South African born Professor Asher Susser recently gave an outstanding lecture in the ESRA/IBCA 'Balfour to Ben Gurion' series. Although British Ambassador Matthew Gould was due to introduce Professor Susser, he unfortunately had to absent himself, as he was to receive an honorary doctorate at Ben Gurion University of the Negev the same evening. His deputy, Rob Dixon, took his place. Mr. Dixon, an historian and a fluent Hebrew speaker, introduced Professor Susser with great warmth and enthusiasm. He obviously knew what to expect. 

Professor Susser was born in South Africa and immigrated to Israel as a youngster fifty years ago. He has been teaching modern Middle Eastern History at Tel Aviv University (TAU) since 1980. A Fulbright Fellow and visiting professor at a number of American Universities, he has written extensively on Israeli/Palestinian issues and was selected Tel Aviv University’s Humanities Outstanding Lecturer. He is currently Senior Fellow of the Moshe Dayan Center, TAU, of which he was director for twelve years.

The subject of Susser’s lecture was 'Israel's Creation - Thanks to or Despite the British Mandate'. For this he drew together the strands of the 26-year-long British Mandate in Palestine, with amazing dexterity. 

His reference to The Balfour Declaration was an education in itself. He pointed out the sentence contained in Balfour's letter to Lord Rothschild: "His Majesty's Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish People … it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine…"

He also noted that "…the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish People" does not specify where it should be located. He quipped, "It could be Ramat Aviv Gimel".  

However familiar the predominantly British audience was with the notable events including the bombing of the King David Hotel, the assassination of the British District Commissioner, Lewis Andrews, and the subsequent street riots, Professor Susser gave a crystal clear overview of how the Mandate influenced the creation of the State. His conclusion was that had there not been a British Mandate, there would not have been a State of Israel.

The 90-minute lecture held its audience spellbound. As Brenda Katten, ESRA’s Chairperson, pointed out in her words of thanks, "how we all must envy Professor Susser's students."

Jane Krivine chairs the ESRA Caesarea/Zichron branch and ESRA’s Media Committee; she is also regional coordinator of ESRA North. 

Caption:

Deputy British Ambassador Rob Dixon and Professor Asher Susser at the ESRA/IPCA lecture.