“Beware of the fighting Jew – he who commands the few against the many. He is a human being  – the son of a Jewish mother, that most marvelous of all God’s creatures, with all the softness of her love and the heavy burden of her concern. The fighting Jew loves all children – Arab children, too. He loves books, loves liberty, and hates war: like Garibaldi. But he is prepared to fight for liberty. And if you ever raise a hand against this people, know this: the fighting Jew is fearless, his heart is of steel, his hands are trained for war and his fingers for battle.”

Menachem Begin, quoted in Ned Temko’s brilliant book ‘To Win Or To Die – A Personal Portrait of Menachem Begin’. Published over 20 years ago, it is not a widely available but it can be found. A can Zvi Harry’s Begin: His Life, Words And Deeds. Both are great reads about a great man. Oh to have more like him today.