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Menachem Begin A Life Avi Shilon Danielle Zilberberg Yoram Sharett 9780300162356 Books

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Menachem Begin A Life Avi Shilon Danielle Zilberberg Yoram Sharett 9780300162356 Books

This book, detailed although sometimes un-idiomatically translated, shows us how in the career of one man the Yishuv, or Israel as it is now known, has continually had to choose between acting with moral clarity and acting with prudence. One anecdote about Begin's father epitomizes the contrast. A Polish soldier attempted to cut off his beard; father responded by hitting him with his walking stick. By the end of the encounter the father was bruised and battered but his good cheer was still evident to his son even if others might see this as a humiliating incident. He'd learned that if someone was unalterably opposed to you, there was no recourse but to fight.

Begin, like Ben-Gurion, was a Zionist prodigy who headed organizations early in life. As a disciple of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, he rejected any form of socialism , which involved a class struggle, in favor of national unity. The motives for action were to be absolutely clear and involve all of society. He quickly became commander in the Polish division of Jabotinsky's youth organization, Betar, and later in its militia, Irgun. At the beginning of World War II, Begin travelled east to escape the Germans, but the Soviet authorities imprisoned him as a Zionist and (therefore) a bourgeois nationalist. In June 1941 he was sent to a labor camp on the Pechora River near the Arctic Circle.

For Jabotinsky and his organization, the most important issue was that the Jews should control Eretz Israel, defined as in the Bible to include in addition to the west of Jordan, the east which the British had ceded to King Abdullah. Betar, the Jabotinsky-founded youth organization, had split from the main body of Zionism in 1931 on the question of borders. A split within Betar had occurred in 1938 over the question of cooperating with the British. The anti-British group Irgun was headed by Begin. Necessarily it operated underground. When Jabotinsky's died in 1940, Begin was left as the dominant Revisionist figure, enjoying wide reknown among Zionists.

There is a puzzling narrative of how Begin, as a Polish national, was released from the camp and resumed his command of Irgun in Palestine. In this capacity, Begin proclaimed that his policy was to fight not Britain, but the Mandatory government. The fighters in the highly militant Stern Group were doubtful about the distinction. He was also about targeting his attacks; for example, in blowing up the King David Hotel, he destroyed only the part that housed British intelligence and had several warnings given before the explosion. He was convinced of the morality of the Irgun, premissed on the belief that the British had no right to Palestine. When the War of Independence began, the Irgun was merged into the Haganah, but not dispersed within it.

At the end of the War of Independence, Irgun was required by written agreement to give up its separate status. All the same, Begin saw the Irgun as a force to operate outside "the boundaries of the Hebrew independent state," i.e., in Transjordan. Begin's supporters raised funds to purchase a l ship, the 'Altalena', stock it with a supply of arms far exceeding the needs of the Irgun at the time, and sail it to Palestine. When the ship arrived in Tel Aviv, the Ben-Gurion forces (still busy with the war against the Arabs) demanded that it be turned over. A battle resulted. 'Altalena' was wrecked. At the end of the war the defeated Irgun was merged into Israel's only fighting force, Haganah.

After the war, Begin became a member of the Knesset (assembly), representing his 'Herut' party as the only remaining true force of Revisionism. Enduring ridicule from the other members, he refused to accept the recognition of Jordan's annexation of the East Bank (not that his attitude made any difference). A florid orator; he had a great period in 1952 as an eloquent opponent of reparations from West Germany but Israel's financial needs were desperate and his words did not carry the day.

After the Six Day War, Begin formed a coalition with a centrist party and was able to join in a National Unity government.When the Cabinet accepted UN Resolution 242 which seemed to call for withdrawal from the West Bank, the coalition defected. In 1973 Sharon joined. On his own Sharon was able to enlarge Begin's coalition further and it was re-named Likud. The Yom Kippur War discredited Golda Meir's government and with it, a whole generation of Labor Party figures. But it was not until 1977 that Likud won a majority of Knesset seats and Begin became Prime Minister. He proposed a peace plan and submitted it to King Hussein of Jordan., who would not consent to a division of the West Bank. But through the efforts of Romania's Nicolai Ceaucescu and the King of Morocco, Anwar Sadat of Egypt was induced to visit Israel, which ultimately led to a peace treaty under whch Israel withdrew from the Sinai. This was not a problem for Begin because Sinai was not in the Biblical description of Israel. In 1980 Herut withdrew the claim for the east bank of the Jordan.

During much of his later years of his life, including the period of the Lebanon War, Begin's health was somewhat impaired after a series of heart attacks and a minor stroke. He experienced fits of depression and lapses of attention. These problems partly explains why he got involved, along with the help of Sharon's encouragement and misleading statements, in the Lebanon morass, which is too involved to be described here.

This is a rather complex biography but very interesting. There is a lot to Begin and a beginner may prefer the biography by Eric Silver ("Begin: the Haunted Prophet") which provides more information on the historical context. On the other hand, Silver's book was published too early to cover the years from 1984 to Begin's death.


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Menachem Begin A Life Avi Shilon Danielle Zilberberg Yoram Sharett 9780300162356 Books Reviews

Begin's story is very worthwhile reading, quite relevant to an understanding of Israel today. Unfortunately, the English translation is awkward and clumsy in spots.
The book changed my view of Begin. Personalized it. His standoffishness and need for formality was with him since a very young age. He always had leadership. Heavily influenced by his father. His advocacy of "both banks of the Jordan" was at once a guiding principle and a slogan which no other politician could trump. There was no further you could rationally go. It was important that the labor oriented governments of the early days had another view. Many thought him a radical - out of touch, but that extreme left centered governments of the early years did finally learn that they did not have all right and justice in their views.
Good value
There is no way to read this book and walk away from it without becoming a Begin fan.

One of the truly magnificent personalities of the 20th century.
An excellent description of the life and philosophy of one of the most important political figures in Israeli political history. The book should be used as a guide for current day politicians in present day Israel. Even if you have read previously about Begin you will discover this book to be a important addition to enhance your knowledge.
I enjoyed the book very much. It is richly detailed, compellingly told and skillfully presented from beginning to end. The author leverages his skill as a journalist to unearth this important story and present this epic tale in a way that is genuinely accessible to a wide readership.

My one complaint -- and it is a maddening one -- is his persistent, passive-aggressive suggestion that Begin was manic-depressive, debilitated by mental illness. The author concedes that neither he, nor his sources, could ethically make such a diagnosis; but again and again this meme returns, like a bad penny.

While I think there are other explanations for Begin's charismatic successes, and crushing setbacks, than mental illness, to my mind these innuendos do more for the author than they do his story. I think that he repeatedly whispers this idea to avoid falling in love with his subject; who, as the story reveals, is much a much larger figure than the author, you or I, or anyone we know.

If the author can be forgiveness this weakness, and you will need to forgive him several times during the journey, this book is worth twice what you are asked to pay for it.
No bias against (which usually tends to be the case for those explaining Begin) as well as not too much favoritism towards him. Very scholarly, thought out, and explained.
This book, detailed although sometimes un-idiomatically translated, shows us how in the career of one man the Yishuv, or Israel as it is now known, has continually had to choose between acting with moral clarity and acting with prudence. One anecdote about Begin's father epitomizes the contrast. A Polish soldier attempted to cut off his beard; father responded by hitting him with his walking stick. By the end of the encounter the father was bruised and battered but his good cheer was still evident to his son even if others might see this as a humiliating incident. He'd learned that if someone was unalterably opposed to you, there was no recourse but to fight.

Begin, like Ben-Gurion, was a Zionist prodigy who headed organizations early in life. As a disciple of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, he rejected any form of socialism , which involved a class struggle, in favor of national unity. The motives for action were to be absolutely clear and involve all of society. He quickly became commander in the Polish division of Jabotinsky's youth organization, Betar, and later in its militia, Irgun. At the beginning of World War II, Begin travelled east to escape the Germans, but the Soviet authorities imprisoned him as a Zionist and (therefore) a bourgeois nationalist. In June 1941 he was sent to a labor camp on the Pechora River near the Arctic Circle.

For Jabotinsky and his organization, the most important issue was that the Jews should control Eretz Israel, defined as in the Bible to include in addition to the west of Jordan, the east which the British had ceded to King Abdullah. Betar, the Jabotinsky-founded youth organization, had split from the main body of Zionism in 1931 on the question of borders. A split within Betar had occurred in 1938 over the question of cooperating with the British. The anti-British group Irgun was headed by Begin. Necessarily it operated underground. When Jabotinsky's died in 1940, Begin was left as the dominant Revisionist figure, enjoying wide reknown among Zionists.

There is a puzzling narrative of how Begin, as a Polish national, was released from the camp and resumed his command of Irgun in Palestine. In this capacity, Begin proclaimed that his policy was to fight not Britain, but the Mandatory government. The fighters in the highly militant Stern Group were doubtful about the distinction. He was also about targeting his attacks; for example, in blowing up the King David Hotel, he destroyed only the part that housed British intelligence and had several warnings given before the explosion. He was convinced of the morality of the Irgun, premissed on the belief that the British had no right to Palestine. When the War of Independence began, the Irgun was merged into the Haganah, but not dispersed within it.

At the end of the War of Independence, Irgun was required by written agreement to give up its separate status. All the same, Begin saw the Irgun as a force to operate outside "the boundaries of the Hebrew independent state," i.e., in Transjordan. Begin's supporters raised funds to purchase a l ship, the 'Altalena', stock it with a supply of arms far exceeding the needs of the Irgun at the time, and sail it to Palestine. When the ship arrived in Tel Aviv, the Ben-Gurion forces (still busy with the war against the Arabs) demanded that it be turned over. A battle resulted. 'Altalena' was wrecked. At the end of the war the defeated Irgun was merged into Israel's only fighting force, Haganah.

After the war, Begin became a member of the Knesset (assembly), representing his 'Herut' party as the only remaining true force of Revisionism. Enduring ridicule from the other members, he refused to accept the recognition of Jordan's annexation of the East Bank (not that his attitude made any difference). A florid orator; he had a great period in 1952 as an eloquent opponent of reparations from West Germany but Israel's financial needs were desperate and his words did not carry the day.

After the Six Day War, Begin formed a coalition with a centrist party and was able to join in a National Unity government.When the Cabinet accepted UN Resolution 242 which seemed to call for withdrawal from the West Bank, the coalition defected. In 1973 Sharon joined. On his own Sharon was able to enlarge Begin's coalition further and it was re-named Likud. The Yom Kippur War discredited Golda Meir's government and with it, a whole generation of Labor Party figures. But it was not until 1977 that Likud won a majority of Knesset seats and Begin became Prime Minister. He proposed a peace plan and submitted it to King Hussein of Jordan., who would not consent to a division of the West Bank. But through the efforts of Romania's Nicolai Ceaucescu and the King of Morocco, Anwar Sadat of Egypt was induced to visit Israel, which ultimately led to a peace treaty under whch Israel withdrew from the Sinai. This was not a problem for Begin because Sinai was not in the Biblical description of Israel. In 1980 Herut withdrew the claim for the east bank of the Jordan.

During much of his later years of his life, including the period of the Lebanon War, Begin's health was somewhat impaired after a series of heart attacks and a minor stroke. He experienced fits of depression and lapses of attention. These problems partly explains why he got involved, along with the help of Sharon's encouragement and misleading statements, in the Lebanon morass, which is too involved to be described here.

This is a rather complex biography but very interesting. There is a lot to Begin and a beginner may prefer the biography by Eric Silver ("Begin the Haunted Prophet") which provides more information on the historical context. On the other hand, Silver's book was published too early to cover the years from 1984 to Begin's death.