יומנים > יומן - מלא 08/12/1948
Friday, December 8, 1948
Defense Ministry meeting - Gershon [Zak] and Hai [Issachar] also participated. Zabar's budget for December: for expenses P£ 5,365,000, for payments only 4,853,000, for upkeep of soldiers 2,500,000 (in November 2,950,000), for the ill only 2.2 mil. For soldiers' families 1,450,000 (N. 1,350,000), for the Navy 100,000 (130,000), for the Air Force 140,000 (120,000), Engineering Corps 12,000 (8,000), transport 150,000 (- 50,000), rental vehicles 200,000 (- 50,000), fuel 100,000, housing 130,000 (- 70,000), fortification 50,000 (- 150,000), M.S. [Medical Service] 10,000 (- 50,000), signal 28,000 (- 32,000), Ta'as [home manufacture of weapons] 125,000 (- 5,000), foreign manufacture of weapons 170,000 (- 80,000), chemicals facilities 60,000 (+ 15,000), science and DSP [Department for Staff Positions] 25,000 (+ 2,000), intelligence 30,000 (- 10,000), Defense Ministry 15,000, recruitment center 12,000 (- 3,000), GAHAL 3,000 (- 2,000), military government 5,000 (+ 5,000), and miscellaneous 50,000 (- 10,000).
Specifics of upkeep: 113,000 A rations - 8100 = 915,000, battle rations P£ 85,000, 10,059 personnel outside of the camps 210,000 (?), wages for soldiers 365,000, garrison 80,000, frontline settlements 83,000, vacation and travel payments 190,000, minor supplies 50,000, culture and assistance 30,000, convalescence 70,000, units' expenses 70,000, inventory and technical equipment 250,000, work wages 70,000, miscellaneous 32,000, total P£ 2.5 million.
It's not clear why 113,000 was spent on food rations, and in addition P£ 210,000 was spent on food for 10,059 personnel for the camps, and what happens when they eat battle rations?
Clearly economic and financial oversight is needed.
Manpower as of November 25, 1948: 92,876, aside from 3,900 ill and wounded, 138 prisoners, 2,593 in intake [facilities] and training bases, 866 in transit, 170 in discharge camps, 628 missing, 1,181 deserters, 957 POWs, 3,069 fallen, total 106,669. Specifics: Hayish 28,039 (st. [standard] 35,457, sh. [shortfall] 7,410), garrison 13,928 (st. 16,035, sh. 2,036), artillery 3,911 [?] (st. 7,005, sh. 3,089), mortars 887 (st. 1,605, sh. 712), engineering 2,095 (st. 3,269, sh. 583), Air Force 5,973 (st. 7,500, sh. 1,425), Navy 2,898 (st. 4,500, sh. 1,590), paratroopers 279 (st. 547), services and camps 31,927 (st. 38,315, sh. 6,284), signal 2,028 (st. 2,652, sh. 616), Minorities Unit 324 (st. 794, sh. 470).
Yosef Yaakovson complains that the exemptions [from military service] committee ([Michael] Michael and Yisrael Amir) is not handling releases efficiently and isn't enough by itself. He proposes adding [Yosef] Gurion and [Yosef] Yizraeli and Yosef Yaakovson.
For oversight Zvi Luboshitz [sp.] is proposed, [was] price inspector in the Eretz-Israel government. I telephoned [Peretz] Bernstein to [have him] lend him to me. He said that he had to speak with [Dr. Yeshayahu] Forder, for whom Luboshitz is working.
- [General] Staff meeting: The chief of staff's financial advisor [Zvi Shariv] - on cuts in the army. Yigael [Yadin] reports that the Egyptians were hit yesterday by Battalion 89, which attacked the Egyptian battalion that was preparing to attack us. The Egyptian battalion fled in panic, leaving behind on the field more than 100 killed and plunder. I asked Yigael what is needed and how much time is necessary to completely annihilate the Egyptians in the area of Bir ''Isluj - ''Auja al-Hafir [Revivim - Nitzana]; he thinks it will require another brigade and a week [to prepare].
I noted three sources for budget cuts: 1) reducing manpower - releasing all those who are superfluous and some of those who aren't essential, 2) preventing waste - in food, fuel, purchases, etc. 3) reducing non-essential expenses. I commented that there are difficulties in the discharge [process] - the Personnel Department delays things, and after it - the local command. The assistance of the Personnel Department is needed to prevent waste and reduce expenses.
- In the afternoon government meeting.