Ebay is selling a letter written by Albert Einstein at the time of the Deir Yassin massacre in April 1948 to an American Zionist, denouncing the Zionist militias’ terrorist activities. It’s interesting that Einstein’s word, catastrophe, is also the Palestinians’ word in Arabic, the Nakba. The letter’s text:
April 10,1948
Mr. Shepard Rifkin
Exec.Director
American Friends of the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel
149 Second Ave.
New York 3,N.Y.
Dear Sir:
When a real and final catastrophe should befall us in Palestine the first responsible for it would be the British and the second responsible for it the Terrorist organizations build up from our own ranks.
I am not willing to see anybody associated with those misled and criminal people.
Sincerely yours, (Signed, ‘A. Einstein’)
Albert Einstein.
From the description:
You are bidding on an original letter from Albert Einstein to Mr. Shepard Rifkin. Written in 1948 it cautions that any catastrophe befalling the fledgling nation of Israel will come from the actions of either its creators (Britain) or its citizens. Coincidentally the letter was written the morning after the Israelis carried out an unprovoked massacre of Palestinian civilians in the village of Deir Yassin.
The proceeds will go to the organization, Deir Yassin Remembered. Looks like the opening bid is set at $16,000, and has not yet been made. Thanks to Abdeen Jabara.
i wonder who has been in possession of this letter and how they acquired it.
Well said, Mr. Einstein.
An educated fool who denied the existence of Arab terrorism. Why?
Best guess is that Einstein was afflicted with the ‘bigotry of low expectations’.
The more famous Einstein letter was to NYT, in 1948, reproduced here.Among other things, he hi-lights fascism:
Please note that the EBAY description has an error: the Haganah and Irgun, who carried out the attack and massacre at Deir Yassin were not Israeli organizations but militias (irregular forces) and/or terrorists of the pre-state Palestinian Jews.
If a group of Palestinians (say Hamas soldiers) were to attack Israel today, they would probably be called “terrorists” even if they attacked only soldiers. By this rule of usage, the Irgun (always called “terrorists” and also the “Palmach” and “Haganah” should also be called “terrorists” for they operated before the State of Israel was created.
Very interesting.