Jewish Settlement Police facts for kids
The Jewish Settlement Police (JSP) was a special group of policemen. They were part of a larger police force called the Notrim. This group was created in 1936 in a place then known as Mandatory Palestine. This was during a time of unrest called the 1936-39 Arab revolt. The JSP helped protect Jewish communities and settlements.
History of the JSP
The Jewish Settlement Police grew quite large over time. By the end of 1940, there were about 15,000 members. In 1946, it was thought that a larger fighting force based on the JSP could have as many as 16,000 men and women. By early 1948, the police force itself had around 2,000 members.
Working with the British
The Settlement Police worked together with the British authorities. They formed a special joint unit called the Special Night Squads. A British officer named Charles Orde Wingate led these squads. He was a strong supporter of the Jewish people. The Special Night Squads fought against Arab groups who were attacking the Iraqi Petroleum Company pipeline. This pipeline carried oil and was very important.
Training for Defense
The Haganah was a Jewish defense organization. They used the Jewish Settlement Police as a "Training Centre." This meant they sent many of their members to join the JSP. Between 1936 and the end of 1945, over 13,000 Haganah members trained with the JSP.
The British government helped the JSP a lot. They gave them special uniforms, guns, light trucks, and even some machine guns. The JSP was allowed to control areas of land around Jewish villages and farms called Kibbutzim. The JSP also taught military-style training to Haganah units. This helped the Haganah grow stronger and gave their activities a legal reason to exist.
Famous Members
Some important people were once part of the Jewish Settlement Police. One was Ariel Sharon, who joined in 1945 and became an instructor. Another famous member was Yigal Allon. Both of these individuals later became important leaders in the Israeli government. Ariel Sharon even became the Prime Minister of Israel, which is like the head of the government. Yigal Allon also served as an interim Prime Minister for a short time.
See also
Jewish Supernumerary Police
