You have probably heard of the famous singer Frank Sinatra, but you might not have known that he was a massive supporter of Israel and played a key role in money and arms smuggling that allowed Israeli forces to win the 1948 war.Â
The most famous story happened in 1948, while Jewish troops were facing a serious ammo shortage. The Haganah (The armed group that would become the IDF) was able to arrange an arms shipment that would depart from New York, on an Irish ship. The captain was an Irishman who agreed to only make the voyage if he was paid a million dollars. But there was a problem: The Haganah’s secret headquarters in New York was located in the building of the Copacobana nightclub. In the nightclub, the Haganah members gathered up all the money. But the feds had caught on to the Haganah’s plot and were determined to stop it. The FBI encircled the building, ready to arrest any one of the Haganah leaders that came out and confiscate the money. Without the money, the shipment wouldn’t set out. But one of the frequent guests of the club had an idea.
Frank Sinatra had been frequently going to the Copacobana for years. Because of his sympathy for the Haganah and his fervent Zionism, Sinatra volunteered to be the one to smuggle the money past the FBI agents and bring it to the arms shipment, knowing that the agents wouldn’t think to stop him. So he took a million dollars in his back, left the club, and gave it to the Irish captain. Those weapons and ammo were crucial to turning the tide in the war.
His relationship with Israel didn’t stop there. Before He played an Israeli fighter pilot in a movie about the 1948 war. He was paid 50,000 dollars for the role, and he donated all of it to Israel. He played many shows in Israel and at IDF bases, and was even gifted a golden UZI machine gun by Israeli PM Golda Meir
naplesball on
Sinatrionist
vintage_skin_diver on
Based Sinatra
Bokbok95 on
Another absolute butt naked commando banger
welltechnically7 on
I never know what to expect with buttnakedcommando, but I always learn something
Stupefactionist on
This explains a lot about Jewish American’s love for Sinatra in the mid 20th century. I had no idea why, and it always puzzled me.
ChristianLW3 on
1948 the one war were Arab forces had better equipment than Israelis
Still one fist is stronger than seven fingers
theanneproject on
Travelling with a golden uzi is cool.
wanderingmanimal on
America wouldn’t be Israel’s bitch if Sinatra didn’t fuck around like that. Too bad for the US – don’t need friends like Israel who shoot up your IDENTIFIED ship.
Deep_Head4645 on
Another but naked commando niche lore drop
Anyway, more reasons to love Frank Sinatra alongside his songs!
Beneficial_Ball9893 on
I wonder what history would be like if the Israelis had lost the war?
Would the ensuing genocide be considered its own genocide, or would the survivors remember it as a continuation of the holocaust?
And what would Jordon look like with the other 20% of Palestine? When the UK divided Palestine between the Jews and the Arabs, the Arabs got 80% of Palestine and the Jews were left with mostly desert and villages. Would Jordon just control all of Palestine in this situation, or would a second state be created to control the coastal areas? At this point in history there was no real distinct Palestinian identity that would separate Palestine West of the Jordon river from Palestine east of it.
The_Foresaken_Mind on
Never would have picked Frank Sinatra as an arms smuggler either, TBH.
JackC1126 on
You could say he did it… my way
ExdionY on
Well that sucks
EastCoastKowboy on
Wow fuck Sinatra
Kiel_22 on
You could say…. He did it his way
Hatoolah on
fascinating, never knew that abt Sinatra
Hatoolah on
fascinating, never knew that abt Sinatra
Ravoos on
Wow. What a nice piece of history…….let’s see how many in the comments will ignore it and keep their biases due to real world complications.
19 Comments
You have probably heard of the famous singer Frank Sinatra, but you might not have known that he was a massive supporter of Israel and played a key role in money and arms smuggling that allowed Israeli forces to win the 1948 war.Â
The most famous story happened in 1948, while Jewish troops were facing a serious ammo shortage. The Haganah (The armed group that would become the IDF) was able to arrange an arms shipment that would depart from New York, on an Irish ship. The captain was an Irishman who agreed to only make the voyage if he was paid a million dollars. But there was a problem: The Haganah’s secret headquarters in New York was located in the building of the Copacobana nightclub. In the nightclub, the Haganah members gathered up all the money. But the feds had caught on to the Haganah’s plot and were determined to stop it. The FBI encircled the building, ready to arrest any one of the Haganah leaders that came out and confiscate the money. Without the money, the shipment wouldn’t set out. But one of the frequent guests of the club had an idea.
Frank Sinatra had been frequently going to the Copacobana for years. Because of his sympathy for the Haganah and his fervent Zionism, Sinatra volunteered to be the one to smuggle the money past the FBI agents and bring it to the arms shipment, knowing that the agents wouldn’t think to stop him. So he took a million dollars in his back, left the club, and gave it to the Irish captain. Those weapons and ammo were crucial to turning the tide in the war.
His relationship with Israel didn’t stop there. Before He played an Israeli fighter pilot in a movie about the 1948 war. He was paid 50,000 dollars for the role, and he donated all of it to Israel. He played many shows in Israel and at IDF bases, and was even gifted a golden UZI machine gun by Israeli PM Golda Meir
Sinatrionist
Based Sinatra
Another absolute butt naked commando banger
I never know what to expect with buttnakedcommando, but I always learn something
This explains a lot about Jewish American’s love for Sinatra in the mid 20th century. I had no idea why, and it always puzzled me.
1948 the one war were Arab forces had better equipment than Israelis
Still one fist is stronger than seven fingers
Travelling with a golden uzi is cool.
America wouldn’t be Israel’s bitch if Sinatra didn’t fuck around like that. Too bad for the US – don’t need friends like Israel who shoot up your IDENTIFIED ship.
Another but naked commando niche lore drop
Anyway, more reasons to love Frank Sinatra alongside his songs!
I wonder what history would be like if the Israelis had lost the war?
Would the ensuing genocide be considered its own genocide, or would the survivors remember it as a continuation of the holocaust?
And what would Jordon look like with the other 20% of Palestine? When the UK divided Palestine between the Jews and the Arabs, the Arabs got 80% of Palestine and the Jews were left with mostly desert and villages. Would Jordon just control all of Palestine in this situation, or would a second state be created to control the coastal areas? At this point in history there was no real distinct Palestinian identity that would separate Palestine West of the Jordon river from Palestine east of it.
Never would have picked Frank Sinatra as an arms smuggler either, TBH.
You could say he did it… my way
Well that sucks
Wow fuck Sinatra
You could say…. He did it his way
fascinating, never knew that abt Sinatra
fascinating, never knew that abt Sinatra
Wow. What a nice piece of history…….let’s see how many in the comments will ignore it and keep their biases due to real world complications.