PRIME MINISTER DAVID BEN-GURION (ISRAEL) - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 04/08/1955 - HFSID 140448

DAVID BEN-GURION
Israel's first Prime Minister sends snarky letter in response to annoying gossip amongst the country's officers
Typed Letter Signed: "D. Ben-Gurion" as Israeli Minister of Defense, 1 page, 6x8. Hakiryah, 1955 April 8/5715 Nissan 16. To Benjamin Avniel, Tel-Aviv. In Hebrew. In full: "In reply to your saying that army lieutenants, colonels and majors take part in gossip. Who told you that? Which people? Whom did they talk to? When did this happen? Where did this happen? Whom did they talk about? Don't you have the duty to be precise when you talk about tens of officers without identity or address? This method of bringing general accusations without address, without details is a dangerous and grave method, and I am protesting it aggressively." Born in Jerusalem, Dr. BENJAMIN AVNIEL (1906-1993) was a member of the opposition Herut Party which was founded by the Irgun in 1948; its leader was Menachem Begin. Avniel served in the Second Knesset (1951-1955) as a member of the Labor and Welfare Committee and in the Third through Sixth Knessets (1955-1969) as Chairman of the Economics Committee. DAVID BEN-GURION, who proclaimed Israel's independence on May 14, 1948, was its first leader as Chairman of the Provisional State Council from May 14th to May 17, 1948, when he became Prime Minister. Ben-Gurion served as Prime Minister and Minister of Defense from 1948-1953 and 1955-1963. He succeeded Pinhas Lavon as Minister of Defense on February 21, 1955 and Moshe Sharett as Prime Minister on November 2, 1955. It is noted in the lower right that a copy of this letter was sent to Prime Minister Sharett. File holes at right margin. Lightly creased and soiled. Blue pencil note at lower margin (unknown hand). Otherwise, fine condition.