Description:

Begin, Menachem (1913-1992) Outstanding handwritten and signed final draft of an early original speech of future Prime Minister Menachem Begin, then leader of the opposition Herut party, urging defeat of Ben-Gurion's Mapai party in the election of the second Knesset, referring to "Ben-Gurion's disturbed soul... Ben-Gurion claims: there is no solid government unless it is my party - Mapai."

Autograph Manuscript Signed "M. Begin" in Hebrew, three pages, separate sheets, 5" x 7". [Israel, 1951]. Heavily edited by Begin. With English translation. On lined paper. Fine condition.

Headed "Goodbye and Not to See You Again". In part, "In [Ben-Gurion's] eyes there is no stable government unless it is his government! It seems that Mr. Ben-Gurion thinks about two possibilities. One is... Ben-Gurion submits his letter of resignation to the President; the President accepts his resignation but at the same time reaches the conclusion that there is no other Prime Minister except for the one that has just resigned, and Mr. Ben-Gurion who resigned continues 'to fulfil his role.' Till when?...

"The second option which is imagined in Mr. Ben-Gurion's disturbed soul is new elections... if in the second Knesset there is no 'solid majority' about which Mr. Ben-Gurion thinks, it is possible that he will propose to turn again to the voter, until... the voter is tired and says 'let it be, we would rather have Mapai as a ruling party than have new and unexpected elections'... Mapai destroyed the economy... If the nation wants to end the aggressive demoralization, it has to overcome Ben-Gurion's accusations. The voter has to make sure that it will be possible to assemble a government without Mapai... Ben-Gurion claims: there is no solid government unless it is my party - Mapai - who rules but the truth is that stability will only be reached without Mapai. To Mapai: 'No and Goodbye and Not to See You Again'"

The election of the second Knesset was held on July 30, 1951. Mapai won 45 seats (37.3%) and formed a coalition government as they had done in the first Knesset. Ben-Gurion continued as Prime Minister. Begin served in the first 10 Knessets and as Prime Minister from 1977-83, the first government formed by a party other than Ben-Gurion's.

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