Yitzhak Rabin Research Paper

Good morning/afternoon teachers and students, today I will be discussing the significance of my chosen modern personality, Yitzhak Rabin. In order to understand Yitzhak Rabin’s significance, we first need to acknowledge the historical context, rise to power, achievements and personality of Yitzhak Rabin.

Yitzhak Rabin is repeatedly stated to be the “soldier of peace” due to his desire to seek accord between Israel and Palestine, however this was not always the case. Yitzhak Rabin was one of the most prominent Israeli Presidents, as he was the first Jewish native born president, who ran in office from 1974 to 1977 and then served his second term in office in 1992 until 1995. Yitzhak was born on the 1st of March 1922 and was raised in a socialist

household, which would later influence the policies and decisions he made while in presidency.

Yitzhak enrolled in the military in 1938 at age 16, where he would gain nationalistic ideals from fighting Israel’s common enemy, Palestine. As a young man, Yitzhak held a deep resentment towards the Arabs, which would inspire him to become rooted in the military. Rabin found success in the military through his strategic mentality and in turn climbed the ranks, earning the title of chief of general staff in 1959. While in the military, Rabin sought nothing but war between Israel and the Arab states, however his desire to fight soon diminished, as he had firsthand experience on the atrocities of war and in turn sought peace with the Arabs. His newfound attitude of peace was carried into his presidency when he was elected in 1974, which is seen in many of his speeches, which are primary sources. For example, “I believe however that peace is attainable regardless of the Arabs mentality, society or government.” Yitzhak’s ambition for peace made him a significant character, as he was the only Israeli president to ever seek unity between the Arabs and Jews. Yitzhak was finally able to attain peace with Palestine in 1994, however in November 1995 Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist, Yigal Amir.

The significance of Yitzhak Rabin’s was finally recognized, as Yitzhak’s predecessor, Menachem Begin immediately declared war on Palestine, resulting in thousands of deaths and an on going conflict. Rabin’s legacy is one of most significance, as he has proven that peace is attainable between the Jews and Arabs.

Historical context is a major element that needs to be addressed in order to fully understand the significance of Yitzhak Rabin.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a religious and political war that first originated in 1948 when the United Nations, after British rule, created a separate Arab and Jewish state, due to the displacement of the Jews after World War 2. The Jews sought a new homeland and settled on a part of Palestine, as it traditionally belonged to the Jews, however the Arabs felt this was unfair and refused to give them land. The Jews originally inhabited the Palestine area prior to the conquest of the Ottoman Empire, who were fundamentally Arab-Muslims who caused the Jews to seek other lands such as Germany and Poland, where World War 2 largely took place. After World war 1, the Ottoman Empire collapsed from the conquest of Britain, which is when tensions between Arabs and Jews formed, as the British colonized both Arab and Jewish holy land and split territories instead of unifying them. The Arabs and Jews lived in harmony for a long period of time, as the Jews were situated across all of Europe, however the Holocaust cause the deaths of millions of Jews and in turn caused the Jews to relocate. Jewish nationalists called for a return to Zion, which is known as “Zionism”, which is the movement of the Jewish people to return to the “promised land”, which includes parts of Palestine. Yitzhak Rabin was born when tensions between the Arabs and Jews were forming and

was raised in a Zionist household, which would later influence his view on Palestine when he joined the military. Zionism is a nationalistic movement, meaning that the Jews had a national identity, which included the ideals of acquiring the sacred lands for the Jews, which in turn inspired many Jewish militias to form in order to fight against the oppression of British colonialism and Arab dictatorship. Jewish insurgents were prevalent throughout Rabin’s early life and are what inspired him and many other Jewish people to join the Militias, as they had a strong national identity. This is observed in The Boston Post, which is a secondary source, for example, “The Jewish people in Palestine who believe in and have been working toward this national state have become an immensely proud and determined people. It is already a truly great modern example of the birth of a nation with the primary ingredients of dignity and self-respect”. The Historical context of Zionism and the new formation of Jewish national identity contribute to Yitzhak Rabin’s significance, as they dictate his actions, for example, Rabin joined the military, as he has a strong sense of national identity frm being raised in a Zionist household.

Yitzhak Rabin’s rise to power is an integral factor, as it demonstrates the events that contributed to his significance.