Lehi (group)
Lehi (Hebrew: לח"י – לוחמי חרות ישראל Lohamei Herut Israel - Lehi, "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel - Lehi"), commonly referred to in English as the Stern Gang, was a militant Zionist group founded by Avraham ("Yair") Stern in the British Mandate of Palestine. Its avowed aim was forcibly evicting the British authorities from Palestine, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state. It was initially called the National Military Organization in Israel, upon being founded in August 1940, but was renamed Lehi one month later. Lehi split from the Irgun in 1940. Stern declared that he incorporated elements of both the left and the right
During World War II, Lehi initially sought alliance with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, offering to fight alongside them against the British in return for the transfer of all Jews from Nazi-occupied Europe to Palestine. On the belief that Nazi Germany was a lesser enemy of the Jews than Britain, Lehi twice attempted to form an alliance with the Nazis. During World War II it declared that it would establish a Jewish state based upon "nationalist and totalitarian principles". After Stern's death in 1942, the new leadership of Lehi began to move it towards support of Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union. In 1944 Lehi officially declared its support for National Bolshevism. It said that its National Bolshevism involved an amalgamation of left-wing and right-wing political elements, however this change was unpopular and Lehi began to lose support as a result.
Lehi assassinated Lord Moyne, British Minister Resident in the Middle East, and made many other attacks on the British in Palestine. It was described as a terrorist organization by the British authorities. Lehi assassinated United Nations mediator Folke Bernadotte and was banned by the Israeli government. The United Nations Security Council called the assassins "a criminal group of terrorists," and Lehi was similarly condemned by Bernadotte's replacement as mediator, Ralph Bunche. Lehi and Irgun were jointly responsible for the massacre in Deir Yassin. Israel granted a general amnesty to Lehi members on 14 February 1949. In 1980, Israel instituted a military decoration, the Lehi ribbon. Former Lehi leader Yitzhak Shamir became Prime Minister of Israel in 1983.
Read more about Lehi (group): Founding of Lehi, Goals and Methods, 18 Principles of Rebirth, Relationship With Fascism and Socialism, Evolution and Tactics of The Organization, Contact With Nazi Germany, Later History, Service Ribbon, The Lehi Anthem "Unknown Soldiers", Prominent Members of Lehi