Subjects: Fundamentals of Israeli Security

You Don’t Have a Majority in the Knesset for Re-Partition of Eretz Yisrael

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A speech Begin gave in the Knesset shortly after the December 1973 elections. He congratulates the Speaker of the Knesset and the new MKs and wishes continued good health for reelected Prime Minister Golda Meir. He questions whether the government ever asked for a mandate to withdraw from any territory before a peace agreement is reached. The national consensus had always been no withdrawal without a peace agreement, and the government never asked for a mandate to go against that consensus. Therefore it never received such a mandate. And yet it is acting as if it has a mandate to give up territory without a peace deal. The government has already given up Judea and Samaria, either to Jordan, or worse, to Arafat. This denies Jewish history and Jewish rights. It also would put most Israelis within range of the enemy’s new weapons from the USSR.

Likud Leader

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An interview Begin gave to the American newspaper “The Stars and Stripes”. After doing well in the 1974 election but not winning the press reports that Begin’s influence over Israeli policy has grown. Begin says that the wars of 1948 and 1967 were wars of self-defense and that Judea and Samaria are integral parts of Israel that cannot be given up. He supports Israel’s participation in the Geneva Peace Conference. He would be willing to give back Egyptian and Syrian land Israel captured in the Yom Kippur . Many regular Israelis agree with him on the issue of territory. He also says that it would be a security risk, and the interviewer gives facts about Jordan and Egypt’s military capabilities that support Begin’s assertions. Kissinger acknowledges the security risks and says the answer is international guarantees. Begin cites the cases of the Sudetenland and the Sinai Campaign to show why international guarantees are worthless.

Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Why Didn’t You Mobilize the Reserves

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A speech Begin gave at the Knesset after the Yom Kippur War. The Chief of Staff had said that if the reserves had been called up 24 or 48 hours earlier the war would have taken a less costly course in its early stages. The brave IDF soldiers did their best and were in the end victorious, but the government should never have put them in such an impossible situation. Begin demands that Prime Minister Golda Meir and her cabinet resign. Resigning would show the powers that convene the Geneva Conference that Israel does not have a government with the authority to make concessions until after new elections are held, and then the conference can be pushed back until January. The Government has also been irresponsible in accepting an agreement with Secretary of State Kissinger and President Sadat for the release of Israeli POWs in exchange for easing the siege on the Egyptian Third Army. Despite the failures of the government, the IDF is the best army in the world and is full of heroes.

1998: There Will Be a Mighting Nation in This Land

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In honor of Israel’s “silver jubilee” (25th) birthday, Begin speaks about his hopes for Israel in its next jubilee birthday, in 1998. By 1998, he hopes that majority of Jews will be in Israel, which will lead to one million people living in Jerusalem. Additionally, he believes that majority of Soviet Jews will make aliyah. Then Begin focuses on current concerns and first counter-argues the claim that it is unjust for Jews ruling over Arabs. He quotes Hussein to point out his desire to have all of Israel under his control. Also, he speaks about the secretary general from Histadrut’s public suggestion for Israel to immediately leave Shechem, Jericho, and Hebron. Begin then says that Israel needs to liberate the rest of the land for the sake of Israel’s security. Begin shifts to speak about another threat to Israel’s security: Assimilation. He concludes quoting Ezekiel’s vision of Jews inhabiting all of Israel.

Race to Give Up

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Begin speaks about members of the Knesset fighting for who can give up more of the Homeland than other members. He shares viewpoints from various leaders including: Allon, Eban, Hussein, Ismail, and Ben Aharon. One viewpoint focuses on handing over part of Jerusalem to Jordanian supervision. Another one discusses closing Jewish settlement to certain areas. A third viewpoint argues to retreat to the 1967 lines. These viewpoints, Begin argues, will not lead to peace, only to Israel’s destruction. Lastly, Begin speaks about Gahal’s viewpoint and concludes that citizens of Israel will be able to vote in eight months to change the current, destructive course of Israel’s future.