יומנים > יומן - מלא 24/05/1948

Monday, May 24, 1948

Yigael [Yadin]: When he left [Kibbutz] Na'an, there weren't any cannons yet. Dan [Even, of Alexandroni]'s battalion arrived without food or gear. The order was to set out (he didn't yet get my cable), but he doubts whether they were prepared. Only at 10, near Mikve [Yisrael], did he encounter the third battalion in transit.

       The trial with 6" yesterday was successful: They've already made three such mortars, and each day they'll produce two. The range is 3½-4 kilometers.

       Yesterday a plane with bombs arrived. A second [cargo] plane, with a "Knife" [Messerschmidt] and five operators [crewmen] crashed some distance from Ekron. 4 operators walked to Ekron. The pilot is missing. 5 Czech operators came. They assemble a plane per day.

       Alon [Arazi]'s ship will arrive tonight. It could have arrived this morning, but we postponed its arrival - for fear of a bombing, because there are no other ships in port.

       The pressure in the Negev is intense. They hit Dorot yesterday. A munitions depot was struck. Nahum [Sarig] is demanding that targets in the Negev be bombed. One plane left to bomb Iraq-Suweidan and Majdal. Yad Mordechai is still standing. Spirits are low in all the Negev settlements. The operation scheduled for tonight was postponed to tomorrow evening.

       Yigal [Allon] advanced into Lebanon [with Yiftah Brigade forces], but the operation directed at ''Ein Gev and Gesher wasn't launched. During the night our planes bombed Quneitra, Fiq, and Kafr Harib - above ''Ein Gev. The enemy bombed ''Ein Gev. [We] have injuries and deaths.

       Alexandroni's operation in Tantura [Dor] succeeded [the village was occupied]. Prisoners and weapons were taken. Shlomo [Shamir]'s cargo reached him only at 3 a.m.

       The enemy shelled Kefar Uriya. Egyptian armored [vehicles] reached Beit Mahsir [from the direction of Har Tuv] but we drove them away.

       Tonight the battalion under Zvi German [of Alexandroni Brigade] will capture the field of Latrun, the monastery, and the police station. The enemy is continuing to bombard Jerusalem day and night. Our pressure on the Old City is continuing. Our attack against Sheikh Jarrah was unsuccessful.

       Harel is demanding fighters. Only one company is in the hills, and the rest are in the city.

       It hasn't yet been decided where Shlomo [7th Brigade] will go: southward or to Ramallah.

       Ratner returned from the "center" and the Lower Galilee: The operations in the center were necessary in themselves and for our men's spirits. They took Tantura. There's a good port there. Alexandroni has 1,100 garrison troops and 1,800 Hayish troops.

       Afula's defense requires a battalion of 1,000 men and surrounding fortifications, and about 500 workers. They should be taken from Haifa.

       No defense on the Jordan front, miraculously [Kibbutz] Kinneret is still standing. The fields are densely dotted with vehicles. Tonight we were supposed to take Tsemah, in coordination with ''Ein Gev.

       I suggested that as soon as the shipment of equipment arrives - if the equipment gets here - we should be prepared to launch an attack aimed at rattling Lebanon, Transjordan, and Syria. We must hold strong in the Negev, and the plan for this week is: the liberation of Jerusalem and conquest of its surroundings. To this end we have to increase forces, especially heavy weapons, because presumably they'll send large reinforcements to Jerusalem. The battle over Jerusalem is central in moral-political terms, and to a large extent militarily as well.

       We must organize a series of new brigades and reinforce the old ones. Create a brigade of Kiriati men under [Zadok] Lehrer's command. As soon as we get the cannons, we should immediately destroy Ramle and Lod. We should immediately organize Eliahu's brigade to be directed against Jenin, in preparation for [an expedition to] the Jordan Valley.

       Makleff [Carmeli Brigade] should receive reinforcements, and his role is to occupy southern Lebanon - assisted by the bombing of Tyre, Sidon, and Beirut. We'll also bomb Beirut from the sea.

       Yigal [Allon] to be tasked with striking at Syria [the Syrian army in the Jordan Valley] from the east and the north. Our air fleet should bomb and destroy Amman.

       Lebanon is the weak link in the Arab coalition. The Muslim government is artificial and easy to destabilize. A Christian state should be established with the Litani [River] as its southern border. We'll form an alliance with it. When we break the Legion's power and bomb Amman, we'll also destroy [the forces of] Transjordan, and then Syria falls. If Egypt dares to continue fighting - we'll bomb Port Said, Alexandria, and Cairo.

       And thus we'll end the war - and settle our forefathers' score with Egypt, Assyria, and Aram.

       I instructed Lehrer [Zadok] to report at this evening's meeting - after consulting with the Aliya Department - on the possibilities for personnel and its organization into brigades and reinforcement of the existing brigades. The Operations Department will bring a proposal for the allocation of cannons [being unloaded from the ship], reinforcement of the fronts in the south, Jerusalem, and the Jordan Valley, and preparation of the basic outline of the master [strategic] plan.

       - After that, meeting with a Mapam delegation - about the role of Yisrael [Galili - up until now Chief of National Headquarters] in the defense bureau. [Yitzhak] Ben-Aharon insisted that Yisrael [have the authority to] issue orders to the Staff. I stated that I won't object to his getting the defense bureau, but that I would accept the defense bureau only on the condition that no one else be authorized to issue orders to the Staff.

       Ben-Aharon tried to interpret this to mean that only in accordance with my orders [would Yisrael run the Staff]. I objected to this, and then Yisrael stated that there's nothing for them to do in that case.

       I explained how I imagine working - I and three other members, the Chief of Staff, Shkolnik [Eshkol], and Yisrael, as a team.

       The IZL agrees to merge [with the army] at the national level [rather than as a militia], to take the oath. They won't be dispersed, they'll form companies (not forever). But they demand a brigade.

       Departments meeting in the evening. A frenzied hour. A cease-fire starts tonight. Not clear whether at 8 or 9. Likewise, unclear whether or not the Arabs agreed. Shlomo and the (7th) Brigade need to mobilize at 10: Will he mobilize or not? He can't advance without attacking and occupying Latrun. Should he proceed if not?

       Jerusalem finally announces that the shooting stopped at nine. In that case - there's a cease-fire. What about Shlomo?

       After a review I came to the conclusion - he should mobilize. We shouldn't risk the survival of Jerusalem. [Eliezer] Kaplan objected, Moshe [Sharett] agreed. I gave the order to mobilize. In the meantime we received the news that Ramot-Naftali came under artillery attack from Lebanon at 9:30. Then news from Baghdad - they decided not to stop fighting until the Jews surrender. They'll be waiting.

       In the meantime the ship is being unloaded. Tomorrow we'll have another 45 cannons and 5,000 rifles. This will be the beginning of the turning point.

       [David] Karon came from the Negev: [According to him] Yad Mordechai ([part of] HaShomer HaTza'ir) [should be: HaKibbutz Ha'Artzi] fled, and does not want to return despite orders. I instructed that they be given reinforcements and forced to return.

       I went home after midnight - with a lighter heart.

       - Shmuel Mikunis came to see me in the afternoon. He came to the country in 1921, and in 1936 became a communist. He's just returned from a visit to Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Bulgaria. He spoke with [the government leaders] about providing us with weapons: in Bulgaria with Dimitrov (they don't have any either), in Yugoslavia with Ranković, in Romania with Luca, in Czechoslovakia with Clementis, in Poland with Berman and Modzelewski (both are Jewish).

       He asked whether there's any truth to what Al Hamishmar stated yesterday - that we're refusing to turn to the "East" for help.

       I said that the staff of Al Hamishmar know it's a lie. We requested and received help even before statehood [Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia]. He asked about the inclusion [of Communist Party members] on committees. I said that we haven't formed any committees, and I don't foresee us doing so. There's only the Defense Committee. If it continues, there's no point in changing its composition.

       He asked whether we'll accept communist [military] experts - I said: We don't examine opinions. We need pilots, radio operators, tank operators, and the like. We'll gladly accept them. He's going abroad in a few days.