Seth Kaller, Inc.

“As I was deprived of the possibility of taking part in the meetings of the Executive, I ask to be allowed to appoint a member to be the head of Defence … paragraph ‘C’ should be changed, by way of adding a demand for an immediate agreement that a temporary Government be formulated…”

DAVID BEN-GURION. Autograph Letter Signed, “D. Ben-Gurion” to Rabbi Yehuda Leib Fishman. March 23, 1948, [Israel]. In Hebrew, 1 P., on The Jewish Agency for Palestine stationary. 8.5 x 11 in.

Inventory #24454       Price: $10,500

In 1947, as the British mandate over Palestine (established by the League of Nations in 1922) was about to expire, the United Nations called for partition into separate Jewish and Arab states. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, but Arab leaders announced that they would oppose its implementation by force. Despite opposition in his administration, President Harry Truman endorsed the partition plan. On March 19, 1948, the U.S. shockingly reversed its position; now calling for a temporary United Nations trusteeship. David Ben-Gurion, as head of the Jewish Agency, masterfully contained the damage. Less than two months after this letter, Ben-Gurion and the recipient, Rabbi Judah Leib Fishman (Maiman), would both sign Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

Translation
“Please convey to the Executive [of the Jewish Agency for Palestine] the following – As I was deprived of the possibility of taking part in the meetings of the Executive, I ask to be allowed to appoint a member to be the head of Defence, so that I can transfer this work from myself as soon as possible. I wish to point out that because of the remarks that were heard in the discussion of our answers to the American announcement (I refer to the remarks of Golda Myerson and Kolotny), I am of the opinion that paragraph ‘C’ should be changed, by way of adding a demand for an immediate agreement that a temporary Government be formulated in accordance with the version that I gave to my Secretary Svi Marmion.”

Background
In a statement to the Tel Aviv Press Club on March 20, Ben-Gurion responded forcefully to the new American position. “We shall not agree to any kind of trusteeship, whether permanent or temporary, even for the shortest time. We shall no longer submit to any foreign domination whatever. … The Jewish State exists, and will continue to exist, because we defend it. … our political program falls under three headings, in the order I name them: security; a Jewish State; a Jewish-Arab alliance.”

On March 22, Abba Hillel Silver indicated that the Jewish Agency would not discuss the American proposal for trusteeship, as it had not yet been submitted to the Security Council. The next day, the Jewish Agency for Palestine and the National Council of Jews of Palestine (Vaad Leumi) issued a joint statement that Israel intended to proceed to independence.

Ben-Gurion was determined to ready his provisional government and make it clear that the Jewish state would come into being with or without international approval. Accordingly, on March 25 Moshe Shertok (Sharett) sent the chairman of the U.N. Palestine Commission an urgent request for the establishment of a provisional government, including a list of proposed members.

This letter’s reference to “paragraph C’” must correspond to a passage in either the March 23 or March 25 statements to the U.N. (For the full, final text of both, see Appendices A and B, below.)

As noted, the final wording was influenced by future Israeli prime minister Golda Meir and by Moshe Kolodny (Kol). They may have been advocating for the wording that appeared in the third paragraph of the March 25 statement, “the Provisional Council of Government thus designated be empowered in consultation with the United. Nations Commission to co-opt additional members representing groups both Arab and Jewish…” 

Rabbi Judah Leib Fishman (Maiman) (1875–1962), the recipient of this letter, was born in Bessarabia and emigrated to Palestine in 1913. A renowned author and Talmudic scholar, he was a founding member of Mizrachi. He helped draft Israel’s Declaration of Independence, and became Minister of Religions and War Victims. He served in the First Knesset until 1951.