IDF Negev Beasts, 1948

"Negev Beasts" (Hayot Hanegev) was the original and informal name of the 9th battalion Jeep company motorized commando of the Palmach Negev Brigade (Hativat Hanegev), a unique military force that played a key role in liberating the Negev in the Israel War of Independence.

Eyes of the Beholder relates some of the exploits of this little jeep unit, composed of Machal (overseas) volunteers from all over the world, as well as young Israeli Palmachniks like Avraham Adan (Bren), later General Bren, Mordechai (Motta) Gur and Haim Bar Lev. These are the men who conquered Beersheva and who raised the famous ink flag in Eilat. The book includes priceless photos and maps. It is a valuable first person account of what really happened, as well as a memorial to the Machal volunteers and Israeli soldiers who fought to defend Israel in 1948.

Colonel David (Migdal) Teperson, author of Eyes of the Beholder, grew up in the South African veldt, lived in the Kalahari desert, and learned the ways of the wild from age 13. His learned survival skills were aided by his 6' 6" frame and restless iron-clad constitution. He volunteered to defend the new state of Israel, serving first in the Alexandroni Brigade and later in the Negev Beasts in 1948, and later serving in every war of Israel. The image on the right shows the Negev Brigade Inisignia.

The photo at left shows the author, David Teperson, as back gunner on a jeep, with a Kaffiyeh (Arab headdress) around his neck, in 1948. He equipped himself with two knives, grenades and a captured revolver in addition to standard issue arms.

The patch at right is the symbol of the Motorized Commando Unit.

These excerpts from the book are presented to honor the Machal volunteers and others who served in the Israel war of Independence and to give a close-up look at the history of that war and at the young men and women who made the state of Israel possible.

The pin at left is the insignia of the "Negev Beasts."

Table of Contents

Joining up and organizing the Negev Beasts

List of commando operations of the Negev Beasts

Operation Yoav I - Opening the Negev

Operation Yoav II - Conquest of Beersheba

Operation Lot

Operation Horev - Gaza and Sinai

Operation Uvda - Liberation of Eilat

Honor Roll:

Foreign Machal Volunteers

Israeli Troops in Negev Brigade 9th Battalion Commando

Copyright

Eyes of the Beholder is copyright © by David Teperson, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission. Material appearing in these Web pages is reproduced by permission. To obtain printed copies of the entire book, contact Colonel David Teperson, P.O. BOX 9590, KFAR SHMARYAHU ISRAEL. 46910 TEL: 972-9-9582718 FAX: 972-9-9560673 E-MAIL: DAVE_TEP(at)NETVISION.NET.IL

External Zionism Links

This site provides resources about Zionism and Israeli history, including links to source documents. We are not responsible for the information content of these sites.

Please do copy these links, and tell your friends about https://zionism-israel.com Zionism and Israel Information Center

Thank you.

Sister sites http://zionism.netfirms.com Zionism and Israel Pages and Zionism and Israel On the Web

Friends and informative sites:

Zionism - Definition and Brief History- A balanced article that covers the definitions and history of Zionism as well as opposition to Zionism and criticisms by Arabs, Jewish anti-Zionists.

Labor Zionism - Early History and Critique - Contribution of Labor Zionism to the creation of the Jewish state, and problems of Labor Zionism in a changing reality.

Israel-Palestina - (Dutch) Middle East Conflict, Israel, Palestine,Zionism... Israël-Palestina Informatie -gids Israël, Zionisme, Palestijnen en Midden-Oosten conflict... Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a European perspective - Dutch and English

MACHAL In Israel's Wars

MACHAL in Israel's War of Independence

MACHAL - in illegal immigration to Palestine and Virtual Museum of Israel War of Independence

ZioNation - Zionism-Israel Web Log Israel News Israel: like this, as if Albert Einstein Israel - Birth of a Nation - The struggle for Israel's independence Bible Six Day War War of Independence History of Zionism Zionism FAQ Zionism Israel Center Maps of Israel Jew Zionism and its Impact Israel Christian Zionism

Negev Beasts