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Living History: A Memoir

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Chaim Herzog will always be remembered in my heart as the man who defended Israel's rights on and against the world's stage; the United Nations. I would like to transcribe for you a direct quote from his speech on October 17, 1975, when the UN was about to formally vote on institutionalizing the notion of "Zionism is racism":

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"We have listened to the most unbelievable nonsense on the issue of Zionism and from whom? From countries who are the archetypes of racism.

...How dare you talk of racism to us, we who suffered more than any other nation in the world from racist theories and practices, a nation which has suffered the most terrifying holocaust in the history of mankind.

...This is a sad day for the United Nations. The Jewish people will not forget this scene nor this vote.

We are a small people with a proud history. We have lived through much in our history.

We shall survive this shameful exhibition, . . . and I thank the delegations who have expressed themselves against this pernicious resolution. We shall not forget those who voted to attack our religion and our faith. We shall never forget."

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Of course, his entire memoir is not written out as angry as he was when his role was as Israel's ambassador to the UN, but his writings are just as passionate.

For anyone interested in the history of the modern state of Israel, this is a must read. He was there at just about every important turn and twist; (British intelligence officer in) World War II, Israel's War of Independence, at David Ben-Gurion's side, the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War, the "Zionism is Racism" debate, and as the president of Israel for ten years -- through a national unity government and the Intifada.

Simply an amazing life.

I met Chaim Herzog in 1996, after the publication of his book and just before his death. I knew that he was one of Israel's formost warriors/statesmen, but of his life in between, well, I realized that I knew nothing indeed about him until I began to read his memoir.

The title "Living History" is perfect in all its sense. It's a fascinating account of his and modern Israel's story.

A wonderful autobiography of Israeli statesman, diplomat, spymaster and politician, Chaim Herzog. Chaim Herzog was among a very fascinating family that included the Chief Rabbi of Israel in the 40s. Chaim himself served in numerous posts, finally becoming President of Israel in the 80s. This narrative covers every aspect of Israeli history from its high points to its low ones. Chaim has been central to every major event in Israeli history, from the siege of Jerusalem in 1948 to the Ethiopian airlift. His smart, to the point, autobiography pulls no punches in its incisive critique of Israeli society today and the mirror of the past. For instance he takes to task such luminaries as Golda and Dayan, while criticizing the rise of `fundamentalism' in Israeli society, painting a not so pretty picture of today's Yeshiva attitude towards serving in the IDF. He explains how the Rabbinate was actually more liberal in the 1940s then it is today. This is a wonderful tour de force on Israeli history, from someone who was central to Israeli policy for year. Not an apologists account, Chaim equally praises Ariel Sharon for his Unit 101 strategies as well as Peres for his inventive ideas. Probably no one in modern Israeli society could be so unbiased as to see the vital gifts that both Sharon and Peres have given to Israel. A must read for anyone interested in Israel or the modern political situation in the middle east.

Chaim Herzog, one of Israel's greatest statesmen, served as President of Israel from 1983 to 1993, after a distinguished career in both the British Army during World War II, the Israeli Army during the War of Independence, a key mastermind behind Israel's intelligence services and Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, between 1975 and 1978.
Chaim's father Rabbi Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, was Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1919 to 1937 (and later, of Palestine and Israel).
When Chaim was three years old he witnessed a man on a horse and cart being shot dead outside his house during the Irish Civil War. During his studies for a legal degree at London University College in the 1930s Herzog describes the hostility faced by both the Communists with their irrational hostility to Zionists who they labelled "exploiters", "aggressors", "Fascists" and "colonialists", and the hostility by the Fascists who supported Hitler and Nazi Germany.
Herzog also describes the pro-Arab policies and attitudes of the British colonial administration of Palestine, who clinging to Lawrence of Arabia fantasies, sided with the Arabs and prevented Jews entering Palestine, even during the Holocaust.
Herzog writes of his experiences as a soldier in the British army fighting the Nazis during World War II.
participated in the liberation of several concentration camps as well as identifying a captured German soldier as Heinrich Himmler.
After the war Herzog joined the struggle for Jewish Statehood in the Land of Israel, against the Arabs and their British colonial allies.
Herzog recalls how the law forbade both Arabs and Jews from carrying arms, but the British regularly arrested Jews for carrying arms and seldom apprehended or disarmed armed Arabs.
It is ironic to read of the co-operative co-existance between Iran under the enlightened Shah Reza Pahlavi, when we see that today Israel's most implacable and genocidal enemy is the Iranian regime of Khamenei and Ahamdinejad.
He also deals with allegations of racism against Israel reflecting "It's rather sad that there is distrust between American Blacks and Jews today and that many prominent Blacks seem anti-Semitic. Israeli society is definitely not racist: We have a large black Ethiopian population, and there is much intermarriage".
Herzog explains the Soviet role of encouraging Arab aggression during the Six Day War, and a United Nations that did nothing to stop Arab plans to annihilate Israel and her people but stepped in to stop Israel from completing her victory over the Arab aggressors once Israel was clearly winning.
He also outlines the role of the Soviet Union in instigating and initiating Syrian and Egyptian aggression against Israel before the Six Day War.

He describes the religious respect that Israel showed towards Moslem and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, with Moshe Dayan even handing over control of the Al Aqsa Mosque built on the Temple Mount (Judaism's holiest site) to the Moslem religious authorities, the Waqf.
This in contrast to Arab desecration and destruction of Jewish holy sites after the Jordanians captured the old city of Jerusalem during the War of Independence.
But Herzog's finest hour was no doubt his heroic stand taken as Ambassador to the United Nations during the shameful proceedings the led to the totalitarian dominated United Nations equating Zionism with racism.
Herzog told truth to power and did Israel and the Jewish people proud when he told the UN when the committee met to vote on the evil resolution:
"We shall survive this shameful exhibition,...and I thank the delegates who have expressed themselves against this pernicious resolution. We shall not forget those who voted to attack our religion and our faith. We shall never forget."
If only Israel had such diplomatic representatives who could stand up for their nation today.
At the General Assembly Herzog pointed out that : "Zionism is the name of the national movement of the Jewish people and is the modern expression of ancient Jewish heritage...Zionism is to the Jewish people what the liberation movements of Africa and Asia have been to their own people. Zionism is one of the most dynamic and and vibrant national movements in human history. Historically it is based on a unique and unbroken connection, extending some four thousand years, between the People of the Book and the Land of the Bible...We put our trust in Providence, in our faith and beliefs, in our time hallowed tradition, in our striving for social advance and human values, and in our people wherever they may be. For us, the Jewish people, this resolution based on hatred, falsehood and arrogance is devoid of any moral or legal value".
He cover his role in preserving Israeli national unity and representing Israel to the world, as President of Israel from 1983 to 1993.

Sadly his optimism stated towards the end of the book about how the "peace process" with the PLO and Arafat would succeed because the Arabs know they are economically dependant onm Israel and that terrorist activity would militate against their political aspirations would prove to be wrong.
He did not reckon on the Amalek-like hatred that the Palestinian terrorist groups and their supporters have for Israel, a hatred that means they would rather destroy themselves and their own society than leave in peace.
It is tragic that Herzog did not live to see how wrong this false optimism was, he died in 1997, three years before Arafat launched the murderous intifada against the Israeli people, as a response to Barak's offers to accommodate their demands and aspirations.
The rise of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and their determination to murder Jews has again proved the futility of talking to terrorists or trying to accommodate those who want Israel destroyed.
I do however have hope that if Israel stands firm and demonstrates her will to survive and not be victimised, an accommodation can be reached with moderate Arab states like Egypt and Jordan, which will include the future and welfare of those Palestinian Arabs who do want peace and coexistence.

This book is absolutely fascinating in both scope, depth, and its incredible political insights. Every Jew should read this book.