Mike Flanagan (Irish-Israeli soldier)

Mike Flanagan (מייק פלנגן; May 15, 1926 – January 26, 2014 ) was an Irish soldier who assisted the formation of the Israeli armed forces.

He was born in Foxford, County Mayo Ireland. Flanagan served with the British Army during World War II, and participated in the liberation of the Nazi-operated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

Following the war, Flanagan was stationed in the British Mandate Palestine. Being sympathetic with the emerging (Jewish) nation of Israel, on 29 June 1948, Flanagan (along with his tank commander, Harry McDonald) stole two British Cromwell tanks and drove them to Israeli forces in Tel Aviv. These became central to the Israeli Armored Corps. Flanagan is considered one of the most famous deserters from the British Army in Palestine.

Flanagan subsequently converted to Judaism, adopted the Hebrew name Michael Peleg, and married Ruth Levy, fellow soldier whom he had met on active service. They lived in Israel on Kibbutz Sha'ar HaAmakim. After his retirement from the Haganah and the death of his wife he emigrated to Canada. He died 31 January 2014 and was subsequently buried in Sha’ar HaAmakim cemetery alongside his wife.

He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Valor from The Wiesenthal Center in the United States.