National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

* 1
Jo s e P H ab b o u d i
The Military Doctrine of the Israeli Air Force
Introduction
The State of Israel was proclaimed
on the 14 th of May
1948 and was immediately attacked
by seven Arab countries, whose
armies invaded the country in an effort
to nullify the November 29 th 1947
United Nations resolution partitioning
Palestine, a decision that all the Arab
countries did not accept. Even prior to
this, immediately after the United Nations
vote in 1947, hostile incidents
and violence on a warlike scale broke
out between the local Arabs and the
Jews, with the Arabs receiving heavy
aid and support from the surrounding
Arab countries, and following the
Declaration of Independence on 14
May 1948, these countries invaded
and attacked Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
was set up in the course of this war, a
mere two weeks following the State’s
establishment, to defend its independence.
The IDF initially consisted of
the ground forces, navy and air forc-
Israele
Israel was attacked by five Arab countries
one day after the Declaration of
Independence, on May 15 th , 1948.
es, - namely the IAF. The Israel Air Force (IAF) is made up of overseas volunteers
(Mahal) who comprise 90% of the pilots and navigators, most with combat experience
in World War II. They previously flew fighters, bombers and transport planes
and are radio-operators. The veteran pilots had trained new Israeli pilots. The IAF
ground forces comprise many Israelis, quickly trained in technical skills needed to
support the aircraft.
* The author served as the head of the Historian branch of the Israeli Air Force from 1967 to 1984.