Even today, I see people on social media denouncing former Israeli PM Menachem Begin as a "Fascist," echoing critiques made by his Socialist Zionist rivals, famously including Albert Einstein and Hannah Arendt.
The Fascist label was obviously unfair. After all, Begin sat peacefully in opposition in the Knesset for almost three decades, was elected PM, and then voluntarily resigned. This is not the behavior of a Fascist.
But I didn't know much more than that about Begin's political career. So I found a new article by Maya Mark, about Begin's struggle against Emergency Law during Israel's early years, of great interest. Mark focuses on Begin's opposition to emergency legislation that limited due process and other rights, and concludes that it was a product of sincere commitment to liberal democracy. That said, his own party was a potential target of the government, so there was an element of self-interest as well.
