Today, the Israeli Knesset pays tribute to our fellow countryman, the man who is a symbol of the foundation of the State of Israel – Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

The speaker of the Knesset, Israel's Prime Minister and head of the opposition will appear at the ceremonial meeting in honor of Ze’ev Jabotinsky.
Israel marks the 76th anniversary of the death of our countryman like this. Is this person well-known in Ukraine itself as he is remembered in Israel? I think it is worth reminding once again about his life.

Ze’ev Jabotinsky was born in Odessa in October, 18, 1880. A writer, bright publicist, poet, playwright, he became co-founder and ideologist of the Zionist movement, the founder of the Jewish Legion, the Etzel and Beitar organizations. He wrote his works in Russian and Hebrew.
In 1903 there were anti-Jewish pogroms on the territory of the Russian Empire. Jabotinsky became one of the first who did not fold his hands and founded the first Jewish self-defense troop. Later this experience came in useful to him in creating professional security organizations. Since that time he became an active Zionist and supported the idea of ​​a Jewish state.

Jabotinsky believed that a necessary condition for the foundation of a state is the “language issue”: he literally demanded the establishment of educational institutions, in which subjects will be taught in Hebrew. He believed that the revival of Hebrew promoted knowledge of the Jewish culture and the embodiment of the Zionist idea and he was right.

He called the foundation of a strong military force as another necessary condition, soduring the First World War, working as a correspondent in Turkey, he put forward the idea of ​​establishing a Jewish military force and the participation of the Jews as a side in the World War II. He said that the Zionists should take the side of the Entente and form a Jewish army as part of its forces, which would have participated in the liberation of Palestine and then became the framework of the organization of a Jewish state there. While in Egypt, together with Joseph Trumpeldor he formed the Jewish Legion as part of the British army. He also organized self-defense groups during the first Arab-Israeli conflicts.

Jabotinsky wanted to found a Jewish state on the both banks of the Jordan, the repatriation of all Jews, who wanted that, to Palestine, as well as the elimination of the Diaspora. He has openly called for the foundation of the State of Israel which would have a Jewish majority. Discoursing of the constitution of the future state, Jabotinsky saw in front of him a full civil equality and cultural autonomy for the Arab minority.
In 1923 the Beitar organization was founded. Its ideology was formed under the influence of the call to establish a Jewish legitimate army to protect the Jewish population of mandated Palestine. Members of the movement accepted the only banner (white and blue), same hymn (“Hatikvah”) and same Zionist worldview. These principles became the basis for the foundation of Israel. After the beginning of the Second World War, Jabotinsky was engaged in the formation of the Jewish army, which was to fight against Germany.

In addition to ideology, Jabotinsky left a great literary and philosophical heritage. He wrote poetry, short stories and novels, was engaged in translation. Do our contemporaries, except historians, know that such a person was born and lived on our land? Of course, the memory of Ze'ev Jabotinsky will live in Israel, but I really want Ukrainians to remember about their great compatriot.