Palestinians
Sir, —In relying on Menachem Begin as a definitive authority, Joel Manyam (June 9) forgets that Begin’s representation of the Deir Yassin massacre was met with disbelief by the Israelis themselves. In his book, “The Arab-Israeli Wars,” Chaim Herzog (director of Israeli Military Intelligence 1948-50) sceptically refers to Begin’s account as “the Irgun version.” Herzog records how, on learning of the attack, the Jewish High Command “immediately expressed deep disgust
and regret.” A senior Israeli official, Dov Joseph (later to become Minister of Justice), described the extremist outrage as "deliberate and unprovoked.” What Joel Manyam calls “erroneous representation” derives from eyewitness reports of the event by responsible persons such as Jacques de Reynier, of the International Red Cross, and Colonel Meir Pael, of the Haganah. These confirm the deliberate and indiscriminate slaughter of civilians by the Irgun, not in the heat of any military engagement, but after the village was occupied.—Yours, etc.,
ALISTAIR PRINGLE. June 13, 1986.
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Press, 18 June 1986, Page 18
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158Palestinians Press, 18 June 1986, Page 18
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