Begin and Deir Yassin
Sir: In his defence of Menachem Begin's record as a terrorist in Palestine, and particularly the Deir Yassin massacre, Mr David M. Jacobs says that 'Arab propaganda' was 'put out in order to blacken the name of the Jews', inferring that the Palestinian Arabs caused the flight of their own civilians. He obviously cannot have read Menachem Begin's own words in The Revolt: Story of the Irgun: 'The massacre was not only justified but there would not have been a state of Israel without the victory at Deir Yassin . . Panic overwhelmed the Arabs of Eretz Israel the Arabs began fleeing in panic, shouting "Deir Yassin." The political and economic significance of this development can hardly be overestimated.' (pp 162-165) Further, Mr. Jacobs' account of this massacre does not accord with that of a young Palmach fighter (Meir Philipski, now Meir Pa'el) who was present as the Haganah liaison officer with the attacking forces of Irgun Zvi Leumi and the Stern group. In an article published by the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharanot in April 1972, on the twenty-fourth anniversary of Deir Yassin, Mr. Pa'el makes it clear that some of the terrorists infiltrated and fired the first shots from the village itself, after which the attack began. It is also clear that the inhabitants were deliberately and brutally massacred. In his detailed report, Mr. Pa'el makes no mention whatever of the presence of any Arab soldiers in or near the village. A press conference was call ' afterwards for American and Jewish c,,I.respondents only, when details of the day's 'achievements' were revealed, i.e. the killing of '200 Arabs — half of them women and children' and 'starting the conquest of Palestine and Trans-Jordan'. (New York Times, 10 April 1948).
Menachem Begin is due in London as an official guest of the British Government. I hope that Mr Callaghan will strongly urge him to recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, and to follow the courageous example of President Sadat in a sincere quest for peace.
(Miss) Anne Connell 6 Vanburgh Close, Orpington, Kent
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