Prominent Zionist leader (1886–1973) who served as first Prime Minister of Israel. ALS in Hebrew, signed “D. B. G.,” one page, lightly-lined, 4.75 x 8.5, August 25, 1954. Letter to Teddy, In full: “I haven’t the address of Prof. Schwabe. I would like to ask you to deliver him the package (list of papers by Aplaton). All the week Sde-Boker was full with visitors from morning to night every day. What’s the situation about the crisis?” In fine condition, with paperclip impression to top edge, horizontal fold through signature, and punch holes to right edge.
Sde-Boker was a kibbutz in the desert of southern Israel that served as Ben-Gurion’s home following his 1953 retirement. It was during this absence from politics that he crafted this letter—sent just a month after Israeli Defense Minister Pinhas Lavon approved a covert operation in Egypt to overthrow that country’s president. Some of these attacks were directed against US interests in what was seen as an attempt to affect US-Egyptian relations, and some Israeli commandos were captured as they came ashore in an incident that became known as the Lavon Affair. Ben-Gurion returned to Israeli politics in 1955 but continued to live on the kibbutz, where he had hoped to cultivate the desert and prepare it as a residence for Jews he envisioned moving to Israel from around the world. Even removed from politics—albeit for a short while—this letter and his inquiry of “the crisis” shows that the Zionist leader was still tuned into the political situation. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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