From: rdtst+@pitt.edu (Richard D Thorne)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Subject: Re: Lehi and nazies
Date: 2 Sep 92 00:40:14 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh


	I have been cut off (due to administrative reasons) from my 
account these past two weeks.  Since I probably will not be able to 
read any responses to my recent posts I have tried to anticipate 
some of the criticisms.  My apologies.

NO LINK OF SHAMIR TO DOCUMENT NOR OF LEHI TO FASCISM
	It was noted that at the time this document was sent 
Shamir was not leading LEHI and since authorship can not be 
determined by its contents it must be that anyone attributing it 
to Shamir  is also engaging in speculation   There exists the 
possibility that whoever contacted the Germans meant exactly 
what the cable says, but it is also possible that it was worded in 
such a way as to best convince the Germans to provide arms.  
I'm not sure what makes one possibility more likely than 
another.  Lehi's ideology can best be described as anti-British 
therefore the proposition that what was written was motivated 
more by a hatred of the British than a love of the Germans 
seems reasonable.  Do you have any evidence that LEHI 
promoted fascism as their model? (e.g. essays or party 
platforms) 
	Jacques Derogy and Hesi Carmel write of Yair (Stern):
"...Following the policy established by the Hagannah at the beginning 
of the war, the Irgun had made the decision to subordinate 
everything to the struggle against Hitler.  Stern had disagreed with 
this truce, which allied the revisionist nationalists with the 
international socialist members of the Hagannah and the Jewish 
Agency.  He maintained that the Jews must not abandon their 
activities against British imperialism, which was occupying Palestine 
and forbidding entrance to the persecuted Jews of Europe. Stern 
formed a small group of "ultras," attracting many followers of high 
quality and character, which came to be known as the Lochamei 
Herut Israel (Lechi)."  from: "The Untold History of Israel" 1979.
	Former Lehi members  Nathan Yalin-Mor, Amos Kenan (Peace 
Now), and Geula Cohen (T'Chiya) span the spectrum of Israeli politics 
and that's good evidence that there was no other ideology than that 
of convincing the British to leave.  What about the possibility that 
Stern (if he indeed was responsible for contacting the Germans) 
favored fascism?  I can't put myself back into that era, but fascism 
did have an appeal for some back then.  The scape-goating of the 
Jews by Hitler certainly was not unique to Germany.  Anti-Jewish 
sentiment was a fact of life in England, France and the US at the time 
as well.   Hitler would not have pursued his war against the Jews if it 
hadn't met with such indifference by the world community.  One can 
only speculate, but perhaps Stern thought that the Germans were 
less anti-semitic than the British and therefore better allies in the 
end.  Since Stern was murdered by the British authorities it's a hard 
argument to refute.
	Now both communism and fascism have both fallen into 
disrepute.  What, if any moral distinction exists between communism 
and fascism? There certainly wasn't much difference between Hitler 
and Stalin or Lenin.  Nonetheless there were figures in Israel who 
supported communism before 1948 and like Shamir and Begin 
worked within the system democratically after independence.  
Having known people who suffered because of McCarthyism I 
wouldn't want to see a purge of "reds" from Israeli politics.  Shamir 
and Begin deserve no less.  While I never particularly liked Shamir's 
policies I believe that he is no worse than Bush, Mitterand, Major and 
any other democratically elected leader of the 20th century.  During 
the time before independence LEHI and Shamir had to deal with the 
anti-semitic policies of the British Mandate and they thought that the 
continuing loss of Jewish lives justified extreme actions.   I'm sure 
that Shamir regrets some of his activities during that period while 
others he would repeat again. 


	Richard Thorne  rdt@med.pitt.edu

	PS The VAX ULTRIX system (usenet system) is being phased out.  Some
	   postings are not availible.  Lack of response on my part may be
           due to system error.  More apologies.