These were elite troops of the Haganah (the Jewish underground in Palestine). After the war, these volunteers helped Jews in Europe make the illegal journey to Palestine despite the danger of being discovered and arrested by the British.

Abbreviation for Pelugot Mahatz, shock forces. In British Palestine and until June 1948, it was a commando section of the Jewish military forces. Organized in 1941 to provide the Haganah (q.v.) with a mobile force, it consisted of young men mostly from kibbutzim, who took military training while working part-time at farming, serving in cooperation with the British army, without pay or uniforms.

The elite strike force of the Haganah

(Hebrew) - (or Palmach - Plugot Mahatz) - A Jewish military force in Palestine created with the assent of the British in 1941 to help defend Palestine against the possibility of invasion from Syria, which was under the control of the Vichy French government. Palmah eventually had a few thousand fighters and evolved into the underground spearhead commando force of the Haganah.

The Palmach (in Hebrew - " פלמ"ח ") was the regular fighting force of the Haganah (the underground army of Jewish Palestinians during the British Mandate of Palestine). The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941. By the war of 1948 it had grown from humble beginnings to three fighting brigades and auxiliary aerial, naval and intelligence units.