יומנים > יומן - מלא 26/07/1948

Monday, July 26, 1948

Shlomo [Shamir] presented the details of the military assembly [scheduled for the following day]. We decided to organize a party in the evening on behalf of the government for the commanders and Staff. I telephoned Ya'akov [Dori, convalescing in Haifa] to tell him to come. The soldiers will begin to mobilize at 4:30, will assemble at the exhibition [grounds, near the Yarkon River estuary] at 6:15. At 6:45 they'll be ready for the parade.

         It's reported that our forces conquered ''Ein Ghazal and Jaba' [today - ''Ein Ayala and Geva Carmel] during the night. Ijzim [today - Kerem Maharal] is also in line.

         We discussed Margo's proposals. The dispute centered on the Air Force's "independence." I summarized the conclusions: Henceforth we're constructing the Air Force as an independent branch among the armed forces, subordinate to the chief of staff. However, during this war the Air Force will in practice be integrated, and a high-ranking Air Force officer will participate in Staff meetings, and an operations officer in the Operations Department as well; the Air Force staff will plan operations, but the order to mobilize will only be issued - for now - by the Operations Department.

         Margo's proposed appointments were accepted, except for M. Horvitz, who in accordance with A. Remez's proposal will only be interim [director] of the administration and personnel department for now, until someone more appropriate is found. And the director of equipment - will not be Yitzhak Levi. It was also agreed that the Air Force would have a representative in the Logistics Department and the Personnel Department.

         Aharon Remez proposes that Hyman [Shamir] be the commander, and he'd be his deputy. When I saw Margo later, he also agreed to this.

         - A delegation from the settlements ([Avraham] Haft, Vinia [Reuven Cohen from ''Ein Harod], and others) demand:

To use immigrants to fill garrison battalions, in order to release the settlement members. They also want immigrants (not necessarily "affiliated" [i.e., not yet affiliated with any one of the settlement movements]) sent to the settlements. Weapons - by now the weapons taken from the settlements have been returned, in some places even supplemented, but it's not enough. They demand another 2,000 rifles, 400 [light] machine guns, 100 3" mortars, 60 PIATs, 100 heavy machine [gun]s. New settlement. To clarify whether it's possible to return the women and children to some of the settlements.

         The Be'erot Yitzhak delegate noted his settlement's unique situation. The place had 75 settlers, of whom there were 20 casualties before the first truce, during the last battle before the second truce 15 were killed, 10 wounded. Only 30 remain.

         - [Air Force Commander] Yisrael Amir complained bitterly - and in no small measure justly - that no one had spoken with him at all, neither Sieff nor Margo, and they didn't hear anything about measures he's taken. Over the course of 2½ months he's introduced a number of important revisions and improvements. The internal situation in the Air Force is not good. A number of ETZEL men have "infiltrated" and are looking for key positions. He promised me a written brief.