In January 1972, the then leader of the opposition, Menachem Begin, accompanied his cheerful wife on a historic visit to London. It was the first time that the commander of the Jewish revolt against the British Empire landed in its capital, almost a quarter of a century after that revolt led to the expulsion of the British from Israel and the establishment of the Jewish state. A sense of historic status was in the air, and many in the UK gave their opinion on the visit. Some saw it as a conciliatory symbolism, some were intrigued by the very character...