Subjects: Yigal Alon

Sitting 3 of the Ninth Knesset Part I

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Begin presents to the Knesset with his government and its guidelines. In this speech, he first clarifies that he will not ask for other nations to recognize Israel’s right to exist, because existence is a right. He hopes other nations will recognize Israel’s sovereignty and “the mutual need for a life of peace and understanding.” He speaks about the Jewish people’s eternal relationship to the Land of Israel. Begin then reads the list of guidelines of the government.

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.

The Way to Peace (1976)

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Begin criticizes anyone who wishes to give back the territories of Gaza, Judea, and Samaria. He claims that Israel losing these territories would be detrimental to Israeli national security. He believes that the Soviet Union would use these territories to create a place for themselves in the Middle East, which would threaten national security greatly. Begin states his displeasure with Arafat, the Palestinians, and the PLO, calling them a murder organization.

Surrender Will Not Bring Peace

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Begin explains why there is a struggle for peace between Israel and its Arab neighboring countries. There is an argument that Israel is preventing peace because Israel insists to retain land gained from the Six-Day War. He then shares Mapam’s plan for peace, which includes the Gaza Strip. Regarding the Golan Heights, they will negotiate some land, but will not give it all up. Additionally, Israel must link Sharm-el-Sheikh to Eilat. Lastly, Jerusalem will be the capital for one country, Israel. Begin then explains how Egypt, Syria, and Jordan all refuse Mapam’s plan. Begin shifts to Yigal Allon’s plan for peace, specifically focusing on Judea and Samaria. He believes in annexing some of the land and linking Jordan with parts of the West Bank. Begin says though, that Hussein does not find this plan acceptable. Begin then shifts to the crux of his argument: Arabs will not accept a peace treaty that will ensure Israel’s security.

Begin Hits Back

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After Abba Eban responded to his earlier op-ed in the Jerusalem Post, Begin “hits back.” Eban used Begin as a vehicle to attack his own Labor Party and its leaders, and also attacked Begin. Begin says that Eban was deeply embittered over losing his position as Foreign Minister and is still bitter. Begin accuses Eban of having different styles for foreigners as opposed to his countrymen, the former being noble and the latter being coarse. He maintains that according to the press reports of the Labor Party caucus his description of Eban’s speaking of evicting the settlers of Elon Moreh was accurate. He then accuse Eban of an Orwellian twisting of his words so that he supposedly said that it would be a “bloody adventure” to remove the settlers of Elon Moreh when Begin was speaking of the fighting with the Arabs that would result from giving up Judea and Samaria. Certain elements in the Labor Party feel the same need to settle Judea and Samaria as Begin.