Albert Einstein and Other Jewish Thinkers Warned of Israeli Zionist Authoritarians
New Palestine Party. Visit of Menachen Begin and Aims of Political Movement Discussed New York, Dec. 2, 1948
If there is ever to be peace in the Holy Land—and I will say it again, so we are clear: we must end the killing of tens of thousands of children and other innocents—it won’t happen whilst extremist Islamists and extremist Zionists continue to believe that violence will fix the violence. And it doesn’t help when they receive support from foreign power elites using them like pawns in the greater geopolitical conflict. Whilst some militants have changed and now campaign against hateful extremism on all sides, it is unlikely that we can be successful in altering the mindset of the majority of extremist Islamists and extremist Zionists. Similarly, it is also doubtful that we will convince many Western fundamentalist Christian Zionists who think they can literally trigger the biblical Revelations with their military aid to Israeli Zionists. Of course, they might just trigger a nuclear Armageddon and achieve a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I doubt it will end in the glory they envision. Fortunately, none of these groups are in the majority in the Holy Land, or many other places. Unfortunately, as usual, many might not realize that fact since the violent extremists (and they really are extremists) are the most vocal, and they are the ones with the most powerful tools of propaganda, be that Corporate media, AI bots, AI/CGI Deep Fakes, or military disinformation units.
It’s really important that we emphasise that we can’t just talk about “the Jews” or the Muslims” in connection with the conflict in the Holy Land. There are many different viewpoints in Israel, in Gaza, in the Muslim world, and in the Jewish diaspora. And there always has been.
The following are two documents in which Albert Einstein and others warn of the dangers of extremist Zionists getting control of Israel. The first is a letter he signed with other Jewish thinkers, sent to the New York Times in 1948, after the Deir Yassin massacre by extremist Zionists:
TO THE EDITOR 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.
New York, Dec. 2, 1948
Apparently, in early 1948, the executive director of the "American Friends of the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel" reached out to Einstein. This organization was established to advance the anti-British sentiments of the Stern Gang (implicated in the Deir Yassin massacre on April 9, 1948), and to fundraise in America for weapons to expel the British from Palestine. Upon Benjamin Gepner's request, a visiting commander, Rifkin approached Einstein for assistance, despite his reservations. This letter is Einstein's response:
Dear Sir,
When a real and final catastrophe should befall us in Palestine the first responsible for it would be the British and the second responsible for it the Terrorist organizations build up from our own ranks. I am not willing to see anybody associated with those misled and criminal people.
Sincerely yours,Albert Einstein.
In 1952, the Israeli government, headed by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, offered the presidency of Israel to Einstein. Einstein found the offer awkward, no doubt, and Ben-Gurion joked to an assistant, “I’ve had to offer the post to him because it’s impossible not to. But if he accepts, we are in trouble.”
It’s unclear how much good Einstein would have been able to do in the three years before he died in 1955, but he might have been able to foster some peace initiatives. At heart, he was a man of peace and not war. He felt that Israel had become the “captive of narrow nationalism.”
A few years earlier, during the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry of 1946, Judge Hutcheson, the American Chairman of the Committee, interviewed Einstein:
Judge Hutcheson: It has been told to our committee by the Zionists that the passionate heart of every Jew will never be satisfied until they have a Jewish state in Palestine. It is contended, I suppose, that they must have a majority over the Arabs. It has been told to us by the Arab representatives that the Arabs are not going to permit such conditions as that, they will not permit having themselves converted from a majority to a minority.
Dr. Einstein: Yes.
Judge Hutcheson: I have asked these various persons if it is essential to the right or the privilege of the Jews to go to Palestine, if it is essential to real Zionism that a setup be fixed so that the Jews have a Jewish state and a Jewish majority without regard to the Arab view. Do you share that point of view, or do you think the matter can be handled on any other basis?
Dr. Einstein: Yes, absolutely. The state idea is not according to my heart. I cannot understand why it is needed. It is connected with many difficulties and a narrow-mindedness. I believe it is bad.
Judge Hutcheson: Isn’t it spiritual and ethical – I do not mean this particular Zionist movement, I do not mean the idea of insisting that a Jewish state must be created – isn’t it anachronistic?
Dr. Einstein: In my opinion, yes. I am against it . . .
I present these views of Einstein and other Jewish thinkers, not to argue necessarily that they are correct but to show that extremist religious and nationalistic Zionism is not the only option for Jewish people and those who support them.