Menachem Begin מנחם בגין

Menachem Begin was born in Brest-Litovsk in 5673, was a disciple of Jabotinsky and head of the Betar youth movement in Poland. In 5700 the NKVD arrested him in Vilna; he served in a camp in northern Russia and was released under the amnesty for Poles, reaching the Land of Israel with Anders' army. His parents and brother perished in the Holocaust.

In 5704 he took command of the Irgun and declared revolt against the British Mandate. The bombing of the King David Hotel, attacks on military targets, the hanging of British sergeants in reprisal—methods for which he was called a terrorist and which he justified as the only course left. In 5708 he obeyed the order to disband the underground, averting civil war after the Altalena.

Then came twenty-nine years in opposition. In 5737 the Likud won—the "upheaval" that ended Labour's monopoly. Eighteen months later Begin signed peace with Egypt at Camp David, returning Sinai and dismantling settlements, and shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Sadat.