Français
Español
English
Portuguese
Many doubted that a small Jewish community could withstand both local Arab attacks and assault by neighboring states, Rabin recalled.
By Shula Rosen
A previously unreleased recording of former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin has been recovered at the Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv, capturing his reflections on fears within the Jewish leadership before the 1948 Arab invasion, according to Ynet.
In the recording, Rabin, speaking in 1991 to veterans of the War of Independence, described a sense of uncertainty among those preparing for the conflict.
“I don’t remember anyone believing we had the strength,” he said, recalling the period before the establishment of the state.
Rabin recounted a meeting in which Haganah commanders were called to hear from David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister.
“To tell the truth, we were stunned,” Rabin said. “Ben-Gurion told us that the Haganah and the leadership of the Jewish community had to prepare for an invasion by the armies of the Arab states once we achieved statehood. He foresaw that we would be attacked by seven armies.”
According to Nelly Markman, CEO of Ben-Gurion House, Rabin made the remarks during a discussion with fighters from the War of Independence.
She said he described how those present at the time doubted whether the small Jewish community could withstand both local Arab attacks and the expected assault by neighboring states.
In the recording, Rabin emphasized the centrality of the war to the establishment of Israel. “The British withdrawal from the Land of Israel, and even the UN General Assembly resolution, would have meant nothing if we had not been able to survive the hardest, most painful and longest war in Israel’s history, the War of Independence,” he said.
“It was a war for our very survival: whether we would become a people with a state, or be crushed and sent back into exile.”
Rabin also spoke about the intensity of the fighting and the sacrifices required. “It is hard to explain to the younger generation how heavy that war was, how cruel it was, what a terrible price was paid, especially at the beginning,” he said.
“What strength, what resolve, what willingness to sacrifice were required from the Jewish community, and even more so from those who led it. Ben-Gurion led that war, the war that turned us from a people living under foreign rule into a sovereign Jewish state.”
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
