Description:

Ben-Gurion Calls for a Settlement Mission During the aftermath of the Lavon Affair

Autograph Letter Signed “D. Ben-Gurion” in Hebrew, one page, 4.5” x 8.25”. Lightweight paper; numbered “42” from Ben-Gurion’s writing pad. Sde Boker, Israel, October 13, 1954. To Ze’ev Zanfet, Kfar Hayarok. Rough edges. Very good condition.

In full:

“The many troubles here prevented me from replying to your letter immediately. I will not be able to write a special critical article on the subject. There is nothing to be critical about – rather a call for a settlement mission. You should act so that the newspaper participates. Preparing a large settlement operation of young people and discharging soldiers. In approximately one month, there will be a convention of the candidates for this settlement.”

With original envelope addressed in another hand to Zanfet in Hebrew, postmarked Israeli postage stamp, Ben-Gurion’s name and kibbutz penned on verso, not by Ben-Gurion.

“Haaretz” is Israel’s oldest daily newspaper. From a 2009 story by Amos Harel on Haaretz.com, in part, “An educational presentation about the 1954 Lavon affair prepared by the Military Intelligence history and heritage division found that MI had not sufficiently trained the members of the sabotage unit, who were mostly amateurs and included several Egyptian Jews, and had failed to give them cover stories, plan escape routes or otherwise plan for the possibility that they would be caught … The Lavon affair … was a plan to discredit Egypt’s government, then headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, by bombing theaters, post offices and U.S. and British institutions, and making it seem as though Egypt was behind the bombings. The thinking in Israel at the time was that if the British were to give up control of the Suez Canal, it would be left in Egypt’s hands, putting Cairo in a better position to exert pressure on Israel. The agents were told 'to undermine the West’s trust in the [Egyptian] government by causing public insecurity' while concealing Israel’s role in the sabotage. However, the agents were caught. One committed suicide in prison, two were hanged and four got long prison terms…”

The bombings and capture of the Israeli agents took place in July 1954. In a Commission of Inquiry into the Affair published in December 1960, Pinhas Lavon, the Defense Minister at the time of the capture of the spies in 1954, was declared not guilty of authorizing the operation. Motke Ben-Tzur, head of a section of Military Intelligence in 1954, had been dismissed in October 1954, at the time Ben-Gurion wrote this letter. Pinhas Lavon resigned from the post of Defense Minister on January 2, 1955 and was succeeded by Ben-Gurion himself. Binyamin Gibli, the Director of Military Intelligence, was also replaced. By the end of 1955, Ben-Gurion was again Prime Minister.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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