The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership

by Yehuda Avner

The Prime Ministers is the first and only insider account of Israeli politics from the founding of the Jewish State to the near-present day. It reveals stunning details of life-and-death decision-making, top-secret military operations and high level peace negotiations. The Prime Ministers brings readers into the orbits of world figures, including Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Yasser Arafat, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Written in a captivating literary style by a political adviser, speechwriter and diplomat, The Prime Ministers is an enthralling political memoir, and a precisely crafted prism through which to view current Middle East affairs. The Prime Ministers is the basis of a major documentary produced by Moriah Films, the Academy Award-winning film division of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Genres: Israel, History, Nonfiction, Middle East, Politics, Biography, Jewish

731 pages, Hardcover

First published July 24, 2010

About the author

Yehuda Avner (Hebrew: יהודה אבנר‎; December 30, 1928 – March 24, 2015) was an Israeli prime ministerial advisor, diplomat, and author. He served as Speechwriter and Secretary to Israeli Prime Ministers Golda Meir and Levi Eshkol, and as Advisor to Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres. Avner served in positions at the Israeli Consulate in New York, and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, and as Israel’s Ambassador to Britain, Ireland and Australia.

Reviews

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong -- if you don't care much about Israel, or its history, or the personalities of some of its leaders, you probably won't want to slog through this 700+ page book. And if you're looking for something scholarly, erudite, copiously footnoted, academic, Michael Oren-ish, this book won't give you that either.

But. If you want a shmoozy read offering you an insider's perspective on what it was like to be a fly on several important prime ministers' walls, this is it. And if that sounds good to you, you probably won't mind this book's length because it entertains and informs throughout. I fell in love with Levi Eshkol, and gained a new respect for Rabin as a human being despite some of my doubts about his decisions. I fell under Menachem Begin's spell together with the author, and learned some things I didn't know about Golda Meir and the Yom Kippur War. And all of this learning was fun and painless. The book managed to be informative without being dry, and really gave me a sense of history. It was an enjoyable read and I closed the book feeling like I knew more than I did before I first opened it -- a lot more.

So again -- you may not love it as I did if you don't go into it with a preexisting interest in the subject. But if this book sounds like something you'd like, it probably is.

[Jean Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You feel like the author is sitting in an armchair across from you just telling story after story about fascinating Prime Ministers of Israel that he worked closely with through the years. Interesting history and stories that give insight to the politics of the time.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much to unpack here. First of all, this was one of my late father's books, so there's that. Secondly, I read much of it in shul on Yom Kippur this year including the parts that dealt with the war that began on the exact same day 44 years earlier. Avner's account is such a captivating and authentic, insider's look at this and other hugely momentous events that I found myself laughing and crying at different times as the delightful, gossipy anecdotes were interspersed with precisely recounted conversations from the highest echelons of government.

I have never had much love for Menachem Begin before now, but Avner frames him as a man acutely in touch with history and his Jewishness. His devotion to democracy and his faith is stated baldly and simply. His skills as an orator, parliamentarian and defender of the State of Israel are detailed with admiration and little embellishment. It is a loving, warm and human presentation and it rightly forms the backbone of the book.

And, throughout the whole thing, there is Yehuda Avner himself, humble yet undeniably remarkable. This is the kind of inside storytelling that we won't see often again and it's brilliantly done.

Oddly, this was the second book in a row to namecheck someone I know. Last time around, it was a fictional character, this time a shout-out in the acknowledgements to an editor. Who knows what's next?

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding memoir by a man who was on the inside for all of Israel's prime ministers. Avner has an amazing memory and recounts a life full of significant and important people and events in the history of the state of Israel with verve, humor, and insight.

If you love Israel you will love this book.

[Andrew Bryson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intimate peek at Israel's formative years through the eyes of former aide to prime ministers and ambassador to the UK, Yehuda Avner. Avner assisted Israel's first 5 PM's Ben Gurion, Eshkol, Meir, Rabin and Begin. While they all contributed greatly to the establishment and development of the State of Israel, Begin shines through as an uncompromising leader, whose commitment to the Jewish people and its borders was unwavering.

This is compelling reading for anyone interested in the human side of Israel's struggles and there have been lots of struggles. Well written, with lots of historical speeches and meetings faithfully reproduced. The book is difficult to put down and will bring a smile to faces and some tears. A must read.

[Avraham Anouchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a superb historical documentation of outstanding prime ministers.

[Ishan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the toughest books in terms of vocabulary that i have read. Maybe i am not that advanced reader but i really like the vocabulary usage in the book by the author. The thoroughness and detail about each scene and instance is very neatly and detailed from the Author's perspective of-course.

The characterisation of each prime minister and their methodologies, beliefs, working style, attitude, approach to USA government, relationships within the cabinet and relationships with America counterpart (presidents) is quite interesting to read and understand the dynamics.

The book evolves from each prime ministers period at the realm but i believe Author has a special corner towards Menachem Begin which to me was easily visible. Also the author's relationship with MB was quite fascinating and top-notch.

It is a good read for someone who likes to read about day to day routines and wit of Prime Ministers specially in this case for Israel obviously. If you are having no bias towards this region or the whole Palestine-Israel dynamics then it could be a good read

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superbly written book. Avner writes in an engaging manner, that feels as if the story is constantly unfolding. I also learned so much about the history of Israel that I was kind of saddened that I didn't know before. This really is a must read for an accurate picture of the history of Israel.

[Jan Rice]

This 700-page book is a book club selection. I decided to read as much as I could in a week. I made it through about 350 pages including Part 1, before and during the founding of the state of Israel. After that, I wanted to read the part concerning the Jimmy Carter-led negotiations, but I got confused, leading to starting a little early and picking up some of the Rabin-Nixon and then Rabin-Ford eras. I would have liked to read the part that dealt with the 1956 Suez crisis since that impacted the events in another book I recently finished (Out of Egypt), but my time ran out. (Not only did I want to limit my time with the book to a week at this point, but also I decided to return it to the library to give another book club member a crack at it.)

The book is a quick read, considering. The author came from Britain as a teenager and was involved with the founding of Israel and the War of Independence. He subsequently became a speech writer and advisor to five prime ministers and also was an ambassador. He must have kept copious diaries, and also he used historical records and the published accounts of other political figures. More to the point, he writes with feeling in this insider account. That's why I was able to make it through half the book in a week (in addition to accomplishing my other ordinary activities and working on a writing project I had at the time). The book kept my eyes open and kept me turning the pages.

I remember from the book the Altalena affair and near-civil war between Irgun and the forces of the new government, but Begin took a principled stance against civil war ever, even at the cost of arrests and some loss of life of his men. That impressed me. What if there were leadership like that now that could stop civil war in the event the wishes of settlers were thwarted?

I remember that the author presented documents showing that Rabin was manipulated by Kissinger and Sadat and got the short end of a deal--concessions without cessation of hostilities.

I remember a humorous episode in which the author was with Rabin at a Ford state banquet. The author was eating kosher, and while everyone else was eating roasted pheasant or whatever, he got an ostentatiously huge sparkly vegetarian salad composed of a slab of iceberg lettuce and mounded cottage cheese with fruit. Apparently it was before the days of more savory vegetarian fare. When the author's meal attracted attention, Rabin let on that it was Avner's birthday, so he had to suffer through the assembled guests singing "happy birthday" to him (mispronouncing his name in the bargain)--all because Rabin had to hide the fact that he wasn't eating kosher because it could affect his coalition with the religious parties back home.

I remember the concern that Kissinger was conflicted about being a Jew; that he might bend over backward and go to opposite extremes to avoid charges of bias; and that there were stories that Nixon cut him down to size with nasty remarks about his Jewish roots when he thought he was getting too big for his britches. I do remember, though, that the parties involved thought that Kissinger did in fact understand the Middle East and was the only one who really did.

Under Carter the White House kitchen served Begin its first ever kosher banquet, which involves not only the types of food served but also the official kashering of the kitchen. So no further salad surprises and fake happy birthdays.

I remember the Israeli parties' contempt for Jimmy Carter's lack of understanding of the Middle East and that he also had a rather grandiose estimation of his own expertise. In some of the excerpts from his published books, Carter does come off as arrogant. Also, in his interactions with Begin he would lead off with grandiloquent and sweeping statements that failed to pan out. In contrast, The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace focused more on Carter's sheer persistence. Carter's misreading of what he had before him sounds pretty consistent with not knowing what to expect from Begin and Sadat according to Lawrence Wright's new book Thirteen Days in September per an NPR review I read/heard, so it would be helpful to get to that, too. Eventually.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 18 years old, British-born Yehuda Avner sailed on the rusting steamship, the Aegean Star, for the land of Palestine. Tired of the increasing anti-Semitism in his hometown and inspired by passionate supporters of a Jewish homeland, including the fiery Menachem Begin, Avner settled in Palestine. Little did he guess that his British background and his skillful powers of articulation would lead him to become an advisor and speechwriter to Israeli prime ministers including Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin. In that role, he was privy to and recorded countless conversations of major historical consequence: Testy talks between Rabin and Jimmy Carter; between Begin and Ronald Reagan, and confidences shared by Golda Meir to Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci.

Avner's book is part memoir but more significantly, a fascinating and illuminating history spanning the years from Israel's birth as a modern state through the early 1980s, when Avner became ambassador to England. The book is filled with revealing conversations and history that only someone whose job was to be there and record the events could possibly know.

While Avner worked for all the prime ministers mentioned above, he worked longest for Menachem Begin, and more than half the book is about Begin: from his early years working against the British to help Israel gain independence, his years living underground so as to keep the British from arresting him, his political fights with left-wing adversaries, and his seemingly come-from-behind political victory and years as prime minister. I was moved to learn much I did not know about Begin, in particular, his ability to put Jewish brotherhood above any personal or political end: while he could easily have held a grudge against Rabin, who ordered the Palmach to fire on the ship the Altalena, from which Begin was sailing with other Irgun fighters, Begin never withheld support while Rabin was prime minister during wartime. The two grew to have great respect for one another.

The book may contain more detailed reconstructions of conversations than some may have wanted, but Avner's front-row seat through decades of modern Israeli history is often riveting, including the true history behind the successful Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear power plant at Osirik; the daring and dangerous raid on Entebbe; and the ongoing battle on the part of prime ministers to make American presidents understand the true needs for Israeli security.

The section that deals with the friendship that grew between Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat is especially touching, as is the heartfelt letters exchanged by Menachem Begin and Jehan Sadat, widow of Anwar Sadat, after the death of Begin's wife, Aliza.
This is just about as good as first-person history can get.

[Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yehuda Avner has lived an amazing life. He was in Jerusalem during the War of independence, served directly with four Prime Ministers, interacted with US Presidents and clearly was immersed in numerous historical moments. I would love to meet with him and just listen- ok I would also pose lots of questions.

Having said that, and knowing I would really like this guy, his book seriously disappointed me. In large part, the breath taking stories he refers to , have often been told better by others. I learned very little that was new. As an example, the authors love of Begin is fine, but a bit over the top. He sugar coats some of the opposing views, Begin's towering intellect, will power and eloquence comes thru, but the arguments of his opponents are not as well articulated here. Begin was able to stand up to these arguments in real life, but the nature of his intellectual triumphs are understated in Avner's book in direct proportion to the authors understating the voices of Begin's detractors. I had also hoped to learn more about Begin after his resignation and to learn more of his reasons for his subsequent silence- had Begin lost his mental capacities?, was he bitter?, did he conclude in the end he was wrong? As close as Avner was to Begin, The author says he does not know. So I suspect I would love to dialog with Avner, but I was disappointed with his work product .

[Rachel Sharf · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and easy read about a fascinating time in Israeli history - described through the lens of the people in charge at the time, the prime ministers. Yahuda Avner, the author, was a speech writer for Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Ytshak Rabin'd first term as prime minister and Menahem Begin.
I had several issues with this book:

1. The author's political affilliation shines through. Above all he admires Menahem Begin, of the right, Likud party. In my opinion it is not the balanced view of the historian.

2. What is it with the quotation marks ""? On every page he refers to conversations he heard or participated in 50, 40 ,30 years ago, all in quotation marks. Even if he kept a journal I doubt it that he could have all the long conversations remebered 100%. As an insider in the circle of these prime ministers I suspect a lot of what he's talking about are probably just recollections of conversations.

3. Why did he need 725 pages to tell the story. It could have easily been condensed in 500 pages.

All in all an interesting book for history and especially Israeli history fans.

[Robin Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice take on the first years of the Jewish state, Israel, by the speech editor to four of Israel's prime ministers. Begin comes off quite well, as does Sadat, Rabin, Eshkol, and Nixon. LBJ and Kissinger come off rather well too, but Carter seems like a total jerk, with Regan not that much better.

The most important part of the book concerns the personalities, and after a while I noticed that they form patterns, that mesh with behavior. Reading through the stories, I notice that some people like Israel and some do not, basically from the get-go. That people who are casual and interested, like Nixon and LBJ tend to be good working partners. People who show off with big formal welcomes, often turn out to be jerks, and those with world-changing, anti Israel goals are the worst.

A major disappointment is that this book, though written in 2010, ends effectively in 1983, 27 years earlier. The author would have seen and worked with the Clintons, the Bushes, Obama, McCain, and Biden, but none of these individuals show up in the book.

[Yossi Khebzou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though it is 700 pages long but it reads like a novel because of Avner’s unique writing style, making it not daunting and a easy read. It should be noted that the author quotes directly from his notes of his time as Secretary of four Israeli Prime Ministers, so there’s a lot of first-hand, previously unknown material. Nevertheless, there is a bias that it isn’t hard to discern in favor of PM Begin (he even describes him in the introduction as “Israel’s most extraordinary Prime Minister”) and contains a lot of official Israeli historiography. It is an excellent book if you’re looking to understand the changing political scene in Israel from Levi Eshkol to Menachem Begin. Do not read it looking for history of Israel relations to its neighbors.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and even for someone like me who has read a lot of Israeli history I learned a lot. Mostly I learned that Menachem Begin wasn't as bad of a guy as I thought. The bombing of the King David Hotel and the massacre at Deir Yassin aren't exactly things I could condone, but the book definitely softens things and brings out the great things he did for Israel and her neighbors. Written by someone who was politically opposite of Begin at the time, his praise for Begin means that much more.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know when you read a politcial book that should be dull and it's a page turner that's impossible to put down? That was this book for me. I was completely astounded by the interest I had in the book. I did not expect to love it at all, but when I started I was drawn in by the lives of some very important men and women in Israel's history. At times the author's Menachim Begin love became a bit irritating, but he generally showed the Prime Ministers as who they were and how he experienced working with them. This book is also useful in understanding some of the history of Modern Israel.

[Fred Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yehuda Avner is a cornerstone of Israeli politics - and I'd never heard of him. 20 years in the prime minister's office, working for 4 PMs; 3 future PMs also appear in his story. Met 5 American presidents (Nixon->Reagan, with Truman post-presidency), and includes lots of juicy details about each of them.
He humanizes these political leaders and lets you see them as people, which always makes history more interesting than facts on a timeline.
His viewpoint may be biased, but he sheds light on closed-door discussions that historians could previously only dream about.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining, and feels like a quick read even though at 600 pages or so it isn't really. The author is biased and not always clear you are getting the truth, but he has a lot of interesting insights from being on the inside of the Israeli govt for so long. There were also some very funny scenes as well.

[Susan KG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never would have imagined that this 700 page account of the years that Yehuda Avner spent working with four of Israel's prime ministers would read so easily, and that I would have a hard time putting it down. It was fascinating to learn more about Menachem Begin, and especially to read about his meetings with Presidents Carter and Reagan. Well-written and highly recommended.

[Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, gives some insight into Israeli politics and recent (past 60-70) years.

But I can't take it too seriously given it is a one sided view of history. Even knowing this, I still felt it was too biased in some places.

[K C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific insight, fly on the wall observations of 30+ years of Israeli history. Incredibly well written and a must read for anyone with any interest at all in Israeli poliitics and history.

[Chesky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic portrayal the author make s you feel like you are his guest for dinner and he is talking about the events in this life. Acquired great admiration for Begin and Sharet.

[Sharon]

My Lendle time ran out so I need to buy this to finish it.
Very impressed and upto where I've read is definitely a 4 * rating.

[Hersh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating anecdotes revolving around Israeli and world leaders. Moves fast despite the 700+ pages.
Had the sense that warts (with the exception of Shimon Peres) are overlooked.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great anecdotes. Not a history. More of a memoir/collection of anecdotes. But really interesting.

[Michelle Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insider look at Israel's early leaders. I could have done without some of the unnecessary details like what Yehuda Avner ate at this or that particular event.

[Jonah Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

could not put this 700+ page book down. Must reading!!

[Meir Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book, but only for a very limited perspective of the Israeli story.

Note: While the book technically covers four prime ministers, over half the 700-page book (about 370 pages) is about Begin, while the first 100 pages are the somewhat less interesting story of the author's own biography.

The book is based on the author's personal contacts with four Israeli Prime Ministers-- Levi Eshkol. Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Menahem Begin--roughly covering the crucial years 1963-1984, and covering the PMs' reactions to almost every major political event in those years. It is chock full of amusing, insightful and fascinating anecdotes from these complex figures, plus glimpses at the way US presidents from Nixon to Reagan addressed the Middle East.

For those who know the history, this is a great look into the Prime Ministers' personality and leadership. However, if you are less acquainted with the history, definitely do not make this the book to start with, and do not expect a comprehensive look at the events. The book is almost entirely anecdotal, so any aspect of the events (most notably, the Arab and Palestinian sides) that doesn't directly touch the PM is essentially ignored. And, of course, the author has his own biases, as when he shows a firm (rightly so) sensitivity to antisemitism, but leaves a long anti-Muslim rant by two British officials without commentary.

So this book accomplishes well what it sets out to be: a biographical sketch of some of Israel's most important figures. It is not, nor is it trying to be, any kind of comprehensive history, but it is a good complement to more rigorous histories, and I'm quite certain there is much in this book that cannot be found anywhere else. It is well-written and many stories and personalities will be unforgettable to those who read it.

[Chris Nonymis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a superbly written account of Israeli political history told from the perspective of its political leaders. The author is in a position unlike anyone else to tell this history in a convincing way, as a speechwriter born and raised in Manchester who served four (five counting his advisory role for Peres) successive Israeli prime ministers, possessing the unique combination of literary skills required to maintain an entertaining narrative and development of characters, and the extraordinary insight into the backroom of the prime ministers of Israel who oversaw some of the most crucial moments in the survival of this young country in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of the world. The book comes closest to being a biography of sorts, but with an author who is well aware that his perspective should not supercede that of the larger characters around him. In my personal opinion the first half of the book, detailing the conflict between Ben-Gurion and Begin and the periods of government under Eshkol, Meir and Rabin, is by far the most interesting and compelling part, as it deals with the anxieties of being a small state in an incredibly hostile regional but also international environment without any real allies. One of the most interesting elements in this part of the book is the development of the relationship between Israel and the United States and the role of Henry Kissinger, including a bonus psycho-analytic account of the secretary of state. The second half reads - somewhat disappointingly - as a biography of Menachem Begin, a hugely controversial character in Israel and worldwide. The most interesting element of this part of the book is the unlikely friendship between Begin and former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated shortly after the peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt.