During the 1960s, the Haaretz newspaper was a staunch supporter of the key political decisions made by Menachem Begin, thus playing a significant role in reinforcing his legitimacy and that of his Herut movement. On the one hand, this support was motivated by the desire to transform Israel’s socialist economy into a freer and less government-controlled market. On the other hand, it stemmed from the aspiration to democratise Israel’s political life. This symbiosis began to emerge in the early 1960s and was sustained over a lengthy period of time, thus underscoring the role played by Israeli bourgeois-liberal circles in the Zionist Right’s path to power.
Haaretz and its long-time owner and editor-in-chief Gershom Shocken passed away in late 1990, a little over a year before Begin’s own death. After Begin’s demise in March 1992, Haaretz dedicated a farewell article in his honour titled ‘Farewell to an Opponent’, portraying a balanced and even eulogistic picture of his historic personality:
Begin the fighter knew how to occasionally give in and compromise. His followers have exceedingly admired him, but even his opponents have to acknowledge him as an inspirational figure. The question of whether or not he steered the country in the right direction will remain for a long time. In that sense, Begin will stay in our hearts
In accordance with the historical case study reviewed here, a balanced historic assessment suggests a more reliable account of the symbiotic relationship between Haaretz and Begin rather than the unidimensional image that was etched in national memory. This case study also attests to the role played by the Israeli bourgeois-liberal circles on the Zionist Right’s path to power.
—Amir Goldstein, Haaretz newspaper, the capitalist agenda and Menachem Begin’s political legitimacy, Israel Affairs, Volume 24, 2018, Issue 2
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