Yehudah Arazi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yehuda Arazi (1907-1959), code name Alon, was a Polish Jew active in the Haganah paramilitary in Palestine and subsequently the Israeli Defense Force after the creation of the state of Israel. Arazi was born in Lvov in 1907. He immigrated with his parents to Tel Aviv in 1924, studying in the Gymnasia Herzlia. While in Palestine, Arazi joined Haganah and the Palestine British Police. As a police officer, he was most notably involved as the investigating officer in the 1933 murder of Chaim Arlosoroff. In 1936, Arazi was sent back to Poland to help smuggle war materiel to Palestine.[1]

In 1943 he "confiscated" 5000 rifles from the British Police for the Haganah and had to go into hiding. From 1945 to 1948 he was in the Mossad, commander of Italy “station” and the “La Spacia” affair.[2]

After the independence of Israel in 1948, Arazi became a private businessman and built the Ramat-Aviv Hotel. He died in 1959.

Arazi and La Spacia affair gave the inspiration to Leon Uris for Ari Ben Canaan in Exodus. Arazi was known as “King of Ruses” changing disguises and characters according to needs.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Yoram Kaniuk (2001). Commander of the Exodus. Grove Press, 101. ISBN 080213808X. 
  2. ^ Peter Medding (1992). A New Jewry?: America Since the Second World War. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195074491. 
Languages