Book Review--The Prime Ministers by Yehuda Avner

An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership

I have always been interested in Israel mostly because of my study of the Old Testament and my belief as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called Mormon) that the Jewish people are the “chosen” of the Lord as part of the children of Israel.  I must confess that being raised in Wyoming and now living in Utah, I knew almost nothing of Israel or its history before reading this wonderful book and I am shocked at the anti-Semitism shown by certain individuals and cultures in its pages.

I enjoyed The Prime Ministers more than any book I have read in a long while.  I am in awe of Avner for his meticulous documentation of the events of his observance and work with these men, as well as his voluminous memory and fluent writing style.  After about the first third of the book, I started keeping a list of words that I wasn’t sure of the meanings numbering over 60 words.  So, I not only gained much knowledge of the history of Israel but also I enjoyed the literary excellence of just reading the words.

The book is not an autobiography and we are given only the “bare facts” concerning Avner’s life.  We know he was born in Manchester, England in 1928 (see Avner’s blog) and went to Jerusalem in 1947 with a Jewish youth group where he is thrown into the beginnings of Israel’s War for Independence.  He returns to England, gets married in 1953 and a year later he and his wife move to a Kibbutz in Israel.  A few years later, in 1959, he joins the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the beginning the author lists all the main characters in the book.  He also lists key events of each time period for all three parts of the book and for the four prime ministers that he serves under (a clue that he is right brained and detail oriented).

Part I (1939-1952) reveals Menachem Begin’s early life as the head of the Irgun National Fighting Organization while the British were still occupying Palestine.  He becomes a wanted man hated by many but desperate for a “Jewish homeland” for all the refugees flowing into the area after WWII.

Part II (1959-1977) chronicles the years of Prime Minister Levi Eshkol (1963-1969). This time includes the six-day war in September 1967.  During this war the Israel Defense Force (IDF) returns a divided Jerusalem to the Jewish people; the entire West Bank was captured from the Jordanians; the entire Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from the Egyptians; and the Golan Heights from the Syrians. 

Golda Meir was Prime Minister from 1969 to 1974.  She was an avid Socialist who sent envoys to Africa to help the new governments and people there.  She was accused of not being prepared for the Yom Kippur War in October of 1973 and resigned in 1974.

Yitzhak Rabin (1974-1977).  Henry Kissinger negotiated with Rabin and Egypt for Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula.  The most interesting event during this time is the Entebbe, Uganda rescue of the Jewish passengers held hostage on a hijacked Air France airplane from Tel Aviv to Paris.  Rabin was elected Prime Minister again in 1992 and was assassinated in 1995 by a Jewish extremist. 

Part III (1977-1983).  Menachem Begin is the real focus and hero of this book.  I love this man.  He is religious—often quoting scripture.  He adhered to a kosher diet; was observant of the Shabbat holy day; was a moral man often preaching to the Knesset or anyone who would listen; was a real patriot of Israel and a fierce negotiator with his friends and enemies.  He met with Anwar Sadat in Jerusalem and later signed the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel.  He professed his belief in God and said, “How else to account for our success in accomplishing the virtually impossible” meaning all that led up to the establishment of the State of Israel.

I can’t help but contrast Begin with Obama.  When Shlomo Argov, the Israeli ambassador was shot in London in 1982 by Palestinian terrorists, PM Begin immediately took revenge.  When the US ambassador in Libya and three others were killed in Bengasi this past September 11^th, we were told it was because of an American video and that an investigation was continuing.  Also, Begin said after he was elected prime minister: “This government has come to serve not to reap.”  Our president has added over 5 trillion new debt in the last four years. Obama has also suggested that Israel return all land to their pre-1967 borders which Israel’s prime ministers have adamantly refused to do.

It’s much more fun to read about these remarkable prime ministers whose words, thoughts and actions were remarkable in themselves, than to dwell on the present.  But, the real champion is Yehuda Avner.  His blog says this book will be made into two movies and another book is in the works.  I can’t imagine it will be any better than this, but we will have to wait and see.