יומנים > יומן - מלא 03/01/1949

Monday, January 3, 1949

[Eliezer] Perlson [Peri] accepts my proposal. He will be appointed director general of the Defense Ministry.

       [Yosef] Gurion requests assistants: Haimovich [sp.] [Dov Givon] for accommodation and housing for soldiers (Solel Boneh [a cooperative Jewish labor company for public works, construction, and industry] refuses [to turn him over]), and someone from immigrant absorption. I told him that immigrant absorption takes precedence, but regarding Haimovich I’ll speak with David [Hacohen].

       – [Uriel] Heyd [Heydt] telegraphs from Washington: Silver officially complained that the American Friends of the Haganah are not disbanding and Haganah Speaks is being published and includes “political party propaganda.” The American Executive of the [Jewish] Agency wants to issue a statement [saying] that Haganah Speaks is not connected in any way with Israel or with the army and that the name “Haganah” is misleading and unauthorized. I asked that Silver be informed that he and his associates are not authorized [to issue statements on behalf of Israel or the IDF].

       – From the start of 1948 until the founding of the state, 17,542 immigrants entered the country. From the founding of the state until January 106,457 immigrants [arrived], at an average of 13,330 per month [for May-December]. For all of 1948 – 123,999 immigrants [monthly average for the entire year – 10,300].

       – 15 airplanes arrived in the country from America by ship: fighter [planes], bombers, and training [planes]. Spare parts as well.

       – At 3, GAHAL [foreign recruitment] celebration.

       – Delegation: [Yaakov] Herzog, [Israel] Shochat, [Prof.] Sukenik, [District Judge Israel] Levin, [Mordechai] Eliash – on the matter of [Judge] Gad Frumkin. Per the proposal by Ellis [Eliash] and Goitein, a committee should be appointed (without the government) headed by [David] Remez with [Zalman] Rubashov [Shazar] and Rabbi Berlin [Bar-Ilan] to examine the complaints by Rosenblüth [Pinchas Rosen] and Frumkin.

       – [Dr. Shimshon] Unichman – regarding LEHI. It is clear to him that they have abandoned their secession. I told him that he hasn’t convinced me, and I don’t intend to convince him, and that we must agree to disagree. He’s concerned about ETZEL – that it will align with Mapam and a Russian orientation, such that 40% of the Yishuv will be in favor of Russia. According to him, Mapam members in Poland said that I had disbanded the Palmach under orders from Bevin and Marshall. Jews abroad only live in a state and [praise] the Greatness of Israel [?]. Over there they say that after the war I’ll be minister of education and culture. He asks how a responsible opposition should behave.

       – [General] Staff meeting: Last night we bombed the bridge between Iraq-Manshiyya and Faluja.

       The Egyptians from El-‘Arish reached Qusaima and ‘Auja [after the IDF withdrew]. Their scout got as far as 10 km west of ‘Auja this afternoon. Captain Ma’aruf al-Hadr [sp.], who was captured with the convoy to Faluja, is apparently an important figure. He refuses to speak when interrogated.

       Tonight the action against Rafiah will begin. Harel claims that it remains without any transport, although yesterday Yigael [Yadin] and [Yosef] Avidar were there and saw that everything is fine.

       Ya’akov [Dori] posed the question of reorganization: filling the brigades per the standard, each brigade 3 battalions (each battalion – 3 companies), a patrol company (a few jeeps and armored vehicles), the merger of garrison and Hayish. In the Operations Department it was proposed that the fronts be consolidated into divisions. Ya’akov thinks it’s too early for this. On that I agree with him. [We] need to form 4 armored battalions, one battalion for each front, alongside a nationwide tanks unit.

       Yigael [Yadin] states that he does not stand by the divisions proposal, it might be premature, and the Personnel Department proposal might be more appropriate, but at this time there is no father [commander in charge?] for the brigades. The front commander is not responsible for brigade matters. The administrative officer in the Negev – Edelman [Benny Eden] [sp.] – doesn’t know how many vehicles there are – if there are – in the brigades. This is a matter between the Logistics Department and the brigades. Does the Logistics Department know? No, even it doesn’t know.

       – Regarding Front C [Merkaz (Center)] he suggests that Moshe [Dayan] be the Jerusalem district commander – and not necessarily Brigade 6 [Etsiyyoni]. This front will have 3 brigades: 4 [Kiryati], 6 [Etsiyyoni], and the Jerusalem District Brigade. The Tel Aviv District Brigade [garrison] would be disbanded and [its men] would fill Brigade 4 and Brigade 6.

       Yosef [Avidar] favors consolidating and filling the brigades. Each battalion [would have] only 3 companies, about 700 men. According to the Personnel Department we now have 39,291 in infantry (25,663 Hayish + 13,628 garrison); at 700 this is 56 battalions? Avidar insists that the battalion commander (battalion is the accounting unit [?]) be responsible for the property in the battalion.

       [Moshe] Zadok thinks there should just be 13 brigades (2,250 men in each brigade). That means 29,250. What will happen with the additional 10,000 who are now in garrison and Hayish? More than 3,000 are in the front staffs, [in] 4 armored battalions, one battalion of tanks.

       – A visit from Monsignor McMahon, Cardinal Spellman’s emissary [from the United States].

       – In the evening, the language committee at the museum, on its way [to becoming] an academy.