Auction 73 - Jewish and Israeli History, Culture and Art
Letter from David Ben-Gurion, Hand-Signed by Him – Addressed to the Editor of "Ma'ariv" Azriel Karlibach – Sde Boker, 1954 – the Altalena Affair
Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $1,375
Including buyer's premium
Letter from David Ben-Gurion to Azriel Karlibach. Typewritten; hand-signed by Ben-Gurion. Sde Boker, May 15, 1954.
In the letter, which is addressed to Azriel Karlibach, editor of the "Ma'ariv" newspaper, Ben-Gurion refers to an article published by Karlibach about the Altalena affair and requests to clarify the circumstances that had led to the tragic chain of events. Ben-Gurion introduces the clauses of the agreement between the Irgun and the Zionist executive committee and the provisional government regarding the dismantling of the Irgun and its integration into the IDF: "After the establishment of the provisional government and its decision to establish the IDF on May 26, the commander of the Irgun [Menachem Begin] signed, on 1.6.48., a commitment saying: 1) the members of the Irgun will join the IDF. 2) The weapons and military equipment of the Irgun will be handed over to the IDF. 3) The Irgun and its commanders will cease operating as a military brigade. 4) Any separate purchase of weapons and military equipment will be stopped by the Irgun" (Hebrew).
Azriel Karlibach (1908-1956), a leading publicist of Hebrew journalism, was the first editor of the "Yedioth Aharonot" newspaper and the founder and first editor of the "Ma'ariv" newspaper. In his articles, Karlibach took a critical stand against the Mapai government and its leader David Ben-Gurion. A day after MS Altalena was sunk, Karlibach published a sharp editorial in "Yedioth Ma'ariv" titled "Our Hands Have Shed This Blood" which he concluded with the words "We have all been beaten now, we have all lost, and will not purify ourselves but in the springs of the love of Israel" (Hebrew).
[1] leaf, 21 cm. Good condition. Fold lines. Filing holes. Negligible closed tears and a small open tear to margins, not affecting text. Inked stamp (serial number).
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MS Altalena, named after Ze'ev Jabotinsky's pseudonym, was purchased in the United States in the summer of 1947 by the Hebrew Committee for National Liberation. At first the ship was meant to transport illegal immigrants to Palestine but later it was decided to load it with weapons as well. In June 1948, the ship sailed to Israel with 900 immigrants and significant quantities of military equipment. In the meantime, the IDF was established and the Irgun was dismantled.
Prior to Altalena's arrival there were intense disputes between Irgun leadership and the Government of Israel. The commander of the Irgun, Menachem Begin, insisted that the weapons and military equipment on the ship be dispatched to Irgun units fighting with the IDF and to Irgun battalions in the Jerusalem area (where Irgun was independent and not part of the IDF), however Ben-Gurion required that military equipment be transferred solely to the IDF.
When Altalena arrived at the Kfar Vitkin shore, on June 20, 1948, the Alexandroni Division surrounded the area and Irgun members were ordered to hand over the weapons unloaded from the ship to IDF authorities. The Irgun refusal to comply was followed by exchange of fire between IDF and the Irgun, and the ship left the shore and sailed to Tel-Aviv. Upon arrival at the Tel-Aviv coastline, on June 22, the fighting between IDF and the Irgun resumed and the ship was bombed, surrendering shortly afterwards. The Altalena affair sparked public controversy and strife, and years later there are still different versions regarding the exact turn of events.
In the letter, which is addressed to Azriel Karlibach, editor of the "Ma'ariv" newspaper, Ben-Gurion refers to an article published by Karlibach about the Altalena affair and requests to clarify the circumstances that had led to the tragic chain of events. Ben-Gurion introduces the clauses of the agreement between the Irgun and the Zionist executive committee and the provisional government regarding the dismantling of the Irgun and its integration into the IDF: "After the establishment of the provisional government and its decision to establish the IDF on May 26, the commander of the Irgun [Menachem Begin] signed, on 1.6.48., a commitment saying: 1) the members of the Irgun will join the IDF. 2) The weapons and military equipment of the Irgun will be handed over to the IDF. 3) The Irgun and its commanders will cease operating as a military brigade. 4) Any separate purchase of weapons and military equipment will be stopped by the Irgun" (Hebrew).
Azriel Karlibach (1908-1956), a leading publicist of Hebrew journalism, was the first editor of the "Yedioth Aharonot" newspaper and the founder and first editor of the "Ma'ariv" newspaper. In his articles, Karlibach took a critical stand against the Mapai government and its leader David Ben-Gurion. A day after MS Altalena was sunk, Karlibach published a sharp editorial in "Yedioth Ma'ariv" titled "Our Hands Have Shed This Blood" which he concluded with the words "We have all been beaten now, we have all lost, and will not purify ourselves but in the springs of the love of Israel" (Hebrew).
[1] leaf, 21 cm. Good condition. Fold lines. Filing holes. Negligible closed tears and a small open tear to margins, not affecting text. Inked stamp (serial number).
------------------------------------
MS Altalena, named after Ze'ev Jabotinsky's pseudonym, was purchased in the United States in the summer of 1947 by the Hebrew Committee for National Liberation. At first the ship was meant to transport illegal immigrants to Palestine but later it was decided to load it with weapons as well. In June 1948, the ship sailed to Israel with 900 immigrants and significant quantities of military equipment. In the meantime, the IDF was established and the Irgun was dismantled.
Prior to Altalena's arrival there were intense disputes between Irgun leadership and the Government of Israel. The commander of the Irgun, Menachem Begin, insisted that the weapons and military equipment on the ship be dispatched to Irgun units fighting with the IDF and to Irgun battalions in the Jerusalem area (where Irgun was independent and not part of the IDF), however Ben-Gurion required that military equipment be transferred solely to the IDF.
When Altalena arrived at the Kfar Vitkin shore, on June 20, 1948, the Alexandroni Division surrounded the area and Irgun members were ordered to hand over the weapons unloaded from the ship to IDF authorities. The Irgun refusal to comply was followed by exchange of fire between IDF and the Irgun, and the ship left the shore and sailed to Tel-Aviv. Upon arrival at the Tel-Aviv coastline, on June 22, the fighting between IDF and the Irgun resumed and the ship was bombed, surrendering shortly afterwards. The Altalena affair sparked public controversy and strife, and years later there are still different versions regarding the exact turn of events.
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