Editing Haganah (section)

===1948 Arab-Israeli War===
{{Main|1947–1949 Palestine war|1948 Arab–Israeli War}}
[[File:Haganah fighters - 1947.jpg|thumb|Haganah fighters in 1947]]
[[File:Haganah command.jpg |thumb|Haganah High Command on the eve of the creation of the IDF, June 1948]]
After the British announced they would withdraw from Palestine, and the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine, the [[1947-48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine]] broke out. The Haganah played the leading role in the Yishuv's war with the Palestinian Arabs. Initially, it concentrated on defending Jewish areas from Arab raids, but after the danger of British intervention subsided as the British withdrew, the Haganah went on the offensive and seized more territory. Following the [[Israeli Declaration of Independence]] and the start of the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War]] on May 15, 1948, the Haganah, now the army of the new state, engaged the invading armies of the surrounding Arab states.<ref name=Bell />

On May 28, 1948, less than two weeks after the creation of the state of Israel on May 15, the provisional government created the [[Israel Defense Forces]], merging the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi, although the other two groups continued to operate independently in Jerusalem and abroad for some time after.<ref name=Bell /> The reorganization led to several conflicts between Ben-Gurion and the Haganah leadership, including what was known as [[The Generals' Revolt]] and the dismantling of the Palmach.

Famous members of the Haganah included [[Yitzhak Rabin]], [[Ariel Sharon]], [[Rehavam Ze'evi]], [[Dov Hoz]], [[Moshe Dayan]], [[Yigal Allon]] and Dr. [[Ruth Westheimer]].

The [[Museum of Underground Prisoners]] in Jerusalem commemorates the activity of the underground groups in the pre-state period, recreating the everyday life of those imprisoned there.