Yosef Avni
Encyclopedia
Yosef Avni is a former Irgun
activist. He was born Yosef Danochin in Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine, changing his name to Avni (his underground identity) after the establishment of the State of Israel
in 1948.
Avni went to work as a locksmith at a young age, to help provide for his family (learned his job at his cousins' workshop, the Sabah brothers). At the age of 16 he joined Betar, leaving four years later (in 1942) for the Irgun. After the declaration of the Revolt against the British authorities (February 1944), Avni became part of the fighting force, and on top of being in charge of an arms dump in Jerusalem took part in many operations.
In the second attack on the British intelligence offices in the Russian Compound (December 27, 1945) Avni was in charge of the sapper
s unit. He also took part in the King David Hotel bombing
and the attack on Camp Schneller
.
Avni was arrested in 1947 and detained by the British in Latrun Camp. He was released in March 1948, and was wounded attacking the Muchtar's house during the events of the Deir Yassin massacre
.
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
activist. He was born Yosef Danochin in Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine, changing his name to Avni (his underground identity) after the establishment of the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1948.
Avni went to work as a locksmith at a young age, to help provide for his family (learned his job at his cousins' workshop, the Sabah brothers). At the age of 16 he joined Betar, leaving four years later (in 1942) for the Irgun. After the declaration of the Revolt against the British authorities (February 1944), Avni became part of the fighting force, and on top of being in charge of an arms dump in Jerusalem took part in many operations.
In the second attack on the British intelligence offices in the Russian Compound (December 27, 1945) Avni was in charge of the sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s unit. He also took part in the King David Hotel bombing
King David Hotel bombing
The King David Hotel bombing was an attack carried out by themilitant right-wing Zionist underground organization Irgun on the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on 22 July 1946...
and the attack on Camp Schneller
Schneller Orphanage
Schneller Orphanage was a Christian orphanage that operated in Jerusalem from 1860 until World War II. The orphanage grounds, located on Malchei Yisrael Street in central Jerusalem, became a British military base known as Camp Schneller. After 1948, the compound housed offices of the Israel...
.
Avni was arrested in 1947 and detained by the British in Latrun Camp. He was released in March 1948, and was wounded attacking the Muchtar's house during the events of the Deir Yassin massacre
Deir Yassin massacre
The Deir Yassin massacre took place on April 9, 1948, when around 120 fighters from the Irgun Zevai Leumi and Lohamei Herut Israel Zionist paramilitary groups attacked Deir Yassin near Jerusalem, a Palestinian-Arab village of roughly 600 people...
.