The following statement was read on The Voice of Fighting Zion Radio May 15, 1948, by Menachem Begin on the day after Israel was reborn, the day the surrounding countries attacked. From The Irgun Zevai Leumi by David Niv.
And you, brothers of our fighting family,
do you remember how we started?
With what we started?
" You were alone and persecuted, rejected, despised and numbered with the transgressors but you fought on with deep faith and did not retreat; you were tortured but did not surrender; you were cast into prison but you did not yield; you were exiled from your country but your spirit was not crushed; you were driven to the gallows but went forth with a song.
You have written a glorious page in history... You will not recall past grievances; you will ask for no reward. But for the time being let us think of the battle, for only the outcome of the battle will decide our fate and future.
We shall go on our way into battle, soldiers of the L-rd of Hosts, inspired by the spirits of our ancient heros, from the conquerors of Canaan to the rebels of Judah.
We shall be accompanied by the spirit of those who revived our Nation, Zev Benjamin Herzl, Max Nordau, Joseph Trumpeldor and the father of resurrected Hebrew heroism, Zev Jabotinsky.
We shall be accompanied by the spirit of David Raziel, greatest of the Hebrew commanders of our day, and by Dov Gruner, one of the greatest of Hebrew soldiers.
We shall be accompanied into battle by the spirit of the heros of the gallows, the conquerors of death.
And we shall be accompanied by the spirit of millions of our martyrs, our fathers and butchered mothers, our murdered brothers and strangled children.
And in this battle we shall break the enemy and bring salvation to our people, tried in the furnace of persecution, thirsting only for freedom, for righteousness and for justice...
Oh G-d of Israel, guard your soldiers and bless their swords, which are forging anew the covenant You made with Your chosen people and Your promised land."
Ameyn.