Language:
Hebrew
Year of publication:
2023
Titel der Quelle:
מחקרי יהודה ושומרון
Angaben zur Quelle:
לב,2 (2023) 217-230
Keywords:
Ben-Gurion, David, Criticism and interpretation
;
West Bank Public opinion
;
Israel Politics and government 20th century
Abstract:
In the provisional government that convened on September 26, 1948, David Ben-Gurion put forth a proposal asking his ministers to support the occupation of the territories extending from Latrun to Ramallah. The government rejected his proposal by a 7:6 majority. The majority’s argument was that an attack at that time would be considered a provocation in the eyes of the world and would lead to sanctions against Israel under the auspices of the UN Security Council. Later, Ben-Gurion claimed that the rejection had become a “cry for generations.” Some historians have interpreted this statement to suggest that Ben-Gurion regretted not conquering the Latrun-Ramallah area in particular and the West Bank in general. This article attempts to assess the accuracy of that interpretation. While there is no doubt that Ben-Gurion held national-emotional sentiments for the whole Land of Israel, and especially for Jerusalem, he was pragmatic and saw the situation as it was. The West Bank was not part of his agenda, not at that time nor at any other. He did not intend to conquer this contested area, although it is possible that the IDF could have done so, as he was well aware. Ben-Gurion’s control over the course of the war was almost absolute; had this been his plan, he would have carried it out in the end. All he asked was to occupy Latrun and another strip of territory to its northeast, and when the proposal was rejected, he did not fight the majority’sdecision. It is highly unlikely that Ben-Gurion would have tolerated something in complete opposition to his principles. Although he was only the prime minister and the defense minister, he behaved in the style of a “generalissimo.” He ordered the occupation of Latrun three times, despite the generals’ resistance, and ultimately got his way. Had he wished to occupy East Jerusalem and the West Bank, he surely would have done so. Thus, it appears that this was not his aim.
DOI:
10.26351/JSRS/32-2/4
URL:
אתר את הפרסום בקטלוג המאוחד של ספריות ישראל
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