Description:

David Ben-Gurion TLS: "I must reject your views…that about 2/3 of the land of the state of Israel is useless for cultivation"

A 1p typed letter in Hebrew signed by David Ben-Gurion (1886-1976), then in his role as Prime Minister of Israel, at center left. January 7, 1956. Jerusalem, Israel. On a single leaf of "Prime Ministry" stationery, complete with the Emblem of Israel showing a menorah flanked by two olive branches at the center of the letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, and double hole-punched along the right edge. Else near fine. 6.125" x 7.875." Accompanied by a full English translation.

Prime Minister Ben-Gurion was just two months into his second term as Prime Minister of Israel when he wrote this letter to Avraham Harzfeld (1888-1973). Harzfeld was a sitting Mapai member of the 3rd Knesset, and a member of the directorate after 1949 of the Jewish National Fund, the agency tasked with acquiring and developing land in Israel. Ben-Gurion also sent a copy of this letter to Kadish Luz (1895-1972), the Israeli Minister of Agriculture from 1955-1959.

Ben-Gurion wrote, translated in part: "I must reject your views regardless of the fact that you are one of the most devoted works of the settlement. As per your views, the official experts of the Jewish National Fund reached the conclusion that about 2/3 of the land in the state of Israel is useless for soil cultivation. I refuse to accept it & refuse to recognize the expertise of these experts who gave you such information. The history of science is full of many examples of successes which arrived after failures. There will be experts who shall be able to find the way such a success…"

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) report on arable land was unsatisfactory to Ben-Gurion because it stymied the growth of the Israeli state just barely after it had begun. Ever since Israel had become independent in 1948, its primary political policy had been promoting progress. Yet how could the Israeli economy, heavily reliant on agriculture, continue expanding when Israel had limited arable lands? Ben-Gurion would simply not accept the conclusion reached by the Jewish National Fund. Instead, he urged reexamining the problem to find more creative solutions.

Harzfeld and the JNF were correct about Israel's limitations: more than 50% of Israel is classified as desert, and only about 20% of the country is naturally arable. Intense and pervasive water shortages were (and are) the biggest handicap to agriculture.

Israel was able to expand its amount of cultivated land, however, by employing ingenious methods which Ben-Gurion would have heartily approved. Israel has done pioneering research and development in the fields of agricultural science and technology. Simcha Blass would develop the first system of drip irrigation technology just three years later, in 1959. Water could be captured through desalinization and domestic water recycling; drought-tolerant seeds could be developed through genetic engineering; and existing soils could be enhanced through soil conditioners. And all of these methods proved effective: Israel's 400,000 acres of cultivated in 1948 has expanded to more than 1 million acres today, yielding approximately 16 times the agricultural output.

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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