Hillel Kook, an underground fighter in the 1930\'s and 40\'s and a member of the first Knesset, passed away last night at the end of 86. He was a member of Herut and the Revisionist parties, and former Transportation Minister Chaim Korfu told Arutz-7 today that he was \"one of the young commanders of the Etzel organization, together with David Raziel and Avraham Stern, who led the Etzel to a policy of actively reacting to Arab attacks, as opposed to the restraint that was prevalent in that period...\"
Korfu related that when the Holocaust started, \"Kook went to the U.S. on behalf of Etzel, trying to save Jews from Europe - but he did not have much success... He attempted to convince the Jewish and governmental establishments in the U.S. that the extent of the tragedy in Europe was much greater than was reported, but only in 1944 did people begin believing him...\" Known in the U.S. by the name of Peter Bergson, he also became active in assisting \"illegal\" immigrants to Palestine. When he returned to Israel, he served in the first Knesset for a short time, and was active on behalf of separation of religion and state. He was the son of Afula\'s first Chief Rabbi, Dov Kook, and a nephew of the famed Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook.
Korfu related that when the Holocaust started, \"Kook went to the U.S. on behalf of Etzel, trying to save Jews from Europe - but he did not have much success... He attempted to convince the Jewish and governmental establishments in the U.S. that the extent of the tragedy in Europe was much greater than was reported, but only in 1944 did people begin believing him...\" Known in the U.S. by the name of Peter Bergson, he also became active in assisting \"illegal\" immigrants to Palestine. When he returned to Israel, he served in the first Knesset for a short time, and was active on behalf of separation of religion and state. He was the son of Afula\'s first Chief Rabbi, Dov Kook, and a nephew of the famed Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook.