The Deir Yassin massacre Killing took place Process_start on April 9 , 1948 , when around 120 fighters from the Zionist paramilitary groups Irgun and Lehi killed Killing hundreds of Palestinian Arabs in Deir Yassin , a village of roughly 600 people near Jerusalem .

The narrative was embellished Statement and used Using by various parties to attack Attack each other—by the Palestinians against Israel ; by the Haganah to play Competition down their own role in the affair Killing ; and by the Israeli left Departing to accuse Judgment_communication the Irgun and Lehi of blackening Damaging Israel 's name by violating Preventing_or_letting the Jewish principle of purity of arms .

The `` Struma '' disaster joined Becoming_a_member that of SS `` Patria '' – sunk Self_motion after Haganah sabotage while laden Bringing with Jewish refugees 15 months earlier – as rallying points for the Irgun and Lehi revisionist Zionist clandestine movements , encouraging their violent revolt Change_of_leadership against the British presence in Palestine .