יומנים > יומן - מלא 24/06/1948

Thursday, June 24, 1948

According to [Marcus] Sieff's report, during the truce we consume 500 tons (150,000 gallons) of airplane fuel per month. The Air Force has reserves of 800 tons (250,000 gallons), [and] the oil companies have reserves of about 800 tons. If the fighting resumes, we'll need 1,000 tons per month (300,000 gallons) and reserves for at least three months (3,000 tons). At present there's only one [source of] supply - 1,800 tons in barrels from Marseille or Genoa, to arrive at the end of July. The price is $ 140 per ton. Delivery is around $ 25 in addition [per ton]. The entire supply $ 316,000. Need to send Alkalay [fuel purchaser] to France.

         - I inquired with Yigael [Yadin], Zvi [Ayalon], and Judge Lowenstein [should be: Shlomo Lowenberg] regarding the detainees from the ETZEL shenanigans [the Altalena incident]: Whether they [the detainees] are immigrants, whether they were armed, whether they opposed the army by force, whether they were deserters, whether they are subject to draft duty.

         - I spoke with Baruch Rabinov to clarify the scope of his activity. In particular he pointed to his non-participation in the finance committee, which determines the details of the military budget in practice. I asked him to provide me with a list of the issues he handles, in order to place him in the new Defense Ministry framework.

         - Yigael [Yadin], Yisrael [Galili], Zvi [Ayalon] and I consulted on what to do with the ETZEL men. In my view, those who swear [allegiance to the IDF] - should be treated the same as all the soldiers and should be trusted, until it turns out that someone should not be trusted. Of those who do not swear - some will be sent to work in the Negev and the Galilee, some will be sent to the police. Special care should be taken with the VIPs, that they don't escape. The task was assigned to "Little" Isser [Isser Halperin-Harel].

         - [Izhak] Ben-Zvi complains that the Katamon and Allenby Barracks [Camp Allenby in Jerusalem] have been left barren - and haters [enemies] can easily seize them. Haganah [army] men need to go in there.

         - Isserzon [Zeev On], [Aryeh] Bahir, and [Yehiel] Duvdevani [of the Mapai Secretariat] are asking about elections to the Constituent Assembly [for the Knesset], if there's a truce.

         Why? To prove who represents the Yishuv. The time is not ripe, in my view.

         They're demanding that Shimon Horn [of the Mapai Youth Guard] revise the [Youth Guard newsletter] Ashmoret.

         Bahir proposes Baruch Eisenstadt [Osnia] as spokesman for government affairs.

         - A delegation from the Upper Galilee: There's a danger of invasion from four directions: the Hulata - Mishmar HaYarden wedge, Dan - Kefar Szold wedge, Malkiyya wedge, and from there to the south and the east. There were three failings on our part: the Command didn't function well, there weren't enough fighting forces, there weren't enough weapons. Nachum [Hurvitz] proposes digging trenches along the borders, providing a fighting force for the Upper Galilee (those who are there are not fighters), effective weapons, strengthening the settlements.

         The mayor of Safed [Avraham Hanochi] [sp.] stresses Safed's unique situation. The Arabs are returning to abandoned villages and there's a danger they'll return to Safed. Ze'ev Feinstein [Shefer] stresses the need to change the Command.

         - [Dr. Avrahm] Granovski [Granot, of KKL] and [Eliezer] Kaplan: Kaplan reports on behalf of Golda [Meir] that she's already taken 2 million out of the loan (trust) funds, and all the income from the fundraising campaign (she didn't state the amount). Of the loan, 1½ million has been transferred for defense needs in the country, not even a single cent remains for Keren HaYesod. Only KKL has funds remaining - in just one bank KKL has 8½ million. A telegram from Teddy [Kollek] asks about the 7½ million held by the KKL in America from the Golda fundraising campaign. The in-country loans generated 3½ million, and all of it was given over to defense. The rest of the money (up to 5 million) requires a guarantee by the KKL, which refuses unless it receives 25% of the loan. The KKL is holding $ 6 million in Switzerland - as payment to the government for Sarona [the government compound in Tel Aviv]. Granovski is surprised that there's so much money in America. He only knew about one million. I suggested that if the money in America exists - he immediately transfer 7½ million to Switzerland. Half of it would be a debt to KKL from the state [a loan to the state from KKL]. Granovski agrees, but he wants the consent of the board of directors. I insisted that he at least transfer 1½ immediately, and as to the loan funds Kaplan suggested that KKL receive 10%.

         - Last night at 9:15 Rokach told Ariav that the despicable rag [spineless person, "doormat"] is from your party (he means Bernstein)[.] This was a meeting [in the aftermath of the Altalena incident] with the rabbis and he announced that if they [the ETZEL detainees] are not released, he would resign. And now he's not doing anything.

         This scumbag Peretz [?] didn't do a thing. Ariav asks: Why aren't they publicizing this? - Rokach: The meeting hasn't ended yet. Fishman asked the scumbag if he would resign. He said yes. I told him that he would have to be held to account for shooting Jews. This is the situation in the party. It despairs me.

         - At 9:10 Pinkas told Rokach: "The meeting is still continuing. The situation is difficult. The Dutchman [Bernstein] isn't opening his mouth, even though he informed the chief rabbis in the afternoon that if they don't release the detainees he will resign." Rokach asked: What's Gruenbaum's view? - He kept quiet. Did you speak? Yes. They asked me where I got the information for the questions they asked. Simply interrogated me. Rokach asked: What's the overall situation? Pinkas: Not good, opinions are divided. Half and half - And Kolodny? He was in favor of the action - And the Revisionists? Weinstein and Rubin spoke - the latter wasn't belligerent and appeared moderate. He didn't attack the government.

         At 9:45 Rokach with [Yitzhak] Ziv-Av - Ziv-Av: I came back from Begin late and didn't see the morning headline. Actually I am not prepared to justify Begin, but what he said - he said - I can't react as an observer - I'm preparing an article for the Friday newspaper. In the article I attack both sides, but I attack the government more harshly.

         Rokach: There was a meeting today at Rabbi Unterman's; Herzog and Toledano, Shapira and Fishman promised to resign if the detainees are not released. Bernstein promised to resign, and of course didn't keep [his promise]; he's a contemptible man. Kolodny defended the actions. The situation isn't good. We're heading towards dark days.

         On June 23, Zinger (?) and Rokach: A committee of 3 ministers was chosen: B. G., Gruenbaum, and Rosenblüth [Pinchas Rosen]. The last is distinctly a Nazi. Zinger: Cannot have B. G. and Gruenbaum in one committee; they don't speak to each other.

         - I. M. Levin [a minister and member of Agudas Israel] came to see me this afternoon. HaMizrachi is pressuring him to resign, to demand the release of all the [ETZEL] detainees. This will allow them to return to the government. I told him: I want them to return, but they don't deserve a prize for the sin of resigning.

         - Isser [Be'eri, head of SHAI, the information service] proposes Isser Halperin [Harel] to be in charge of the internal security service and Isser Be'eri would be in charge of military intelligence.

         - Sinai [Arnon Azaryahu], on behalf of Zvi Ben-Ya'akov [high-ranking ordinance corps officer], reports that our men seized [ammunition and weapons unloaded from the Altalena] in Kefar Vitkin: 2,080,000 English bullets, 1,433 English rifles, 30-40 Bren [machine guns], 5 English PIATs, 3,300 English PIAT shells, 60 crates (apparently containing rifles or Brens). Our armored vehicles left loaded up with weapons, and Ben-Ya'akov believes that our soldiers were also carrying weapons (Brens, PIATS) and so too were residents of the settlements. It's also possible that ETZEL men managed to bury large quantities of weapons in the ground - and searches are going on now.

         Tonight they'll board the ship [the charred Altalena] to check it out.

         - Yigael [Yadin] proposes 4 fronts: Northern, Central, Tel Aviv - Jerusalem, Southern (including the Negev).

         Commanders [in the North]: Instead of Uri Yafeh [in Oded] - Mulah [Cohen]. Instead of Mishal [in Golani] - Nahum Spiegel [Golan]. Mordechai Makleff [Carmeli Brigade commander]. Commander of the [Northern] Front Moshe Zelicki [Carmel].

         Central - Alexandroni Brigade, no changes. In Tel Aviv [Kiriati] instead of James [Michael Ben-Gal] - Shlomo Rabinovitz [Shamir]. For the 7th Brigade - Haim [Laskov]. For the 8th Brigade - no changes [brigade commander - Yitzhak Sadeh]. For Jerusalem [Etsiyyoni] - Eliahu Cohen [Ben-Hur] (or Shlomo for Jerusalem and Eliahu for Tel Aviv).

         [Central] Front commander - Yigal Peikowitz [Allon]. Instead of Shimon Koch [Avidan in Givati] - Meir Davidzon [Meir'ke] [brigade operations officer]. [Southern] Front commander - Shimon Koch. [In the General Staff] instead of Eliahu [Ben-Hur] - Moshe Lehrer [Zadok] for the Training Department; for the Personnel Department [instead of Zadok] - Moshe Mann. For the Palmach brigades, Dan Laner [Yiftah operations officer], Yitzhak Rabin [Palmach operations officer - to Harel].

         Reserve brigade commanders: Zvi Herman [battalion commander in the Alexandroni Brigade], maybe [Yitzhak] Pundak [battalion commander in the Givati Brigade].