Page 256 - ראש בראש לאתר

in the State of Israel since its establishment and until today; the political
division of the Kibbutz movement in the early days of the state that provoked
fighting almost to bloodshed, yet the children and grandchildren of the
opposing factions of that time cannot comprehend their struggle today; the
‘Lavon Affair’ – a political-security confrontation in the 50’s and 60’s of the
last century. David Ben-Gurion, close to his retirement, was at the center of
this affair. It caused significant damage to Ben-Gurion himself, to his party
“Mapai” and probably to the State of Israel. The impact of the ‘Lavon Affair’
was recognized in years to come, and possibly accelerated processes and
contributed to the political shift in 1977.
The last chapter addresses a relatively recent issue: the disengagement
from Gaza and North Samaria in 2005, a subject that is still relevant to-day.
The chapters are linked in one way or another to issues of control and
leadership: who will hold the steering wheel of the metaphorical ship,
leading it through the rough sea? Although ego issues peep out here and
there, it is impossible to ignore the principles and ideologies, which were at
the center of the confrontations because the struggling parties did not agree
to compromise.
Historical figures such as Theodor Herzl, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, David Ben-
Gurion, Azriel Carlebach, Yehuda Mozes, Pinchas Lavon, Ariel Sharon,
Rabbi Y.L. Fishman Maimon and Rabbi Isaac Herzog, are integrated into
the pages of this book. These men and many others decided on the national
agenda for 100 years. Sometimes they were successful, at other times they
failed.
The book “Head to Head” is like a journey on a rough sea. A dangerous
wave can take the ship down at any minute. The eight chapters provide the
reader with numerous thrilling moments, twists in the plot and solutions –
some of them were successful, some of them were not.

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