Lot 268
David Ben-Gurion – Typewritten Letter, Hand-Signed – Sent to Yochanan Bader and dealing with Menachem Begin – Jerusalem, 1955
A letter by David Ben-Gurion to Yochanan Bader. Typewritten on the official stationery of the Prime Minister's office and hand-signed by David Ben-Gurion. Jerusalem, December 23, 1955.
In the letter, which is addressed to member of Knesset and of the "Cherut" movement Yochanan Bader (a copy of which was also sent to Moshe Sharet) Ben-Gurion addresses an incident that occurred in the Knesset, during which Menachem Begin called the members of the government "miserable". Ben-Gurion avoids calling Begin by his name and refers to him in the latter as "the member of Knesset who sits next to you" (as he used to do during his speeches in the Knesset).
Ben-Gurion writes: "The member of Knesset who sits next to you took the trouble to 'defend' the members of the government, which he calls 'miserable' from the Prime-Minister during a discussion in the Knesset. I must emphasize that your friend has given me a compliment with his words of slande… the opposition must allow the government and the majority supporting it to set things right according to its opinion since it is the one that bears the responsibility".
Dr. Yochanan Bader (1901-1994) immigrated to Palestine in 1943 and joined the Irgun. In 1945, he was arrested by the British and held in a detention camp in Latrun until May 1945. Together with Menachem Begin, he was one of the founders of the "Cherut" Movement. He served as member of the first to seventh Knesset.
[1] leaf, 20 cm. Good condition. Filing holes. Fold lines. Handwriting on the margins of the leaf.
