Citat:
Trams. Einstein var socialist, inte kommunist, och han stal inte någon annan forskares idéer. Tvärtom var hans idéer så originella att han länge hade svårt att övertyga andra forskare om att han hade rätt.
Vad gäller sionism, så stödde han Israel, men var samtidigt en av dem som redan 1948 kraftigt fördömde massakern på palestinier i Deir Yassin:
A letter to The New York Times. Saturday December 4, 1948 by Albert Einstein, Hannah Arendt, Sidney Hook, et.al.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Al...ers_letter.jpg
TO THE EDITORS OF NEW YORK TIMES:
Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the "Freedom Party" (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.
The current visit of Menachem Begin, leader of this party, to the United States is obviously calculated to give the impression of American support for his party in the coming Israeli elections, and to cement political ties with conservative Zionist elements in the United States.
Om Deir Yassin:
A shocking example was their behavior in the Arab village of Deir Yassin. This village, off the main roads and surrounded by Jewish lands, had taken no part in the war, and had even fought off Arab bands who wanted to use the village as their base. On April 9 (THE NEW YORK TIMES), terrorist bands attacked this peaceful village, which was not a military objective in the fighting, killed most of its inhabitants (240 men, women, and children) and kept a few of them alive to parade as captives through the streets of Jerusalem.
Om Menachem Begins parti:
The Deir Yassin incident exemplifies the character and actions of the Freedom Party.
Within the Jewish community they have preached an admixture of ultranationalism, religious mysticism, and racial superiority. Like other Fascist parties they have been used to break strikes, and have themselves pressed for the destruction of free trade unions. In their stead they have proposed corporate unions on the Italian Fascist model.
Slutorden i brevet:
The undersigned therefore take this means of publicly presenting a few salient facts concerning Begin and his party; and of urging all concerned not to support this latest manifestation of fascism.
Einstein var alltså sionist, men inte någon vän av den ultranationalistiska och högerradikala sionism som Menachem Begin stod för. Menachem Begin blev långt senare Israels premiärminister. Einstein erbjöds själv posten som Israels president redan 1952, men tackade nej.
