Rabin’s Policy Means War

Begin speaks about Yitzchak Rabin’s policy leading to another war. He first explains Rabin’s mistake in no longer insisting peace treaties. Even so, the U.S. is not satisfied with Rabin’s actions. Begin explains Henry Kissinger’s involvement and then speaks about how Security Council Resolution 338 includes Security Council Resolution 242. Therefore, Begin misled Israelis and satisfied Assad when referring to Resolution 338. Begin quotes Sadat’s position about Israeli interim withdrawals. Begin speaks about Sadat’s strong relationship with Assad. He concludes that it is misleading for Rabin to claim that Arab agreement can be obtained because it will lead to a war.

No Need for Despair in Coming Year

Begin speaks of his concerns about Henry Kissinger’s “Jordanian-Israeli disengagement of forces” plan. In this plan, Israel abandons land they liberated in the Six-Day War for interim agreements, not peace agreements. Begin speaks about Hussein’s actions against Israel in both the War of Independence and the Six-Day War. Begin argues that with interim agreements, Arab countries are just waiting for the right moment to attack Israel, again. Begin shifts to further criticize Kissinger’s plan. Begin explains that Israel will not be secure with a UN force located at the 1967 border lines. He concludes that it is important to have “positive national stubbornness in the face of pressures and threats.”

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

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.

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

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.

Israel Was Right in Attempt to Capture Habash

Begin expresses his opinion about Israel’s attempt to capture PLO’s George Habash. Begin first speaks about the condemnation Israel faced from both the East and West. He then explains that Habash is like Eichman because he wants to kill anyone who is Jewish or Israel-oriented. Begin provides an example of the attack Habash and his comrades committed in the Athens Airport. This example also shows that other nations will not condemn Habash’s desire to harm people travelling to Israel. Begin then speaks about it is up to Israel to defend Jews and Israelis. He continues to explain that Israel needs to be proactive, instead of just reactive to the PLO’s terror attacks. He concludes that he is a true patriot because “true patriotism demands that one should acknowledge national mistakes and strive to rectify them.”