On April 1, 1948, David Ben-Gurion wrote in his journal about “the development of science and speeding up its application in warfare.” A month and a half later, he wrote about “biological materials” that were purchased for $2,000. Only now, 74 years later, has a connection between these two entries come to light. The disturbing story behind them was recently uncovered by historian Benny Morris and historian and Israel Prize laureate Benjamin Z. Kedar following extensive archival research. Evidently, the excerpts from the diary of the man who would become Israel’s first prime minister are traces of his involvement in a secret operation to poison the drinking water of Arab communities during the War of Independence.
This operation was partially exposed decades ago when rumors and oral testimonies were reported in newspapers and books about an attempt in 1948 by the IDF to poison wells in Acre and Gaza by adding bacteria to the drinking water. However, only now, in Morris and Kedar’s research, has the “smoking gun” been revealed – in the form of official documentation. The newly unearthed documents show that this operation was much broader in scope than earlier believed and that other top military and political figures besides Ben-Gurion were involved.
I had no idea what this David Ben-Gurion character looked like. Turns out he’s basically the stereotype and then some.
David Ben-Gurion
I don’t know what it is about these people. Something about the total lack of both ethics and masculinity put together really rubs me the wrong way. Imagine this little creep poisoning the well that your community needs to drink water from. Then imagine him whining about how he’s the eternal victim because you point out that he poisoned your well. Then imagine him being recognized as the Official Leader Of Jews, despite him being such a weird little nerd that they can’t even make him not look like a total goofball in the official propaganda pictures.
Such is the struggle. Anyway, I saw this and I had to write a quick little piece on it to have as a reference.
