The IDF as part of Israel's 77th Independence Day celebrations, released information on Wednesday recording the historical significance of six operational IDF bases.
"IDF bases are not just military installations, they are pieces of history," the military wrote.
The military cited Dr. Sherry Mark, who wrote her doctoral thesis on British Mandate-era military bases in Israel, as saying, "When the British arrived in 1918, they began building military infrastructure. Initially, the bases were minimal—housing, landing strips, etc.—but after WWII began in 1939, the Royal Army expanded its presence, adding facilities like swimming pools for recreation."
Hatzor Air Force Base
Hatzor Air Force Base was previously known as RAF Qastina when Britain's Royal Air Force operated there.
This was the name mentioned in the Irgun's "Night of the Airplanes" raid in 1946, when the Jewish underground militia raided RAF bases across the Mandate.
A RAF Halifax bomber; illustrative. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
This operation targeted RAF fighter aircraft, which the IDF documentation states were tools used to patrol the Mediterranean Sea and block immigrant ships from reaching the shores of the Mandate.
As part of the raid, on the night of February 25-26, 1946, Irgun operatives posed as youth group counselors and transported explosives and weapons by truck amid heavy rainfall.
The IDF records that the Irgun operatives placed explosive charges at the point between the planes' wings and fuselage, near the fuel tanks, with a grenade triggering a chain reaction that destroyed 12 Halifax bombers.
The Haganah seized the base in March 1948 after it was abandoned by the RAF, and the IDF retained its purpose, keeping it as an active air force base until today.
Camp Bilu 'Lipkin'
If you head north on Highway 40 near Rehovot, you can spot a guard post, which marks the entrance to Camp Bilu. This was built by the British during the Mandate era and later abandoned during their withdrawal in 1948, when they took their mobile equipment with them, the IDF notes.
"The more advanced camps were put up for sale. Those that weren’t sold were simply deserted." Mark added.
Between the British withdrawal and the War of Independence, Arabs from nearby villages settled inside the abandoned base.
As part of breaking the siege on Jerusalem, the Givati Brigade's 52nd Battalion was sent to capture the camp on April 2, 1948. The IDF states that this mission was "completed quickly and successfully."
After this, it became a departure point for Israeli convoys heading to Jerusalem via the Hulda Road and Burma Road. It also housed a military hospital, which treated soldiers wounded in battles on the southern front against Egypt, according to the IDF.
A Mandate-era building that remains in Camp Bilu. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Today, Camp Bilu is the headquarters of the IDF's 98th Division, and three Mandate-era buildings still stand, including the mess hall.
Camp Ramle 'Rehavam'
At the entrance to Camp Ramle is a large blue sign which "proudly displays its historical significance," the military writes.
"This was the first fully planned military base in the country, built entirely from stone. It housed the RAF’s headquarters, responsible for security in Palestine between 1936 and 1939,” Mark added.
Since coming under the IDF's control, it has served in various roles for the IDF's Central Command, the Israel Air Force, the IDF's Infantry Corps, and in the early 1990s, became the headquarters of the IDF's Home Front Command, which it remains to this day.
Some facilities from the Mandate era remain, but there is some historical speculation that the base may have originally been constructed by the Ottoman Empire approximately a decade before the British Mandate began, in order to house a German Air Force squadron, the IDF notes.
There is a debate over a structure inside the entrance to the camp, which resembles a control tower. For years, it was assumed to be one, but a retired pilot claimed it was just a guardhouse, according to the military.
Further inside the camp, two old stone buildings resemble medieval fortresses, with slits likely used by guards. One has been preserved, while the other, which was used for storage and an emergency room, has been closed due to its condition.
Camp Tzrifin 'Yadin'
Camp Tzrifin was known as Sarafand during the British Mandate era. The IDF writes that it was a "ready-made asset inherited by the IDF."
This is because British bases were often repurposed by the IDF based on their infrastructure with airfields becoming Israel Air Force bases and tall British antennas being utilized by the IDF's nascent Signal Corps, the military continued.
"Sarafand is a prime example, as during the Mandate era, it served as the British army's central training base, offering courses in communications, driving, and combat," Mark notes.
"Every conscript passed through here. It was massive. Almost the size of modern-day Givatayim, with classrooms, barracks, and family housing," she continued.
Camp Tzrifin's 'the Mall' main street, 1943. (credit: PIKIWIKI VIA THE IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Sarafand's central street, known as "the Mall," was lined with bookstores, haberdasheries, and a small cinema, where soldiers would unwind, share stories, and catch up on news, the military notes.
The cinema is no longer operative, but the building where it was housed still stands.
Since it came under IDF control, Camp Tzrifin retained its character as a major training hub. It has hosted basic training, infantry courses, non-commissioned officer schools, and women's officer programs. Historically, it also housed the offices of the IDF's Artillery Corps and Signal Corps Commanding Officers, respectively.
Camp Tzrifin's medical clinic. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Currently, Camp Tzrifin hosts cyber and communications units, along with a central military clinic.
Camp Gidonim
A bridge spans the highway outside Camp Tzrifin's main entrance. On the other side is Camp Gidonim.
In the 1920s, this base was ringed with antennas and listening equipment as part of a sophisticated British intelligence-gathering operation, and was dubbed "Signal Hill" in order to disguise its true function, the IDF notes.
After the British left, the base became controlled by the IDF, and was renamed "Gidonim" in honor of the Haganah's secret radio unit.
Since then, it has trained communications network soldiers, from mail sorting to cyber defense.
Camp Gidonim's Staff-Sergeant-Major's office, a former British prison cell. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Signs of its past remain across the camp, as the Staff-Sergeant-Major's office and the War Room were both used as British prison cells, and the central square of the camp remains where it did during the "Signal Hill" period.
Two long buildings on either side serve as staff offices and the camp's canteen.
Dotan Training Base 'Camp 80'
Dotan Training Base, better known as "Camp 80," is familiar to many IDF soldiers as their first stop in basic training after their conscription draft.
However, few know that "Camp 80" as a name dates back to the British Mandate era.
The camp was built during World War II as an infantry training base, with reduced infrastructure, mostly made up of tent clusters divided by platoon, the IDF notes.
“Each unit had a few permanent structures,” says Mark. “These included showers, laundry, toilets, a club, kitchen, and dining room—but the recruits themselves slept in tents.”
IDF soldiers in basic training at Dotan Training Base 'Camp 80,' pictured in 1958. (credit: PIKIWIKI VIA THE IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Today, the tents have been replaced by permanent buildings, but Camp 80's purpose as a basic training base remains to this day.
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
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სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
