2nd Brigade - Carmeli
The Carmeli Brigade was formed by David Ben-Gurion in February 1948 to be one of nine elite fighting units, known as the Palmach. The Carmeli Brigade was initially responsible for operations in Haifa and western Galilee. Two months later, the Carmeli Brigade engaged in fierce fighting with several waves of Arab Druze forces, but succeeded in repelling the assault on the city of Haifa and then moved on to capture Arab positions in Acre. In late May and early June of 1948, the Carmeli Brigade faced Iraqi forces battling for the city of Jenin and although Israeli forces captured to town, they soon had to withdraw from it due to ineffective defenses. Throughout the Israeli war for independence, the Carmeli Brigade served as one of the primary units in the Israeli army.
