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Shmuel "Mooki" Katz (Hebrew: שמואל "מוקי" כץ 9 December 1914 – 9 May 2008[1]) was an Israeli writer, historian and journalist.[2] Prior to the formation of the State of Israel, he was a Zionist activist and member of the high command of Irgun, a proscribed paramiltary group. He was a member of the first Knesset and is also known for his biography of Jewish leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky.[3]
Shmuel Katz | |
|---|---|
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 1949–1951 | Herut |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 December 1914 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Died | 9 May 2008 (aged 93) |
Biography
editKatz was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents were Alexander and Luba Katz.[4] In 1930, he joined the Betar movement. In 1936, Katz immigrated to Mandatory Palestine as the secretary of Michael Haskel, the South African honorary consul.[5] Soon after his arrival, he joined the Irgun. In 1939, he was sent to London by Ze'ev Jabotinsky to speak on issues concerning Palestine. While there he founded the revisionist publication “The Jewish Standard” and was its editor, 1939 to 1941, and in 1945.[6]
In 1946, Katz returned to Mandatory Palestine and joined the HQ of the Irgun where he was active in the aspect of foreign relations. He was one of the seven members of the high command of the Irgun,[7] as well as a spokesman of the organization.[8][9] Katz also served as Irgun commander in Jerusalem during the War of Independence.[10] Menachem Begin writes in "The Revolt" that Katz "was the officer responsible for Jerusalem until the dissolution of the military regiments of the Irgun Zvai Leumi."[11]
Political career
editIn 1977, Katz became "Adviser to the Prime Minister for Information Abroad" to Menachem Begin. He accompanied Begin on two trips to Washington, D.C., and was asked to explain some points to President Jimmy Carter.[12] He quit this task on January 5, 1978, because of differences with the cabinet over peace proposals[13] with Egypt.[14] Katz was then active with the Tehiya party for some years and later with Herut – The National Movement after it split away from the ruling Likud.[15]
Literary career
editKatz's Battleground: Fact and Fantasy in Palestine describes the roots of the Arab–Israeli conflict and claims to refute anti-Zionist myths and Arab propaganda. Katz is the author of a two-volume biography of Jabotinsky entitled Lone Wolf, A Biography of Vladimir (Ze'ev) Jabotinsky.[3] In addition, he published a regular column for many years in The Jerusalem Post.[16]
Published works
editBooks
edit- Days of Fire (1966, Hebrew; 1968, English edition by Doubleday)[17]
References
edit- ^ "Former Herut MK Shmuel Katz, 93, Passes Away - News Briefs Arutz Sheva". www.israelnationalnews.com. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ Library Journal
- ^ a b The Best Biography of Jabotinsky: The Lone Wolf Jewish Post
- ^ Shmuel Katz, an Opponent of Begin’s Peace Effort, Dies at 93
- ^ Katz memoir
- ^ Shmuel Katz on the Knesset website
- ^ 'France Accused Of Supporting Palestine Terrorists: Jewish Leader Tells Of Murder Plot', The Times, Friday, March 18, 1966; pg. 11; Issue 56583; col F.
- ^ Seliktar, Ofira (2002). Divided We Stand: American Jews, Israel, and the Peace Process. Praeger/Greenwood. ISBN 0-275-97408-1 (p. 39)
- ^ Terence Smith, New York Times, June 27, 1977
- ^ Shmuel Katz, Days of Fire, Steimatsky's Agency, 1966, p. 258
- ^ Menachem Begin, The Revolt, Steimatsky's Agency, 1951, p. 73
- ^ The New York Times, January 6, 1978, Adviser to Begin quits
- ^ Michael Knipe, 'Settlements continue to spring up in Sinai', The Times, Friday, January 6, 1978; pg. 4; Issue 60203; col G.
- ^ Masalha, Nur (2000). Imperial Israel and the Palestinians: The Politics of Expansion. Pluto Press. ISBN 0-7453-1615-8 (p. 80)
- ^ "The Loss of Shmuel Katz Archived 2008-06-02 at the Wayback Machine"
- ^ Jager, Elliot (May 10, 2008). "Shmuel Katz dies at 93". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ^ "Exposing Allied perfidy," Medoff, Rafael. Jerusalem Post, 11 June 2008, p. 15.
External links
edit- Shmuel Katz on the Knesset website
- Fact and Fantasy in the Holy Land EretzYisrael.Org
- AFSI Honors Shmuel Katz MidEast Outpost
- Shmuel Katz: Recent articles Archived 2008-10-12 at the Wayback Machine Freeman Center for Strategic Studies