Collection of 4 Printed Broadsides of the Lehi Organization [TEXT IN HEBREW AND ARABIC]
Palestine: Lohamei Herut Israel, 1946-1948. Broadsides. This collection contains 4 propaganda leaflets and news bulletins from the right-wing Zionist paramilitary group Lohamei Herut Israel (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel) known by the acronym "Lehi" (aka The Stern Gang), which existed from 1940 to 1948. A controversial and radical organization which originally splintered from the Irgun, they used violent tactics to achieve their goals of creating a Jewish state in Palestine and the removal of the British authorities. Their use of brutal assassinations, bombings, and other violence against British authorities, diplomats and Arabs in Mandatory Palestine, led many to label them a terrorist organization. These broadsides were printed during the extremely tense and heated period of the Zionist Insurgency in Mandatory Palestine, the tensions between Arabs and Jews, and growing pressure to form an independent Jewish state in the Land of Israel.
The 4 broadsides in the collection are as follows:
1. "Lohamei Herut Israel: Hoda'ah" (Announcement). This news bulletin promotes a detailed list of the organization's recent clandestine insurgent activities during the previous month. Mentioned are 15 separate actions taken by Lehi members from October 9th- November 1st, 1946. This included the sabotaging of various communication lines throughout the country, attacks on the railway system, and road blockades, as well as roadside bombs and other attacks on British convoys. (Dated Cheshvan 5707/ ca. November 1946). Text in Hebrew. 9 1/2 x 7 3/4".
2. "Lohamei Herut Israel: Hoda'ah" (Announcement). This bulletin serves as a detailed update on the group's activities in the previous months, as part of offensive military actions and sabotage during the early months of the War of Independence. Of note is the organization's description of its now infamous bombing of the British Cairo–Haifa rail line on February 29th, 1948. (Dated March 7th, 1948/ 26th of Adar 1, 5708). Text in Hebrew. 10 3/4 x 4 3/4".
3. "Be-Chol Zote: Salih Jabr". Leaflet declaring David Ben-Gurion as weak and traitorous working against the interests of the Jewish Nation, railing against deceptive newspaper headlines, and reporting negatively on Ben-Gurion's recent activities and meetings with Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and British General Allan Cunningham, the final High Commissioner of Palestine. The piece mockingly refers to Ben-Gurion as "Salih Jabr" the prominent Iraqi member of the Arab League, who actively fought against the Zionist cause, and supported the Arab fighters during the Palestine civil-war. (Dated March 9th, 1948/ 28th of Adar 1, 5708, from "The Underground"). Text in Hebrew. 10 x 4 3/4".
4. "Al Acheinu Ha-Aravim" (To Our Arab Brothers). This intriguing undated leaflet with bilingual text in Hebrew and Arabic urges Palestinian Arabs not to side with the British, and not to join their military or police ranks. Here the organization is attempting to promote solidarity and alliance between Jews and Arabs to remove the British (their "common enemy") from Palestine, by discussing the abuses suffered by both groups at the hand of the British. Here they claim to be fighting for the rights and betterment of both Jews and their Arab neighbors. This quite an ironic and deceptive piece of propaganda, in that, although Lehi did see the removal of the British as their first and most pressing priority, they ultimately wanted to a Jewish nation to dominate the Land of Israel, and were known to be quite racist in their attitude towards Arabs. No date is given, and it is also possible, given the nature of the content, that this broadside was published at an earlier period in the organization's history, before an even more hardline stance took hold. Text in Hebrew and Arabic. 12 1/4 x 9 1/4".
All pages with some folding creases and light to moderate age toning. Largest sheet with a small tear along the top. The 1947 page has a central tear with has been repaired with tape on the verso. One of the thin 1948 sheets contains some black adhesive residue on the back side. Broadsides in overall good+ to very good- condition. g+ to vg-. Item #47753
Price: $650.00