Editing 1948 Arab–Israeli War (section)

====Importing arms====
[[File:Avia S-199 in June 1948 (Israeli Air Force).png|thumb|An Israeli [[Avia S-199]], June 1948]]

In 1946, Ben-Gurion decided that the Yishuv would probably have to defend itself against both the Palestinian Arabs and neighbouring Arab states and accordingly began a "massive, covert arms acquisition campaign in the West", and acquired many more during the first few months of hostilities.<ref>Leonard Slater (1970), p. 31</ref>

The Yishuv managed clandestinely to amass arms and military equipment abroad for transfer to Palestine once the British blockade was lifted. In the [[United States]], Yishuv agents purchased three [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress]] bombers, one of which bombed Cairo in July 1948, some [[Curtiss C-46 Commando]] transport planes, and dozens of half-tracks, which were repainted and defined as "agricultural equipment". In Western Europe, [[Haganah]] agents amassed fifty 65mm French mountain guns, twelve 120mm mortars, ten [[Hotchkiss H35|H-35]] light tanks, and a large number of half-tracks. By mid-May or thereabouts the Yishuv had purchased from [[Czechoslovakia]] 25 [[Avia S-199]] fighters (an inferior version of the [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]]), 200 heavy machine guns, 5,021 light machine guns, 24,500 rifles, and 52&nbsp;million rounds of ammunition, enough to equip all units, but short of heavy arms.<ref>[[Martin Van Creveld]], ''Sword and the Olive: A Critical History of the Israeli Defense Force'', Public Affairs (1998) 2002 p. 78</ref> The airborne arms smuggling missions from Czechoslovakia were codenamed [[Operation Balak]].

The airborne smuggling missions were carried out by mostly American aviators – Jews and non-Jews – led by ex-U.S. Air Transport Command flight engineer [[Al Schwimmer]].<ref>Leonard Slater (1970), p. 100</ref> Schwimmer's operation also included recruiting and training fighter pilots such as [[Lou Lenart]], commander of the first Israeli air assault against the Arabs. Several Americans, including Schwimmer, were later prosecuted by the U.S. government for violating the [[Neutrality Act of 1939]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.aptonline.org/catalog.nsf/vLinkTitle/WING+AND+A+PRAYER+A|title = A Wing and a Prayer|website = American Public Television|access-date = 15 December 2015|archive-date = 11 October 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161011072502/https://www.aptonline.org/catalog.nsf/vLinkTitle/WING+AND+A+PRAYER+A|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Al Schwimmer, Founder of Israel Aircraft Industries, Dies at 94 |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/2011-06-11/ty-article/al-schwimmer-founder-of-israel-aircraft-industries-dies-at-94/0000017f-dbec-db22-a17f-fffdedfb0000 |access-date=2023-12-07}}</ref>