Recently, my husband has been involved in researching the kidnapping and murder of Alexander Rubovitz, a young, teenage Lechi (Stern Group) activist by Roy Farren of the British Police. To this day, over sixty years later, the body has never been found. There was no funeral, and no "closing" for his family, friends and compatriots.
That's not the only story from our struggle against the British for the Independence of the State of Israel recently researched. Natan Brun, whose father, Akiva, had been accused by the British of planning on bombing London decided to learn the facts.
Akiva Brun had also been a member of Lechi. The British hated and feared the Lechi, which had split from the Etzel Irgun during World War Two. The crucial issue was whether or not to take a hiatus from attacking Britain which was then fighting Nazi Germany.
The Etzel misread the situation, ignoring the fact that England was fighting for its own survival, not for any greater good. At the same time Britain refused Jewish refugees entry to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. It didn't care how many Jews were murdered, whether by Nazis or Arabs. Today the next generation is in the Knesset. Etzel leader Menachem Begin's son, Benny is a Likud MK, and Lechi leader Yisrael Eldad's son Arieh is a Ichud Le'umi (National Union) MK. Yes, the same political-philosophical struggle continues.
Tim Franks' opening paragraph is attention-getting but skirts criminal libel.
Did Al-Qaeda draw on Jewish inspiration for its attacks of 11 September 2001? It may seem unlikely, but more than 60 years ago, Jewish militants were arrested in Paris on suspicion - as newspapers in Britain, France and the US reported at the time - of planning to bomb London from the air.
Both the Lechi and the Etzel were careful never to harm innocent civilians. It's slanderous to imply that there could be any connection between them and Al-Qaeda.
No surprise that Natan Brun "...has come up with conclusive evidence that the gang was planning only to drop leaflets, not bombs over London." It's obvious that the British discovered that, too, because Akiva Brun wasn't executed by the British. He was allowed to return home to his family after the British Mandate ended.
And it would be a kind, humanitarian gesture if the British would assist in finding the body of Alexander Rubovitz. Let him be given a proper Jewish burial. Sixty-two years have passed since he was kidnapped, tortured and murdered. Considering that Great Britain attended Durban II, I don't hold much hope that they care about the teenage Jew they murdered all those years ago.
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