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Sale 49
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Lot 562
Ben-Gurion, David. Autograph letter signed ("D. Ben-Gurion"), 1p, 8x5 in., in Hebrew, on ruled paper, Sdeh Boker, 7 May 1971. With the original transmittal envelope, addressed in Hebrew in Ben-Gurion's hand and signed in English ("D. Ben-Gurion") on the flap. To P.Z. Hartal, veteran of the Six Day War, artist, poet, and author of "The Brush and the Compass" and "Toldot HaAdrichalut" (A History of Architecture). Fine. Accompanied by English translations of Ben-Gurion's letter and Mr. Hartal 's letter to him.
Mr. Hartal had written the former prime minister regarding comments he (B-G) had made in a newspaper article about wars the Jews had fought throughout history against mighty empires and about the role internecine wars had played in the outcome of some of those conflicts. Reference is made to the Altadena incident in 1948, in which Ben-Gurion, as prime minister, ordered that the ship, although filled with hundreds of camp survivors, be fired on and sunk because the Irgun would not give the weapons the ship carried to the Israeli Defense Forces.
"To Zev Hartal Peace and Greetings, I agree that it is not the quantity which matters but the quality. This we have learnt in everything and in the war that we waged since the establishment of the state. However, the fighters against the Romans and the Babylonians did not surpass in quality their enemies. And you are right--that our civil war in the Roman period was the cause of our defeat. In our war against the Arab armies--there was no civil war. The Altalena affair took place during the first truce--and we immediately brought it to an end…."
Estimated Value $2,000 - 3,000.
From the personal collection of P.Z. Hartal. Copies of the correspondence offered here between Ben-Gurion and Mr. Hartal are in the Ben-Gurion Archives in Israel.
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| Realized $2,300 |
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