Menachem Begin
Who was Menachem Begin?
Sixth Prime Minister of Israel (1977–1983) who shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Anwar Sadat for the Camp David Accords that established peace between Israel and Egypt.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Menachem Begin (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Menachem Begin was born on August 16, 1913, in Brest, then part of the Russian Empire. He attended the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Law and Administration and got involved in Zionist politics through the Betar youth movement. Before moving to Palestine in 1942, Begin became a leader in the Revisionist Zionist movement. He quickly became prominent as the commander of the Irgun, a militant Zionist organization that carried out operations against the British authorities and Arab forces. Under his leadership, the Irgun conducted many attacks, including the controversial King David Hotel bombing in 1946. This prompted the British government to label him a terrorist leader and deny him entry visas for years.
After Israel gained independence in 1948, Begin founded the Herut party and entered politics. Despite his militant background, he embraced democratic principles and served in the Knesset for nearly three decades, mainly as an opposition leader. His party frequently challenged the dominant Labor Party, pushing for free-market economics and a tougher stance on security. Over twenty-nine years, Begin moved from being on the political fringes to gaining more mainstream acceptance as Israeli society changed and newer generations viewed his earlier activities more positively.
In 1977, Begin's political trajectory dramatically shifted when his Likud coalition won a surprising electoral victory, ending thirty years of Labor Party rule. As Prime Minister, he pursued significant diplomatic actions while maintaining a reputation for strong stances. His biggest success was negotiating with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, leading to the Camp David Accords in 1978 and the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty in 1979. This groundbreaking agreement, which returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt for recognition and peace, earned both leaders the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
Begin's later years as Prime Minister included controversial actions, such as approving the 1981 bombing of Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor and starting the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. His wife's death in 1982 deeply affected him, leading to his gradual withdrawal from public life and eventual resignation as Prime Minister in 1983. Begin spent his final years in relative seclusion in Tel Aviv, where he died on March 9, 1992. His journey from underground militant to democratic leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner is one of the most dramatic transformations in Israeli history.
Before Fame
Begin grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Brest, where he got both secular and religious education. His father was a timber merchant who taught him Zionist values, while his mother supported his studies. As a law student in Warsaw during the 1930s, Begin joined Betar, the youth wing of Vladimir Jabotinsky's Revisionist Zionist movement. He quickly made a name for himself as a compelling speaker and organizer, moving up in the movement.
When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Begin fled eastward but was caught by Soviet authorities and sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. Released in 1941 after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he joined the Free Polish Army and eventually made his way to Palestine in 1942. His experiences under both Nazi and Soviet rule strengthened his belief that Jews needed their own independent state and couldn't rely on others for protection.
Key Achievements
- Led the Irgun underground resistance movement against British rule in Palestine (1944-1948)
- Founded the Herut party and later helped establish the Likud coalition
- Ended Labor Party dominance by winning the 1977 Israeli election as Prime Minister
- Negotiated the Camp David Accords and Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty (1978-1979)
- Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Anwar Sadat in 1978
Did You Know?
- 01.Begin refused to own a personal car throughout his life and relied on public transportation even as Prime Minister until security concerns made it impossible
- 02.He was fluent in eight languages including Hebrew, Yiddish, Polish, Russian, German, Latin, French, and English
- 03.Begin never returned to visit Poland after leaving in 1939, despite numerous invitations from Polish governments
- 04.He kept a photograph of Vladimir Jabotinsky on his desk throughout his political career and quoted him frequently in speeches
- 05.Begin was the first Israeli Prime Minister to meet with a Pope when he visited Vatican City in 1982
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Peace | 1978 | for jointly having negotiated peace between Egypt and Israel in 1978 |