יומנים > יומן - מלא 04/03/1948

Thursday, March 4, 1948

Two days ago Ben-Ya'akov return from Brussels, where he met his relative, who returned to Russia. He told him what is happening in the country. He knew some of these things, and some he didn't. He argued that we trust the Americans too much - they're only "pretending."

       The relative asked Ben-Ya'akov: What do you want? - He answered: equipment.

       He said: Why are you only coming now? In August 1946 I was in the country, I offered to found a commercial company - why did you refuse at the time? So Ben-Ya'akov rightly pointed out that at the time they were preoccupied with policy, but now it's urgent.

       [The relative] asked: On behalf of whom are you speaking? On behalf of Sneh? - He answered: No, not on behalf of a political figure, but [on behalf of] a senior Haganah officer whose name is not known outside [of the country].

       He said: I know that a while ago you were offered merchandise (?) from one of the limitrophe [border, i.e., on the Soviet Union's western border] states and you were reluctant about accepting it! - He answered: I don't know, but maybe the Haganah cannot easily buy tools [weapons] from you because we're being held captive among the English, and we need to be careful with respect to America.

       He asked: Which tools are you interested in? - He answered: Regular tools can be bought anywhere, but the person who sent me is interested in special devices that cannot be found just anywhere, such as artillery, rockets [evidently - anti-tank rockets, or Katyushas].

       He asked: Do you have a list? - He answered: No.

       He said: I'll take a sheet of paper and write to your man in the country; memorize these words, [and] destroy the letter; when you get home, recite [these remarks] from memory. And these are roughly the contents of the "letter":

       "I am a Belarusian Jew. I was detached from Judaism, but what I saw during the war - Hitler's massacre - opened my eyes. An even greater disaster might befall us, so we need to establish a strong Jewish state. Now that you're being attacked you must demonstrate strength, otherwise friends in America will abandon you. The experience of the past two months is not reassuring. You must be stronger than all the Arab countries put together. This is possible - if you establish an alliance between the Jewish youth in the country and the Jewish power around the world. Judaism has tremendous scientific powers. In the Soviet Union 50% of the important workers in science are Jews, and the same is true in other countries. With the help of science you will overcome everything. It's been explained to me why it's not appropriate for you to buy tools in countries neighboring (?) [the Soviet Union], and you're asking for special devices from me. I therefore suggest that you establish a group (company) for trading with various countries, including countries near my country. And with and without my country's knowledge, I'm prepared to send you special devices along with other merchandise. Towards this end I must get a list. There are some things that you will need to produce yourselves."

       This is roughly the content of the letter. The relative had returned to the Soviet Union for six months. He told Ben-Ya'akov that they have explosive material that is 50 times stronger than TNT. It cannot be sent, but it's possible to teach [us] how to produce it.

       - Shkolnik [Eshkol] informs me that P£ 100,000 has already been provided for fortifications. If they deliver P£ 235,000 in March, P£ 120,000 in April, 100,000 in May, 50,000 in June, and less than that afterwards - the entire fortifications plan can be implemented.

       - In the afternoon a meeting with Kaplan, Shkolnik, and Zabrasky - regarding the budget. Kaplan reported on other needs: aliyah, roads, settlement, and what's known as Security B [illegal Haganah activities] - and on an empty fund.

       I mentioned the following sources of funding: UJA, a local loan, income tax collection, a loan against dollars [from the fundraising campaign], issuing Jewish money [of the Jewish state] underwritten by dollars and based on the founding of an organization to ensure supplies (food and fuel) from Canada and America, Argentina and South Africa.

       - Nachum [Hurvitz of Kefar Gil'adi, a longtime member of HaShomer] and Yitzhak Schleifer [sp.] [Kibbutz Amir]: After we received an order to evacuate the children from a few settlements, they packed their belongings and prepared to leave. But 8 days ago they suddenly received an order to wait. The Galilee is demanding to be told clearly: evacuate or not?

       Nachum asked about the police [stations]. In his view the police [stations] in Metulla, Rosh Pinna, Nebi Yusha, and Safed should be seized. He's concerned about the attitude of a few of our people towards the [British] government and the army. He believes we should reap any benefit we can from them - to the extent it's available. On this I agreed with him, although I expressed serious concerns regarding the [British] change [in attitude], which is not new but is acute, as demonstrated by the most recent display of anti-Semitism.

       He stated that there's interest among the members of the Bloc in appointing him as coordinator, and this seems right to me, because among all the people in the Upper Galilee he's the only one who knows how to navigate among the Arabs and the authorities. I encouraged him to accept this position.

       - Last night I received notice from Jerusalem that the Commissioner wants to see me. My first reaction was that there's no reason to see him. But all my associates think that I should meet him. I sent notice that I won't come to Jerusalem until next week. He probably wants to discuss the Stern Gang [LEHI] again.

       - Ya'akov [Dori] suggested I appoint Shlomo [Shamir] as Nahum Sarig's deputy in the Negev. This seems baffling to me, and I told Ya'akov that it's out of the question.

       - A meeting of scientists. H. H. Heimann [chemistry professor at the Technion in Haifa] also participated. [We] examined the need for contact with scientists abroad - in America and Europe. In [Ernst David] Bergmann's view, there should only be one contact person in each country - and through him with all the scientific powers there. They'll address the problem of super petrol for aircraft.

       - I telegraphed Hammer to transfer two million to Pozner for Alon [Arazi].

       - [Chaim] Herzog, [Monty] Green, and Yigael [Yadin] consulted on the position we should take regarding the UN's military expert [the UN Palestine Commission's military advisor]. I proposed demanding around two divisions, an armored brigade for the Negev, a naval force, and an aviation corps. If he asks what we have, [we] take the "respect him and suspect him" [approach]. The Haganah is [based on] popular local volunteerism; and if he asks about Arabs in the militia [to be established under the UN plan], we'll say that an Arab who accepts the UN resolutions and is loyal to the state, can serve in the militia. Yigael believes that we need a liaison officer [to liaise with the UN expert] in Tel Aviv too. He proposes Shlomo [Shamir]. I think that Fritz [Eshet] is suitable.

       - Yigael [Yadin] reports that an Arab "commander" appeared in Sheikh Munis, demanding to have the women and children evacuated and to receive defenders. There are two clans in the village. The head of one of the clans came to see us, offered us his home with a telephone, and asked that we send a Haganah company there to prevent the gang from entering. He himself is going to Transjordan. I advised not conquering the village now, unless [the Arabs] give us a lease deed, and instead stationing guard posts around the village to prevent gangs from entering.