Yehuda Arazi

Yehuda Arazi: code name “Alon”, born 1907 in Lvov Poland, immigrated with his parents to Tel-Aviv in 1924, studied in Gymnasia Herzlia, joined the Palestine British Police in 1927 on orders of the Haganah, in a short time got the rank of captain and was the investigating officer in the Arlozorov murder case (1933). In his opinion the Jewish suspects were innocent. Left the Police and from 1936 was sent by the intelligence unit of the Haganah to Poland, smuggled guns, bullet factory, planes into Palestine.

Arazi didn’t like the way the Mossad was managed and the involvement of political parties in it’s decisions. In the beginning of WW II Arazi was for cooperation with the British Intelligence SOE, he sold the Darien II to the SOE, in janaury 1941 came to Istanbul to take the Darien II from the Mossad agents , the Mossad actvists, Ruth Klieger and others refused to hand the ship to Arazi.

In 1943 he "confiscated" 5000 rifles from the British Police for the Hagganah and had to go into hiding.

From 45-48 in the Mossad, commander of Italy “station” and the “La Spacia” affair. After Israel Independce 1948 Arazi was a private businessman, built the Ramat-Aviv Hotel. Died 1959.

Arazi and La Spacia affair gave the inspiration to Leon Uris for Ari Ben Cnan in Exodus. Arazi was known as “King of Ruses” changing disguises and characters according to needs.