as ten Hotchkiss H-39 light tanks. Egypt used Shermans, Crusaders and Matildas, as well as Light Tank Mark VI and M22 Locust light tanks. They may have used some Valentines, as well. The Syrians had Renault R35s and R39s (an improved R35). The Lebanese used Renault FTs.
The new army of Israel organized itself quickly during the ensuing 1948 Arab–Israeli War as the neighbouring Arab states attacked Israel. Twelve infantry and armored brigades formed: Golani, Carmeli, Alexandroni, Kiryati, Givati, Etzioni, the 7th, and 8th armored brigades, Oded, Harel, Yiftach, and Negev. Some of the armoured brigades formed during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War had Sherman tanks and mounted infantry and some also contained an artillery element. One of the brigades, the 7th Armored Brigade (, Hativa Sheva) was the main force in the Battles of Latrun.
Facing them were the forces of Egypt's army, which in 1948 was able to field a maximum of around 40,000 men. Initially, an expeditionary force of 10,000 men was sent to Palestine, consisting of five infantry battalions, one armoured battalion equipped with British Light Tank Mk VI and Matilda tanks, one battalion of sixteen 25-pounder guns, a battalion of eight 6-pounder guns and one medium-machine-gun battalion with supporting troops.
The other main force facing Israel was Jordan's Arab Legion, which was considered the most effective Arab force. Armed, trained, and commanded by British officers, this 8,000–12,000 strong force was organised in four infantry/mechanised regiments supported by some 40 artillery pieces and 75 armoured cars. Until January 1948, it was reinforced by the 3,000-strong Transjordan Frontier Force. As many as 48 British officers served in the Arab Legion. Glubb Pasha, was the commander of the Legion. The Arab Legion joined the war in May 1948, but fought only in the areas that King Abdullah wanted to secure for Jordan: the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
On 14 May Syria invaded Israel with the 1st Infantry Brigade supported by a battalion of armoured cars, a company of French R35 and R39 tanks, an artillery battalion and other units. However within a week it had been halted in a series of battles around Degania.Pollack 2002, pp. 448-457
The heaviest fighting occurred in Jerusalem and on the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv road, between Jordan's Arab Legion and Israeli forces.
After the 1948 war, the Israel Defense Forces shifted to low intensity conflict against Arab Palestinian guerrillas.
Purchase of French arms Following the outbreak of the Algerian War in late 1954, France began to ship more and more arms to Israel.Neff, Donald Warriors at Suez, pp. 160–161. In November 1954, Shimon Peres visited Paris, where he was received by the French Defense Minister Marie-Pierre Kœnig, who told him that France would sell Israel any weapons it wanted.Neff, Donald Warriors at Suez, pp. 162–163. By early 1955, France was shipping large amounts of weapons to Israel.
1956 Suez Crisis In the period right before the 1956 Suez Crisis, the Israelis became deeply troubled by Egypt's procurement of large amounts of Soviet weaponry that included 530 armored vehicles, of which 230 were tanks; the influx of advanced weaponry altered an already shaky balance of power.Zeev Schiff, A History of the Israeli Army, pp. 65–66, Simon and Schuster (1974) Additionally, Israel believed Egypt had formed a secret alliance with Jordan and Syria.Soviets Threaten Israel, Ben-Gurion Responds. Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved on 8 September 2011. As tensions mounted, Israel asked to purchase 60 M47 tanks from the United States in 1955, but was rejected. (Israel applied again in 1958, this time to purchase 100 M47 tanks, but the answer was the same.)
On 26 July 1956, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser announced his intention in a speech to natioanize the Suez Canal and sent forces to seize it.Kissinger, p. 530 He also closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping and blockaded the Gulf of Aqaba, in contravention of the Constantinople Convention of 1888.