At the end of 1940, the JSP had about 15,000 members.[2] A field army based on the force was estimated to be 16,000 men and women strong in 1946.[citation needed] According to a statement made by the Palestine Government in June 1947 and referenced by the United Nations Palestine Commission, the force itself was 1,929 men strong at the time.[3] In early 1948 the force was about 2,000 strong.[4]
TheHaganah used the force as a "Training Centre" and put as many of its members through the JSP as possible: 13,455 between its formation and the end of 1945.[1] The British authorities provided special uniforms,guns, light trucks and some machine guns and allowed the force to control sections of land around Jewish villages and Kibbutzim.[9] The JSP also provided paramilitary training to Haganah units.[10] The force thus expanded the assets of the Haganah and helped to provide a legal basis for much of their activities.[11][12][13]
One notable member of the force wasAriel Sharon who joined the JSP in 1945 and became an instructor.[14][15] Another notable member wasYigal Allon. Both later served as Ministers in the Israeli government, Sharon also asPrime Minister; Allon was interim Prime Minister.
