Clasps mounted on the War of Independence Ribbon

With the establishment of the Israel Defense Forces in 1948, all underground organizations were abolished. Elite forces such as the legendary Palmach ceased to exist, although many of their members were absorbed in the IDF.

Several years after the War of Independence ribbon was instituted in 1951, it became common for former Palmach members to fix claps on this ribbon, in remembrance of the special role they played during the struggle for an independent Israel. Eventually 3 different clasps appeared in the form of miniature badges:
1) the Palmach badge
2) the badge for the defense of Jerusalem
3) the Jewish Brigade Group

Here are some samples:

Here is a sample of clasps on the War of Independence ribbon, together with the Sinai campaign Ribbon.

The Decoration of State Warriors was instituted in 1968 in honor of all former underground organizations. The military version of this decoration is a clasp in the form of a biblical candle, to be mounted on the War of Independence Ribbon.

Decoration of State Warriors

With this new clasp, the others did not disappear. Some wore several of them on the ribbon, as can be seen on the pictures below. We present here samples of different combinations:

Sample pictures of soldiers wearing the ribbon with clasps

Yitzchak Rabin, with 2 clasps on the War of Independence ribbon

Lieutenant - General Elazar.
The most left ribbon has the 3 clasps mounted on it.

Major-General Eli Zaira

Lieutenant - General Rafael Eitan

Some sample pictures of the Jewish Brigade clasp:

Source of several pictures :@ Igor Ostapenko