IDF releases rare aerial photos from Mandatory Palestine

The IDF published aerial photographs of various settlements and kibbutzim from the British Mandate Period.

 Kibbutz Hanita four hours after an aliyah wave. (photo credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
Kibbutz Hanita four hours after an aliyah wave.
(photo credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)

The IDF has published a series of rare aerial photos from the 1930s and 40s as part of a digitization project involving millions of photos, videos and documents.

They include photos of the Tel Aviv Port, Nahariya, Kibbutz Ginosar, Kibbutz Ein Gev, and Kibbutz Hanita on the day of a 1938 aliyah wave.

Many of the settlements that were photographed were originally founded as homa u'migdal ("tower and stockade") settlements, including the three kibbutzim.

These served the function of being legally resistant to the restrictions of British authorities while protecting Jewish communities during the Arab revolts.

According to the Defense Ministry spokeswoman, IDF archivists were able to identify the settlements and estimate the dates the files were documented.

 Kibbutz Ginosar, founded as a ''tower and stockade'' settlement. (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
Kibbutz Ginosar, founded as a ''tower and stockade'' settlement. (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
 Ein Gev (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
Ein Gev (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
 The seaport in Tel Aviv. (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)
The seaport in Tel Aviv. (credit: COURTESY/IDF ARCHIVES AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)