Subjects: Fundamentals of Foreign Policy

In Courage Lies Our Salvation

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Begin criticizes the Government for acting out of fear, which Begin argues will lead to disaster. Begin then shares that Yitzchak Rabin acted irresponsibly when he announced that Sadat had transferred a third of his army to the reserves. Because of that statement, other countries will be interested in selling arms to Egypt. Begin explains that Sadat transferred soldiers to reserves not because his hopes for peace in the near future, but because of Egypt’s current economic crisis. Sadat is in fear of being overthrown. Begin shifts to talk about the poor relationship between Rabin and Ford. Regarding this land, the Government stated that Jerusalem was liberated and Judea and Samaria were conquered. Begin argues that there should not be a difference between Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria: All was liberated. He concludes with for the sake of Israel’s existence, the Government needs to be courageous and strong.

Soviets Look to Arafat for a Base

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An op-ed Begin wrote for the Jerusalem Post. Yasser Arafat is a frequent visitor and patron to the Soviet Union. He not only means to destroy Israel, but if he gets a state it is guaranteed to become a Soviet base in the Middle East, with a steady supply of airlifted modern arms from the USSR. This would be an existential threat to Israel, but it would also be a threat to the free world to have a Soviet base in such a strategically important region. No matter who Israel gives the land to, if it pulls out of Judea and Samaria the Arafat State and the Soviet base would result. Israel needs to make the west, especially the USA, understand the danger a Palestinian State would pose to them in addition to Israel. And the Jews and Israel have every right to the land of Israel.

Gideon Lev-Ari interviews Menahem Begin

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An interview Begin gave to Israeli reporter Gideon Lev-Ari during the American “reassessment” of 1975. Begin notes the change in the Arab world’s stated demands from the total destruction of Israel to a withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines, but says that the Arab goal of destroying Israel has not changed, only the rhetoric. Begin says there must be a full end to hostilities, followed by direct peace negotiations. Then Israel must give the ‘Arabs of Eretz Israel’ (Begin’s term for the Arabs known as Palestinians living in the West Bank/Judea and Samaria) full cultural autonomy and the option of Israeli citizenship but not national autonomy. The Israel-US relationship will continue to survive disagreements between the two countries. Israel must learn from the Munich agreement not to give in when it is threatened by its enemies and pressured to give in by its friends. In the end, peace will come

Jerusalem is Not Phnom-Penh

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Begin very clearly outlines the goals of Israel as: “peace treaty, declaration on the establishment of peaceful relations, ceasefire, armistice, non-belligerence, and a state of war and its annulment.” Begin accuses Dr. Kissinger of trying to deprive Israel of what it needs, a peace treaty. He says that without a peace treaty, there can be no transference of territory, except, according to Kissinger, in Israel. Likud urges the Prime Minister to not retreat until Egypt has annulated the state of war, meaning no withdrawal from the land without a peace treaty. He says that if Israel were to comply with Egypt’s demands and retreat, Israel would be in the same position as the war-torn Vietnamese city Phnom-Penh, “within the range of the enemy’s guns.” Even America, he says, cannot help alleviate the situation there because of the gunfire of the Khmer Rouge forces. He says, “They are what our enemies wish for us,” as he urges the public to stand tall, not to retreat, and defend Israel.

No, Dr. Kissinger!

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Begin emphasizes the importance of not retreating to the 1967 borders. Israel was offered an end to belligerency in exchange for the retreat, however Begin is unimpressed. To explain the situation in a way that is more understandable for an American audience, he compares it to the hypothetical situation America would find itself in if Russia offered eternal peace if they allowed them to occupy Washington and destroy the US nuclear stockpile and missiles. Begin finds Dr. Kissinger’s plan reminiscent of the Rogers Plan, which he rejected. He describes Dr. Kissinger’s plan as a “step-by-step approach to the plan of our total disintegration.” He argues that this disintegration of Israel will also have negative effects on America because it is possible that the Arabs will force the US to exert pressure on Israel, and if they do and Israel surrenders as a result, “there will be no bounds to Arab blackmail, which will be supported by Russia.”