![BEN-GURION, David (1886-1973). Prime Minister, Israel. Typed letter signed ("D. Ben-Gurion") to "my dear friend Rabbi Y.L. Fishman," WITH A LENGTHY AUTOGRAPH POSTSCRIPT, n.p. [Israel], 12 May 1948. 2 pages, 4to, on rectos only of two sheets of stationery of The Jewish Agency for Palestine, staple marks in top corner, otherwise fine. TEXT AND POSTSCRIPT IN HEBREW.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1999/NYR/1999_NYR_09178_0161_000(115056).jpg?w=1)
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BEN-GURION, David (1886-1973). Prime Minister, Israel. Typed letter signed ("D. Ben-Gurion") to "my dear friend Rabbi Y.L. Fishman," WITH A LENGTHY AUTOGRAPH POSTSCRIPT, n.p. [Israel], 12 May 1948. 2 pages, 4to, on rectos only of two sheets of stationery of The Jewish Agency for Palestine, staple marks in top corner, otherwise fine. TEXT AND POSTSCRIPT IN HEBREW.
THE BIRTH OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL: "THE DIFFICULT AND RESPONSIBLE WORK WHICH HAS MUCH DANGER"
An excellent letter written only two days before the State of Israel was proclaimed to the world. Isreal's future Prime Minister writes in strong terms to protest rumors questioning the strength of his support for the cause of Israel's statehood; Ben-Gurion threatens to resign if these are not repudiated. Regarding the "statement of Mr. Y. Greenbaum at the Director's meeting on 10/5/48....1) I wonder that although Mr. Greenbaum never read my speech at the declaration in Tel-Aviv, he was able to find in my words, which he never read, a hesitation to the proclaimed statehood. 2) I do not know why Mr. Greenbaum resigned from the Directorate, but I do know that certain newspapers (Ha Mashkif, Ha'Aretz) circulated rumors about me based on Mr. Greenbaum's words, without Mr. Greenbaum ever raising a finger to point out that these rumors are baseless; In his letter to the Directorate he retracted his statements against me, but this retraction was not publicized. 3) I object vehemently to the veiled hint in Mr. Greenbaum's statement re: the status of the membership in Jerusalem, that they agreed with his attack upon me at the last session. I refused from then on to sit together with him at any session until his words were retracted. And if Mr. Greenbaum feels he has reason to retract them - it would be appropriate that he do so in a clear manner." Asking that this letter be copied to Mr. Greenbaum, he concludes: "We must now jointly approach the difficult and responsible work which has much danger. I am willing to back out of this mission but at the outset there are members who cannot work, for their reasons, in a friendly manner. I have decided in my heart, and will stick to it, to erase from my feelings the "incident" with Mr. Greenbaum, at the sessions. But if they continue, the mission will be accomplished without me."
In 1922 the League of Nations entrusted to Britain the administration of Palestine and the reconstitution of a Jewish homeland, which was to be accomplished in 1947. The UN passed a resolution calling for the partition of the area into separate Jewish and Arab states. After the bloody Arab-Israeli conflicts which followed British withdrawal, the republic of Israel was proclaimed in 1948, and Ben-Gurion was designated the first Israeli Prime Minister; a position he held for most of the next fifteen years.
THE BIRTH OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL: "THE DIFFICULT AND RESPONSIBLE WORK WHICH HAS MUCH DANGER"
An excellent letter written only two days before the State of Israel was proclaimed to the world. Isreal's future Prime Minister writes in strong terms to protest rumors questioning the strength of his support for the cause of Israel's statehood; Ben-Gurion threatens to resign if these are not repudiated. Regarding the "statement of Mr. Y. Greenbaum at the Director's meeting on 10/5/48....1) I wonder that although Mr. Greenbaum never read my speech at the declaration in Tel-Aviv, he was able to find in my words, which he never read, a hesitation to the proclaimed statehood. 2) I do not know why Mr. Greenbaum resigned from the Directorate, but I do know that certain newspapers (Ha Mashkif, Ha'Aretz) circulated rumors about me based on Mr. Greenbaum's words, without Mr. Greenbaum ever raising a finger to point out that these rumors are baseless; In his letter to the Directorate he retracted his statements against me, but this retraction was not publicized. 3) I object vehemently to the veiled hint in Mr. Greenbaum's statement re: the status of the membership in Jerusalem, that they agreed with his attack upon me at the last session. I refused from then on to sit together with him at any session until his words were retracted. And if Mr. Greenbaum feels he has reason to retract them - it would be appropriate that he do so in a clear manner." Asking that this letter be copied to Mr. Greenbaum, he concludes: "We must now jointly approach the difficult and responsible work which has much danger. I am willing to back out of this mission but at the outset there are members who cannot work, for their reasons, in a friendly manner. I have decided in my heart, and will stick to it, to erase from my feelings the "incident" with Mr. Greenbaum, at the sessions. But if they continue, the mission will be accomplished without me."
In 1922 the League of Nations entrusted to Britain the administration of Palestine and the reconstitution of a Jewish homeland, which was to be accomplished in 1947. The UN passed a resolution calling for the partition of the area into separate Jewish and Arab states. After the bloody Arab-Israeli conflicts which followed British withdrawal, the republic of Israel was proclaimed in 1948, and Ben-Gurion was designated the first Israeli Prime Minister; a position he held for most of the next fifteen years.