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FAQ
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Abba Eban on Menachem Begin
Abba Eban was a dove.
What was his opinion of Menachem Begin, considered a hawk?
Excerpted from his book: Abba Eban: An Autobiography, Random House, N.Y., 1977
“The departure of Menachem Begin and his able colleagues…left the Cabinet table more compact and tranquil. But the spice and zest of intellectual combat was reduced. Begin’s talent flourished more on large
parliamentary occasions…”. p. 468
“My personal relations with Begin were cordial. I opposed his views but respected his constancy and sincerity as well as his record as a daring resistance fighter.” p. 593
Was the King David Hotel a Civilian Target
In the book Balancing Act, US Foreign Policy and the Arab Israel Conflict authored by Vaughn Shannon, he describes on page 38 the King David Hotel, attacked by the Irgun in 1946 as a civilian target. Many other books, articles and web sites do likewise. Is this true?
Already by 1940, the entire southern wing of the hotel was turned into the offices of the Palestine Mandatory government and its secretariat and then the HQ of the British Army. No civilian tourists occupied any of the rooms there.
Thus, the target of the Irgun attack was the main British institution of power in the country.
The unfortunate loss of life was due to the refusal of the British authorities to take advantage of the precious minutes provided them by the Irgun warnings to evacuate their offices as well as the premature attempt to dismantle the explosives.
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