top of page
Search

"This Week" – 57 Years Since the Passing of Levi Eshkol

Fifty-seven years ago this week, on February 26, 1969, Levi Eshkol passed away while serving as Prime Minister. This is a fitting opportunity to reflect on this remarkable and inspiring figure. In Israel’s collective memory, Eshkol is often relegated to a "gray corner," overshadowed by the messianic charisma of Ben-Gurion or the military aura of figures like Dayan and Rabin. He is primarily remembered for the "stuttering speech" on the eve of the Six-Day War—a moment perceived at the time as a sign of weakness, but which, in hindsight, perhaps revealed the most deeply human and responsible facet of his leadership.


Eshkol was not a man of dramatic oratory. He was a master of compromise, of "give and take," and possessed a sharp Yiddish wit that masked a surgical political intellect. While those around him were preoccupied with grand ideologies, Eshkol focused on "the pipes": he was the driving force behind the National Water Carrier, the establishment of the Port of Ashdod, and the stabilization of Israeli industry. He understood that a society is not built on vision alone, but on solid physical and economic infrastructure.


There is a profound historical irony in his legacy: it was Eshkol who prepared the IDF for the great victory of 1967. He invested heavily in building the military's strength and bolstering the Air Force, tightened the strategic alliance with the United States, and managed the "Waiting Period" (Hamatana) to ensure international legitimacy for the war. Yet, when victory arrived, the glory went to the generals in uniform. Eshkol remained in the public consciousness as the one who "hesitated," despite the fact that his actions were exactly what made the achievement possible.


I often wonder about that "stutter." On May 28, 1967, at the height of the tension preceding the war, Eshkol delivered a live radio address to the nation. Exhausted, and faced with a last-minute handwritten correction in the text, he faltered and stuttered slightly. That moment became etched in the public mind as an expression of indecisiveness and anxiety, contributing to the decision to hand the Defense portfolio to Moshe Dayan.


In today’s world, where leadership is often measured by the ability to deliver sharp, rapid-fire messages for social media, Eshkol’s stutter feels almost subversive. He didn't stutter because he didn't know what to say; he stuttered because he understood the immense gravity of his decisions. He knew that words could send people into a battle from which they might never return, and he refused to treat that responsibility lightly.


Beyond his pragmatism, Eshkol was the "National Reconciler." It was he who decided to bring the remains of Ze'ev Jabotinsky to Israel for burial—a move Ben-Gurion had adamantly rejected. Eshkol understood that a stable state cannot be built without mending internal rifts and creating space even for political rivals. He was the "responsible adult" who could bring polarized groups to the same table.


The question arises: are we capable today of appreciating leadership that doesn't strive to be "larger than life"? One that seeks results on the ground rather than adoration? Eshkol proved that one could be a shrewd and effective politician without losing the capacity to listen, to compromise, and to maintain personal humility.


👉Join one of my (quiet) Channels - Society, Culture & History:


Looking back at Eshkol through the lens of time, one thought remains: Do we need leaders who promise absolute security in a booming voice, or those who understand how complex and fragile reality truly is, and work quietly to build its foundations?


Photo: Levi Eshkol, 1895–1969


👉Join one of my (quiet) Channels - Society, Culture & History:



Comments

Comments
Share Your ThoughtsBe the first to write a comment.
bottom of page