Subjects: Army

Address By Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Egyptian People

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A speech Begin addressed to the Egyptian people near the beginning of the peace process with Egypt. The two nations have been engaged in conflict since Egypt invaded Israel upon its declaration of independence. Egyptian attempts to destroy Israel were all in vain and unnecessary. Israel has and will continue to defend itself if attacked, but it does not want to fight at all. Egypt and Israel were allies in ancient times, and they can be again. President Sadat has offered to come to soeak in the Knesset so that no more Egyptian soldiers will be hurt, and Israel welcomes him with open arms. The Koran says that Israel belongs to the Jews. Both sides can find common ground in religion and other areas to live in peace.

Looking Back on 30 Years of Struggle and Change

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A reprinting of a chapter from Begin’s book, THE REVOLT, which appeared in the New York Post as part of a series of reprints. This chapter was appended to cover new information revealed over the decades. His description of his experiences as a prisoner of the Soviets, widely denounced by Communists as propaganda, has been acknowledged as truth. Soviet Jews have renounced Communism for Zionism in large numbers. Begin had accused the British of not wanting the Jews of Europe to be saved in the 1949s, and recently revealed documents show how the British prevented the Red Cross from saving 40,000 Jews from Hungary because they might have gone to Palestine. And after Begin always maintained that Israel’s rightful borders included all of Biblical Israel and that any other borders were artificial, in 1967 Israel finally regained Judea and Samaria, erasing the artificial line.

Our Legal Right to the Land

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Begin stresses the importance of maintaining the post 1967 borders and not returning the territories of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. He recalls the Yom Kippur War, in which Egypt utilized the element of surprise to attack Israel to cause more damage and more lives to be lost. In order to prevent this from happening again, Begin emphasizes the legal right the Jewish people have to this land.

Menahem Begin – Likud Party Winner, Israeli Elections

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A television interview for ABC News. After he is elected but before he assumes office Begin already faces disagreements with the Carter Administration, with Clark and Seamans asking about those disagreements and his commitment to peace. Carter says Israel should withdraw from nearly all of the territories captured in 1967 while Begin says Judea and Samaria are integral and permanent part of Israel and there is existential danger in giving them up. Begin insists he is willing to negotiate peace with all Arab countries but not the PLO. When challenged over possibly losing American economic and military aid Begin counters that the relationship with America is mutually beneficial. Israel is keeping Communism out of the Middle East, Begin says.

Peace Can Be Built Only On Truth

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Begin criticizes Rabin’s stance on the issue of returning Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. He argues that if that land is no longer considered part of Israel, they will unite and create a Palestinian State that is fundamentally against Israel and will use the weapons provided by the Soviets to attack and attempt to destroy Israel. This is the truth, he argues, that must be acknowledged in order to establish peace. He believes that Rabin portrayed both himself and the enemy as moderate, while Begin has a more extreme perspective.