A call from the Etzel to the Youth of Eretz Israel to act. Students must ask themselves how they can lead a normal life while the Holocaust is going on. They must ask their elders what previous generations did to reclaim Eretz Israel. They must ask their teachers why the Hasmoneans are praised in class while modern fighters are criticized. The youth must strike and refuse to learn until the homeland is free.
The Etzel’s declaration of revolt against the British in Palestine. World War Two is winding down. The British have turned against the Jews in Palestine, carrying out executions without trial and slandering Jews everywhere. The Etzel is at war with the British Mandatory Authority. The Etzel demands the complete transfer of authority over Eretz Israel from the British to a Provisional Jewish Government, the establishment of a Hebrew army, negotiations for the evacuation of European Jewry to Eretz Israel, the establishment of relations and alliances with the Allied Powers, and respect and equality for Arabs, Christians, and their respective holy sites. Until the British agree to these demands, the Jews of Eretz Israel should refuse to pay taxes and to obey British orders, declare strikes, and demonstrate against the Mandatory Government. The Jews will not be deterred by losses in the struggle until the homeland is freed from British rule.
An interview about the Return to Zion. Begin speaks about the history of the Jews in the Land of Israel, how they created ideas such as a weekly day of rest that have been adopted by the rest of the civilized world. The Jewish people created a great civilization in the Land of Israel and fought many powerful enemies during that time. They were exiled from the land several times and returned to rebuild their civilization each time. After the crushing of the Bar Kochba Rebellion by Rome the Jews entered eighteen centuries of exile, but throughout that time they never lost their connection to the Land of Israel. He speaks about four groups among the Jews opposed Zionism. History has borne out the triumph of Zionism over those who fought against it.
A speech Begin gave in America during the mid-1950s. The essence is democracy is that the rulers change from time to time, and by questioning that principle the government is acting totalitarian. On the political front, if Herut came to power, it would form a constitution. A constitution is necessary to set limits on what the government can do and explicitly tell the citizens their rights and responsibilities. On the social plane Begin favors a free market approach with some government intervention to help narrow the gaps. Herut would work towards the famous ‘5 Mems.’ On the economic lane, Begin focuses on the Histadrut, and how he would break up the monopoly of the Histadrut the way trusts are broken up in America in order to ensure the success of free enterprise and the flow of investment. He would not force the disbandment of any labor unions, as they are necessary to ensure that workers have a high enough standard of living to be consumers.
After both the Government and the Knesset take stands against withdrawing from any territory without a peace agreement, making it the lawful duty of the Government to exercise the will of the Knesset in this matter, the Government agrees in principle, if not in practice to withdraw from the Suez Canal after negotiations with the USA over the reopening of the Canal. In return the USA promises not to pressure Israel to make further territorial concessions. Begin says that this is a betrayal of public trust and a violation of articles 3 and 15 of the Basic Laws: the Government. He also calls it a violation of the Knesset’s confidence in the Government. Begin considers the discussion with the Americans on the subject, after four years of steadfastly holding the position of not one millimeter of withdrawal without a peace treaty, to be detrimental to Israel because concessions, regardless of promises to the contrary, are sure to lead to more concessions.
