יומנים > יומן - מלא 04/02/1949
Friday, February 4, 1949
Finally the count of the unknown 5,000 [votes] has been completed: A – 2,300 (Davar reported 1200), M – 900, H – 570, B – 300, S – 280, etc. The quota [number of votes for a seat] is 3,592[.] 440,080 voted, 5,479 invalid, 434,601 valid, distributed [as follows]: A – 155,274 – 34.7%, B – 52,982 – 12.0%, G 2,892 – 0.65%, H 49,782 – 16.3%, T 882, YA 2,305 0.73%, YG 2,513 – 0.57%; YD 7,387 – 1.67%; TV 5,370 – 1.22%; YH 2,835 – 0.64%; YT 241, L 4,399 – 0.91%; M – 64,018 – 14.54%, N 5,173 – 1.97%; M [?] [should be S?] – 15,287 – 3.47%; P 17,786 – 4.4%, PD 2,796 – 0.63%; Tz 22,661 – 5.14%; K 15,148 – 3.44%; Sh 1,279, Th 2812.
Mandates: A – 46, B – 16, H – 14, YD – 2; TV – 1; L – 1; M – 19; N – 1; S – 4; P[?] – 5; Tz – 7; K – 4.
This morning Griffis – American ambassador to Cairo – visited me accompanied by McDonald. Three organizations are handling refugees. In the north and Transjordan the Leagues of the Red Cross, on the Gaza coast – the Quakers, in the Triangle – the Red Cross. He wants us to contribute oranges. He doesn’t think that everyone will return.
– Ya’akov [Dori] informs me that for now only [the following] have been appointed [to command positions:] Yaacov Prulov [Peri] to Brigade 5, Mishal Schechter [Shacham] – 16 [Jerusalem], Zvi Tsertenko (What a name?! [Tsur]) – [Brigade] 17, Shimon Avidan to the Operations Department.
– If just LEHI (1), Herut (14), and the Communists (4) were removed from the coalition, we would have 47.5%, Mapam 18.8%, B 15.8%, the G.Z. 6.9%. But without the General [Zionists] and the Sephardim (subtracting 32), we would have, out of 88 – 54.5%, and M – 26.5%, B – 18.12% [?], Peretz 5.6%; this means that we would have about half in the coalition – and the others half; 6 for the party, 2 for Mapam, 2 for the Front, 1 for the Progressives, 2 for the General [Zionists]. Sheetrit needs to receive a ministry outside of the Cabinet. Minorities, Religious Affairs, Police – as ministries – should be abolished. [The ministries of] Labor and Construction should also be disbanded.
– On May 14 revolution took place. It was not carried out by Zionism and socialism. But with the founding of the State of Israel, the conditions for their implementation have been created. It’s necessary to create the reality that will constitute the actualization of Socialist Zionism – immigration and large-scale settlement. This depends on the independence, unity, and halutziyut [Zionists pioneering spirit] of the worker.
In the evening, the opening session of a conference of [Mapai] delegates at Beit Ha’Am – a massive and wonderful gathering. It reminded me of the conference of the Non-Partisans [a labor Zionist social movement of workers in the early 20th century] (1944). The speeches were short this time as well – and in one evening four [speakers] were able to speak – Ziama [Aran], myself, [Yosef] Sprintzak, and Moshe [Sharett].
Technology has improved as well. I just finished speaking – and I was already handed a stenograph of my remarks. When I got home I even managed to edit some of it.
– Today Nehemiah [Argov] brought me my guesses for the projected outcomes of the elections, which I’d written down on January 24, 1949, the eve of the elections. The list had been kept in the metal cabinet in my office at the Staff:
“1) The party [will receive] more than a third of the votes.
2) Mapam [will be] the second [largest] party.
3) These two parties will receive no less than 55%.
4) Herut and the Religious Front [will receive] no more than 32% and perhaps less.
5) All the other parties [will receive] about 12%, more or less.
6) If 395,000 [people] vote:
A. The party and Mapam will receive about 253,000.
B. Of this, the party [will receive] no less, and perhaps more, than 153,000.
C. Mapam – no more and perhaps less than 100,000.
D. Herut and the Religious Front about 100,000.
E. All the rest about 40,000-50,000.”
All my guesses were actualized, except one: Mapam received far less than I estimated, its shortfall went to the small parties. Voter turnout was much larger than my “if.”