Description:

David Ben-Gurion ALS in 1955: "war, possibly a decisive one, is imminent," Written 1 Day After Operation Black Arrow, and Anticipating the Suez Crisis of 1956

A 1p autograph letter in Hebrew signed by David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), then Israeli Minister of Defense, as "David Ben-Gurion" at lower left. Written in Kirya, a section of Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 1, 1955, on a single leaf of yellow stationery pre-printed with the Emblem of Israel at top. Double hole-punched along the right edge, lightly pencil-inscribed verso, and with expected paper folds, else near fine. 6" x 7.75." Ex-Paul Richards; accompanied by a Richards-signed Certificate of Authenticity from Sunset Historical Gallery, Inc. (Allenhurst, New Jersey), who has also provided a partial English translation.

David Ben-Gurion, who had formerly served as 1st Chairman of the Provisional State Council of Israel as well as the 1st Prime Minister of Israel, had been appointed to his second term as Israeli Minister of Defense on February 21, 1955, a little over one week before writing this letter.

Ben-Gurion wrote Shmuel Dayan (1891-1968), a member of the Knesset, or Israeli legislature, in part: "…It can be said with certainty that war, possibly a decisive one, is imminent. It can also be said without any doubt that we are facing a difficult and serious political struggle. The conclusion therefore is that we should [be] prepared with amply ammunition and should be ready for war. Because only through readiness--military and political--will we be able to withstand this battle…"

Ben-Gurion was referring to recent disturbing events in Gaza. On February 25, 1955, an Israeli citizen in Rehovot--60 kilometers outside of Tel Aviv--had been killed by a suspected Arab guerilla or fedayeen. Papers linking the fedayeen to Egyptian military intelligence suggested a larger plot was afoot. Ben-Gurion advocated a strong response to this threat to national security, and on February 28, 1955, the day before he wrote this letter to Dayan, the Israelis launched Operation Black Arrow.

Operation Black Arrow was an attack on an Egyptian base near Gaza undertaken by 150 Israeli paratroopers. Approximately 38 Egyptian soldiers and 8 Israelis were killed during the mission. This engagement, along with two other Israeli missions, Operation Elkayam in late August 1955 and Operation Volcano in early November 1955, signaled an escalation in tension between Egypt and Israel. The small-scale Israeli military operations also anticipated the larger conflict which would become the Suez Crisis of Autumn 1956. That conflict was precipitated when Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal and banned Israeli shipping from the 90-year-old waterway connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. Israel responded by invading Egypt; they were supported by British and French forces safeguarding their access to foreign oil.

Ben-Gurion's correspondent Shmuel Dayan was born in the modern day Ukraine and immigrated to Ottoman-controlled Palestine in 1908. He sat on the Knesset between 1949-1959 and was the father of Moshe Dayan, then Chief of General Staff since 1953.

Provenance

Ex-Paul Richards. This item comes with Certificate of Authenticity, #1590, from Sunset Historical Gallery, Inc. (Allenhurst, New Jersey), dated August 9, 1991. The certificate provides a partial English translation recto and a PHOTOCOPY of the actual document verso. Signed and authenticated by company principal Paul Richards.

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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