Subjects: Austerity

Begin on future of Herut Party

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A speech by Begin to a Betar conference in South Africa in 1953. Begin is proud of the delegates to the conference for their allegiance and dedication. He says that Herut must not give up on the goal of a constitution for Israel, even if the idea is unpopular, because it is a necessity. Begin rejects the usage of the terms ‘left’ and ‘right’ as applied to political parties, as they were developed arbitrarily. He argues that Herut will defend the middle class from Mapai’s attempts to destroy it. Herut must be a party for all Jews in Israel. Herut supports the supremacy of the law and the independence of the judiciary. Herut is against the concept of civil marriages because it would lead to two different societies in Israel. The road for Betar and Herut may be long and hard, but their members should remember that Jabotinsky did not live to see the creation of the State of Israel either. They may yet achieve their goals despite their hardships.

Speech at Knesset 9.11.49

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A speech Begin gave at the Knesset in 1949. The Government has been acting very undemocratically in preventing discussion on the writing of a constitution for the new State of Israel. The budget and the deficit of the new State are enormous, putting the economy at risk. Unfortunately there is little concrete investment in Israel and the charity of the Diaspora Jewish communities is not enough. Herut warned of the need to rescue the Jews in Arab countries from anti-Jewish violence and was ignored, and now that the government is finally responding to the problem it may be too late. The Arabs and other nations are making territorial claims against Israel, and Israel should make territorial claims in response, for all of Eretz Israel should be part of Israel by right. The government should resign in light of the above offences and mistakes. The Herut proposes a law for Jerusalem as the eternal and undivided capital of Israel.