Autograph Postcard Signed by David Ben-Gurion – Written a Day after the Establishment of the State of Israel – May ...

Autograph Postcard Signed by David Ben-Gurion – Written a Day after the Establishment of the State of Israel – May 15, 1948 – "The Israeli Army will Crush the Forces of Evil and Malice Trying to Destroy the Young State"
A postcard with a letter handwritten and signed by David Ben-Gurion, sent one day after the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel to the mayor of Tel-Aviv, Yisrael Rokach, subsequent to the bombing of Tel-Aviv. Tel-Aviv, the 6th of Iyar – May 15, 1948.
Ben-Gurion writes: "Dear Mr. Rokach, with all my deep faith in the Yishuv, I was surprised to see the self-control demonstrated by our public. I was in the street this morning during the bombing, I looked at the people and did not find any sign of panic. I have reason to assume that the enemy's control of the air will not continue much longer – and the Israeli army will crush the forces of evil and malice trying to destroy the young country, hopefully, D. Ben-Gurion. Tel-Aviv, the 6th of Iyar, 5708" (Hebrew).
The bombings of Tel-Aviv, the de-facto capital of Israel during the War of Independence, were one of the first trials of the young state and its citizens. On May 15, 1948, several hours after the Declaration of Independence, Egyptian bombers bombed the Tel-Aviv airport, the harbor and various residential neighborhoods. The Israeli Air Force was young and unequipped, and over the next months, the residents of the town were forced to live defenseless under the constant threat of bombings, suffering heavy losses. The turning point occurred on June 3, when the airplanes of the first Israel combat squadron, 101 Squadron, chased the enemy airplanes back to enemy territory and shot them down. After that, Egyptian planes did not return to bomb Tel-Aviv. Approximately 150 people were killed during the bombings of Tel-Aviv, most of them civilians; the residents' refusal to leave the city or change their daily routine is considered a model of civilian heroism.
Hebrew Post postage stamp, two postmarks and Rokach's address handwritten by Ben-Gurion on verso.
Approx. 9.5X13.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Filing hole (not affecting text).