When President of Israel Chaim Weizmann died in 1952, David Ben-Gurion offered his position to Weizmann's fellow Jewish, pro-Zionist scientist Albert Einstein. Einstein declined, but said that he was "'deeply moved', and 'at once saddened and ashamed' that he could not accept it." What if he had accepted instead?
WI: Einstein as President of Israel?
- Thread starter Keperry
- Start date
Well it's a largely ceremonial position so the fact he's really not suited to the post either in experience or demeanor won't be the end of the world. Mostly having Einstein take the position will be a public relations victory for Israel. "Look at all the brilliant scientists who support Israel." Einstein and his reputation had a broad popularity across Europe and the West in general.
The result is Israel has a bit more support from abroad, a bit more funding, and maybe the sciences and education get a bit more boost within Israel itself. Einstein did favor a peaceful solution to the question of Arabs within Israel and strongly opposed their expulsion or disenfranchisement so I'd expect him to become a figurehead of any more leftist movement, even after his death.
Honestly though I seriously doubt he'd have ever taken the position. He wasn't remotely qualified and he knew it. As he stated he had "neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings". And his health was already failing pretty quickly.
The result is Israel has a bit more support from abroad, a bit more funding, and maybe the sciences and education get a bit more boost within Israel itself. Einstein did favor a peaceful solution to the question of Arabs within Israel and strongly opposed their expulsion or disenfranchisement so I'd expect him to become a figurehead of any more leftist movement, even after his death.
Honestly though I seriously doubt he'd have ever taken the position. He wasn't remotely qualified and he knew it. As he stated he had "neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings". And his health was already failing pretty quickly.
Not sure he actually would've accepted it, Einstein was a democratic socialist who didn't believe in Ethno-religious states. He criticized the state of Israel on a number of occasions, I'm not going to find the exact document but he warned of the Israel degrading into fascism and doing to the indigenous what had been done to them for centuries.
I think one impact might be the diminishing of Einstein's status as the go-to for genius. The fact that he presumably spent the last years of his life in Israel (probably dying in office) would certainly polarize some opinions about him. There might even be anti-relativity sentiment in the Arab world. And I can't see him not using his office to advocate positions he deeply cared about. His political writings would carry great weight in Israel.
The increased support for science in Israel is a given. No doubt Einstein University would be internationally respected. The one big question is whether or not Einstein would have supported an Israeli nuclear weapons program - and if he opposed it, what he would do about it.
The increased support for science in Israel is a given. No doubt Einstein University would be internationally respected. The one big question is whether or not Einstein would have supported an Israeli nuclear weapons program - and if he opposed it, what he would do about it.
According to the indisputable source of all knowledge, Wikipedia, Einstein definitely supported establishing a Jewish national homeland in Israel/Palestine but was initially opposed to forming an actual Jewish state and instead preferred a binational state in which Jews and Arabs would live in peace together. By the actual time of independence his opinion doesn't seem to have been so clear; he supported the formation of a state in some places and opposed it in others. Either way, he doesn't seem to have taken much of an issue with it after independence and in fact made supportive statements about Israel and its independence. The quote about degrading into fascism seems to be about Menachem Begin's Herut Party after the Deir Yassin massacre and not the State of Israel itself.
He died OTL 3 years later, he probably doesn't even last a year while in charge of a nation
Yeah you're right, he supported a form of cultural Zionism where Jews could live in a bi-national state, but criticized the notion of an independent strictly jewish nation. However a book by Jaisal Noor called Reclaiming Einstein, elaborates that Einstein never implicitly supported the state of Israel and was against its ethnic characteristics for most of his life. The myth of Einstein being a Zionist began in his obituary in the NY times, he continues, that stated he had been a "life-long champion of the establishment of a Jewish state and Zionist causes."
While Ben-Gurion was awaiting Einstein's decision, he asked his assistant, the future president Yitzak Navon, over a cup of coffee: 'Tell me what to do if he says yes! I have had to offer the post to him because it's impossible not to. But if he accepts we're in for trouble.'"[9]
Einstein wrote to his stepdaughter Margot after declining the presidency of Israel. He said, "If I were to be president, sometime I would have to say to the Israeli people things they would not like to hear
He was clearly for Jewish rights in Palestine but never explicitly supported an independent Ethnic-Jewish state, and his political principals are known to be unwavering save for shots of pragmatism, as in curtailing Israeli extremism by supporting some forms of Israeli politics.
Here's more, when presented before an American Committee hearing on the creation of an independent Jewish state.
Here is a quote from Einstein’s testimony before Judge Hutcheson, the American Chairman of the Committee:
Judge Hutcheson: It has been told to our committee by the Zionists that the passionate heart of every Jew will never be satisfied until they have a Jewish state in Palestine. It is contended, I suppose, that they must have a majority over the Arabs. It has been told to us by the Arab representatives that the Arabs are not going to permit such condition as that, they they [sic] will not permit having themselves converted from a majority to a minority.
Dr. Einstein: Yes.
Judge Hutcheson: I have asked these various persons if it is essential to the right or the privilege of the Jews to go to Palestine, if it is essential to real Zionism that a setup be fixed so that the Jews have a Jewish state and a Jewish majority without regard to the Arab view. Do you share that point of view, or do you think the matter can be handled on any other basis?
Dr. Einstein: Yes, absolutely. The state idea is not according to my heart. I cannot understand why it is needed. It is connected with many difficulties and a narrow-mindedness. I believe it is bad.
Judge Hutcheson: Isn’t it spiritual and ethical B I do not mean this particular Zionist movement, I do not mean the idea of insisting that a Jewish state must be created B isn’t it anachronistic?
Dr. Einstein: In my opinion, yes. I am against it …23
Dr. Einstein: Yes.
Judge Hutcheson: I have asked these various persons if it is essential to the right or the privilege of the Jews to go to Palestine, if it is essential to real Zionism that a setup be fixed so that the Jews have a Jewish state and a Jewish majority without regard to the Arab view. Do you share that point of view, or do you think the matter can be handled on any other basis?
Dr. Einstein: Yes, absolutely. The state idea is not according to my heart. I cannot understand why it is needed. It is connected with many difficulties and a narrow-mindedness. I believe it is bad.
Judge Hutcheson: Isn’t it spiritual and ethical B I do not mean this particular Zionist movement, I do not mean the idea of insisting that a Jewish state must be created B isn’t it anachronistic?
Dr. Einstein: In my opinion, yes. I am against it …23