Israel’s War for Independence: “The End of the British Mandate”- Rare Newsletter Maariv, May 15, 1948

“The British Mandate – From Beginning to End”

On May 15, 1948—the very day the British Mandate officially ended—a remarkable and extremely rare edition of Yediot Maariv was published. This four-page special issue captures three formative decades and key moments in the Jewish people’s struggle for sovereignty and the birth of the State of Israel.

“They Promised – We Held – They Violated – They were expelled in Disgrace”

This powerful sequence of headlines, appearing throughout the issue, reflects the charged emotions of the time and the collective memory of the Jewish people emerging from Mandate rule to an independent state

Originally published as Yediot Maariv, this issue marked a brief transitional moment in Israeli journalism. It was produced by a group of editors who split from Yediot Aharonot, led by Dr. Azriel Carlebach and Ezra Danin, founding figures in modern Israeli media. Shortly after, the paper would take on its new and enduring name: Maariv.

Today, this historic May 15, 1948 issue stands as a rare and significant document—a testament to both the Zionist vision and the critical role of the Hebrew press in shaping Israel’s story.