יומנים > יומן - מלא 08/02/1948

Sunday, 8 February 1948

I summoned Yosef R. [Avidar] regarding the camp in Hadera for the children of Ben Shemen [Youth Village, near the Hadera-West train station]. He sent Mark Feigin [of the engineering unit], and Feigin didn't give consent to transfer the camp to Ben Shemen. Yosef Rochel visited the camp for himself. Under no circumstances should it be divided between the "Organization" and the children. 700 children with their staff would occupy the entire camp.

       The platoon commander courses need to be transferred to Netanya - all the preparations have been made already. He proposes temporarily providing the Ben Shemen children with the northern camp [in Netanya], which Josephtal is demanding for immigrants, and for Josephtal - the camp in Hadera, which was also set up for the "Organization." In time the children can be transferred to the Ramat David (Gvat) camp - or as I suggested to Kefar Vitkin [Neurim, south of Bet Yanai]. I suggested that Yosef clarify whether Mrs. [Bertha] Schoolman [of Hadassah] would agree to receive the northern camp. If the answer is affirmative - Josephtal should be assigned the Hadera camp. If Schoolman determines that the northern camp is not enough, we'll reassess the situation.

       - Shimon Shapira from Hatzerim (Kelta) came to see me. They have 55 kibbutz members (including 15 women). They set up 4 pillboxes [concrete guard posts], 4 old guard posts that have been fortified, a surrounding 2½ meter earth wall (created using a bulldozer), a double barbed-wire fence. [They have:] a Bren machine gun, 7 Stens, 25 English [rifles], 4 Italian [rifles], 5,000 bullets, a small mortar and 15 shells, water containers (for 40 cubic meters).

       They have a cow, 30 chickens, two mules, a horse. They planted 700 dunams (their land is 3,000 dunams, spread out). So far 70 mm of rain have fallen (promising a good harvest!), they irrigated 5 dunams and planted barley, oats, and green maize for animal fodder. There's a diamond factory that the Agency purchased in Netanya, employs 11 people (also has a branch in Kefar Darom).

       The water pipeline on the settlement doesn't work. The water only reaches as far as Mishmar HaNegev because [the pipeline] near Beersheva was damaged and the army isn't allowing repairs. In their view it's possible to lay a pipe at night not far from the current pipeline. Above all they want to build a water tower. The necessary materials require 6 convoys, each with 10 vehicles. A tower of 1,000 cubic meters will cost P£ 7,000. There's a quarry at the site, 1¼ km from the settlement. Under the protection of a 30-man platoon, they could work at the quarry. The kibbutz members would do the work. Right now 12 people are engaged in kibbutz tasks, the rest are digging trenches. Overall there's a sense of security at the site and in the Negev generally.

       In Ramat HaNegev [east of Gvulot] there are only 40 people, 1 [light] machine gun, 15 rifles, maybe a few Stens too, there are fortifications almost everywhere.

       - Shkolnik [Eshkol] wants me to see [Tsemah] Segal - he's close to the refinery people. They're worried about the many thefts by Arabs and the laxity of the government and police. Jewish protection might be necessary.

       - [Yosef] Weitz (twenty minutes late). The Negev should be seen as a unit, beginning with the bottleneck (Be'er Tuvia). Then he would include 19 settlements in the Negev, 8 settlements in the "neck" [listed below], 6 settlements outside the state [territory] (Yad Mordechai, Nitzanim, Gat, Gal On, Kedma, Kefar Menachem). He included Kefar Darom, which is also outside the state, among the 19 settlements. The Negev Committee will handle all of this territory. The 19 settlements have 750 settlers, and are about to add 250. In the 8 [settlements in the "neck"] and the 6 [settlements outside state territory] there are about 2,000 [men].

       Two more battalions will go up there, 1,200 men (by February 15). There's a plan to bring another 1,800 there - this will constitute 5 battalions. It will require housing, transportation (for supplies, and vehicles for defense). It will be necessary to increase agricultural production, and to address the question of work assignments for the people there, roads that don't exist, connecting one settlement to another, extending the pipeline to Revivim, medical services, and establishing a central hospital, Secretariat, and culture. There's also the question of a city in the Negev - and supplies for this entire population for eight months (until October).

       We need a central garage to repair vehicles - it will have 100 vehicles - and a central warehouse for HaMashbir (in Nir-Am). By Tuesday there will be a budget - at twelve. (Estimated budget size approximately P£ 1.5 million. The KKL decided to enter into the Negev project, and Weitz estimates that they'll provide ¾ million, half).

       The 8 settlements in the "neck" [leading into the Negev]: Be'erot Yitzhak, Negba, Ruhama, Dorot, Nir-Am, Gvar'am, Kefar Warburg, Be'er Tuvia (the rest are in the south - 19 [Revivim, Halutza, Nevatim, Bet Eshel, Hatzerim, Ramat HaNegev, Tze'elim, Urim, Gvulot, Mivtahim, Nirim, Tkuma, Be'eri, Sa'ad, Mishmar HaNegev, Shoval, Sde Akiva (Gevim), ''Alumim, Kefar Darom].

       - [Eliyahu] Lulu [Hacarmeli] entered Old Jerusalem three times. The last time he stayed eight days in the Old City. In the Old City there are 1,700 Jews, about a hundred of them working men and women (most of them Sephardim), engaged in public works: defensive walls, cleaning, roof repair, glasswork, etc. The means are provided by the [Jewish] community. The budget is P£ 200 per week (aside from security). The rest - 18 shopkeepers (most of them Sephardim), 3 coffee shops, 3 workshops (2 carpenters and a tailor), 1 metalworker, 18 teachers and instructors (not residents of the Old City), 60 psalm students (previously engaged in religious services - nikkur [deveining], butchers, slaughterers [for the preparation of kosher meat], etc.), 60-70 yeshiva students (with families). Overall, this is the worst of the country's population, living on charity.

       The Sephardi kabbalist institution Porat Yosef (named after a Baghdadi philanthropist [Yosef Shalom]) [houses] the military headquarters. This position overlooks the Mosque of Omar, and one cannot approach without a permit from the commander.

       There are two schools: for boys (affiliated with Mizrachi) and for girls (general). 500 children below age 14, in total, all attend school. The children are fed at the expense of the General Council. Female students in the Organization [the Haganah] gathered together children who hadn't been schooled - and are giving them lessons.

       There are 120-125 from the Organization. ETZEL has about 25 men. There's coordination between them. The ETZEL men are religiously devout young men, with peyot [sidelocks] and kapelushim [black top hots], from Meah She'arim and the Old City. They're praised as good explosives experts. There's a public bath house that gets its water from Rosh Ha'Ayin.

       [Mordechai] Weingarten - among the Old City's longtime residents - declared himself head of the [Jewish] community in the Old City. A literate Jew, good-looking, intelligent. A land broker, benefits from the lack of public oversight over funds. The commander - Avraham [Halperin] - a member of HaPo'el HaMizrachi, one of the Kefar Etsiyyon settlers, knows his work and is praised. He can navigate both the New Yishuv and the Old Yishuv. Engages pleasantly with members of all the parties (replaced [Yisrael] Funt, the previous commander). There's a Sephardi hospital, Misgav Ladach. British soldiers also come for treatment at Misgav Ladach.

       Every day they expend P£ 200; they need 300 per day, aside from clothing. A worker gets 90 [grush] per day - it's not enough. They need stock. The shops are empty. The Armenians are also hungry, and some smuggle out and come to the Jews to buy something. There's also a lot of suffering among the Arabs. More than among the Christians. The profiteering among the Arabs is flourishing. Stock can be brought in - by the police. They pay 5 liras [pounds] for a suitcase [brought in] at night in an armored police vehicle. Last week 12 young men came in this way from the new city to the Old City, reinforcement for the Haganah, [in addition to] clothing for the residents and the Haganah members. They need 100 coats and sweaters and shirts for the men.

       - Gershon Zak: I asked if he would take upon himself the responsibility for manpower. He's prepared to take command, but then he doesn't know whether he'll be able to continue at Beit Berl. The institute will be able to open in two months - with three groups. At the moment [there's] only a nucleus of six for one group. The nucleus is currently examining the curriculum. I told him that Ya'akov [Dori] would clarify the position for him.

       - Zeev Schind [from the Mossad le-''Aliya Bet] is leaving for Paris tomorrow. I told him what the Executive decided - clandestine immigration of skilled young people for work and defense, and not just any immigrants (children and old people). During Aliya Dalet we reached 785 people in January. We can reach 1,200 in March, 2,000 in April. On an exceptional basis, they'll also bring in others (Schind wants 25%, which is too much!).

       For mid-May they want to bring in a number of ships - with defense [under protection], for fear of being attacked at sea. We need to purchase LCT (Landing Craft Tanks) - 4,000 tons - and load them with torpedo boats that are sold in America without torpedoes. Instead of torpedoes, [we'll] load machine guns and small cannons. An LCT costs $ 45,000. Each boat (without the torpedo) $ 6,000-7,500. The boat's speed - 25 knots (fueled by gasoline). For this we need a base - in Schind's view it could be in Yugoslavia. He suggests taking Paul Shulman (returned to America in the meantime) for this work.

       Schind is insisting on his share [for the Mossad le-''Aliya Bet] of the fundraising for security. I said: no share, not from the fundraising in England and South Africa, only in Europe.

       Yugoslavia has opened its gates for transit by Jews from Romania. Romania is allowing them to leave. Next week a ship with Bulgarian Jews will depart from Yugoslavia. Most of them are young.

       I told Schind to convey to Nahum [Shadmi]: A) I'll try to replace him, and this might be possible, but there's no guarantee, and he might have to stay until Passover. B) I'm astonished that the entire staff [Shadmi's military staff in Europe] and nearly all the commanders [there] only have a Soviet orientation - this situation definitely must be changed. C) He must direct all his efforts towards training young people for security needs in the country on D-Day.

       - Eliahu [Sacharoff - Slavin's assistant] is leaving for America tomorrow. According to him Yehuda [Arazi] is due to arrive here tonight. Eliahu will spend at least 2-3 months in America. I told him to handle the LCT purchases - a large one and small ones and fast motorboats.

       There's progress in the [Ta'as] industry. They're starting a series of 500 Johnsons [light machine guns]. If they succeed in bringing two experts (the Swede and Maxie Brown [sp.]), they might be able finish the series in 4-5 months. (Late!). There's also progress with the 303 [bullets for English weapons]. In another three months bullets production will begin to flow. There's raw material for 2 million. They'll order material for another 15 million (9 mm [bullets] for Sten, and 303).

       - At the suggestion of Levi [Eshkol], Tsemah [Segal], representative of Goods and Machines Warehouses, who work for IPC [Iraq Petroleum Company], visited me. He has the impression that they're hastily transferring their warehouses and office to Tripoli [in Lebanon], although they're continuing to lay the eastern line (why eastern?), that is, the second line to Haifa (they're also laying a northern line - to Tripoli).

       The haste is so great, as if they're expecting all life here to end. The Arab guards stole cars of theirs - they suspect that their Arab drivers did this. They received information that the Arabs are about to plunder their warehouses (this information is from Bronitsky [sp.], whom Hampton, one of the directors, calls a "Stern [LEHI] member"). It's possible that if we promise them Jewish protection - they'll accept it.

       - Walter Cohen [from South Africa], before departing (two days ago), relayed a request from Eizik [Yehoshua Eshel] to bring the woman with contacts [Mrs. Seger, the Czech agent]. This will cost P£ 500.

       - Ben-Dor is insisting on arranging a meeting with his Arab contact in Hebron. According to him a group of German explosive experts in Hebron was responsible for bombing the P. Post [Palestine Post] offices. He predicts an upsurge of bloodshed. An [Arab] opposition should be organized using many means. When he was in Jerusalem he was interrogated by the British secret police. Ziama [Divon] from SHAI and [Ze'ev] Sherf do not value this connection. Epstein, who has the connections, wants to meet with me and deliver a lecture on the topic.

       - [Uriel] Friedland [Shilon] from Haifa raises the issue of paving a security road ("Hankin Road") to connect Hadar-Carmel and Mount Carmel with the valley and the bay, without crossing Rushmiya Bridge, and without having to pass through the Arab neighborhood of Halisa. The fund for security roads allocated the sum of 5,000 as participation in [towards the construction of] this road. The Hadar-Carmel Committee is prepared to take on the work (contracting with Solel Boneh) and to be the loan bearer. In dividing the expenses for the road between the land owners that will benefit from it, there's a clash between Hachsharat HaYishuv [the Palestine Land Development Company] and the Histadrut housing [company]. Negotiations will not resolve the matter, and he's asking me to appoint a single arbiter who will decide: 1) The basis on which the road's expenses will be divided, and whether to include the sums that were already invested at the start of this road. 2) Who are the [owners of] lands that must participate. The order may be given to Bar-Kochba [Meirovitz], [Mordechai] Shatner, or Grabovsky [Meir Argov] - all three are well-versed in the matter.

       - "HaHotzev" ["The Stonecutter" - a nickname for Yosef Fein] (?) reports from Safed: No movement in Safed. The Arab market is on strike. In rural areas the situation is bad. There's no planting and no chance of planting in the summer. The cattle died for lack of grazing and lack of rain. The Syrians [Arab Liberation Army volunteers] in the district are not receiving help from the villagers, because they themselves are lacking. They're giving them neither bread nor olives. There's a shortage of food supplies in the district among Arabs.

       Both the Jews and the Arabs are tense. The army and the police are genuinely interested in quiet. They shackle the attacker, don't search for weapons unless the Jews engage in provocation, and even then they return the weapons. The strike against Khisas was a mistake. The Arabs in the Huleh want quiet. The attack this week (the material is from February 2, 1948) against ''Ein Zeitim was pointless. There's no guarantee that large gangs won't come from across the border, and there's no knowing what will happen in two weeks.

       - "HaYogev" ["The Farmer" - nickname for an Arab informant from Tulkarm] (?) reports that all the "Liberation Army" officers comprise regular army officers who received a "leave" [from their armies]. It's not a regular army - but rather volunteers from the rabble of Syria's and Lebanon's Arabs. Their training did not exceed two months. Their commando (fedayeen) also have more enthusiasm than training.

       - [Aryeh] Bahir: The Trans-Jordan settlements [settlements in the Jordan Valley, east of the river] can fortify themselves - only if they receive an order. The subdistrict commander who was asked replied: Our turn hasn't come yet.

       - Shaul [Avigur]: Visited the Negev by airplane for two days, but for half a day the airplane was engaged in the matter of Kibbutz Sa'ad [an incident near the kibbutz, see below]. Was in Gvar'am, Be'erot Yitzhak, Revivim, Hatzerim, Bet Eshel, and Tze'elim. Saw the AC [area commander] at each location and the [Palmach] Brigade commander. Spoke with a few people: [Nahum] Sarig, Moshe [presumably Netzer, commander of Palmach 2nd Battalion], Israel Libertovski (from Mekorot [the water company], in charge of water) "an important man," Michael [Hanegbi] from Negba. Didn't speak with the SHAI agent in the Negev. [?] David Karon too, and didn't speak with him.

       The impression: Our strength in people and equipment - little. The Brigade [Palmach] has 650 troops. The women are no longer being sent on patrol, other than sometimes to accompany armored vehicles. Of the Brigade personnel, only about 200 are properly trained. The military strength is not up to the standard. The work on fortifications has been thorough; they're almost done. The guard posts were built properly, with cover. They'll withstand a mortar. Solel Boneh worked diligently and everyone's praising it. The fortifications have increased the sense of security. All the locations he visited have landing fields - only for a small airplane, of course. The people are confined to [protecting] the pipeline, the convoys. There's a need for more trained people and people to be trained, especially if we want to conquer more locations. The supplies situation is not good. There are water containers at each location. A protected hospital is being built in Nir-Am.

       They say that in mid-or late February the [British] administration will leave Beersheva.

       One of our vehicles ran into an armed Arab jeep in Sa'ad: they fired on it [the jeep] killed four and wounded [others]. When they wanted to take the weapons [from the jeep] - they were fired on by Arabs. They went back to the armored vehicle and tried to return to Sa'ad but got stuck in the sand (mud - after a day of rain). In the meantime an army tank [probably a cannon-fitted armored vehicle] arrived and threatened [them] with its cannon. The men fled, the British tank extracted the vehicle, and the Arabs took it to Beersheva.

       Shaul doubts that his health will let him accept the position [of Negev governor]. If he does, he'll insist on three conditions: a free hand in selecting his assistants, authority, means.

       - In the evening Yehuda [Arazi] came. He left the US in late January. Just before leaving he received the million. The communication [arrangements] regarding the merchandise was completed. The merchandise will be sent on February 26 to Portugal, where things will be repackaged - and placed on a different ship, an American one, with other merchandise.

       He brought another 200 bazookas with 1,000 rounds (each bazooka is $ 200, and a round is $ 16) - the bazooka is 1.7 m in length, weighs 7 kg. A round - 2¼ kg, against tanks and buildings, at a distance of 150 m.

       I asked about the heavy items. In his opinion it's possible to acquire a small [anti-aircraft cannon] (20 mm) with "lightning speed" in Switzerland. It costs 19,000 francs. Its mount is 17,900 fr., one explosive shell 19.3 fr., an [armor-]piercing round 19, a teaching [practice] round 16.5 fr. There's also a 30 mm [cannon]. There's a big difference in price - this one they'll only sell as a package: it will cost 57,000 fr., the mount 49,500. A shell 57.5 fr., a teaching [practice] shell 25 fr.; of the small ones (20 mm) we can get up to 50 (the barrel length of the 20 mm is 2.65 m).

       25 small ones (with shells, a thousand for each) will cost 1,397,000 fr., or about $ 330,000. We need to add $ 150,000 for delivery and other expenses.

       The barrel length of the 75 mm [field cannon] - slightly less than two meters. The range is six kilometers (even the small one [65 mm field cannon - the "Napoleonchik"] has a range of four kilometers).

       - Eliahu [Sacharoff] suggests renting a ship for $ 400,000. We'll load it with fighter and reconnaissance planes, light tanks, and [heavy] machine guns (400), that a group from the Hawaiian Islands is giving us for free. The ship will arrive after the English have left, after crossing the Panama Canal.

       There's [a possibility] to buy another 300 bazookas and 15,000 rounds in Miami at a lower price: $ 180,000 for the entire purchase. The purchased merchandise would reach Portugal on March 14.

       - After a week's delay, I received the information I requested from Yigal P. [Peikowitz-Allon] regarding the force distribution in the Palmach. The list is from February 6, 1948.

       Battalion C is stationed in the Eastern Galilee and Jordan Valley. Company 1 (201 men) in Rosh Pinna, Eilat, Mishmar, Ramot Naftali. Company 2 (230 men) in Safed, Har Kena'an [Mount Canaan], ''Ein Zeitim. Company 3 (135 men) in K. G., Manara, Misgav ''Am, Kefar Blum. Company 4 (299 men) in Lehavot, Shamir, Kefar Szold, Dan, Dafna. Company 5 (125 men) in Afikim, Degania Aleph, Bet, Ashdot. (Total for Battalion C - 990 men).

       Battalion A is stationed in the valleys and Western Galilee. Company 1 (200 men) in Yehiam, Hanita, Mishmar Ha'Am, Ramat Yohanan; Company 2 (218) in Yagur, HaZore'a, Ramat David, Gvat. C. [Company] 3 (320) in Geva, ''Ein Harod, Tel Yosef, Bet HaShita, Ma'oz, ''Ein HaNatziv. Total for Battalion A - 736 men.

       Battalion D (seamen (368 men) abroad, in the Technion, at the port, in courses, in clandestine immigration - Gordonia, on ships[)]. Battalion G (newly formed, 160 men) in port, in ''Ein HaShofet, in Mishmarot, in ''Ein Shemer, in Giv'at Haim. Battalion E in Holon, in Mikve, in Bet Dagon, in Hulda (Company 2 - 223 men). Company 1 - security attached to transport. Company 3 (84) in Ramat HaKovesh, Giv'at HaShlosha.

       Company 4 (218) in Giv'at Brenner, in Na'an, Gezer, Kefar Menachem, Negba, Gal On, in Battalion E overall 535. Battalion F (511) Company 1 - attached to transport, Company 2 - security for transport in the area of Kiryat ''Anavim, Ma'ale HaHamisha (181 men) Company 3 - Kefar Etsiyyon (43), Company 4 - Kalya, Bet Ha'Arava, Sdom - 161 men.

       Battalion B is stationed in the Negev - numbers 575.

       Total for all the battalions 3,867.

       The force includes about 20% women with combat capability. About 10% are boys and girls not capable of strenuous combat on the field, but are included [in order] to maintain the social structure of training, and they receive training as part of the garrison force program.

       All the brigade personnel are enlisted. 1,000 of them haven't finished their training but are close to finishing. The split between trained and untrained is roughly even in all the battalions.

       The High Command [of the Haganah] determines the size of the force sent to protect an area. The brigade staff determine the force necessary to launch proactive operations ordered by the High Command or carried out under the authority of the brigade commander.

       The battalions stationed in the Negev, which are responsible for transport in Jerusalem and in the Negev, are directly subordinate to the brigade staff. The battalion stationed in the Eastern Galilee is operationally subordinate to the northern brigade commander. Organizationally, generally, and for training, he continues to be subordinate to the Palmach staff. The rest of the battalions are not confined to the field, and operate under the command of the Palmach staff in accordance with roles assigned by the High Command.

       In areas where the Palmach is not subordinate to the area commander (national reserve), there is coordination between the area commander and the Palmach battalion commander regarding assistance for settlements under attack and proactive operations under the area commander's authority.

       The Brigade (Palmach?) commander is directly subordinate to the General Staff.

       The Palmach's maritime unit [Palyam], its organization and property:

In total 368 people.

       70 men in clandestine immigration roles abroad, 30 - in a naval officers course at the Technion, 60 men in a naval course for seamen (new recruits), 80 men in a land-based military course (new recruits), 50 men for the protection of the Haifa port (supplemented by 50 Brigade [Palmach] men from the infantry unit), 30 at the naval base in Gordonia-Ma'apilim [Neve Yam], 30 miscellaneous, 10 in core courses for commanders, 8 on the [ship] Kedma - in total 368 people.

       The commanders and staff officers in change:

       Battalion commander - Yosef Tabenkin; naval training officer - Shmuel Tankus; deputy commander - Shmuel ["Samek"] Poznanski; military training officer - Oded Packer; chief administrative officer - Avraham Zakkai; naval equipment officer - Dov Lifschitz [Barchik Magen]; logistics officer - Haim Shechter; officer in charge of coordination with maritime organizations - Yosef Tress; commander of the port [unit] - Shlomo Stadthagen; commander of the naval strike force - Yohai Fishman [Bin-Nun]; coordinator of naval transport unit - David Maimon; [commander of the Palyam training base] Ma'oz Hayam - Tzvika [Bahar].

       The available naval equipment:

       10 large training vessels (sailboats and rowboats): a motorboat (16 hp), 2 electricity-driven torpedoes and a number of "leeches" [limpet mines - naval mines that attach to targets by magnets], a large warehouse and various apparatuses.

       The naval unit is in the process of growing, with the influx of graduates from sports associations and volunteers from the Brigade. The aim is to have a battalion of 700 men.

       They're about to sign agreements with the fishing vessels South Africa (belonging to the South Africa Company in Haifa) and Hannah Senesh (belonging to Ogen), in order to provide more training for our men and use the vessels for operational purposes.

       Right now they're formulating a plan to prepare the naval fleet for various functions: