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Golda Meir

From Failure

to Heroism (PHOTO: MARION S. TRIKOSKO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Odelia Glausiusz

riana Fallaci, an Italian come to Palestine, to go to [Kibbutz] Mer- infinitely preferable to deal with power’s
journalist famed for her havia, to be active in the Labour move- confounding implications than to be pow-
rigorous, unyielding inter- ment,” she wrote. “But the position I was erless again.” Her stoic leadership steered
Oviews of world leaders, left now to occupy? Never. I only knew that Israel to victory at a time when it faced
her first meeting with Golda Meir in now I would have to make decisions every the greatest threat to its existence. Yet
despair. “What am I to do with a woman day that would affect the lives of millions for Golda herself, none of this mattered.
like that? She reminds me so much of my of people.” “It matters only that I, who was so accus-
mother – the same gray curly hair, her tomed to making decisions – and who did
tired and wrinkled face, that sweet and The Yom Kippur War broke out under make them throughout the war – failed to
energetic look.” In a recent press con- Golda’s watch, taking the lives of over make that one decision [insist on an ear-
ference for the upcoming biopic, Golda, 2,500 Israeli soldiers, and was, in Golda’s lier call-up]. I shall live with that terrible
actress Helen Mirren called Meir “one of own words, “a near disaster.” Heavily crit- knowledge for the rest of my life. I will
the most extraordinary characters I’ve icized for her failure to mobilize troops never again be the person I was before the
ever played,” noting “…she was perfectly early enough – despite having acted on Yom Kippur War.”
happy to toddle around in the kitchen the assurances of military intelligence –
making everyone coffee and playing the she resigned from her position after the Later in life, she visited her old school
grandmotherly role. It’s a very different war and went into retirement. Golda was in Milwaukee. She told students that far
attitude to power… but it’s still immense exonerated by the official commission of more important than deciding on their
power.” Still, Golda’s empathy and amiabil- enquiry after the war’s end, which praised career was deciding the way they want
ity should not be confused with weakness. her for her wisdom, common-sense and to live: “If you are going to be honest with
“I defy anyone to argue that Zionism is speedy decision making. The shrewd fore- yourself and honest with your friends, if
not utterly incompatible with pessimism,” sight she displayed in rejecting the idea of you are going to get involved with causes
Golda wrote in her memoir. Her relentless a pre-emptive strike (and the warm rela- that are good for others, not only for
determination, coupled with her care and tionship she had earlier cultivated with yourselves, then it seems to me that that
devotion for Israel and its citizens, shaped Richard Nixon) allowed for an invaluable is sufficient, and maybe what you will be
Golda into a woman who was, in the words airlift of planes and weapons from Amer- is only a matter of chance.” Golda Meir
of Yehuda Avner, “an epic embodiment of ica that steered the course of victory deci- became the great leader that she was pre-
true legends and legendary truths.” sively in Israel’s favor. During the war, she cisely because she did not seek out power.
barely left her office, and stayed true to the Her “immense power” lay in her rejection
Golda Meir made Aliyah from Milwaukee lesson she learned during the desperate of power’s trappings, in her empathy, her
in 1920 and became increasingly involved years prior to Israel’s independence: “One idealism and her tireless action on behalf
in political affairs. In 1948, she flew to the can always push oneself a little bit beyond of her country and its citizens.
US and defied everyone’s expectations what only yesterday was thought to be the
by singlehandedly stirring the hearts of absolute limit of one’s endurance.”
American Jewry with her powerful rhet-
oric, returning to Israel with fifty million Avner movingly describes Meir’s Sukkot
dollars – double the amount hoped for. visit to soldiers attempting to celebrate
When she was voted in as prime minister the holiday on a desolate battlefield. She
after the sudden death of Levi Eshkol in talked to them with the “countenance
1969 – after serving as Israel’s ambassador of a concerned grandmother… [O]n that
to the Soviet Union, as Labour Minister, Sukkot day, this indefatigable and impla- Odelia Glausiusz
Foreign Minister and Secretary-General cable old woman represented the very recently moved to Jerusalem
of the Labour Party – she buried her face essence of Jewish self-defense; she was where she works as a freelance
writer and content curator.
in her hands and cried. “I had planned to the fervent agent of the view that it was

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