Benzion Netanyahu, the father of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, died yesterday:
Born Benzion Mileikowsky in Warsaw, Poland, in 1910 and moving to Mandatory Palestine in 1920, Netanyahu was a devout follower of revisionist Zionist leader Zeev Jabotinsky, who advocated Jewish military strength and the establishment of a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan River. Netanyahu served as his personal aide until Jabotinsky’s death in 1940.
He then edited right-wing Jewish publications and earned a Ph.D in history from Dropsie College in Philadelphia. Later, he was a professor of Jewish history and Hebrew literature at the University of Denver and Cornell University, where he served as chairman of the department of Semitic languages and literature.
He and his wife Tzila had three sons, Benjamin, Yoni, who was killed in an operation to free Israeli hostages from an Entebbe, Uganda airport in 1976, and Iddo, a doctor and playwright.
More at Israel Matzav.
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Comments
OMG, I had to re-read that headline. You scared me. We cannot afford to lose Benjamin Netanyahu right now. Then I re-read the headline, breathed a sigh of relief and said a prayer for his family.
That’s why I put “at age 102” in the headline.
Same here, Rose. For a nanosecond I thought, “Oh my God … No!!”
My condolences to Bibi and his family. Those parents raised some great children.
Condolences to the Netanyahu family for such a great loss. Benzion Netanyahu fought the great fight, and he ran the race to the end. There is a crown laid up in glory for him.
He was a great man and the father of great men. Although he lost his son during the Entebbe raid, he was rewarded by having a son who died a hero. He was doubly rewarded with a son who shows tremendous clarity, love of country and passion. Boruch dayan ha-emet.
May his memory be a blessing.
Sympathies to the Netanyahu family.
I pray that the age of “102” is a sign of hereditary longevity for the prime minister.
“Yanuach Beshalom Al Mishkavo” – ינוח על משכבו בשלום