Israel Eldad and the Kastner Assassination
Keywords:
Israel Kastner, Hungarian Jewry, Kastner Trial, Jewish Terrorism, Lehi, Israel Eldad, 'Sulam'Abstract
In March 1957 Dr. Israel Kastner was shot in Tel Aviv. The assassination was the climax of a witch hunt by members of the Hungarian Jewish community who accused Kastner of cooperation with the Nazis. The trial against his detractors brought various revelations to light that cast a dark shadow on the conduct of Israel’s leadership. the trial was also the highpoint of Jewish terrorism in the country. The terrorist acts carried out by Lehi were inspired by Israel Eldad, the organization’s chief ideologue. Eldad advocated the idea of a ‘Jewish Kingdom’ and refused to see the establishment of the State of Israel as the achievement of a Jewish goal. In his mouthpiece Sulam he preached a radical ideology and criticized the laws of the state.
Galvanized by his call for action, Eldad’s followers violated laws and committed acts of terror. The Shin Bet (Israel’s security service) planted undercover agents in the group, some of whom turned out to be provocateurs. One of them, who obviously switched sides, was Kastner’s assassin. When this became known, it gave rise to a number of conspiracy theories.
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