Operation Balak (31 март 1948 г. – 12 авг 1948 г.)

Описание:

Operation Balak was a clandestine arms smuggling initiative during the formation of Israel in 1948, involving the acquisition of weaponry in Europe to support the Yishuv against embargoes and boycotts. The operation notably included the procurement of 23 Avia S-199 fighters from Czechoslovakia, a post-war variant of the German Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Key to the operation was Gordon Levett, a non-Jewish former Royal Air Force pilot who volunteered for the Israel Machal, driven by a personal connection to the underdog due to his impoverished upbringing in Sussex, England. Despite initial suspicions of being a British spy, Levett was recruited by the Haganah and tasked with flying the acquired fighters from a Czechoslovak Air Force airfield near Žatec to the Ekron airfield near Rehovot, now Tel Nof Israeli Air Force Base.

The operation faced significant challenges, including the internment of three aircraft in Greece due to navigational errors during their initial ferry flight. Following a security breach when the existence of the base, code-named "Zebra," was exposed, operations shifted to a base near Nikšić, Yugoslavia. The operation lasted three months and succeeded in delivering crucial arms, ammunition, and personnel to aid the founding of the State of Israel. Levett later reflected on his life's impact, particularly his contribution to the establishment of Israel. The operation was named after Balak, the biblical Moabite king, signifying "Destroyer."

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