יומנים > יומן - מלא 08/02/1949

Tuesday, February 8, 1949

By order – I was confined to bedrest today. And I had “rests” [rhymes with “meetings” in Hebrew] with [David Zvi] Pinkas, Dov Yosef, P. Bernstein, [Zeev] Schind, Yechiel Weizmann, [Eliezer] Hoofien, Rabbi Fishman [Maimon], Ya’akov [Dori], Isser [Harel], [Chaim] Herzog, Ziama [Aran], Reuven [Shiloah].

         Pinkas brought me the conclusions of the Defense Committee regarding Gadna [Youth Battalions] and regulations for discharged soldiers, as well as a summary of the committee’s activity to be submitted to the State Council at its final session tomorrow.

         Dov Yosef demands that government offices be relocated to Jerusalem, [and that] some of the army’s work be delegated to workshops in Jerusalem, and he also raised the issue of the government composition. Proposed himself for either [the Ministry of] Interior or [the Ministry of] Justice.

         Bernstein is complaining about Hoofien regarding the cost of living and the index. Changing the index will increase the government budget, raise teachers’ and administrative workers’ salaries, and will further increase. He insists that the index not be changed until he, I, and Kaplan look into the matter. Regarding the government composition, opinions are split in his circle. They’d hoped for two seats and wanted the second seat to go to Rokach in the Ministry of Interior. Now there’s a proposal for Persitz to go to Education.

         Rabbi Fishman complained about Shapira for proposing an idolatrous practice – opening the Constituent Assembly with prayer. He doesn’t share this opinion.

         Schind is worried about the removal of the Ministry of Transport, especially shipping matters being taken out of our hands.

         Yechiel Weizmann reported on his help in obtaining 100 jeeps for the army – with the help of the great chemist Bernard Armour and with the help of the Levitt Brothers – major building contractors who are prepared to come to the country and build homes here.

         Hoofien wanted to clarify his standing in the new government. His job is contingent on three things: that the Prime Minister accepts the position and [that] he has a deputy, [and] on the weight of Kaplan and D. Horowitz. But the fact is that the two of us do not have such relations. Such [matters] are assigned either to one of the ministers – or to a committee.

         Along with Ya’akov [Dori] and Chaim Herzog and Isser [Harel] we discussed the intelligence services. Four services will be established: a service against criminal offenses in the police, a military service (against foreign enemies) in the army, an internal security service – for now in the army, the service will have outposts in the foreign service. Foreign service – part of the Foreign Ministry, to be coordinated with the military service. This service will have representatives from the internal security service, subordinated to the security center, but placed within the foreign service.

         There was interesting material from Rhodes – correspondence between Bunche and Eytan. Bunche is threatening us with the November 4 resolution if we don’t agree to turn ‘Auja over to the UN.

         – Per Ziama’s request, I composed a message to Histadrut members about the elections to the Histadrut.