יומנים > יומן - מלא 22/06/1948

Tuesday, June 22, 1948

ETZEL Day. What had to happen - finally happened. They surrendered in Kefar Vitkin today, but at night they moved the ship to Tel Aviv. At 2 a.m. I was informed on behalf of the Navy that after coming under fire [the ETZEL men] declared a surrender, but it turned out that this was a mistake or act of deception.

         The government convened in the morning, and after lengthy debate that was not as heated as one might have feared, it was decided by a two-thirds majority to demand that the ship surrender. [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum, [Peretz] Bernstein, [Moshe] Shapira, and [Rabbi] Fishman voted against.

         A shell from one of our ships [in fact - it was from a field cannon] hit the ship, which began to burn and explode. The ETZEL men asked our men to help evacuate the wounded and people from the ship. A Palmach platoon was sent to evacuate the wounded. The ship is on fire.

         Revisionists, GZ [General Zionists], and Mizrachi called for an urgent meeting of the Council.

          [General Zionists' leaders] [Israel] Rokach, [Avraham] Krinitzi, [Yosef] Sapir, [Haim] Ariav, and [Oved] Ben-Ami visited me and demanded a cease-fire. While we were talking I was informed that the ship was on fire.

         - [Shimon] Wasserman came to see me: The claims regarding religion that were voiced by HaMizrachi and the Aguda [Agudas Israel] are exaggerated and not always grounded. He has no demands in terms of all the positions that he filled in the past. I asked him what he [wants], because the old regime of the National Headquarters - has all been abolished.

         He suggested that he be employed in fortifications, because he's an engineer. I agreed on the condition that I consult with all those working on this. But I asked him to also take on religious supervision, along with Po'ale HaAguda [Po'ale Agudas Israel] and

HaOved HaDati.

         - The [Jewish] Agency Executive met in the early evening. Unfortunately I couldn't participate.