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Menachem Begin

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Menachem Begin was a famous leader in Israel.

Menachem Begin 1978
Menachem Begin 1978

He was born in 1913 in Brest-Litovsk. This place is now part of Belarus. His father was a timber merchant and a community leader. Begin studied law at the University of Warsaw. He learned how to speak very well there. This skill became his trademark as a politician. He used his words to lead people for many years.

Begin faced many hard times in his life.

Menachem Begin in September 1940
Menachem Begin in September 1940

In 1940, the Soviet Union arrested him. He was sent to labor camps in Russia. Later, he joined the Free Polish Anders' Army. He eventually moved to Palestine to help build a Jewish state. During the Holocaust, his mother and brother were killed. These losses were very difficult for him.

In Palestine, Begin became a leader of a group called the Irgun.

The Irgun was a group that fought against British rule. Begin wanted the British to leave Palestine entirely. He led the group during a revolt in 1944. Later, he fought in the civil war from 1947 to 1948. He also started political parties named Herut and Likud. These groups helped him enter the Israeli government.

Begin became the prime minister of Israel in 1977.

This victory ended thirty years of rule by the Labor Party. His most important work was making peace. In 1979, he signed a peace treaty with Egypt.

Sadat and Begin clean3
Sadat and Begin clean3

He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the Egyptian leader, Anwar Sadat. This treaty helped the two lands live in peace. It was a huge moment for the whole region.

Later years brought new challenges for Begin.

His government worked on building settlements in the West Bank. He also led military actions in Lebanon in 1982. During this time, his public support began to fade. His wife, Aliza, died in November 1982. This loss made him very sad. He resigned from his job in October 1983. He left a long history of leadership behind him.

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🖼️ Images & Media (22)
File:FAMILY PICTURE OF MENAHEM BEGIN (TOP L) WITH SISTER RACHEL AND LATE BROTHER HERZL WITH THEIR PARENTS IN THEIR HOME TOWN IN POLAND. תצלום משפחתי של מנחD690-049.jpg
FAMILY PICTURE OF MENAHEM BEGIN (TOP L)...
File:BeginBeitar1935.jpg
BeginBeitar1935.jpg
File:Menachem Begin in September 1940.jpg
Menachem Begin in September 1940.jpg
File:MENAHEM BEGIN IN POLISH ARMY UNIFORM WITH WIFE ALIZA IN TEL-AVIV. COURTESY JABOTINSKY INSTITUTE. מנחם בגין במדי הצבא הפולני עם רעייתו עליזה , בתל אביבD705-085.jpg
MENAHEM BEGIN IN POLISH ARMY UNIFORM WITH...
AJI view 846.TIF
File:Menahem Begin during his "Rabbi Sassover" period with wife Aliza and son Benyamin-Zeev in Tel Aviv.jpg
Menahem Begin during his "Rabbi Sassover"...
File:Flickr - Government Press Office - Menahem Begin visit the "Etzel" camp.jpg
Flickr - Government Press Office -...
File:Menachem Begin inspecting Irgun members 1948.jpg
Menachem Begin inspecting Irgun members 1948.jpg
File:Altalena off Tel-Aviv beach.jpg
Altalena off Tel-Aviv beach.jpg
File:Atalena crew.jpg
Atalena crew.jpg
File:Menachem Begin při projevu v srpnu 1948.jpg
Menachem Begin při projevu v srpnu 1948.jpg
File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Begin in the Knesset.jpg
Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) -...

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