60a. Meeting of the Government of Israel; Jerusalem,
29 May 1960
ISA/RG 77/G/12968/10
Isser Harel, the head of the Mossad, the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, reports on the circumstances of Adolf Eichmann's capture. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and other ministers emphasize that the trial should disclose the full picture of the Holocaust in order to remind the public in Israel and all nations of the Nazi crimes towards the Jews. The trial should be public, but it must be a fair one, not a 'show trial'. Discussion regarding the preparations for the trial.
60. Letters concerning Moshe Pearlman's book: "The Capture of Adolf Eichmann"
Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office, to Isser Harel, Head of the Mossad, the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations; Jerusalem, 2 November 1960
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/4
Reports on a meeting of Prime Minister Ben-Gurion with the journalist Moshe (Moish) Pearlman, who had previously served as his adviser and head of the Information Services in the Prime Minister's Office, about his book on the capture of Eichmann. In the light of comments by the prime minister and Harel on sections of the book mentioning the abduction of Eichmann and his transfer to Israel, Pearlman will not mention the Israeli government's role in the process. Kollek notes that it is important that the book appear before the trial, to assist in shaping public opinion.
Moshe Pearlman to Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office; [Jerusalem], 8 November 1960 (In English)
ISA/RG43.4 /G7275/5
Pearlman's reaction to the demand for changes in his book.
61. Record of a Meeting between Gideon Hausner, the Attorney-General and Commander Avraham Selinger, Head of Bureau 06; 22 November 1960
ISA/RG 79/A/3062/1
Subjects discussed included preparations for the trial and issues such as cooperation between the police and the prosecution, the use of Eichmann's memoirs as published in 'Life" magazine, Bonn's apprehensions about reports that the trial will be filmed and may become a 'show trial'. Hausner reported on his meeting with the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of justice, and their requests to focus on certain points, such as emphasizing Nazi racist ideology in order to win support for Israel in Africa, downplaying the role of the Allies, emphasizing the connection between Eichmann and the mufti of Jerusalem, etc. (See also Document No. 39.)
61a. Meeting of the Government of Israel; Jerusalem,
4 December 1960
ISA/RG 77/G/12969/6
Discussion of the question presented by Pinhas Rosen, the minister of justice, whether to enable Adv. Servatius to meet with Adolf Eichmann in private, without a policeman listening to their conversations. Rosen and Attorney-General Hausner support Servatius' request, in order to prevent criticism of Israel abroad and to preserve the rules of a fair trial. Isser Harel, the head of the Mossad, objects to the proposal, due to his knowledge of Servatius' links with neo-Nazi groups and his fears that he will forward messages from them to Eichmann that will jeopardize the possibility of learning from him about additional Nazi criminals, or direct him to commit suicide. Most of the ministers support Harel's position arguing that this is a special case, and because, according to Ben-Gurion, despite the need to conduct a fair trial, they should not fear 'what the Gentiles will say'. The government decides by a majority not to allow Eichmann's lawyer to meet with his client privately, and to continue the practice of stationing a policeman to listen to their conversations (see Document No. 56). Also includes discussion on State financing for the defence (see Document No. 63).
62. Pinhas Rosen, Minister of Justice, to Binyamin Eliav, Consul-General in New York; Jerusalem, 26 December 1960
ISA/RG 74/3145/1
After consultation with the prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs and others it was decided to contact Professor Salo Baron and request that he testify as a historical expert on East European Jewry before the Holocaust. Eliav is requested to specify to him the topics of his testimony and the questions that he will be asked.
63. Meeting of the Government of Israel; Jerusalem,
1 January 1961
ISA/RG 77/G/12969/8
A discussion on several issues related to the Eichmann trial. It was decided that the government of Israel will bear the costs of Eichmann's lawyer in the amount of $20,000. Preparations for passing a law regarding the death sentence, due to the claim that the present legal situation does not allow carrying out the death sentence in Israel.
64. Moshe Sharett, Chairman of 'Am Oved' Publishing House, to Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office; Jerusalem, 14 January 1961
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/4
Request to confirm in writing that the prime minister has read the manuscript of Moshe (Moish) Pearlman's book about the capture of Eichmann and inserted corrections, so that it can be published by 'Am Oved'.
65. Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office, to Golda Meir, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Jerusalem, 15 February 1961
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/4
In response to Meir's request not to mention Argentina in Moshe Pearlman's book about the capture of Eichmann, explains that this request is not realistic. Describes the steps taken to ensure that the Israeli government is not linked with the capture in the book. Publishing it will help to explain the background to the affair and to shape public opinion according to Israel's wishes.
66. Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office, to (Felix) Eliezer Shinnar, Head of the Israel Mission in Cologne; Jerusalem, 14 March 1961
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/5
Talks conducted among government leaders, with Prime Minister Ben-Gurion among them, on the sensitivity of West Germany regarding the Eichmann trial, in the light of Chancellor Adenauer's forthcoming visit to the United States, and on the possibility that the government of Israel will publish a statement that will emphasize the difference between Adenauer's Germany and the Germany represented by Eichmann.
67. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to Gideon Hausner, Attorney-General and Prosecutor in the Eichmann Trial; Jerusalem, 28 March 1961
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/1
Ben-Gurion's comments on the draft of Hausner's opening address at the trial, which was given to him to read. He emphasizes that it is important to use the term 'Nazi Germany', rather than 'Germany', in order to distinguish between Germany in the past and that of the present (see also Document No. 81).
68. Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office, to Gideon Hausner, Attorney-General and Prosecutor in the Eichmann Trial; Jerusalem, 21 April 1961
ISA/RG 43.4/G/6384/5
Congratulates Hausner on his opening address at the trial and notes the great response to it around the world. Notes that the conduct of the proceedings proves that it is a genuine trial and not a 'show trial'.
69. Meeting of the Government of Israel; Jerusalem,
7 May 1961
ISA/RG 77/G/12969/11
Gideon Hausner, the attorney-general and the prosecutor in the Eichmann trial participated in the meeting. Hausner presents the difficulties of including in the trial issues that are not directly connected to Eichmann, such as the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, due to the judges' opposition. However his view is that it is impossible to tell the story of the Holocaust without referring to them. Discussion on the proposal to provide two defence witnesses from Germany with a Nazi past with immunity from prosecution according to the law for prosecuting the Nazis and their collaborators. The government voted by a narrow majority (6:5) to approve giving them immunity.
70. Shabtai Rosenne, Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the Israel Missions Abroad; Jerusalem, 26 May 1961
ISA/RG 130.23/MFA/3352/9
It has been decided at the highest levels that during the testimony on the destruction of Hungarian Jewry in the Eichmann trial, the Jewish Agency's reaction to the Holocaust, Weizmann's efforts to save the Hungarian Jews and the British refusal to take the appropriate military and political action will be revealed for the first time. After this Eichmann's links to the mufti of Jerusalem would be exposed.
71. Meeting of the Government of Israel; Jerusalem,
29 May 1962
ISA/RG 77/A/8182/1
Discussion on the government's position regarding a recommendation to President Ben-Zvi on the issue of granting Eichmann a pardon or commuting his sentence. Gideon Hausner, the attorney-general and the prosecutor in the Eichmann trial, participated in the discussion. Ben-Gurion reports on his meeting with Martin Buber and on letters he had received on the subject. Ministers Levi Eshkol and Yosef Burg express their reservations on carrying out the death sentence, but the government decides in the end unanimously not to recommend to the president commuting Eichmann's sentence.