Bidspirit auction | Early photograph of Moshe Sharett

Early photograph of Moshe Sharett and his daughter Yael on their way back from the United States to Eretz Israel, a few days before the Declaration of Independence – May 8, 1948 - Press photograph of Moshe Sharett and his daughter Yael boarding a plane on their return to Eretz Israel after a special mission by Sharett in the United States on behalf of the Jewish Agency, as part of mobilizing international support for the establishment of the State of Israel – May 8, 1948, a few days before the official ceremony of the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel (on May 14), at which Sharett was present after returning to the country from this mission. The photograph is described on its verso on a piece of paper from the Air France photo agency: Moshe Shertok, head of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency for Eretz Israel, and his daughter Yael, aged 17, boarding an Air France plane at LaGuardia Airport (New York), May 9, 1948. Shertok departed for the Holy Land at the urgent request of the Agency leadership there. He said that he would report to the Agency leaders on the situation of Eretz Israel before the United Nations. (It is reported that the daughter, Yael, will join the Haganah forces). (For information—this photograph was actually taken on Saturday, May 8, and the plane did not take off due to a mechanical failure until Sunday night, May 9—LJ). In the preceding months, Sharett led the struggle at the United Nations General Assembly for the approval of the Partition Plan, which was ultimately adopted on November 29, 1947, while he was serving as Secretary of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency. On the day this photograph was taken, May 8, 1948, he met in New York with General George Marshall, the United States Secretary of State. Marshall advised him to postpone the date of the Declaration of Independence and, in the meantime, to accept a United Nations trusteeship regime, out of concern that the declaration of the state would provoke Arab opposition and endanger the existence of the Jews of Eretz Israel. Sharett replied that the leadership of the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Israel had reached a moment of historic decision, and that it would be judged by history if it failed to take the necessary step at that very moment without any delay. He returned to the country with determination, personally took part in the historic events as a member of the Provisional State Council, and worked toward the immediate declaration of Israel’s independence. Sharett was among the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and its signatories. He was one of the six members who voted in favor of declaring the state on May 14, 1948. In later years, he served as the second Prime Minister of the State of Israel (1954–1955), between the two terms of David Ben-Gurion. Size: 27x21 cm. Good - very good condition.