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INTRODUCTION
InthisbookIexaminethedecisionmakingprocessinthestruggleforindependencewaged,ontheonehand,bythenationalinstitutionsoftheZionistmovementthe
JewishAgencyExecutive,theSmallZionistActionsCommittee,andtheZionistCongressand,ontheother,bytheYishuv'spoliticalparties,suchastheMapai
Center.Theexternalaspectisconsideredfirst:theirattitudetowardthegreatpowerstheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionandtowardtheArabquestion.This
leadstoanextensivediscussionoftheinternalideologicaldebateoverthemosteffective,or,alternatively,theleastharmful,methodsbywhichtoobtainindependence
fromBritain:Wasapoliticalstrugglesufficient,ordidithavetobecombinedwith,orsupplantedby,violence?Moreover,whatpoliticalsolutionshouldZionismadopt:
apartitionedstatewithinborderseconomicallyandstrategicallyviable,withinaregionalfederation,orbordersreflectinghistoricalandideologicalpropensities?Or
wasabinationalstatepreferableandifso,whatwouldbethemostcompatiblepoliticalregime:afederationofnationalautonomiesorfunctionalratherthanterritorial
binationalism?
ThesequestionshadtobeanswerediftheZionistmovementwastosurvive.Moreoftenthannot,itsinterestshadbenefitedfromcooperationwiththeBritish.But
after1945,theonsetoftheColdWarandthepreponderantweightoftheArabsintheMiddleEastpushedthemapart.Zionismnowhadtointegrateitselfintothe
interestsofotherpowers,andsuchinterestscertainlyexisted.Now,intheimmediateaftermathoftheHolocaust,therewasnoalternativetoaJewishstate,certainly
notwhenthebroadrangeofZionistforceshadbecomeconvincedthattheexistenceofaJewishstatebeforethewarcouldhavepreventedtheHolocaust.In
retrospect,manyfeltthatthedeliberationsovertheestablishmentofaJewishstatein193738hadbeenahistoricopportunitymissed.Inthispostwarperiod,the
leadershipwasscatteredacrossthreecontinentsinthreecenters:Jerusalem,London,and

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NewYork.Decisions,however,weremadeexclusivelyinJerusalem.ThusthedisagreementsthataroseindiscussionsheldbytheleadershipinLondonorNewYork
arenotconsideredhere,sincetheparticipantstherewereonlytheadjunctsoftheJerusalemleadershipunderBenGurion.PersonalitiessuchasChaimWeizmannand
AbbaHillelSilverhadtoacceptdecisionseveniftheyobjectedtothem.Withinashortspanoftime,andparticularlyaftertheproclamationofthestate,the
concentrationofthedecisionmakingprocessinthehandsofonepersonality,akindofcharismaticmediator,becamecriticalbecauseoftheweightofthedecisions
involvedandtheimpossibilityofdeferringthemhencethedramaticcharacterofthestruggleforindependence.
TheideaofaJewishstatehaditsoriginsduringthewaningyearsoftheOttomanperiod,antedatingtheFirstWorldWar.However,theprospectsofobtaininga
colonizationcharterwerepoor,despiteHerzl'sendeavorswiththeTurkishsultanandtheGermanemperor,sincethesultanviewedZionismasonemoreEuropean
attempttosubverttheOttomanEmpire.AninitiativebytheBritishgovernmenttogranttheZionistmovementacolonizationcharteralsofailed,duetointernaldiscord
withintheZionistmovementandLondon'swithdrawaloftheplan.ThepossibilityofJewishsettlementunderinternationalauspicesappearedontheinternational
agendaonlywithintheframeworkofthepostwarnewworldorderthatemergedfollowingthecollapseoftheOttomanEmpireandtheredistributionofitsterritoriesat
thepeaceconferencesofSevresandLausanne.Inthemeantime,theseedsoftheneworder,andEngland'splightinthewar,hadengenderedtheBalfourDeclaration,
whichreceivedlegalvalidationwhentheLeagueofNationsmadeBritaintheMandatoryforPalestinein1922.TheMandate,whichwastemporary,chargedthe
Britishgovernmentwiththetaskofpreparingthelocalinhabitantsforselfrule.
Morespecifically,theMandate'sproZionistarticlesensuredclearcutBritishsupportforthecreationofaJewish"NationalHome"byencouragingimmigrationand
densesettlement.Untilitsterminationin1948,then,theMandatewasofcrucialimportance,asitconstitutedakindofpromissorynoteenablingtheZionistmovement
toaccumulatepowertowardthecreationofastate,eventhoughin1917theArabsofPalestineoutnumberedtheJewsbynearlytentoone.Such,inanyevent,was
thesituationatthelevelofprincipleinpractice,ofcourse,theMandatewassubjecttothevagariesofinternationaldevelopments,whichcouldaffectEngland'sability
torealizeitscommitmentsnotonlyinPalestinebutglobally.TheupshotwasthatBritishpolicywascaughtbetweenthegovernment'sundertakingtoassistthe

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JewishnationalhomeanditsobligationtoencouragetheentirepopulationofPalestine,madeuplargelyofArabs,toadvancetowardselfrule.Britain'sdecisioninthe
directionofgradualdecolonizationenabledthenationalhometobebuiltatanacceleratedpaceuntilthelate1930s,whenthepressuresofArabnationalism,exerted
againstthebackgroundoftheriseofItalianfascismandHitler'saccessiontopower,reducedEngland'sabilitytopursueitsdefactoPalestinepolicy.Still,thenarrow
crackthatremainedaftertheonsetofaccelerateddecolonization(1939)enabledZionismtogoonaccumulatingpower,albeitlessintensively,andgeneratedstruggles
thatledZionismtosolicitsupportfromalternativepowercentersthoughthese,intheformoftheSovietUnionandtheUnitedStates,wouldbecomeaccessibleonly
aftertheSecondWorldWar.
Theprocessofaccumulatingandconsolidatingpowerintheformofdemographicgrowth,economicinfrastructure,security,andsettlementbecametheZionist
codeofaction,toprovidethebasicinfrastructureforastate.ThetestoftheentireZionistleadershiplayinitsabilitytoadvancethisprocessintheknowledgethattime
wasrunningoutandthatitwasessentialtoexploittothemaximumEngland'sreadinesstoaccepttheemergenceofthe''stateinthemaking"asaprocessthatwould
promotePalestine'seconomicindependence.However,eventhoughtheZionistmovementinvestedprodigiouseffortstoraisefunds,stepupimmigration,purchase
land,andbuildaprogressiveJewishsocietybasedonWesterndemocraticcriteria,Weizmann,thearchitectoftheBalfourDeclarationandtheMandate,was
preventedbyadearthofresources,especiallymanpowerandfinancing,frombringingintobeingasubstantiveinfrastructurethatwouldreachthelevelofcriticalmass
inthefirstdecadeoftheMandate.Paradoxically,thismissedopportunityservedtoslowdownnationalresistancebytheArabsanddelayedthemoresevereBritish
restrictionsontheJews.Facedwiththebloodyeventsof1921andtheaccompanyingpoliticalresistancebytheArabs,LondonstillfavoredaproZionistMandate,
sincebasicallytheArabswereisolatedandweakintermsofpoliticalpower.TheJews,incontrast,wereconsideredentrepreneurswithfuturepotentialfortheregion.
Theeventsof1921broughtabouttheWhitePaperof1922,whichreferredtoanationalhomeinPalestine,ratherthantoPalestineasthenationalhome,andalso
severedTransjordanfromtheMandate'sapplicability.
TheseconddecadewasmoreconducivetoZionism,inthewakeofJewishdistressinEasternandCentralEurope.However,fromthebeginning(1929)strongArab
resistanceflaredup,markedbymassacres

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ofJewsinSafedandHebron.ThattheYishuvhadgoodreasontofearthepoliticalrepercussionsoftheseeventsandtheirconsequencesforthegovernment's
interpretationoftheMandatebecameevidentintheWhitePaperof1930.However,thethreattoimmigrationandsettlementposedbythatdocument(authoredby
LordPassfield,thecolonialsecretary)provedtobeonlytemporary:ZionistpressureanditsownweaknessledtheBritishgovernmenttoretractthenewpolicyinthe
"MacDonaldLetter"butnotthepledgetograntselfruletoPalestine'sinhabitants.PrimeMinisterMacDonald'sletterwasablowtotheArabs(whoreferredtoitas
the"blackletter").Arabterrorismmounteduntilitreacheditspeakinthesweepingrevoltof1936.
Atthesametime,theZionistleadershipwasincreasinglyapprehensivethatitsabilitytoaccumulatesufficientpowertobuildthenationalhomewouldbejeopardized.
True,between1922and1931theJewishpopulationgrewfrom83,790,or11percentofthetotalpopulation,to174,606,or18percent.However,thisincreasewas
notmeaningfulintermsofcreatinganeconomicandpoliticalinfrastructure.ChaimArlosoroff,thedirectoroftheJewishAgency'sPoliticalDepartment,gave
expressiontothemountingconcern.AstheseconddecadeoftheMandateopened,ArlosoroffwasextremelyskepticalaboutZionism'sprospectsofbuildingastate
byevolutionarymeans.Regionalandinternationalpressures,heargued,woulddissuadeBritainfromcontinuingtohelptheJewsbuilduptheirstrength.Followingthe
grantingofindependencetoIraq,whichwasamandateofthesameclassasPalestine,Arlosoroffbelievedtheentiremandatesystemwasdoomed.Hefearedmoves
towardunityintheArabworld,theeruptionofaworldwaragainsttheSovietUnion,andthedisintegrationoftheZionistidea.ItisinstructivethatArlosoroffthought
thattheweaknessoftheJewishsettlementmovementruledoutpartitionasaviablesolutiontotheconflictbetweenthetwopeoples.ThustherealizationofZionism,he
concluded,required,asasinequanon,atransitionperiodduringwhichtheJewishminoritywouldrulewithan"organizedrevolutionarygovernment"hecould
envisagenootherwaybywhichtheJewscouldachieveamajorityorevenstrikeabalancewiththeArabs.1
HistoryprovedArlosoroffundulypessimistic(fromtheJewishpointofview,thatis).Inpractice,Zionismenjoyedthreemoreyearsinwhichitcouldcontinueto
accumulatepowertobuildthenationalhomeandachieveanirreversiblecriticalmass.Thepopulationleapedfrom192,137attheendof1932to355,157threeyears
later(theJewishAgencyhasslightlyhigherfigures:from199,600to375,400).TheturningpointwastheeruptionoftheArabRevoltin1936,whichradically
disrupted

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Zionism'splansandsharplyalteredthedevelopmentofthePalestinequestion.ThegovernmentwasforcedtochoosebetweenJewsandArabs.Untilthen,theBritish
haddeliberatelydeferredadecisionandnotgivenintotheArabs'demandforselfrule,asthiswouldhavesparkedaconflictwiththeJews.TheBritishParliament's
defeatofthemotiontoestablishaLegislativeCouncilinPalestinewasthestrawthatbrokethecamel'sbackwheretheArabswereconcerned,foritruledoutthe
possibilitythattheycouldvetothedevelopmentofthenationalhome.MoreimportantthanthisdefeatwastheArabs'fearthattheywouldbecomeaminorityunderthe
impactofJewishimmigration.AsBritishandFrenchprestigeintheregiondeclined,duetoItalianaggressioninEthiopia(nearlyaquarterofamillionItaliansoldiers
passedthroughtheSuezCanalwithoutinterference)andtheadvanceofSyriaandLebanontowardindependence,thePalestineArabs'pentupnationalfrustration
eruptedintoageneralstrikeandafullscalerevoltagainstBritishruleinthecountry.
HowdidtheZionistleadershipreacttothisextremeturnofevents?Althoughinpracticetheywereworkingtowardastate,tacticalreasonsgroundedinasenseof
cautionkepttheirofficialpolicyfromraisingthatdemandpublicly:suchaZionistinitiativewouldberejectedbytheArabsandwouldfailtogetasympathetichearing
fromthegovernment.OfficialZionistpolicy,then,advocated"parity"betweenJewsandArabsingovernanceandinthemeantimeenabledthecontinuedaccumulation
ofpower.Obviously,paritywasnotaviablelongtermpolicy,sinceitimpliedthecreationofabinationalstate.2
Althoughparitydidnotreceivegovernmentlegitimization,intheshorttermZionismsecuredgovernmentsupportbecausetheArabRevoltwasdirectedprimarily
againstBritishrule.Theresultwastheemergenceofanadhocpartnership,temporaryandpragmatic,betweenZionismandthegovernment,althoughalreadylooming
onthehorizonwasthepossibilitythattheBritishauthoritieswouldrestrictaliyah(JewishimmigrationtoPalestine/Israel)andwouldpreventJewsfrompurchasing
Arabland.
Thegovernment'ssupportdidnotaffecttheshapingofZionistpolicy.However,theparityformulawasinadequateinthefaceoftheArabRevolt.Alongtermsolution
wasnowcalledfor,withoutresorttotacticsofvarioussorts.Unexpectedly,thesituationwassaved,fromtheZionists'pointofview,bytheappointmentofthePeel
RoyalCommission.Initshistoricallyimportantreport,thecommissionmaintainedthatthemandatehadfailedandthatPalestineshouldbedividedintoaJewishstate
andanArabstate,thelattertobelinkedtoTransjordan.

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Intheeventthatpartitionweretoberejected,thecommissionadducedanalternativeproposal:apoliticalmaximumforJewishimmigration.Unlikethepartitionidea,
thealternativeportendedtheWhitePaperof1939.
Virtuallyovernight,thepolicyofthetopZionistleadershipdidaturnabout:fromatacticaladvocacyofparityingovernmentbetweenJewsandArabstoovertsupport
forpartition,whichhaditsgenesisintheinitiativeofthePeelCommission.BenGurion,thecentralfigureintheJewishAgencyExecutive,themajordecisionmaking
bodyintheZionistmovement,immediatelysatdowntodraftapartitionplanofhisown,comprising10.9milliondunams(4dunams=1acre)fortheJews,12.5
milliondunamsfortheArabs,and1.9milliondunamssetasideforanautonomousArabareathatwouldalsobeopentoJewishsettlement(theAcreandGaza
districts).Neverlosingsightoftheneedtosecureinternationalsupport,BenGurionthoughtitwouldbepossibletocallontheUnitedStatesandFranceinthis
connectionthelatter,indeed,hadcreatedanostensibleprecedentbyseveringtheAlexandrettaDistrictfromSyriaandannexingittoTurkey.3
However,whatthreatenedtheintegrityoftheZionistmovementwasnotBenGurion'splan,whichwouldmakedowithabouthalfofwesternPalestine,without
Jerusalem,butthePeelCommission'spartitionplan,whichallocatedtheJewishstateaboutafifthofthearea.Theleadershipwasinclinedtoaccepttheplan,with
certainmodifications,suchastheadditionoftheNewCityofJerusalem,thepotashandelectricityplants,theJordanValley,andperhapsalsotheNegevasfaras
Eilat.TheacerbicideologicaldebatethatensuedintheYishuvwasnotnecessarilyconductedbetweenrightandleftitcutacrosspartiesandgeneratedthe"Greater
Israel"dispute,whichragestothisday.AsplitinthemovementwasavertedthankstoacompromiseputforwardbyBerlKatzenelsonandapprovedbythe22nd
ZionistCongressbyavoteof299160.ItempoweredtheJewishAgencyExecutivetoconductnegotiationsontheestablishmentofaJewishstatewhilerejectingthe
concreteproposalofthePeelCommission.
ThedebateoverpartitionendedwhentheBritishgovernmentwithdrewitssupportforthatsolutionattheendof1937astheArabRevoltflaredupanew.Thecrucial
lessonthathadbeenlearned,byBenGurionespecially,wastoavoidtheemergenceofadisputethatborethepotentialtosplitthemovementandperhapsevento
sparkcivilwar.EnsuringthebroadestpossibleconsensuswasamajorfactorinthesuccessoftheZionistmovement.Infact,anideologicalschismwasavertedtwice:
in1931,whentheGeneralZionistsandHamizrachimadeade

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cisionagainstenteringintoanalliancewithZe'evJabotinskyatthe17thZionistCongressandin1935,withthesecessionoftheRevisionistswhointhepasthad
threatenedtodragintheirwaketheconservativefactionoftherightwingGeneralZionistsandHamizrachiahistoricdecisionthateffectivelyplacedcontrolofthe
ZionistmovementandtheYishuvinthehandsofMapaiunderBenGurion.
Alreadyin1933MapaihadbecomethelargestpartyintheworldZionistmovement,with44percentsupportoftheoverallZionistvote,whiletheweightofthe
GeneralZionistsdeclinedsteadily.Mapaiwascreatedin1930inamergerbetweentwoparties,AchdutHa'avodah,whichdefineditselfasmoderatesocialist,andthe
nonsocialistHapoelHatza'ir.Mapaididnotsufferasignificantdecreaseinsupportuntil1946,whenitfellto37.5percentduetotheseparateappearanceoftwolabor
partiesthathadbrokenwithit:theLe'achdutHa'avodahmovementandHashomerHatza'ir.TheformeradvocatedZionistmaximalismandpoliticalactivism,thelatter
displayingpoliticalmoderationvisvistheArabsandaSovietandCommunistorientationexternallybothdrewtheirsupportprimarilyfromkibbutzmovements:
HakibbutzHameuchadandHakibbutzHa'artzi,respectively.Nevertheless,alreadyin1935BenGurionhadformedhiscoalitionintheJewishAgencywithhis
permanentpartners:theGeneralZionists,whodeclinedfrom36.3percentin1937to31.9percentin1946,andHamizrachi,whichmaintainedaconstantstrengthof
about12percent.Thesocialandpoliticalideologyofthesetwopartieswasmoreamenabletoshapingapragmaticforeignpolicy.Nodomesticoppositionseriously
threatenedthemassivemajorityBenGurionenjoyedthankstothiscoalition.Mapaicouldnotpreventthedepartureoflabor'sradicalwing,butthatwouldoccuronly
towardtheendoftheSecondWorldWar.
Thelessonofthe1937partitioncontroversywasthatastrongZionistconsensuswasnecessary,whateverthecost.Hencetheuseofthestatesloganwithoutan
attempttodemarcateitsborders,atleastforpublicconsumption.Thiswasacceptedbythecoalitionpartiesmoderateleft,conservativeright,andnonideological
religiouscenterwhosepartnershipenabledtheaccumulationofpowertocontinueinthedifficultperiodfollowingtheterminationofthepartnershipbetweenZionism
andBritain,whichuntil1936hadbeenbasedontheYishuv'seconomicabilitytoabsorbJewishimmigration.WiththecollapseofthePeelplan,theBritishgovernment
adoptedthecommission'salternativescheme:theabilitytoabsorbimmigrationaccordingtopoliticalcriteria.Withinthreeyears,thatpolicy,whichcriticallyslowed

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thegrowthofthenationalhome,wasformallygroundedinthe1939WhitePaper.ThenewpolicymighthaveimpelledZionismtolauncharevoltagainstthe
government,albeitnotwhilethewaronNazismwasbeingfought,butthatscenariowasavertedinanyeventbecausethegovernmentpermittedtheimmigrationof
another75,000JewsduringthenextfiveyearsandbecausethemilitaryexploitedZionism'ssupportinthewar,whichZionistsbelievedhelpedtoconsolidatetheir
power.Between1939and1945theJewishpopulationinPalestineincreasedfrom474,000to525,000,thenumberofJewishsettlementsrosefrom218to262,and
40,433newimmigrantsarrived,themajoritylegally,aspartoftheWhitePaperquota.
TheArabRevoltmadeitperfectlycleartotheZionistleadershipthatthetimeavailableforaccumulatingpowerwasrapidlyrunningout.BenGurionwarnedhis
confidantsthattheYishuvfacedthedangerofannihilationnotonlydisturbancesbythePalestineArabsbutafuturewarinvolvingArabstatessuchasIraqandSaudi
Arabia.4
Theconclusionwasthattheaccumulationofpowerwasthecriticaltestformilitarycapability.True,ontheeveoftheworldwartheHaganahtheunofficialarmyof
theYishuvunderthecommandoftheJewishAgencyhadexpandedfromalocaltoanationalforce,butitwashardlyamodernarmy.AGeneralStaffhadbeen
created,andbytheendofthewartheHaganahnumbered25,000menandwomen,butonly4,609belongedtotheFieldForce(acronymHish)andanother1,488to
thePalmach(acronymforshocktroops),forceswhichwerebasicallyparamilitaryincharacter.Alargerforce,ofabout30,000,wasassuredthroughenlistmentby
YishuvresidentsintheBritishArmy,anditwastheexistenceofthatforce,nottheHaganah,thatpersuadedBenGurionthattheYishuvhadmilitarypotential.Inany
event,theHaganahhadstillnotbecomeamodernarmybythetimetheSecondWorldWarendedonlyIsrael'sWarofIndependence,in1948,wouldbringabout
theemergenceofatruearmy,withtheabsorptionoftheYishuv'sBritishArmyveterans.
ThesituationwascompoundedbythefactthattheHaganah'sstrategicplanningwasbasedwhollyonstaticdefenseand,untilSeptember1945,oncooperationwith
theBritishauthorities.Indeed,untilJune1946theadoptionofanactivedefenseagainstenemyattackswasnotevencontemplated.
OneofthecentralquestionsaddressedinthisbookinvolvestheinternalpoliticalpolarizationanditsinteractionwiththeYishuv'sexternalpolicy.Theriftitselfhad
beguntoappearinthesecondhalfofthe1920s,

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withZe'evJabotinsky'screationoftheRevisionistMovement,whichwasblatantlyhostiletolabor.TheRevisionistMovementevolvedintoaradicalrightpolitical
partyafterfailingtoincorporatetheconservativeandreligiousrightwithinitsranks,andbeingunabletojettisonthemaximalistright,whichpushedittoward
extremism,Initsfirstyears,thenewpartyleanedtowardthemiddleclassanddisplayedmoreofaBritishorientationthananyotherparty.Itsprogrammeantthat
BritainwastobeentrustedwiththecreationoftheJewishnationalhome.Henceanotherofitscatchphrases,the"IronWall,"meaningthatArabresistancewas
acceptedasselfevidentbutthatitmustbecrushedbyaJewishdefenseforceunderBritishcommand.Throughoutthemandatoryperiod,theRevisionistsignoredthe
decolonizationprocessesthathadbeguntoplayapartinBritishpolicytowardZionismtheywereundertheswayofaconceptualdogmatismholdingthattheBalfour
DeclarationandtheMandateconstitutedasacredandunbreakablemorallegalandpoliticalcontract.
Jabotinsky'sexpectationthatBritainwouldbringintobeingtheJewishstateatanyprice,andonbothsidesoftheJordan,ifonlyZionismwoulddemandthisbymeans
ofunrelentingpressure,naturallycausedgreatdismayintheZionistmovement,sinceinpracticethiswasnotarealisticoption,asWeizmannandBenGurionrealized.
TheupshotwasanupheavalwithintheRevisionistMovementitself,whenthreemaximalistintellectualsjoinedforces:UriZviGreenberg,AbbaAchimeir,and
YehoshuaH.Yeivin.InfluencedbytheriseoffascisminEurope,adevelopmentwithwhichthelattertwo,inparticular,identified,theyledRevisionisminananti
BritishdirectionandcountertotheZionistestablishment,whichintheireyeswasbetrayingtheZionistidea.TheirriftwithJabotinsky,whowasseekingathirdway
betweendemocracyandfascism,reacheditscrescendoontheeveofArlosoroff'smurder.OnlythemurderpreventedaschismwithinRevisionism,asitwas
condemnedenblocbythelabormovementfortheassassination.InternalandexternalpressureforcedJabotinskytoresignfromtheWorldZionistOrganization.A
situationofpossiblecivilwarwasavertedonlybyanagreementbetweenBenGurionandJabotinskythatputanendtothemutualpoliticalviolenceandaddressedthe
issuesofcompulsoryarbitrationinlabordisputesandaliyah.Theagreementfailedtowinthenecessaryendorsements,butitmadethetwoleadersacutelyawarethat
internecinehatredandviolenceconstitutedadangertotheveryexistenceofthenationalhomeandthatdeteriorationmustbepreventedevenwithoutaformal
agreement.

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Inpractice,thescopeoftherightvs.leftconfrontationwasreducedtoaconflictbetweentheHaganahandtheIrgunZvaiLeumi(IZL,orIrgun),theNationalMilitary
Organizationthelatterwasfoundedin1931asanonpoliticalundergroundorganizationbyAvrahamTehomi,whoaccusedtheHaganahofhavingfailedtoprotectthe
YishuvagainsttheArabriotersin1929.In1937,theIrgunitselfunderwentasplit,somemembersreturningtotheHaganahandtheremainderformingaRevisionist
undergroundmovementunderthecommandofJabotinskyhimself.However,acrisisensuedbecauseofJabotinsky'srefusaltoadoptapolicyofindiscriminatereprisal
againstArabs,apolicywhichassumedanantiBritishcharacterandbroughtaboutasplitintheIrgunandtheestablishmentoftheLohameiHerutIsrael(Lehi),the
IsraelFreedomFightersor"StemGang."StemtriedtoleadhissplintergroupintoanalliancewithItalyandNaziGermany,inthemistakenbeliefthatanantiBritish
frontcouldbeestablishedwiththeenemiesoftheJewishpeople.Despitehisfailure,theorganizationcontinuedtoexistasanantiBritishundergroundwhichresorted
toterroristactivities.Indeed,itwasrevivifiedonthebasisofanew,SovietorientationandafutileattempttolinkupwiththeLe'AchdutHa'avodahmovementinthe
Yishuv.5
ThesplitintheIrgunparalyzedtheorganizationforfouryears,untilitwasreestablishedbyMenachemBeginin1944,thistimeasanantiBritishunderground
determinedtofighttheWhitePaperregimethatpreventeddeliberately,intheIrgun'sviewtherescueofJewsfromHitler'sclutches.TheIrgun'sreorganizationand
itsdeclarationofa"revolt"againnearlyignitedacivilwarintheYishuv.BenGurionandtheleadershipdeclaredwarontheIrgun.TheirfearwasthatBegin,by
proclaimingarevoltagainsttheBritishinthemidstoftheSecondWorldWar,wasjeopardizingtheprocessofaccumulatingpower,whichwouldsoonreacha
successfulconclusionuponthewar'stermination,asChurchillhadpromisedWeizmann.TheinternalconflictwasaggravatedafterLehiactivistsassassinatedtheBritish
MinisterResidentintheMiddleEast,LordMoyne.Lehi,though,wasnotthetargetitagreedtocalloffitsantiBritishterrorbutrathertheIrgun,thelarger
undergroundgroup.ThedecisiontohandoverIrgunpersonneltotheBritishPolice(thesocalled"huntingseason")causedatemporaryriftwithintheleadership:the
representativesoftheGeneralZionistsandHamizrachiresignedinprotest.However,theimpactofBenGurion'scharismaticpersonality,againstthebackgroundof
theHolocaust,ruledoutanyotherleadershipalternative.TherhetoricoftheIrgun,thesolerivalfortheleadership,lackedasolidfoundation.

EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) - printed on 4/20/2015 10:32 AM via UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA
AN: 54663 ; Heller, Joseph.; The Birth of Israel, 1945-1949 : Ben-Gurion and His Critics
Account: s3675657