"Haganah" is a Hebrew word that means "defense." The organization that bore this name was founded in Palestine in 1920 and played a significant role in the Israeli War of Independence. Some synonyms for Haganah include "military," "army," and "defense force." Other possible terms could be "resistance," "security," or "protection." Haganah's primary mission was to protect Jewish settlements from Arab attacks and coordinate the defense of Jewish communities. As such, words like "guardian," "protector," and "watchman" could also be seen as descriptive synonyms for Haganah. The organization had a complex history and was eventually dissolved in 1948, merging with other pre-state paramilitary groups to form the Israeli Defense Forces.