Fysikern, socialisten, internationalisten och antimilitaristen Albert Einstein. Fotot från New Scientist. Fotograf ej angiven.

Albert Einstein: En av många judiska motståndare till grundandet av kolonialstaten Israel

Över hela världen finns idag tusentals judar och människor med judisk bakgrund som med stor energi verkar för det palestinska folkets rättigheter och kräver ett omedelbart slut på den israeliska kolonialstatens folkmordskrig.

För sina välorganiserade protestaktioner mot den israeliska kolonialstatens terrorbombningar av Gaza har bland andra den judiska och antisionistiska US-amerikanska organisationen Jewish Voice for Peace uppmärksammats.

Kritiken av det koloniala förtrycket av den palestinska befolkningen har bland judar världen över en lång historia, och i samband med grundandet av den israeliska staten och fördrivningen av 750 000 palestinier 1948 var det många judar som med bestörtning tog avstånd. Bildandet av kolonialstaten, på det palestinska folkets bekostnad, fördömde de dels på moralisk grund, och dels utifrån övertygelsen att detta var inledningen till en katastrof, och att grunden lagts till en militaristisk och fascistoid statsbildning.

I samband med fördrivningen av palestinier 1948 ingick i den samlade kolonialistiska väpnade styrkan de två fascistoida miliserna Irgun och Stern-ligan. De var något av terroristiska spjutspetsar i samband med massakrer på palestinska bybor och andra civila. Stern-ligan låg också bakom bland annat mordet på det svenska FN:sändebudet Folke Bernadotte.

Två ledande personer i Irgun och Stern-ligan skulle sedermera inta höga positioner i den israeliska kolonialstatens politiska ledning: Yitzhak Shamir och Menachem Begin.

Shamir (som var en i ledartrojkan inom Stern-ligan som fattade beslutet om att mörda Folke Bernadotte) och Begin verkade från och med 1948 inom den israeliska politikens yttersta höger. 1973 sammanslog några högerpartier, och partiet Likud bildades. Representerande Likud innehade Menachem Begin 1977-1983 posten som Israels premiärminister. Och under åren 1983-1984 och 1986-1992 hette Israels premiärminister Yitzhak Shamir.

När Likud efter ett val 1996 återkom som regeringsbildande parti blev det med Benjamin Netanyahu generationsbyte på premiärministerposten. Den nye Likud-ledaren, och nuvarande premiärministern, har sedan dess i olika roller tillhört kolonialstatens högerregeringar. Och idag har han och hans regering av allt att döma satt som mål att genom massivt våld fullborda fördrivningen av den palestinska befolkningen.

1948, samma år som kolonialstaten Israel grundats och 750 000 palestinier genom terror och hot drivits från sina hem, företog i december Menachim Begin en propagandaresa till USA. Detta föranledde Albert Einstein och ett antal andra i USA bosatta judiska intellektuella att författa en öppet brev, som publicerades i New York Times. Det öppna brevet är en varning om vilka följder upprättandet av kolonialstaten skulle få. Utan omskrivningar betecknar Einstein och hans kollegor den blivande Likud-ledaren Begin som en representant för en fascistisk, terroristisk och aggressiv högernationalism.

eFOLKET återger nedan Einsteins med fleras upprop i original, oöversatt.

Letter to the New York Times:
New Palestine Party: Visit of Menachem Begin and Aims of Political Movement Discussed

To the Editors of the New York Times:

Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the ”Freedom Party” (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.

The current visit of Menachem Begin, leader of this party, to the United States is obviously calculated to give the impression of American support for his party in the coming Israeli elections, and to cement political ties with conservative Zionist elements in the United States. Several Americans of national repute have lent their names to welcome his visit. It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin’s political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents.

Before irreparable damage is done by way of financial contributions, public manifestations in Begin’s behalf, and the creation in Palestine of the impression that a large segment of America supports Fascist elements in Israel, the American public must be informed as to the record and objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement.

The public avowals of Begin’s party are no guide whatever to its actual character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character; from its past actions we can judge what it may be expected to do in the future.

Attack on Arab Village

A shocking example was their behavior in the Arab village of Deir Yassin. This village, off the main roads and surrounded by Jewish lands, had taken no part in the war, and had even fought off Arab bands who wanted to use the village as their base. On April 9 (THE NEW YORK TIMES), terrorist bands attacked this peaceful village, which was not a military objective in the fighting, killed most of its inhabitants, 240 men, women, and children, and kept a few of them alive to parade as captives through the streets of Jerusalem. Most of the Jewish community was horrified at the deed, and the Jewish Agency sent a telegram of apology to King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan. But the terrorists, far from being ashamed of their act, were proud of this massacre, publicized it widely, and invited all the foreign correspondents present in the country to view the heaped corpses and the general havoc at Deir Yassin.

The Deir Yassin incident exemplifies the character and actions of the Freedom Party.

Within the Jewish community they have preached an admixture of ultranationalism, religious mysticism, and racial superiority. Like other Fascist parties they have been used to break strikes, and have themselves pressed for the destruction of free trade unions. In their stead they have proposed corporate unions on the Italian Fascist model.

During the last years of sporadic anti-British violence, the IZL and Stern groups inaugurated a reign of terror in the Palestine Jewish community. Teachers were beaten up for speaking against them, adults were shot for not letting their children join them. By gangster methods, beatings, window-smashing, and wide-spread robberies, the terrorists intimidated the population and exacted a heavy tribute.

The people of the Freedom Party have had no part in the constructive achievements in Palestine. They have reclaimed no land, built no settlements, and only detracted from the Jewish defense activity. Their much-publicized immigration endeavors were minute, and devoted mainly to bringing in Fascist compatriots.

Discrepancies Seen

The discrepancies between the bold claims now being made by Begin and his party, and their record of past performance in Palestine bear the imprint of no ordinary political party. This is the unmistakable stamp of a Fascist party for whom terrorism (against Jews, Arabs, and British alike), and misrepresentation are means, and a ”Leader State” is the goal.

In the light of the foregoing considerations, it is imperative that the truth about Mr. Begin and his movement be made known in this country. It is all the more tragic that the top leadership of American Zionism has refused to campaign against Begin’s efforts, or even to expose to its own constituents the dangers to Israel from support to Begin.

The undersigned therefore take this means of publicly presenting a few salient facts concerning Begin and his party; and of urging all concerned not to support this latest manifestation of fascism.

ISIDORE ABRAMOWITZ, HANNAH ARENDT, ABRAHAM BRICK, RABBI JESSURUN CARDOZO, ALBERT EINSTEIN, HERMAN EISEN, M.D., HAYIM FINEMAN, M. GALLEN, M.D., H.H. HARRIS, ZELIG S. HARRIS, SIDNEY HOOK, FRED KARUSH, BRURIA KAUFMAN, IRMA L. LINDHEIM, NACHMAN MAISEL, SEYMOUR MELMAN, MYER D. MENDELSON, M.D., HARRY M. OSLINSKY, SAMUEL PITLICK, FRITZ ROHRLICH, LOUIS P. ROCKER, RUTH SAGIS, ITZHAK SANKOWSKY, I.J. SHOENBERG, SAMUEL SHUMAN, M. SINGER, IRMA WOLFE, STEFAN WOLFE.