Mahal (Israel)

Not to be confused with מחל‎, the identically pronounced election symbol of Likud, a major political party in Israel..
French Mahal volunteers in the Negev during Operation Horev

Mahal, more often spelled Machal (Hebrew: מח"ל), refers to the group of overseas volunteers who fought alongside Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Some 4,000 volunteers, mostly Jews but also non-Jews, arrived from all over the world.[1][2] Mahal is an acronym of מתנדבי חוץ לארץ‎ (Mitnadvei Hutz LaAretz, "volunteers from abroad").

Mahal was disbanded after the war and most of the volunteers went home, although some remained in the country as permanent residents.

  1. ^ Benny Morris, 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, 2008, p.85.
  2. ^ Not home alone: Foreigners came to Israel's rescue in 1948, Haaretz June 15, 2012