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1942: Ben Gurion's censored demand for Jewish army
Roi Mandel
Published: 08.04.13, 11:57
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. Britain objected then. The Obama administration objects now!
Adam Smith   (04.08.13)
2. And Ben Gurions dream?
Tim ,   Brighton   (04.08.13)
To make the Negev Desert bloom Hopefully with new desal water coming on stream and plans for infrastructure in the next decade it can become a reality Who said Israel has lost its pioneering spirit?
3. Ben Gurion was the only way for Jews
ky   (04.08.13)
He put forward a sane argument unlike Lehi and Stern. Britain at the time was caught between a rock and hard place in the war in the middle east. Amongst other things they need to appease the Arabs as they were almost driven out of North Africa by Rommel
4. David Ben Gurion
Ben David Shlomo   (04.08.13)
was a terrorist and a thug. He was not a handsome man by any stretch of the imagination.
5. speaking as somebody who was born in england
zionist forever   (04.08.13)
All I can say is the British were scum. They were deporting Holocaust survivors back to Germany because they didn't want them in Palestine because it upset the arabs. Even once partition had been voted on in the UN and the British were making plans to leave Palestine they knew the arabs were going to attack the new state but they still kept conflicting weapons from the Jews. They were though still quite happy to have Jews from the Jewish Legion get themselves shot at help win a war that England for a long time was loosing. How much Jews died including Jews from Palestine who left to come and help the British win the war? Its because when push comes to shove we cannot rely on anybody but ourselves that we must invest in the IDF and treat it as a fighting force rather than a political institution. Its also a shame that today the Knesset attracts the likes of Olmert, Lapid and Livni rather than men like Ben Gurion who put Jewish life and nation building before politics.
6.  Gurion
graczek ,   Maryland, USA   (04.08.13)
According to this story, if it is true (and it most likely is), Ben Gurion showed brazen presumptuousness. Neither he nor the people he claimed to represent were in any position to demand anything from the British or other allied authorities. His temerity and impudence was allowed to continue uninterrupted after World War II, which resulted in the foundation of the illegitimate state called Israel and all the tumult that has ensued since.
7. zionist forever
ky   (04.08.13)
You talk like a ganzer macher zionist so brave after the event. Oh yes I suppose the Jews from Palestine all by themselves would have stopped the Nazis marching in had the British lost the battle of El Alemain and consequently the Nazis taking Cairo . What would have stopped Hitler walking into Palestine and getting his hands on the Jews there? However many Jews died fighting the Nazis you can be sure one thousand times more Goyim died. You should be thankful that the "British scum" Churchill decided to fight in the middle east. It is due to that that some Jews were left there.You live in a dream world of make believe and bombast
8. 5 to 4
Joe Mevorah ,   Lincoln, U.S.A.   (04.08.13)
You are correct. He was exactly the right person at the time to accomplish the goal of creating the state of Israel. No nation was created by make belief boy scouts. It's a dirty, pragmatic goal that sometimes appears cruel, but as history has proven to be necessary.
9. to 6- you are obviously ignorant
Itzchak ,   Israel   (04.08.13)
of the history of the British Mandate in which the British were mandated by the League of Nations to facilitate the creation of a national homeland for the Jewish people.
10. # Grazeck I am puzzled
ky   (04.08.13)
How can state be illegitimate if it is voted for by a majority from the only organization in existence that can create a legitimate state? However if you think that BG was cheeky it has nothing on the grand mufti and his supporters who raised an army to fight for the Nazis and then expects to have some say afterwards
11. US Jews are 11% of Senate, but less than 1% of Military
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (04.08.13)
12. #7 Per capita popullation Jews more than held their share of
Alan ,   SA   (04.08.13)
the struggle against Nazis No one is disputing that "thousand times more Goyim (as you put it) fought and died in that war. But given that millions of Jews were in Nazi controlled territory and only relatively few were left in free countries,the Jews did more than their their bit PER CAPITA of Goyim population (again as you have chosen to put it!!!) You should read a few books about this period and u would know
13. Jewish Army
Leonard ,   Green River, USA   (04.08.13)
Actually during WW2, in the US, and England, few Jews worked in the defence industries or, agriculture, or other fields that got the most deferments. Also Rabbis did not support consciencous objection to the war, hence proportionatly in the military as a religous group, jews served in greater percentages than any other, that does not detract from the tens of millions of nonjews who also served. And though we certainly did our share, we as a religous group suffered all out of proportion world wide..FDR & Churchill made the right decision in prioritizing the destruction of nazism first & foremost, and that is why jews and Israel survive today.
14. 11
(04.08.13)
so? what's your point, inane idiot
15. Legitimacy of Israel
Larry ,   Northridge, usa   (04.08.13)
I never can understand why Israelis feel the need to defend their legitimacy when its challenged by these fools. What you should be saying is "if you feel we're not legitimate, come over here and try and throw us out.Like every other nation, were legitimate until someone has the power to destroy it!" Tell these fools that you defend your legitimacy with the merkava, not words.
16. Netanyahu and Livni....
Shalom ,   U.S.A.   (04.08.13)
They and all leftist liberals should read this letter and learn courage, pride and leadership from a truly zionist jewish LEADER.
17. Better retrospect
Zechariah   (04.08.13)
The nazi leadership ought have been assisted one hundred between 1923-1939 Jabotinsk's Tish a Be Av appeal 1937 Liquidate the Diaspora or the diaspora will liquidate You walk to Israel on foot if necessary would have been better advice.
18. #6 The premise of your post is illegitimate
Mark ,   Lodz, Poland   (04.08.13)
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