יומנים > יומן - מלא 20/07/1948

Tuesday, July 20, 1948

In the north the Syrians are fighting us near Mishmar HaYarden, and in the Central Galilee we're fighting Qawuqji and are about to reach Tarshiha.

         The Egyptians are trying to surround Karatiyya. If they continue to do so they'll be attacked by our men. In ''Isluj the situation is unclear. Yesterday [they] apparently announced that the village is in Egyptian hands and the stronghold in our hands. According to later information it turns out that Bir-''Isluj is in our hands. It's possible that the Egyptians left after the stronghold was in our hands.

         It was decided to have a roll call [in the Maccabee Stadium in Tel Aviv, near the Yarkon River estuary] on the 20th of Tammuz [July 27]. Shlomo Shamir will handle the arrangements. We'll also bring a battalion of Bedouins from the north.

         Yohanan [Ratner] reported on fortification plans, and construction of a railway along the coast [from Rosh Ha'Ayin to North Tel Aviv, and from there northward along the current railway].

         Yigael [Yadin] reports that there's a vast amount of property in Beit Nabala, pipes, compressors, and other machines worth millions [British army equipment]. In Lod, too, there are many train engines and cars.

         According to Yohanan the entire plan for the construction of a railway along the coastline (at a distance of 1½-2 km from the shore) [from Haifa] to Tel Aviv is ready. There's an American company that wants to do it at its own expense and it already has all the necessary material.

         - Isser [Harel]: ETZEL is planning to form an underground in the army. It won't provide commanders [for enlistment in the IDF], and they'll be willing to command soldiers trained by the government. [According to Isser's proposal] their apparatus in Tel Aviv (the center is here) should be destroyed, and their money seized. Precautions should be taken against their weapons entering [the country]. There are importers who are helping them. They also might steal weapons from the army. Donations should be prevented. [Sam] Zacks [and Ramat Gan Mayor Avraham] Krinitzi donate to and solicit donations for ETZEL. [Tel Aviv Mayor Israel] Rokach also helps out.

         They should be prevented from organizing abroad - they're reorganizing their forces abroad. There was a secret agreement between TZOHAR and ETZEL - 20% of ETZEL's funds went to the Tel Hai [Fund]. Now ETZEL is trying to take over Betar abroad. Staroslavski [sp.] [a Revisionist party activist in France] is raising funds in Paris for ETZEL. Despite all this their financial situation in the country is difficult, because they have a huge apparatus in the country.

         He suggests sending Katriel Katz to investigate the state of ETZEL in Europe.

         - Benny Applebaum [Ilan] [came]. He left America on Friday (4 days ago). In a few more days (how many?) Golda will be able to come here.

         Sonneborn and [Abraham] Feinberg [president of Americans for Haganah] decided to establish "Friends of the State and the IDF" instead of Friends of the Haganah [i.e., Americans for Haganah]. The previous organization will continue to fulfill its duties until October 1, and then they'll start operating. Golda asks that Friends of the Haganah not be abolished. Its newspaper distribution reaches 25,000.

         - I set out for Ramle, Lod, the train station in Lod and Beit Nabala. I saw a great deal of wealth that was left in the Lod station and in Beit Nabala - which needs to be salvaged before long.

         - In the afternoon a Defense Committee meeting. I spoke about my initial reaction to the truce problems: increasing our military power and enhancements (training, heavy equipment, production), lightening the burden of military budget and transitioning to a constructive track - without weakening our military power, willingness to resume the war if there is a blow to our sovereignty, ''aliya, the minimal territory we deserve. An effort towards peace not necessarily on the basis of our potential powers (which in my view include all of Eretz-Israel).

         [Ya'akov] Riptin proposes an alliance with our friends [the USSR] - and thus we wouldn't have to be armed, return of the Arabs, war on terror and the secessionists, organization of the Ministry of the Army [Defense].