The late Teddy Kollek reportedly spied for Britain
against the hard-line Jewish underground in British Mandate Palestine. Citing
declassified documents, Yediot Achronot reported Thursday that Kollek, who
is best remembered as Jerusalem’s longest-serving mayor, had spent much of the
1940s passing information to the British authorities that helped them crack down
on Etzel and Lehi fighters. At the time Kollek was a senior figure
with the Jewish Agency, which was largely aligned with the more moderate Zionist
movements Haganah and Palmach. One of Etzel’s leaders, Menachem Begin, topped
Britain’s wanted list, eluded capture and went on to become Israeli prime
minister. According to Yediot, Israeli diplomats asked Britain’s government
archives to keep the files on Kollek sealed while he was still alive. Asked
about the report, Kollek’s son Amos told the newspaper, “Dad never spoke of his
activities during that period.”
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