▁consisted ▁of ▁two ▁brig ades ; ▁two ▁g arr isons ▁and ▁four ▁batt al ions ▁were ▁merged ▁to ▁become ▁six ▁batt al ions . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁army ▁consisted ▁of ▁an ▁inf antry ▁division , ▁an ▁art illery ▁brig ade , ▁a ▁mort ar ▁battery , ▁an ▁art illery ▁battery , ▁an ▁engineer ▁and ▁signal ▁batt alion ▁and ▁a ▁field ▁aid ▁unit . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁announ cement ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁UN ▁Part ition ▁Plan , ▁and ▁the ▁dis closure ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁decision ▁to ▁leave ▁Palest ine ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁both ▁war ring ▁sides ▁( the ▁Arab s ▁and ▁the ▁Jews ) ▁began ▁to ▁make ▁their ▁military ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁a ▁forth coming ▁confront ation ▁they ▁believed ▁would ▁be ▁in ev itable . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Arab ▁countries ▁decided ▁to ▁send ▁their ▁forces ▁to ▁assist ▁the ▁Palest ini ans . ▁The ▁Arab ▁Leg ion ▁entered ▁Palest ine ▁with ▁other ▁Arab ▁Forces ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁using ▁the ▁Allen by ▁( K ing ▁Hus sein ) ▁bridge ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁approaches ▁from ▁Jen in , ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁to ▁A ful a ▁and ▁from ▁Al - M aj ame ' a ▁bridge ▁on ▁the ▁Jordan ▁River ▁to ▁B iss an ▁and ▁from ▁there ▁to ▁A ful a . ▁ ▁Units ▁of ▁the ▁Arab ▁Leg ion ▁were ▁engaged ▁in ▁several ▁batt les